Knox County Commission Rejects Strawberry Plains Pike Rezoning 7-4; Heiskell Road Pushed to November
Knox County commissioners turned down a planned residential rezoning on 13.62 acres along Strawberry Plains Pike near Carter Elementary, 7-4, even after the developer cut the request to two homes an acre. A 29-acre Heiskell Road request was put off until November.
The Knox County Commission voted 7-4 at its Oct. 19 zoning session to deny a request to rezone 13.62 acres along Strawberry Plains Pike for planned residential homes. The vote went against the Planning Commission, which had backed the request 7-3 in July. It also came after the developer’s side offered to cut the density from five homes an acre to two.
The same night, commissioners pushed a 29-acre Heiskell Road request to November, saw a 12-unit-an-acre request on Byington Beaver Ridge Road withdrawn, and approved two smaller rezonings on Conner Road and Fox Road. Here is what happened and why it matters if you own a home in East or North Knox County.
What commissioners turned down on Strawberry Plains Pike
The request came from Joe Davis of Axiom Properties. The agenda lists it as file 7-F-26-RZ, a change from A (Agricultural) to PR (Planned Residential) at up to 5 dwelling units an acre. The land is five parcels on the south side of Strawberry Plains Pike, north of McCubbins Lane, in Commission District 8.
The Knox Focus reported that commissioners “turned down a request to rezone six lots along Strawberry Plains Pike despite the developer reducing the number of proposed dwellings there from five to two per acre.” Benjamin Mullins spoke for Davis. Four neighbors spoke against it.
How the vote broke
District 8 Commissioner Adam Thompson made the motion to deny, and District 9’s Andy Fox seconded. Per the Focus, the vote was 7-4. Chairwoman Terry Hill, Damon Rawls, Courtney Durrett and Garrett Holt voted to approve the rezoning.
Thompson said the project had been postponed several times. He said, “There’s more questions than answers,” and called the area “a unique area with very rural roots.” At-large Commissioner Justin Cofer said he had heard lots of promises but had seen no development plans, and that he would “side with the community.” Hill reminded the board that the Planning Commission had approved the request at five units an acre and that the developer had made concessions.
What neighbors raised
Opponents talked about the land itself. The Focus reported the property “contains wetlands, two streams, slopes and possible sinkholes,” and that neighbors worried about a cemetery near the site. Mullins agreed the land has limits, but said those limits are why clustering the houses would work. He also promised sidewalks inside the property and said water and sewer are available.
What the county staff report says about the land
The Planning staff report in the packet fills in the details. Here are the key numbers.
| Item | Strawberry Plains Pike (7-F-26-RZ) |
|---|---|
| Acreage | 13.62 acres, five parcels |
| Request | A to PR, up to 5 du/ac (amended at the meeting to 2 per acre, per the Focus) |
| Planning Commission | Approve, 7-3, hearing July 9, 2026 |
| Place type | Rural Conservation and Hillside Ridgetop Protection |
| Hillside area | 2.18 acres; max disturbance of 1.1 acres recommended |
| Road | Strawberry Plains Pike, a minor arterial, 23 ft of pavement |
| Utilities | KUB water and sewer |
| Nearby school | Carter Elementary, opened 2013, 0.25 miles east |
| County Commission | Denied 7-4, Oct. 19, 2026 |
The staff report says at least half of the site would have to stay as undisturbed natural area under the Rural Conservation place type. It also notes that a historic cemetery sits on the next-door property and that high-visibility fencing would be required during permitting. Two blue-line streams and a TVA easement cross the land.
The report points to change in the area. Since 2006, nearby land has moved from agricultural zoning to RA and PR at 2 to 5 homes an acre, with single-family homes and townhomes around it. That trend is one reason staff supported the request. Commissioners still said no.
Heiskell Road goes to November
The other large request came from Homestead Land Holdings for 29.25 acres at 7741, 7753, 785 and 7809 Heiskell Road and Granville Conner Road, in District 7. The agenda describes it as a change from PR at up to 5 dwelling units an acre, and A, to PR at up to 3 dwelling units an acre. The Planning Commission recommended up to 3 an acre, 13-0, with two conditions. The Knox Focus described the request as five units an acre and noted that planners had recommended three. We are showing both descriptions.
District 7 Commissioner Barry Beeler raised possible crowding at Powell Elementary. District 5 Commissioner Angela Russell moved to postpone the request a month so the developer and neighbors can meet. The Focus reported it was deferred until November. For the Planning Commission side of this request, see Knox Planning Sets Sept. 10 on Heiskell Rd PR up to 3 du/ac.
The rest of the Oct. 19 zoning agenda
| File | Location | Request | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-H-26-RZ | 339 Fox Road (0.95 acres) | A to OB | Approved |
| 9-A-26-SNC | Lobetti Road off Schaad Road | Rename to Lobetti Ridge Lane | Approved |
| 7-L-26-RZ | 0 Byington Beaver Ridge Road (1.12 acres) | CA to PR, up to 12 du/ac | Withdrawn |
| 8-G-26-RZ | 0 Conner Road (1.82 acres) | A to RA | Approved |
| 8-J-26-RZ | Heiskell Rd / Granville Conner Rd (29.25 acres) | PR and A to PR | Deferred to November |
| 7-F-26-RZ | 0 Strawberry Plains Pike (13.62 acres) | A to PR, up to 5 du/ac | Denied 7-4 |
The Byington Beaver Ridge Road request had been put off since August before the applicant withdrew it. The Lobetti Road rename came from Knox 911 Director Brad Anders to help responders find calls faster.
Inside the city: Knoxville starts a charter review
The same issue of the Focus reported that Knoxville City Council members have started a full review of the city charter. Vice Mayor Lynne Fugate said there has “never been a deep look at the charter.” The last full review was in 1988.
The plan would name a 13-member Charter Review Panel. Each council member would pick one member and the mayor would pick four. The panel would start no later than April 1 of next year, hold four public sessions around the city, and report within 12 months. If council approves the report, changes would go on the 2028 ballot. Fugate said the matter should come up on a future council agenda.
Dates to watch
- November 2026 — Heiskell Road and Granville Conner Road rezoning returns to the County Commission.
- Nov. 12, 2026 — Knox Planning’s next rezoning docket; see Knox Planning’s Nov. 12 Rezoning Docket: 12 Units an Acre on South Northshore Drive, a Wooddale Downzoning and a Karns Cluster.
- By April 1, 2027 — Proposed start of Knoxville’s Charter Review Panel, if council adopts the process.
- 2028 — Earliest ballot for any charter changes, per the proposal.
What it means for Knox County homeowners
- Planning approval is not the final word. The Planning Commission backed Strawberry Plains Pike 7-3. The County Commission still denied it. If a request near you is moving, the commission vote is the one that counts.
- Showing up matters. Four neighbors spoke on Strawberry Plains Pike. On Heiskell Road, a commissioner asked for a month so neighbors and the developer can talk.
- Land limits shape what gets built. Slopes, streams, sinkholes and cemeteries can cut how many homes fit on a site. Buyers ask about these things too.
- Schools come up. Carter Elementary and Powell Elementary were both part of the debate. If you sell in those zones, expect buyers to ask about growth nearby.
Rural zoning in the county is also in flux; see Knox County Pauses Its Zoning Overhaul — What Rural Landowners and Home Buyers Should Do Now.
Thinking of selling in East or North Knox County?
A denied rezoning keeps the land next to you agricultural for now. A deferred one means the answer is still coming. Either way, buyers will ask. Know the file number, the outcome and what comes next, and you can answer with confidence.
See where your price stands with a free home valuation, or request a cash offer if you want a quick, certain sale.
What happened to the Strawberry Plains Pike rezoning?
The Knox County Commission denied it 7-4 at its Oct. 19, 2026 zoning session. The request, file 7-F-26-RZ, sought PR zoning at up to 5 homes an acre on 13.62 acres. The developer’s side offered two an acre at the meeting.
Who voted to approve the Strawberry Plains Pike request?
The Knox Focus reported that Chairwoman Terry Hill, Damon Rawls, Courtney Durrett and Garrett Holt voted to approve. Adam Thompson moved to deny and Andy Fox seconded.
Why did neighbors oppose it?
They raised wetlands, two streams, slopes, possible sinkholes and a nearby cemetery. The county staff report also notes 2.18 acres in the hillside protection area and a TVA easement.
What happened to the Heiskell Road rezoning?
The 29.25-acre Homestead Land Holdings request was deferred until November so the developer and neighbors can meet. The Planning Commission had recommended up to 3 homes an acre, 13-0.
Is Knoxville reviewing its city charter?
City Council members have started the process. The plan calls for a 13-member Charter Review Panel that would start no later than April 1 of next year, with any changes on the 2028 ballot if council approves.
Source links
- Knox County Board of Commissioners — Zoning Agenda Packet, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, 5 p.m.
- The Knox Focus — Oct. 26, 2026 print edition (“Strawberry Plains development rejected by commission” and “City takes first step in charter review”)
More from Kings of Real Estate
Related local news:
- Knox Planning Sets Sept. 10 on Heiskell Rd PR up to 3 du/ac
- Three Knox County A-to-RA Rezonings Move Toward Nov. 9: Overton Lane and Morris Road Backed, Fox Road Flagged for Flooding
- Knox Planning’s Nov. 12 Rezoning Docket: 12 Units an Acre on South Northshore Drive, a Wooddale Downzoning and a Karns Cluster
- Knox County Pauses Its Zoning Overhaul — What Rural Landowners and Home Buyers Should Do Now
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