KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County community has one more chance to give feedback on a plan meant to guide decisions on how land can be used in the area over the coming decades. After Wednesday's meeting, which is open to the public, the final plan may be sent to leaders to be considered and possibly passed.
It will be the fourth meeting of the Growth Policy Coordinating Committee, and members are expected to vote on the final plan, according to the committee's agenda. The plan emphasized using most land in Knox County for suburban residential development, with some areas designed for commercial and mixed-use purposes.
The Advance Knox initiative started in Nov. 2021 when the committee began preparing a plan and started collecting public input. Three total rounds of formal public input were held in March 2022, fall 2022 and early 2023, along with an online survey collecting opinions from across the community.
Knoxville leaders and Farragut leaders participated in the plan as stakeholders, according to Advance Knox. It will establish policies, principles, and concepts that guide future development and preservation. It will also inform and use maps, zoning, and other smaller area plans and studies, according to Advance Knox.
The plan mostly proposes developing suburban residential areas across Knox County, featuring walkable areas filled with single-family homes. In between swaths of suburban residential areas are areas for mixed uses, as well as corridors for businesses.
The meeting will start at 5 p.m. in the City County Building. It includes a section for a public forum, and staff are expected to discuss the plan and present on how it could impact the county. The agenda also includes a policy vote, which would effectively finalize the plan before it's sent to area leaders on the Knox County Commission, the Knoxville City County and in Farragut.