Knoxville-Knox County Planning

08/07/2026

Monday is the first day of school for Knox County, but learning happens beyond the classroom as well. Parks, greenways, libraries, and community spaces all help create opportunities for exploration and lifelong learning! Here's just a few to check out:
Knox County Public Library
Knox County Parks & Rec
City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation
Knoxville's Urban Wilderness
Safety City- Knoxville

Image alt text: A person and a child stand under a covered pavilion in front of a lake on a sunny day. Several ducks are visible along the shoreline in the foreground.

08/06/2026

Heads up for this weekend. James White Parkway will have closures over the next several weekends (weather permitting).

Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, myTDOT's repairs to the James White Parkway bridges next to Covenant Health Park will close parts of the parkway for four consecutive weekends. Note: The James White Parkway bridges over the Tennessee River are NOT impacted by the closure. The section of the map marked in red indicates where the work is taking place.

Link to TDOT announcement and more info about the closures and detours in the comments.

08/04/2026

**UPDATE 8/5/26, 5:08 p.m. **

Thank you for your comments. To be sure everyone has correct information, we direct you to the project website.
AdvanceKnox.org/udo/zoning/agriculture

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Last week we released the second draft zoning map for the Unified Development Ordinance. It allows you to compare your property’s current and proposed zoning, and changes from the first draft. You can provide comments directly on the map through August 31, 2026, at https://advanceknox.org/udo/feedback

A notable change has been made related to the Agricultural zone.

For all parcels currently zoned Agricultural (A), the Rural Residential (RR) zoning district was applied. Any property owner whose parcel is designated on Draft Map 2 as Rural Residential (RR) or Rural Preservation (RP) may request to opt into a more restrictive zoning district. This application honors the rights property owners have today while giving them the choice to apply a new, more restrictive district to reflect the rural character or agricultural uses on the property.

For property owners who wish to request this change, please complete the Agricultural District Opt-In Form by Monday, August 31, 2026.

Image alt text: Side-by-side comparison of the draft 2 zoning map and current zoning map for Knox County.

07/17/2026

See the survey results and comments on the interactive map at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/get-involved/round1

Be on the lookout for the full round 1 engagement summary coming soon! Follow What's Next Knoxville? and subscribe to the newsletter!

And the survey says... over 1800 of you took our community survey and the results are in! See the report, plus check out the comments provided on the interactive map at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/get-involved/round1

Coming soon, we’ll have a full summary of everything we heard during our first round of engagement. Thank you for participating in this process, and please stay involved!

Image alt text: Person stands in front of the What’s Next Knoxville Headquarters holding up a speech bubble sign that says “It’s where it’s at” with a picture of the sun.

07/07/2026

LAST CALL! This Sunday, July 5 is the last day to take the survey and be entered to win a $50 K Brew gift card at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/Get-Involved

More importantly, it’s your chance to have your voice heard and to help shape decisions on where and how the city develops, what type of infrastructure will support it, and influence where investments are made for years to come.

Image alt text: Photos showing people interacting at ‘What’s Next Knoxville?’ outreach booths at various events and the headquarters on Market Square.

07/02/2026

Our office will be closed in observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 3. We will reopen with regular business hours on Monday, July 6.

Image alt text: Graphic with teal overlay showing the Gay Street bridge and the city of Knoxville in the background. Large white text reads 'Planning News.' Below, the Knoxville-Knox County planning logo.

06/26/2026

What's Next Knoxville?

YOU tell US what you’d like to see happen in the future! Join us this weekend to share your thoughts and ideas. See where we’ll be at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/events

OR participate online by taking the survey and completing the Engagement Round 1 activities at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/Get-Involved
When you take the survey, you’ll also be entered to win a $50 K Brew gift card!

06/25/2026

Heads up that myTDOT is hosting in-person public meetings for the I-40/I-75 West Knoxville Corridor Study next week! For more information, visit http://bit.ly/myTDOT-WestKnoxCorridor

myTDOT is hosting in-person public meetings for the I-40/I-75 West Knoxville Corridor Study next week. The Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study will evaluate solutions to ease congestion and improve mobility and safety.

The meetings will be open-house style, so drop in when it's convenient for you. There will be interactive and informative stations to learn about the alternatives being evaluated and the next steps in the PEL study. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/myTDOT-WestKnoxCorridor

Image alt text:
Graphic announcing the Tennessee Department of Transportation I‑40/I‑75 West Knoxville Corridor PEL Study public meetings. A small map highlights the corridor with markers for Watt Road, weigh stations, and Campbell Station Road. Meeting dates are listed: Monday, June 29, 2026, 5–7 p.m. at Pellissippi State Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, Knoxville; Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 5–7 p.m. at Knoxville Public Works Service Center, 3131 Morris Avenue, Knoxville; and Wednesday, July 1, 2026, 5–7 p.m. at Farragut Community Center, 239 Jamestowne Boulevard, Farragut.

06/18/2026

Our office will be closed for Juneteenth on Friday, June 19. We will reopen with regular business hours on Monday, June 22.

Image alt text: Graphic with teal overlay showing the Gay Street bridge and the city of Knoxville in the background. Large white text reads 'Planning News.' Below, the Knoxville-Knox County planning logo.

06/16/2026

Close your eyes and picture Knoxville in the future. What do YOU want it to look like?

NOW IS THE TIME to get involved and share your priorities as the city updates its comprehensive plan. It’s a policy document that will guide decisions on future land use, transportation, and investment priorities in our city for years to come.

HOW: Take the survey, participate in the Round 1 engagement activities, and share your ideas with the project team (online at WhatsNextKnoxville.com/Get-Involved or in-person)!

Our headquarters at 30 Market Square will be open today, Tuesday, 6/16, from 5-7pm and tomorrow, Wednesday, 6/17, from 10a, - 1pm! For more hours and events, check out WhatsNextKnoxville.com/Events

Image alt text: Three photos of Knoxville showing Market Square, the Gay Street bridge with the Sunsphere in the background, and office buildings along the Tennessee River.