Knoxville Board approves Moyle Racing Engines variances for Pearl Street properties

The City of Knoxville Board of Adjustment on March 11, 2026, approved two variance requests from Jaymie Moyle affecting properties on W Pearl Street: an 80'x50' metal-clad commercial building at 201 W Pearl Street and a front porch addition to the existing building at 209 W Pearl Street.

Nathan Parch, Planning & Zoning Administrator, told the board the 201 W Pearl lot is an irregular, vacant parcel with a rear lot line angled to follow an adjacent railroad right‑of‑way. To place a rectangular 80'x50' building without intruding on the rear yard or the railroad right‑of‑way, the building must be shifted closer to the front lot line; that positioning causes partial encroachment into the 30‑foot front yard adjacent to W Pearl Street and a full encroachment into the 10‑foot west side yard. Parch noted that multiple nearby buildings were built near the lot line with little to no setback and that a variance was approved in 2022 for a shop/storage building at 214 W Pearl Street.

For 209 W Pearl Street, Parch said the existing 1948 shop already encroaches into yard areas and that adding the porch would partially encroach into the 20‑foot front yards along W Pearl and N Harlan Streets. He referenced Zoning Code Sections 9‑8A‑5(B), 9‑8A‑5(C) and 9‑19‑6 for the 201 W Pearl request and Section 9‑7‑5(A) for the 209 W Pearl porch request.

No public comments were recorded on either application. Commissioner Geoff Wheelock moved to approve the 201 W Pearl variances; Tara Gordon seconded and the motion passed unanimously among those present (Ayes: Gordon, Hicks, Tupper, Wheelock; Absent: Jones). Wheelock also moved to approve the 209 W Pearl porch variance; Tara Gordon seconded and the board approved on the same roll call tally.

The board scheduled its next meeting for April 15, 2026, and adjourned at 6:29 p.m.