Refer to the appropriate Sector Plan for land use classifications in Knox County.
City of Knoxville
(C)
City Zoning Districts
Code
Classification
Description
Location Criteria
Permitted Zones
CC
Community Commercial
CC
This land use includes retail and service-oriented development, including shops, restaurants, and ?big box? retail stores. The typical service area includes 20,000 to 30,000 residents.
- Sites should be relatively flat (under 10 percent slope) and with enough depth to support shopping center and ancillary development.
Vehicular and pedestrian connections should be accommodated between different components of the district (e.g. between stores, parking areas and out-parcel development)
Infrastructure should include adequate water and sewer services, and major arterial highway access
Develop community commercial areas providing a wide range of goods and services to accommodate the majority of consumer needs within major geographic sectors of the community
Locate community serving commercial development on major collector and arterials streets on sites which allow for the clustering of activities and result in minimal negative impact on adjacent properties of the transportation system.
Control the formation of new community commercial areas to ensure the balanced distribution of commercial services throughout the City
O, C-N, C-G, C-H
GC
General Commercial
GC
This class provides locations for retail and service-oriented commercial activities. It is generally intended to provide a full range of goods and services at the community or regional scale.
- Commercial sites should be relatively flat, regular in shape and of sufficient size.
Locate on arterial and collector streets; however, their placement should not significantly reduce the proper functioning of the transportation system
Sites that are easily served by utilities and other support services
Sites should be compatible with adjacent land uses. Use of transitional land use classes such as HDR, MDR, MDR/O and O should be considered as a buffer between GC and residential uses to create more harmonious relationships and increase compatibility
Control linear commercial development to prevent traffic congestion and commercial encroachment into residential areas.
O, OP, C-G, C-H, C-R
NC
Neighborhood Commercial
NC
This classification includes retail and service- oriented commercial uses intended to provide goods and services for the day-to-day needs of households within a ? mile radius.
- Locate on collector or arterial streets that result in minimum negative impacts on adjacent properties
Limit the size of neighborhood commercial areas to 5 acres or less, depending on site characteristics
New NC should not be zoned for or developed within ? mile of existing commercial development that features sales of day-to-day goods and services
Automobile-oriented uses (e.g. gas stations or convenience stores) should be located on arterial streets at the edge of neighborhoods
C-N
RS
Regional Commercial
RS
This land use includes retail and service-oriented development that meets the needs of residents across Knox County and surrounding areas. ?Big box? retail, malls and ?lifestyle centers? are examples of regional-oriented commercial uses.
- Sites should be relatively flat (under 10 percent slope) and with enough depth to support shopping center and ancillary development.
Water, sewer, natural gas utilities and stormwater systems should be capable of handling the development
Vehicular and pedestrian connections should be accommodated between different components of the district (e.g., between stores, parking areas and out-parcel development).
Locate region?serving commercial development on arterials in locations which are easily accessible to the interstate system. Development sites should be sufficient in size to permit future expansion.
RS development should be limited and carefully located to avoid market over-saturation and conflict with the central business district
OP, C-H, C-R, I-MU
MU-CC
Mixed Use Community Center
MU-CC
These centers are envisioned to be developed at a moderate intensity with a variety of housing types. The core of the district, with its predominant commercial and office uses, should be within ? mile of the higher intensity residential uses (such as townhouses and apartments. Redevelopment of vacant or largely vacant shopping centers are considerations for these centers. This class includes high?density mixed?use development with housing densities of 6 to 24 dwelling units per acre.
- Flat terrain (slopes generally less than 10 percent)
Areas currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks, transit, and located near a major arterial or interstate highway
Within a ?-mile radius of an intersection of the thoroughfare system (a collector/arterial or arterial/arterial intersection)
Commercial/office core should be within ? mile of the higher intensity residential uses (e.g. townhouses and apartments)
The location does not include auto and truck- oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse/distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas
O, C-G, C-H
MU-NC
Mixed Use Neighborhood Center
MU-NC
This land use is the least intense of the mixed use classifications. It is intended for medium density mixed use development with housing densities of 6 to 12 dwelling units per acre. The buildings of these centers should be designed with a residential character and scale to serve as a complement to the surrounding neighborhoods.
- Currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks
At the intersection of a local street and throughfare
Flat terrain (slopes generally less than 10 percent)
Next to low or medium density residential
Does not include auto and truck- oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse / distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas
O, C-N
MU-RC
Mixed Use Regional Center
MU-RC
These are envisioned to be highest intensity mixed use centers with housing densities over 24 dwelling units per acre. Downtown Knoxville?s Central Business District is a regional mixed use center.
- Flat terrain (generally less than 10 percent slopes)
Currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks and transit
The location does not include auto and truck-oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse/distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas
On a major arterial, adjacent to an interstate highway or adjacent to downtown
OP, C-G, C-H, C-R, DK
MU-UC
Mixed Use Urban Corridor
MU-UC
This land use consists of urban streets that have potential for redevelopment and vertical mixed uses such as shops on the ground level and apartments above. Commercial cores or nodes should be created along these corridors. Nodes should not be more than 4 blocks.
- Corridors should be served by or planned to be served by sidewalks and transit
On streets designed or planned for redesign with street trees, on-street parking, and other streetscape amenities
On streets capable of sustaining on-street parking along corridor or along side streets
C-G, C-H, I-MU, DK, SW, CU
SWMUD II
South Waterfront Mixed Use District Type 2
SWMUD II
This district allows for diverse uses and range of development intensities and forms. Zoning is limited to districts which require Planning Commission special use approval.
- Case-by-case analysis is recommended.
RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4, RN-5, O, C-G, I-MU, I-G
