letter to the editor
Anti-Concord Road apartment support sought
I am writing to inform the public that on Sept. 10, the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission will vote on a rezoning change from Neighborhood Commercial to (Planned) Residential for the land across from the (Avenir) center at 901 Concord Road.
The public is allowed to comment on this rezoning. Knox County Commissioner John Schoonmaker (5th District) has alerted the public that the developer is applying for a low income housing grant from the state of Tennessee.
I will e-mail my reasons why this rezoning should be denied to: staff planner Michelle Portier, michelle.portier@knoxplanning.org
and Knox Planning Commission: commission@knoxplanning.org
Schoonmaker shared with the public that “the Planning body cannot use as a means for denial that it would lower your home value.”
My reasons for requesting a denial to the rezoning are: the proposal is for 151 apartments in multiple buildings and most likely three stories tall. The property is currently zoned for Neighborhood Commercial. These types of businesses would be similar to those in Choto Markets (Choto Road and Northshore Drive). The property was planned as a gateway to Farragut with limited types of commercial uses.
This is not an appropriate place for high-density residential development.
There is almost no commercial development on Concord Road at this location. We want this to be a commercial area.
This has been in the Sector Plan for years as commercial. It has been in the Urban Growth Plan for years as commercial.
I am asking fellow residents to also e-mail the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission and request that this rezoning be denied. The decision is Thursday, Sept.10, at 1:30 p.m., and if the Planning Commission has an in-person meeting we need to have attendance from the community. It is very important that everyone in the surrounding neighborhoods act now to e-mail the groups above and state your position.
Patrick Lee, Concord Hills
