Knoxville City Council Meeting - February 3, 2026

The Knoxville City Council met on February 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included the mayor's report on winter weather response, a contentious appeal of a zoning variance for townhomes, approval of mental health and community grants, and extensive public testimony urging changes to the city's warming center policies.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
• The consent agenda, including routine items, was approved unanimously.
• Reappointments and appointments to various boards were confirmed: Dennis Murphy, Ben Ream, and Jack Coker to the Better Building Board; Will Dorsey, Mark Grayson, and Ashley Beals Pace to the Public Arts Committee; Councilmember Nathan Honeycutt to the City Pension Board; and committee appointments for Audit, Golf Course Advisory, Zoo Board, and Public Property Naming Committee. Councilmember Parker requested and was granted removal from the Rules Committee, with Vice Mayor Fugit to bring a replacement.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Warming Center Threshold (25°F vs. 32°F): A series of speakers (Vivian Scheibe, Yvonne Lett, Michael Rinkel, Donna Braquet, Kim Wilson Owen, Anthony Jackson, Jody Johnson, Skylar Weltner, Miranda Perez) urged the council to lower the activation temperature for warming centers from 25°F to 32°F, citing deaths during recent cold snaps and noting that other cities (Asheville, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville) use 32°F. Speakers also called for city funding, more centers, and better coordination, including use of city-owned buildings. Kelly Cartwright, permitted as an additional speaker, shared her personal experience being barred from Knox Area Rescue Ministries and stressed the inadequacy of current services.
• General Support for Housing Stability: Several speakers praised the work of the Office of Housing Stability and community volunteers, but criticized the city for relying solely on volunteers and not providing sufficient funding or a comprehensive emergency plan.

Discussion Items

• Appeal of BZA Variance (Item 11J): The council heard an appeal by Leland Hume and the West Hills Community Association regarding a Board of Zoning Appeals decision to grant a variance reducing the minimum lot width for townhomes from 20 feet to 9.5 feet at 962 North Gallagher View Road.
  • Appellant (Larry Silverstein): Argued that the variance did not meet the five criteria in ordinance 16.3, that there were no unique hardships (topography, stormwater, access are common in the area), and that the owner could build 15 townhomes without a variance, so there was no deprivation of all reasonable use. Cited the Tennessee Court of Appeals case Reed v. Town of Louisville.
  • Applicant (Ben Mullins, James Lennon): Contended that the property's unique shape, 22-foot elevation change, floodway, and steep access created practical difficulties, and that the variance was the minimum adjustment needed. They argued that without the variance, the project (32 townhomes) would not be economically viable, and that the RN4 zoning and sector plan call for medium-density housing.
  • Council Deliberation: Council members debated whether the legal standards for hardship were met, with some emphasizing the need to follow the code strictly (finding no hardship, as 15 townhomes could be built). Others noted the housing shortage, the intent of RN4 zoning, and the BZA's determination. A motion to deny the appeal (i.e., uphold the variance) passed 5–4 (Councilmembers Helsley, Lloyd, DeBarta Laban, Grant, and Vice Mayor Fugit voted to deny the appeal; Honeycutt, Parker, Thomas, and Adams voted to grant the appeal). The variance is upheld.
• Empower Knox Youth Mental Health Grants (Item 12K): Three members of the Mayor's Youth Council (Max Malone, Evelyn Quinn, Gabriel Little) spoke in favor of a $60,000 grant to six community organizations. Councilmember Grant expressed concerns about the process (large organizations receiving microgrants, potential conflicts of interest) but ultimately supported the resolution, which passed unanimously.
• Salvation Army Funding (Item 12Q): A $205,000 grant for plumbing repairs at the Joy Baker Center and Hope Manor was approved after Councilmember Grant thanked the Salvation Army for their work and requested better communication about such items.
• Rescission of Resolution (Item 12R): A resolution was approved to rescind a previous permit approval due to an incorrect distance measurement from a park, discovered by the applicant.

Key Outcomes

• The appeal of the BZA variance (lot width reduction) was denied in a 5–4 vote, allowing 32 townhomes to proceed at 962 N. Gallagher View Road.
• All remaining resolutions (items 9B–9I, 12K–12R) were approved unanimously or with minimal opposition.
• Public comments highlighted an urgent need to raise the warming center threshold to 32°F and increase city funding, with several speakers noting recent deaths. No formal action was taken on this topic during the meeting, but Councilmember Parker indicated she would bring resolutions in the coming weeks.
• The council heard updates on winter storm response, including a record number of people served at warming centers and no one turned away.