KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County is still collecting thoughts from the community about how leaders should manage the next two decades of growth. The plan to guide major decisions over the next 20 years is called "Advance Knox."
The process takes 18 months in total and is about eight months along. So far it has included in-person and virtual meetings with the public. It is also inviting people to share their thoughts online with a survey open through Oct. 31. Residents can share their opinion on these three scenarios:
- "Status Quo" scenario
- "Town and Country" scenario
- "On the Road Again" scenario
County leaders said they are currently trying to decide between three concepts for the $1.2 million Advance Knox initiative. They also said that around 75,000 people are expected to move to the area over the next 20 years, but fewer than 500 people have weighed into the plans so far.
Currently, about 466,000 people live in Knox County according to the 2020 U.S. Census. As the population grows, some experts are worried about how such quick growth could dwindle the availability of housing.
"It's a community effort. Government can't solve the problem by itself," said Hancen Sale with the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors. "Land use, zoning, and the East Tennessee landscape are unique to us, so we have to figure out how to preserve our community, but also build enough housing to keep our community affordable."
Director of Engineering and Public Works Jim Snowden said the "On the Road Again" approach has been the most popular for managing Knox County's growth. This would involve making Knox County more walkable by bringing commercial and residential areas together.
"Where commercial and residential are all sort of clumped together so that people can walk and bike and maybe not have to drive as far and put a little less strain on the infrastructure," Snowden said. "Land use is very controversial. It's impacted, people. Someone has a vacant property beside them, they see that land use change, and it can be very emotional."
There is also an "Outward Bound" approach, that provides less opportunity for the workforce but preserves the community's character. The "Town and Country" approach is focused on building up existing employment centers with new retail spaces, offices, and homes.
Anyone who wants to share their thoughts on how Knox County can accommodate more people and grow over the next few decades can submit a survey through Advance Knox. The county hopes to move forward with an official plan in 2023.
"If everybody gets involved, it becomes their plan and not just our plan," Snowden said.