“Knox Commissioners send proposed restaurant back to MPC” |
| Knox Commissioners send proposed restaurant back to MPC Posted: 17 Dec 2010 03:45 PM PST A proposed restaurant took a big step back Friday night as commissioners denied a change to the sector plan in West Knox County. Chad Kennedy wants to build a restaurant on Fox Road, next door to Fox Road Marina on land that is currently zoned agricultural. For several months he has been trying to get the property rezoned commercial so he can build a waterfront restaurant. Friday, commissioners heard arguments regarding a Southwest Knox County sector plan change that could allow that restaurant to move forward. The Metropolitan Planning Commission said it was recommending that zoning change happen, based on the passage of a broader sector plan. An attorney representing opponents of more development on Fox Road said the commission could not approve the change because the changes were being requested for a single piece of property. Because of that, he argued it was not a legal sector plan change, it was a single property change. Residents have said the road is already a dangerous place for drivers and those who live along it. Fox Road is a narrow stretch along a set of railroad tracks near Canton Hollow Road and Kingston Pike. Over time the number of fatalities along that stretch and the number of accidents have picked up, according to the opponents' attorney. Kennedy has offered to pay for speed humps, a turn lane, and other safety features if the property is allowed to move forward. How they voted, "Yes" is to deny the zoning change: McKenzie: Yes Broyles: Pass Norman: Yes Ownby: No Briggs: Yes Anders: No Hammond: Yes Smith: No Wright: No Brown: Yes Shouse: Yes Previous Report A planned restaurant on the water in West Knox County still has life after Knox County Commissioners voted to send a zoning decision back to Knoxville's Metropolitan Commission Monday night. Initially, the Metropolitan Planning Commission voted unanimously against changing the Fox Road property from agricultural to commercial, 13-0. As part of the process, the restaurant appealed the MPC decision to Knox County's Commission. "I thought it was going to be a honky-tonk until I got out there and talked with Chad about it," Commissioner R Larry Smith said. Commissioners voted 6 to 5 to send the plan back to MPC. The piece of land was last looked at in 2006 as part of the Southwest Knox County sector plan and zoned agricultural at the time. Initially, Commissioner Richard Briggs asked the commission to support the MPC's initial decision to keep the land zoned agricultural. Briggs was unable to get enough support on commission. Briggs said he was acting on behalf of the neighborhood that felt traffic in the area would make Fox Road even more dangerous than it already is. "When I go out to get my mail, if I'm not very careful, someone will hit me because the road is very narrow," Libby Griffin, who lives 1/4 of a mile from the proposed site said. "I hope you will think very long and hard about what you decide to do with a piece of property that impacts my life every day." Chad Kennedy, of CGK, Inc., wants to build a restaurant on the site. He said he is willing to work with the MPC and neighbors to come up with whatever restrictions they feel appropriate for the area. He does not plan to have late hours or outdoor music. "If the neighborhood group sticks with the mindset that they don't want any development there, then I think you're going to lose," Commissioner Amy Broyles said. How they Voted: Send it back to MPC: Jeff Ownby, Brad Anders, R Larry Smith, Dave Wright, Mike Hammond, Mike Brown (6) Deny zoning appeal: Sam McKenzie, Amy Broyles, Tony Norman, Richard Briggs, Ed Shouse
Previous Story A nearby resident, the idea of combining the two things he loves came to Chad Kennedy one day as a he drove by. He's trying to get clearance to build a 6,000 square foot restaurant, with room for about 200 diners next door to Fox Road Marina in West Knox County. The problem is, many neighbors haven't been receptive and in order to build it, Kennedy needs a zoning change from agricultural to commercial. "Why not here? Why not take advantage of beautiful water frontage? Why not take advantage of the beautiful sunsets here?" Kennedy said. Neighbors say their opposition boils down to traffic and noise. Fox Road is already crowded as is, fairly narrow, and many living along the stretch say more traffic could be downright deadly. Several homes sit within just a few yards of the road itself. "It's pretty tight," Cliff Kirk, a Fox Road resident said. "These have been here a long time, they're not going to widen the road." Kirk is one of 42 people who wrote the Metropolitan Planning Commission opposing the zoning change and restaurant. Kennedy says he now has 200 or so signatures supporting his project. While several trains travel through the neighborhood every day, Kirk says they move through quickly and then are gone. Kirk argues boat traffic could echo off the lake all day right into his backyard. "It's when you're sitting out here tonight, it's nice. It's quiet. If there is a bar down there you're going to have more noise and traffic," Kirk said. The MPC ruled against him and many of those neighbors which now brings on Kennedy's appeal to the Knox County Commission. Kennedy says under the agricultural zoning, he could do things like have livestock or a saw mill, land uses he believes would bring a lot more noise pollution and potential nuisances to the neighborhood. His proposed restaurant would have hours until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends with what he anticipates as a family clientele. "To me, this is a great idea, it's a great opportunity, it's almost a no-brainer to me," he said. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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