BZA denies request to remove buffer and fence requirements for storage yard; board cites lack of hardship

The City Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4–1 to deny variances that would have removed a required 20‑foot Class B buffer yard and eliminated a 6‑foot solid wall/fence for a proposed storage yard in a CH‑1 district.

Staff recited the property’s zoning history: the parcel was rezoned to commercial in 2017, an occupancy change and permit attempts occurred in 2018–2020, and a zoning complaint prompted further review in 2025. The principal-use standards for a storage yard require a 20‑foot Class B buffer and a 6‑foot solid fence or wall along all storage‑yard lot lines.

Applicant Brandon Boulding argued that portions of the property that abut the south and west lines lie in riparian or floodplain areas and woodland that are unlikely to be developed, and he said installing landscaped buffers would be costly and disruptive. He also said an existing concrete wall and material bins already provide screening on the north side.

Board members pressed the applicant on measurable hardship and asked whether a partial relief—relief from a defined measured distance rather than elimination across the entire property—would be feasible. Staff recommended approval only if the plan presented clear, site‑based measurements and if any approval be tied to the submitted site plan.

After discussion, a motion to deny the variance as submitted passed 4–1. The chair explained the applicant retains the right to appeal to Knoxville City Council or to submit a revised application with clear measurements and documented hardships.