KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Planning Commission approved a new subdivision development plan for South Knoxville.
The D.R. Horton subdivision will be located on the south side of Tipton Station Road, east of Lowland Lane. The nearly 86 acres will eventually be home to 342 residential lots, according to the development plan.
The development was approved with the condition they do another environmental study and improve a major intersection in the area.
D.R. Horton will be responsible for recommended transportation improvements, including turn lanes or a roundabout at the W. Martin Mill Pike intersection, according to the plan. Knox County Engineering and Public Works recommended a roundabout due to the proximity of Goddard Road to the intersection.
A memorandum of understanding for the road work agreement was on the Knox County Commissioners' agenda for Monday, but has since been deferred to January.
The development plan said the land was once owned by Atlas Powder Company and used for TNT storage within several small buildings centrally located on the site. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation found a data gap that couldn't rule out the potential of TNT previously being manufactured on those sites.
The site will have to complete a Phase II Environmental Site Study during the design plan phase. This will include soil sampling around the existing powder magazines to determine if there is any contamination or risk to human health, TDEC said in a letter to the company.
TDEC also recommended D.R. Horton join the Division of Remediation's Brownfield Voluntary Cleanup Oversight and Assessment Program following the results of that study, which helps buyers of impacted properties limit the liability and provide oversight in the investigation and clean-up process.
The Tennessee Department of Health said Brownfield properties are usually locations with abandoned factories or commercial buildings, or other former polluting operations. The Tennessee Brownfields Redevelopment Program has worked to bring over 1,700 properties across the state back into use since 1996, according to TDOH.
