Advance Knox may have passed, but Choto is still controversial as new homes are considered

Knox County 's first planning meeting under the new Advance Knox guidelines will test a development in the Choto neighborhood, where neighbors say they're worried the new homes will exacerbate traffic problems.

At least 60 people have shared public comments about the proposal with the Knoxville-Knox County Planning committee, which on May 9 will consider a rezoning request for roughly 13.5 acres. If approved, it would allow Mesana Investments LLC to build up to five homes per acre across the site on Harvey Road near Northshore Drive.

The planning staff is recommending just two homes per acre, which would only allow up to 26 homes instead of 67. Whatever is approved by the planning committee must get final approval from the Knox County Commission at its June 24 meeting.

Under the new Advance Knox rules, the property is part of the rural living zone and can’t have more than two units per acre. The application was submitted before Advance Knox was adopted.

The Northshore Drive and Harvey Road intersection has been the subject of controversy among neighbors fighting new homes. When the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen initially rejected Advance Knox, it was partially because organized, influential neighbors in Choto fought the plan.

That Farragut vote ended up being overturned, and a state-mediated dispute between Knox County and Farragut was avoided . Advance Knox ended up being approved, and Knox County announced it will invest at least $2 million on improvements such as widening Northshore Drive .

If Mesana's rezoning is approved, three of the four corners at the Harvey Road-Northshore Drive intersection will be under development in the near future.

In February, Knoxville-Knox County Planning approved a rezoning request to allow a 115-home subdivision . Two months later, Planning approved a 14-home subdivision .

Silas Sloan is the growth and development reporter. Email silas.sloan@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @silasloan. Instagram @knox.growth .

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Advance Knox may have passed, but Choto is still controversial as new homes are considered