KNOXVILLE - Knox County and Knoxville-Knox County Planning have announced new in-person and virtual public meetings for the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the third and final phase of Advance Knox. These meetings will focus on different components of the UDO and provide an opportunity for feedback.

The project team will release draft dimensional standards for the proposed zoning districts and a draft zoning map on Friday, March 20, 2026, at advanceknox.org/udo. 

Dimensional Standards:
The dimensional standards document will be accompanied by a video explaining the materials and a feedback survey that will be available through Sunday, April 5, 2026.

Draft Zoning Map:
The draft zoning map will include an interactive feature that allows comparison of a property’s current and proposed zoning. For many properties, changes will be minimal – uses will stay the same, though the name of the zoning district will change. In areas where infrastructure is in place, zoning will change to support the vision of the Comprehensive Plan. Comments can be made on the map through Sunday, April 5, 2026.

It’s important to note that if a property is rezoned, it does not affect the current use of the property. The new zoning would only affect future development on that property.

Four in-person drop-in events will be held to provide multiple opportunities for residents to ask questions and discuss the draft zoning map with staff. No formal presentation will be given. These events will be informal to give residents the flexibility to choose their preferred date and location and drop in at their convenience.

In-person events are scheduled as follows:

• Monday, March 30, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Northshore Elementary
• Monday, March 30, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at New Hopewell Elementary
• Tuesday, March 31, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Three Ridges Golf Course
• Tuesday, March 31, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Powell Library

Module D – Landscaping, Signs, and Stormwater Regulations:
The third virtual lunch and learn public meeting will focus on information related to the update of the county’s landscaping, signs, and stormwater regulations. It will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at noon.

Those interested should register in advance. If you cannot attend the meeting, a recording of it and all materials will be posted online with an opportunity to provide feedback.

Any attendee requiring special accommodation to attend a meeting should call the Mayor’s office at (865) 215-2005 to coordinate.

All past meeting materials are still available for review on the project website. They covered updates to the county’s zoning regulations, proposed districts, uses and definitions, and development standards.

Advance Knox is the process to update Knox County’s plans and codes related to land use and transportation. A Unified Development Ordinance organizes all regulations in one document. These include zoning codes, street standards, subdivision regulations, stormwater regulations, and building and fire codes.

For more information about these meetings and the Advance Knox process, please visit advanceknox.org/udo or contact the project team at contact@advanceknox.org.