KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Knox County continues to grow, and local leaders want to hear your thoughts on what the future should look like.
Knox County is growing at a rapid pace, and county leaders say they know something needs to be done to help keep up with the influx of people. The Advance Knox Plan was designed by Knox County leaders as a guide to help plan for land use, transportation, economic prosperity and quality of life in the county.
“Over the next two decades, we are expected to gain 75,000 people in the unincorporated areas of Knox County. That’s why this plan is so important for us to accommodate this growth,” said Mandi Benedict, director of voter services for the county mayor’s office. “The last time we updated our general plan was 20 years ago.”
A new survey conducted by the county will allow you to give your opinion on where and how this growth should take place.
“We want to know where growth is appropriate in Knox County or where we should maintain the rural character of the communities. And in the three different scenarios you will find options for mixed development, should we develop along the corridors or should we maintain farms in different parts of the county,” Benedict said.
The survey allows you to rank Advance Knox goals, provide feedback on the four community types, and assess some growth scenarios.
“I hear people every day saying they’re not happy with the way Knox County is growing and that’s leading to sprawl and that’s leading to lack of services and so I think that’s an opportunity for them to give us feedback on how they want the county to develop and what they want the county to look like,” Benedict said.
The survey will be open until October 31. You can also sign up for updates on potential meetings where you can listen to everyone else’s feedback.
The Advance Knox plan is an 18-month process, and Knox County leaders say people can start seeing the plan in action in just the next two months. You can find the survey here.