Updating the Plan – Reducing Density and Intensity (of land use)

Future Land Use Map - 2023



Note: This article was originally posted in February 2022. It has been updated to reflect recent activity.

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) was adopted in 2012 to update the previous land use plan.  The planning commission relies on this plan when making land use decisions.  The future land use map which was originally adopted by the FMPC in 2012 is below.






In 2017, at my request, a steering committee was established to review the plan.  Several key corridors on the land use map (updated version is at the top of the post) were chosen for review and a process was established to gather public input for map updates. 

 A few key amendments have lowered the density and/or land use intensity on the map.

  • Reduced the medium density designation from 6-12 units/acre to 6-8 units/acre which instantaneously eliminated higher density use in areas designated medium density 
  • Established a high density designation. Since nothing on the map was identified as high density because the designation did not exist at adoption, high density multifamily was effectively removed from the land use map except in the area designated Mixed Use Town Center.
  • On the McFee Road corridor, the mixed use neighborhood and medium density designations across from McFee Park were removed and replaced with Open Space Cluster residential (a land use consistent with the surrounding low density land use)
  • The Mixed Use Town Center land use description was amended to remove multifamily as the primary residential use in the town center.  The amended land use description includes a mix of residential uses appropriate to the context and surrounding plan of development.
  • The land use density in the Kingston Pike/ Smith Road/ Boring Road study area was reduced significantly.
  • The future land use map was amended to accurately reflect the developed density of existing properties .

A comparison of the current land use map (at the top of this post) with the land use map adopted in 2012 illustrates that the density and land use intensity has been reduced significantly.

A more detailed description and links to the various agendas and ordinances is below.

Background 

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) was adopted in December 2012 by the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission (FMPC).[1]  The Board of Mayor and Aldermen adopted a portion of the CLUP via Ordinance 14-22.  Specifically, the area and text identified as Mixed Use Town Center on the future land use map was adopted in January 2015.[2]

 I joined the FMPC in 2013 after the plan had already been adopted. I did not participate in the development of the plan. It was my duty to read and understand the plan and apply it when making land use decisions.  Overall, I believe the goals of the plan are good, but after working with the plan for a few years I felt the plan needed refinement in several areas.

In 2017, I requested we conduct a comprehensive review of the CLUP.  During the August 2017 FMPC meeting this was discussed and recommended by the FMPC.[3] The review and update included forming a steering committee, setting a process for review, establishing priorities and developing a public engagement process to obtain public input.

Mayor Ron Williams, then-Alderman Ron Pinchok and I along with several citizens have served on the committee to guide the update. We have been successful in working with the community to update parts of the plan.  We were stalled for a time due to COVID, but have since restarted the process. Below is a summary of the work that has been completed to update the future land use map and text amendments. There remains areas of concern on the future land use map that need to be addressed. 

 What Has Been Accomplished

 Watt Road Corridor (north of Kingston Pike)

 March 21, 2018 – Watt Road Public Visioning Workshop

 October 18, 2018 – FMPC adopts recommendations [4]

              The Watt Road residents (mostly Sedgefield and Orchid Grove residents) expressed a desire for small scale and more neighborhood commercial use.  They requested a crosswalk across Watt Road so they could access the park. 

              The CLUP steering committee recommended changes to the density of Medium Density Residential to restrict it from 6-12 units/acre to 6-8 units/acre and create a land use category for High Density Residential with a density of 9-12 units/acre.

 Because High Density Residential was a new designation, there was nothing on the Future Land Use Map designated high density, which for all intents and purposes removed high density (multifamily) from the future land use map except for in the Mixed Use Town Center.

 

Outlet Drive/Snyder Road Corridor

January 30, 2019 & February 28, 2019 – Review of Outlet Drive

April 18, 2019 – FMPC adopts changes to the Future Land Use Map related to the Outlet Drive/Snyder Road corridor from Office/Light Industrial to Regional Commercial.[5] 

This change ultimately paved the way for Top Golf to be acceptable without having to request amendments to the Future Land Use Map.

 

McFee Road Corridor (At and south of McFee Park roundabout)

October 3, 2019 – McFee Road corridor public visioning workshop

January 16, 2020 – FMPC approves amendment to the future land use map based on public input.[6]

Contrary to the desires of the residents who live along Watt Road, the residents who live along the McFee Road corridor were not interested in having a neighborhood commercial node at the roundabout across from McFee Park.  The Mixed Use Neighborhood and Medium Density Residential designations were removed and replaced with Open Space Residential Cluster, as that land use is consistent with the surrounding form of development. 

It should be noted that there were a few residents who insisted that the remaining property along McFee Road remain undeveloped.  Government cannot deprive a property owner of reasonable use of their land.  The Town of Farragut since its incorporation has consistently allowed for property zoned agricultural to be rezoned in a manner that is consistent with the surrounding built environment.  Low density single family residential is consistent with the surrounding land use.  The property being developed as the Grove at Boyd Station was zoned for residential use well before the Town of Farragut was founded.


MUTC Text Amendment

October 22, 2020 – Ordinance 20-20 which included text amendments related to Mixed Use Town Center land use designation in the CLUP was approved by the BMA on second reading.[7]

The text amendments removed language from the CLUP that indicated that the substantial residential use in the mixed use town center would be primarily multifamily. The amended language includes a mix of residential uses appropriate to the context and surrounding plan of development.

 

Land Use Designations Text Amendments

August 19, 2021 – The FMPC held a community workshop regarding undeveloped land and housing considerations to better understand the goals of the medium density residential land use description in the CLUP.

September 16, 2021 – The FMPC adopted Resolution PC-21-12 which included text amendments to amend the Medium Density Residential land use description and establish a land use description for High Density Residential.[8]

The text amendment to the Medium Density Residential restricted the housing to include only single family attached and single family detached.  The description for High Density Residential limits high density (multifamily) to where it currently exists.  The intent is that there are no undeveloped areas where multifamily is considered an appropriate land use.


Kingston Pike/Smith Road/ Boring Road Study Area

November 15, 2021 – Kingston Pike subarea public visioning workshop

March 22 & 23, 2022 - Kingston Pike subarea public visioning workshop

May 23, 20022 - CLUP Steering Committee Review

October 20, 2022 - FMPC approves PC-22-10 to amend portions of the study area

May 18, 2023 - FMPC approves PC-23-07 to amend remaining portion of the study area

This area has approximately 128 acres of undeveloped land. Many of the surrounding residents have expressed  the need to address the vision mapped in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan based on changing conditions and whether the proposed uses and densities are in keeping with the character of the existing built environment

The 41 acre parcel (Doug Horne's property) behind the Ingles complex was recently purchased by Knox County for a new school.

Future Land Use Map Correction of Existing Properties' density 

February 16, 2023 - FMPC approves Resolution PC-23-02 to correct land use designations to correspond with the developed density of exisitng properties

The existing built out properties on the future land use map have been reviewed for accuracy in their respective land use designations.  Several properties with existing development were inaccurately designated per their density.  The future land use map has been amended to designate these properties accurately.

Steps going forward

The undeveloped property in and around the area designated as Mixed Use Town Center on the future land use map needs to be reviewed by the public and in particular the residents of Glen Abbey, Park Place and Bridgewater.  There is confusion about what was intended by extending the MUTC designation back between two low density subdivisions given the protections provided with the transition language in Chapter 2 of the CLUP.

The Concord Road corridor should be reviewed, as well.


[1] http://townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12202012-191

[2] https://library.municode.com/tn/farragut/ordinances/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=692510

[3] http://townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08172017-729

[4] http://www.townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10182018-864

[5] http://www.townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04182019-921

[6] http://www.townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01162020-998

[7] http://www.townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10222020-1070

[8] http://www.townoffarragut.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162021-1167 

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