Neighbors oppose Emery Road rezoning; owner seeks small subdivision to house relatives

Knoxville/Knox County Planning Commissioners on June 12 approved a request to rezone a roughly 1.93‑acre property on East Emery (Emery) Road to Low Density Residential, despite multiple neighbors testifying concern about traffic and driveway safety on the narrow, heavily‑traveled road.

Property owner and applicant Nils Hay, who said he lives at the subject property, told the commission the request was to subdivide the lot into several parcels so family members and aging parents could move nearby. “The purpose of this rezoning is to allow us to subdivide this into a few lots to move family down here,” Hay said.

Multiple neighbors — including Tammy Cox, Marion Lawson, James Wise and Jay Cox — described longstanding safety problems on the nearby Brown Gap/Emery Road intersection and said they frequently cannot safely turn out of their driveways. Tammy Cox said she had a collision while attempting to turn across traffic: “I sat in my driveway for about 10 minutes trying to cut across … the next thing I know, I'm being rammed into the side of my car.” Several speakers emphasized that the stretch lacks sidewalks, has a narrow bridge and carries heavy daily traffic; a staff representative said the corridor had been on TDOT’s improvement list but was removed from a near‑term program because of right‑of‑way costs.

Commissioner Gill urged the commission to focus on the comprehensive plan’s place‑type guidance, noting the parcel sits in a planned growth/suburban residential context and moved to approve the change per staff recommendation. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Staff and commissioners noted that any subsequent development must meet applicable subdivision, access and stormwater requirements and that the applicant had indicated willingness to work with neighbors and to perform additional traffic or design work as needed.