Knoxville City Council makes complicated decisions at Tuesday’s meeting

Knoxville City Council members and Knoxville citizens prepare for an intense meeting. (Caroline Barnes/UTK Student Journalist)

By: Caroline Barnes

March 5, 2024 (6 pm) – The Knoxville City Council met for their biweekly meeting Tuesday evening and discussed issues such as zoning and growth development plans. Some issues were passed without resistance, while some issues caused public outcry and disagreement among councilmembers. 

The first issue was in regards to a zoning law about accessory dwelling units (ADUs). There are currently strict laws pertaining to ADUs, including the requirement of owner occupancy. This means the owner must live on the property of the ADU he or she owns.

Bentley Marlow, of Knoxville, explained how he proposed a change to the zoning code about ADUs, following the city ordinance’s process.

“City council had a big issue, full auditorium, mostly thanks to Mr. Roberto (a councilperson), stirring up West Knoxville. It looked like it was going to be killed there,” said Marlow.

He describes the several meetings that have occurred discussing his proposal as “ambushes” and blames “established neighborhoods for being fearful of change.”

Councilperson Roberto defends the council’s decision to maintain the stricter owner occupancy laws. He claims the support for owner-occupied ADUs stems from protecting potential homeowners from investors that would come in and take advantage of the financial benefits of ADUs.

“The reason was that it can have an impact on the available housing for people who might want to own a home at some point,” said Roberto. “We want to make sure that working class folks do not have to compete with people that have more money than them.”

Marlow unanimously lost the vote.