Final Knox ‘Go’ for E-Z Stop with 6-2 vote
Concord group’s appeal to stop Blount-based convenience store fails before Zoning Appeals 8
That quote, coming from Jon Harris, spokesman for Old Concord Residents Association seeking to either stop E-Z Stop’s plans — or at least force them to modify their plans — happened a few minutes after a 6-2 vote by Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals denied the OCRA appeal. That appeal was necessary after Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission approved E-Z Stop’s plans, subject to 11 modifications versus the Maryville-based convenience chain’s original plans.
This latest decision came as the first KCBZA order of business in Small Assembly Room of the City-County Building, downtown Knoxville, Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26.
An estimated 30 Concord residents or appeal supporters, many who are OCRA members, showed up for the appeal hearing.
“We’re disappointed, obviously,” said Harris, adding there are 33 homes in the immediate Old Historic Concord district. “We’re not opposed to progress, but we do wish that it would be sympathetic to the neighborhood that we live in.
“We felt like we weren’t asking too much with a reduction in the number of pumps (to four), the right-out only and elimination of the large impervious surface,” he added. “They did at least give us the right-out-only, so that’s something.”
That also included building a raised island at that right-out-only location to further discourage those seeking to turn left.
“I think this is it … we’ve exhausted all of our resources on the first go around with this,” Harris said. “We don’t have the money to go to court over this.”
Voting in favor of the granting the appeal to deny E-Z Stop was KCBZA chair Paul Huff, 9th District, and Sherri Garrett, 7th District. Huff pointed out his displeasure about the convenience chain’s insistence on seven gas pumps (14 points of sale) instead of lowering that to four (eight points of sale).
Insisting on 7/14 “obviously is not aimed (positively) at the community of Old Concord ... I strenuously object to that,” the chair said.
Meanwhile, Garrett said having the seven pumps/14 points of sale “would be pushing the boundaries of being a small-scale low- intensity” commercial neighbor to Historic Old Concord.
Overall, Huff wasn’t shy in questioning E-Z Stop officials — led by its legal expert, Knoxville attorney Ben Mullins, and Tommy Hunt, president/CEO of E-Z Stop/Calloway Oil Company (parent company) — and the OCRA representatives.
Mullins said E-Z Stop only wants to take advantage of existing Concord Road traffic, a little more than 15,000 vehicles per day on average, adding their new location would not add more traffic.
The board, on a motion by 5th District representative Cecil Anderson (which includes Farragut and Concord) was the motion receiving the 6-2 vote. EZ-Stop officials were required to add a “sizeable raised curb” buffer island at its right-in, right-out only entrance from Concord Road, with “No Left Turn” signage alongside to remind customers. “And follow the 11 recommendations the Planning Commission required.
“After listening to all these different statements, I’m really conflicted as to a decision,” added Anderson, who was among the six who denied the appeal. “But I have a problem, in that a lot of the (OCRA) objections are speculations — but I understand the reasons behind them.”
Anderson also said E-Z Stop’s plans meet Knox County zoning requirements.
“I graduated from Farragut (High School) and I went to school with people who lived in Old Concord, so I’m familiar with the area,” he said.
Harris was joined by Kevin Murphy, president of the Knox Community Planning Alliance Board and an Old Concord resident, and Charles Ellis, OCRA president, each making the case in detail before KCBZA prior to Mullins’ turn.
“Neighborhood commercial is meant to be a part of, and support, neighborhoods, but a bunch of fueling stations and a bunch of vehicle usage, that is neighborhood unfriendly,” Murphy said. “We would love to see that ordinance changed, and we’re disappointed that the Planning Commission and now the Board of Zoning Appeals did not impose a smaller limit on the number of fuel stations in particular.”
“It’s a shame because we’re a very tight community that just wants the best for our neighborhood,” Ellis said. “Obviously, development is going to happen, and we’re not trying to fight development at all, but it should be intentional and thoughtful development, not just try and grab as much cash as you can.
“Then (E-Z Stop officials) citing the 15,000 daily trips in traffic, that’s great, but we would prefer they just keep moving,” he added. “We don’t want to stop most of that traffic for a business at our neighborhood. “
