Opinion

letter to the editor

Tell BOMA ‘no’ to Knox Growth Policy Plan

On March 28, the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen will vote on the Knox County Growth Policy Plan. In 2020, the Mayor and Aldermen voted 4-1 to not approve the plan because doing so would greatly increase housing density in Choto and north of Farragut and would result in much more traffic congestion in Farragut.

Currently, housing density in Knox County is controlled by the Sector Plan, which limits density to three units per acre. Farragut is its own municipality and sets its own zoning rules on density. The Growth Policy Plan, if approved, will replace the Sector Plan, and in Choto and north of Farragut, housing density will increase from three units per acre to five units per acre, and in some places 12 units per acre in all areas on the Growth Policy Plan map marked Planned Growth Area.

Areas marked Rural Area density would decrease from three units per acre to two units per acre. If you will look at the Growth Policy Plan map you will see almost all of Choto and north of Farragut is in the Planned Growth Area. Planned Growth Area is marked in yellow. https://archive.knoxplanning.org/plans/PS3-K29E_MPC_Knoxville%20Farragut%20Knox%20County%20Growth%20Policy%20Plan_2000.pdf

These density numbers are from Knoxville/Knox County Planning staff member Michelle Portier. I and other Farragut residents spoke with Ms. Portier after she spoke in the workshop for the Growth Policy Plan in the Mayor and Aldermen meeting Feb. 22.

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