Commission approves Fox Road rezoning for boat dealership with deed restrictions and landscape conditions
March 09, 2026 | Knox County, Tennessee
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The Planning Commission voted to approve a rezoning from OB (Office/Medical) to Planned Commercial (PC) for a 3.64-acre parcel on Fox Road, paving the way for a boat sales/showroom and limited service operation. The decision follows months of discussion about long-term place-type change and site constraints.
Opponents led by John Schoonmaker cited steep topography, two large gasoline pipelines crossing the parcel, existing Fox Road corridor study protections and the risk of increased commercial traffic along a narrow corridor. Schoonmaker urged commissioners to "support your staff's recommendation in denying this request," warning that boat storage and large vehicle deliveries could disrupt the residential corridor.
Applicant counsel Ben Mullins and owner representatives described a showroom-focused plan with limited on-site rigging and detailing, screened outdoor storage and deed-restricted permitted uses. Owner Brian Courtney said the site would primarily be a retail showroom with some light on-site pre-delivery work and limited service, and stressed intent to screen storage from adjacent properties.
Commission discussion focused on the new comprehensive land-use place type (BP/business park), draft UDO directions, future permitted uses, topographic and stream buffers, and the value of attaching recorded deed restrictions. Commissioner Gil moved to approve the rezoning with the condition that restrictive covenants (limiting uses to watercraft/vehicle retail, limited service and screened storage) be recorded with the register of deeds prior to development-plan application; commissioners also required a Type A buffer along the street frontage and Type C buffers along residential sides. The motion passed on a voice vote after a second by Commissioner Anderson.
What’s next: the applicant must record the deed restrictions and meet landscape-buffer conditions; subsequent development-plan review will apply site design, stream-buffer and T-DOT/engineering requirements (T-DOT approval required for any access onto John Sevier Highway).
Why it matters: the commission’s action shows how place-type transitions under the new comprehensive plan can be managed with recorded restrictions and design conditions to address neighborhood compatibility concerns while enabling commercial investment.
Opponents led by John Schoonmaker cited steep topography, two large gasoline pipelines crossing the parcel, existing Fox Road corridor study protections and the risk of increased commercial traffic along a narrow corridor. Schoonmaker urged commissioners to "support your staff's recommendation in denying this request," warning that boat storage and large vehicle deliveries could disrupt the residential corridor.
Applicant counsel Ben Mullins and owner representatives described a showroom-focused plan with limited on-site rigging and detailing, screened outdoor storage and deed-restricted permitted uses. Owner Brian Courtney said the site would primarily be a retail showroom with some light on-site pre-delivery work and limited service, and stressed intent to screen storage from adjacent properties.
Commission discussion focused on the new comprehensive land-use place type (BP/business park), draft UDO directions, future permitted uses, topographic and stream buffers, and the value of attaching recorded deed restrictions. Commissioner Gil moved to approve the rezoning with the condition that restrictive covenants (limiting uses to watercraft/vehicle retail, limited service and screened storage) be recorded with the register of deeds prior to development-plan application; commissioners also required a Type A buffer along the street frontage and Type C buffers along residential sides. The motion passed on a voice vote after a second by Commissioner Anderson.
What’s next: the applicant must record the deed restrictions and meet landscape-buffer conditions; subsequent development-plan review will apply site design, stream-buffer and T-DOT/engineering requirements (T-DOT approval required for any access onto John Sevier Highway).
Why it matters: the commission’s action shows how place-type transitions under the new comprehensive plan can be managed with recorded restrictions and design conditions to address neighborhood compatibility concerns while enabling commercial investment.
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