Knoxville City Council wants more multiuse affordable housing on busy commercial corridors

The Knoxville City Council unanimously approved a largely symbolic resolution to encourage housing developments on busy streets, but critics called the move a rehashing of a 2019 city code overhaul that will not meet a crushing housing shortage.

The resolution, which acknowledges the need for more housing options on commercial corridors like Kingston Pike and Chapman Highway, was approved at the council's Oct. 17 meeting. The move is unrelated to the missing middle housing proposal that could change zoning ordinances in residential neighborhoods.

Council members said the intent of the resolution was to reenergize efforts to build mixed-use residential developments, with businesses on the ground floor and housing on upper floors. The developments would fill in gaps on busy corridors.

It was requested by Vice Mayor Andrew Roberto and council members Amelia Parker, Seema Singh and Charles Thomas. Singh was not present at the meeting, nor was Mayor Indya Kincannon, who was attending a meeting of mayors in Washington, D.C. Roberto sat in her place and said the resolution would start discussion around mixed-use developments.

"The intent here is to talk about existing tools that we have, raise awareness about this exact same thing, because this has been talked about a lot and there are examples of success here," Roberto said. "I think it presents us the greatest opportunity to quickly build housing stock."

When the city revamped its zoning ordinances during Recode Knoxville in 2019, it allowed mixed-use developments on city corridors, though not many were actually built. Council members called on Knoxville-Knox County Planning and the Knoxville Community Development Corporation to create incentives and outreach tools to spur development, but the resolution did not get more specific than that.

"This is not the solution. It is a part of a complex plan that has to be put in place, but I do know for a fact that there are more permits in the pipeline," said Councilwoman Lynn Fugate. "The dam is beginning to break and I hope that means the production of housing units will increase."

Ben Bentley, executive director and CEO of the Knoxville Community Development Corporation, said thousands of new units are under construction. Between projects at First Creek at Austin and Western Heights, Bentley said public housing inventory would increase by between 650 and 700 units.

During a public discussion, activist and former mayoral candidate Constance Every said the resolution would incentivize developers to build market-rate housing, not affordable housing. Her concerns were echoed by Parker, who called for incentive programs specifically for affordable housing and an online source to see where affordable units are under construction.

Knoxville's rents have increased by some of the highest percentages in the country.

Incentives include payments in lieu of tax agreements, where developers pay an alternative lump sum rather than property taxes for a limited number of years.

Knoxville missing middle housing proposal was previously postponed

Kincannon's plan to amend zoning ordinances to allow seven types of missing middle housing, described as multiunit dwellings with the footprint of a traditional single home, is still waiting for a vote from the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission, which delayed consideration by 60 days earlier this month.

The amendments would allow new construction and conversion of existing homes to duplexes, triplexes and other multiunit residences in neighborhoods zoned as Traditional Neighborhood Residential. That group includes Fourth & Gill, Parkridge and Lonsdale.

If the plan is approved by the commission at its December meeting, it will move to Knoxville City Council for a vote and a second reading.

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville City Council wants more housing on busy commercial streets