Board of Zoning Appeals - City of Knoxville
OtherAI Summary
The City of Knoxville Board of Zoning Appeals has issued a public alert warning of scam emails impersonating the BZA using the fraudulent address BZA.KnoxvilleTN@USA.com and requesting fee payments; applicants should verify communications through the legitimate contact BldgInspections@KnoxvilleTN.gov. The board, composed of five members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council, meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 4 p.m. and grants variances from zoning ordinance requirements only in cases of exceptional physical conditions that would otherwise deprive property owners of reasonable use of their land, with applications due by noon on specified deadlines published at least 10 days prior to meetings.
Topics
Full text
We have been made aware of SCAM EMAILS being sent to BZA applicants. These emails are coming from the email address BZA.KnoxvilleTN@USA.com and are asking for fee payment. These are NOT legitimate emails. Please do not reply to these emails or send payment. If you have received an email and would like to confirm that it is from our office, please feel free to reach out to BldgInspections@KnoxvilleTN.gov. Click the link below to read the Zoning Ordinance: City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance Article 16, Section 16.3 The City of Knoxville Board of Zoning Appeals shall have the power and authority to grant variances from terms of this ordinance according to the procedure and under the restrictions set out in this section. The purpose of the variance is to modify the strict application of the specific requirements of this ordinance in the case of exceptionally irregular, narrow, shallow or steep lots, or other exceptional physical conditions, whereby such strict application would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship which would deprive an owner of the reasonable use of his land. The variance shall be used only where necessary to overcome some obstacle, as highlighted above, which is preventing an owner from using his property as the zoning ordinance intended. Please note that mere loss in value does not justify a variance; there must be a deprivation of beneficial use of land. BOARD OFFICE If you have comments or questions about an agenda item or about the Board of Zoning Appeals, please the City of Knoxville Zoning Office at 865-215-4311. BOARD MEMBERS Five members are nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council to each serve a term of five years. MEETING SCHEDULE The Board meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Small Assembly Room of the City County Building, unless otherwise posted. The monthly Board meeting agenda is published as a public notice in the Legal Notices section of the Knoxville News Sentinel at least 10 days prior to the monthly Board meeting. APPLICATION DEADLINE 2026 MEETING DATES (by 12:00 Noon ET) December 11, 2025 January 20, 2026 January 8 February 17 February 12 March 17 March 12 April 21 April 9 May 19 May 14 June 16 June 11 July 21 July 9 August 18 August 13 September 15 September 10 October 20 October 8 November 17 November 12 December 15 GENERAL INFORMATION Please read the following prior to submitting a Board of Zoning Appeals application. An applicant can request a variance from the Zoning Code requirements or can appeal an administrative official’s interpretation of the Zoning Code. Prior to submitting a variance application for your project, please reach out to a Zoning Examiner. Applications are due by 12:00 Noon EST, on the deadline date. Click here for 2026 meeting dates and application deadline information. Incomplete applications will be returned for resubmission. • Applicant Name is the individual submitting the application, not a company • Applicant Email is where all communications will be sent. • Applications must be digital and signed by the applicant and they must be submitted as an attachment in a PDF or jpeg format, not embedded into the body of the email. • Applications must include site plans and elevations, or they will be deemed incomplete. • Applicant must describe the hardship conditions that apply to the variance request. Loss in value does not justify a variance; there must be a deprivation of beneficial use of land. • Correspondence will be directed to the person listed as the applicant, please ensure this information is accurate. • Parcel#, City Council District # and Zoning District can be found in the "Maps" tab at KGIS.org and these fields must be completed • Due to size constraints, please limit your documentation only to information pertinent to your variance request. • Applications and supporting documentation must be submitted as an attachment, not embedded into the body of the email. • Completed applications may be submitted to our office in person or emailed to BLDGInspections@KnoxvilleTN.gov. • Once the Public Notice is submitted to be published, no new documentation will be added to the packets. • Once your application has been reviewed you will receive an email for payment. The fee is $250 per variance request. We accept Visa, Mastercard & Discover and checks made payable to: City of Knoxville Applicants must remove the variance sign from the property after the meeting MEETING INFORMATION Applicants must attend the meeting in person, or send a representative, to speak to the application. If no one is in attendance for your variance application, the application will not be heard. Some instances allow for attendance via ZOOM; however, if technology fails your meeting will be postponed to the following month. Decisions of the Board of Zoning Appeals can be appealed to City Council within 15 days of the Board's decision. Permits may be issued after the appeal period has been exhausted. MEETING SCHEDULE The Board meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Small Assembly Room of the City County Building, unless otherwise posted. The monthly Board meeting agenda is published as a public notice in the Legal Notices section of the Knoxville News Sentinel at least 10 days prior to the monthly Board meeting. Please contact the Development Services office at 865-215-4311 or bldginspections@knoxvilletn.gov with questions about attending or for alternate attendance options. Development Services Fee Schedule BOARD MEMBERSHIP Click here to view current board membership and to check for opportunities to serve on this board.
More others from Knoxville
- Other
The Zoning Ordinance of Knox County, Tennessee, as amended through August 28, 2023, is a comprehensive municipal code document that establishes zoning regulations for the county. The ordinance covers definitions, general provisions, zoning districts, setback requirements, parking regulations, and storage rules for vehicles in residential zones. The document is maintained by the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Department and serves as the legal framework governing land use and development throughout Knox County.
AI summary
- Other
The Zoning Ordinance of the City of Knoxville, Tennessee document, amended through January 25, 2022, establishes the comprehensive zoning regulations for the city. The ordinance contains articles covering the title and authority, general definitions and measurement methodologies, zoning districts and maps, and residential neighborhood districts, among other regulatory sections. This 429-page document serves as the foundational legal framework governing land use, zoning classifications, and development standards within Knoxville's municipal jurisdiction.