Knoxville City Council Regular Meeting – September 1, 2026

The Knoxville City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Main Assembly Room, 400 W Main Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. All nine council members were present. The council approved a revised consent agenda, confirmed two appointments to the African American Equity Restoration Task Force, denied a contested zoning appeal for 2704 Sevier Avenue (5–4), granted a zoning appeal for 103 Circle Lane, approved a compensation study contract and property insurance for Serene Manor, and heard extensive public forum testimony about the death of Patrick Allen in police custody.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of the August 18, 2026 regular meeting approved by voice vote.
• Consent agenda approved as revised. Four items were pulled for separate consideration: 10E (limit on monkeys per household), 10H (Hoitt Avenue rezoning), 12W (KAT grant extension), and 12AF (pensions).
• Approved consent items included: Ordinance 10C (classification and compensation plan adjustments); 10D (renaming the Information Systems Department to Innovation and Technology); 10F (alley closure at 116 Heins Street); 10G (rezoning 1325 Francis Road from AG to RN-1); 10I, 10J, and 10K (Sector Plan, One Year Plan, and rezoning of 425 N. Cedar Bluff Road to C-G-2 General Commercial); Resolution 12U (Tennessee Emergency Management Authority grant of $143,389.57 for the Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency); 12V (HUD Older Adults Home Modification grant application up to $3,000,000 with no local match); 12X (KAT Section 5339 extension of $38,661 with a $38,661 city match); 12Y (CMAQ extension of $8,409 for electric buses and charging equipment); 12Z (Section 5307 extension of $832,125 with an $832,125 city match); 12AA (UROP grant of $3,871,400 with a $3,271,400 city match); and 12AB–12AE (Certificates of Compliance for Retail Food Store Wine Licenses for R&H Supermarket, RaceTrac #2692, Weigel's #131, and Speedway #42790).

Mayor's Report & Announcements

• The Mayor marked the passing of Dolly Parton, noting the Henley Bridge was illuminated in her honor and flowers left at her mural are being repurposed for local medical facilities; a parade celebrating her life will step off from the City County Building at 7:00 p.m. Friday, ending in Market Square with a performance by the Appalachian Equality Chorus.
• An expanded 25th-anniversary ceremony for the September 11, 2001 attacks will be held Friday, September 11, at about 8:30 a.m. at Delaney Plaza along Stadium Way, preceding the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's Memorial Stair Climb at Covenant Health Park.
• A free block party at the former KPD safety building on Hill Avenue is set for Saturday, September 12, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., to gather public input on the site's future.
• Safety City's 25th anniversary will be celebrated on September 14; a greenway realignment near the G10 construction opened; and a new sign-language teaching sign was dedicated at Island Home Park in partnership with the Tennessee Schools for the Deaf.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 9B – Task Force appointments: Nzinga Amani (1312 Hawthorne Avenue) said she was not opposing the resolution per se, but argued the African American Equity Restoration Task Force has inadequate funding and staff capacity for meaningful impact; she referenced the death of Patrick Allen, criticized the mayor and police chief, and urged support for alternative response teams for mental health crises.
• Item 10E – Monkey ordinance: A speaker (apparently the primate owner) asked whether kenneling requirements apply to her situation and requested grandfathering with a reasonable compliance period if changes are required. Michael Robison (296 York Highway, Gainesborough, Tennessee), speaking on behalf of Ms. Fuller, said displaced pet primates are typically not accepted by AZA-accredited zoos, so private organizations must take them in; noted no infectious disease transmission between monkeys and the general public since 1974; and said compliance would require relocating animals at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Item 12W – KAT grant: An unnamed speaker spoke in favor of the Knoxville Area Transit grant, citing accessibility for people who cannot afford cars or cannot drive due to disability or age, bus reliability issues, traffic congestion, pollution, and safety; she also cited a poll in which 39% of participants said public transit would have one of the greatest impacts on Knoxville's quality of life.
• Item 12AF – Pensions: Nzinga Amani clarified she is not against the pensioners listed, but criticized the pension approval process as inadequate for holding KPD officers accountable and called for a bottom-up reform of city government.
• Public Forum: Councilmember Parker moved to suspend the rules to allow all signed-up speakers; the motion carried. Testimony focused on the August 5 death of Patrick Allen following a police encounter at the Bread Box on Sutherland Avenue:
  • Vivian Schneid detailed the incident and called for crisis intervention training (CIT) and alternative response programs, citing NIH and Treatment Advocacy Center research that people with mental health issues are 16 times more likely to die in a police encounter; Allen was 49 with six children.
  • Sam Rosalina contrasted the care given to a confused white man with dementia found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2019 with Allen's death; "the difference is helping versus enforcing."
  • An unnamed speaker asked why the standard of responsibility should change because responders wore police or EMS uniforms instead of a nurse's scrubs.
  • Julia Johnson (Carnes area, 37931), in her first address to council, described her sister Shiloh Rice, killed June 20, 2024, after repeatedly calling 911 about a stalker during a mental health crisis; she asked why repeated crisis calls did not trigger intervention and why no mental health response was available at any hour.
  • An unnamed speaker said body cameras are not enough: "We need to be giving resources to programs that help people without the use of force," and called for a community responder program.
  • Jaloas Allen, Patrick Allen's mother (6312 Shaftsbury Drive), said her son died in the hands of Knoxville police and demanded answers.
  • A speaker affiliated with HEART read a statement calling Allen's death preventable, asking why the mayor's co-response model and CIT training did not appear in the response, and noting HEART's prior resolution for a community response program ended in a tie that the mayor declined to break.
  • Evera Christ (South Knoxville) remembered Allen as a "gentle giant" who loved dark blue; she named other victims — William Charles McBride Jr., Shiloh Rice, Lisa Edwards, and Anthony Thompson Jr. — and said it is on the council to prevent further deaths.

Discussion Items

• Item 9B – African American Equity Restoration Task Force: Councilmember Grant amended the resolution to remove Dr. Craig Pickett, leaving former Vice Mayor Gwen McKenzie and Dave Miller; the amendment carried. Councilmember Parker expressed concern about reappointing existing members rather than new names, saying the task force "hasn't produced what we hope"; Grant noted he is the newly appointed chair and has attended one meeting.
• Item 10E – Limit on monkeys per household: Councilmember Parker moved to amend the effective date from 17 days after passage to January 1, 2027, to give affected owners time to prepare; Vice Mayor Fugit seconded, and a motion to pass followed. The transcript is garbled at this point and does not clearly capture the final vote on the ordinance.
• Item 10H – Hoitt Avenue rezoning (RN-2 to I-MU): Parker said she pulled the item because the city needs a comprehensive zoning review and noted mixed residential/commercial zones are being used for Airbnbs, which "doesn't help our housing stock." The ordinance passed 8–1, with Parker opposed.
• Items 11L/11M/11N – 2704 Sevier Avenue appeal: Jared Hewter of Ally Architecture (105 North Market Street, Chattanooga) presented for Connolly Development Ventures, describing the project as appropriate infill along an evolving corridor and citing the nearby 2600 Sevier Avenue precedent (15 fee-simple townhomes sold within three months). Kelsey Gaines of Connolly Development Ventures stressed the need for attainable starter homes and said density affects pricing: two units would sell for about $700,000, while 12 townhomes could sell in the low $300s. No opponents spoke. Councilmember Adams argued the issue is the base land use, not the project: existing RN-2 zoning permits two duplexes or two single-family homes with ADUs; RN-4 would permit up to 10 multifamily units or 4–5 townhomes; and RN-5 up to 12 multifamily units or 4–5 townhomes — none of which require introducing commercial zoning. Councilmember Thomas cited planning staff criteria protecting residential stability; Honeycutt said he relies heavily on District 1 representative Adams's judgment; Helsley, a lifelong South Knoxville resident, supported the appeal, noting the corridor has been neglected and the property was commercial before 1996. The motion to deny the appeal carried 5–4 on a roll-call vote, with Adams, Fugit, Honeycutt, Parker, and Thomas voting to deny and DeBartelin, Grant, Helsley, and Lloyd voting against denial. Items 11M and 11N (One Year Plan amendment and rezoning for the same property) were declared moot.
• Item 11O – 103 Circle Lane appeal (O to C-G-1): Applicant Spencer Stanley (6313 Clinton Highway, Knoxville) said he owns the property outright, has financing secured, and hand-wrote letters to all 13 property owners within 300 feet without receiving opposition; the plan is seven townhomes with internal parking. Joanna Pruitt of OISK3 Architects said C-G-1 is needed for setbacks and internal parking on the corner lot facing Kingston Pike. Parker supported the project but worried about what land uses could follow under general commercial if the project does not materialize; Honeycutt supported the change as an extension of adjacent C-G-1 in an area with existing infrastructure and transit; Lloyd supported the applicant as a property owner and taxpayer. The motion to approve the appeal carried by voice vote.

Resolutions

• 12P – Serene Manor insurance: Approved. Resolution authorizes accepting a Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Company policy for the vacant Serene Manor property at approximately $32,674 per year, renewable for up to two additional one-year periods. Councilmembers Thomas and Adams noted the building's historic value; the Mayor said a procurement process is underway and the policy protects the property in the interim.
• 12Q – Compensation study: Approved with one abstention. Authorizes a contract with Midwest Series of Lockton Companies, LLC for a compensation study. The agenda lists the contract amount as not to exceed $239,000; the transcript states $293,000 — a discrepancy not resolved in the meeting. The study is expected to be completed by mid-January, will cover approximately 125–150 general government positions, and will include benefits value and market reference points from government and the general market. Councilmember Parker questioned the inclusion of city council salaries, sought inclusion of part-time Parks and Recreation and community center staff, and noted the city's disparity study is out of date.
• 12R – Lincoln Memorial University donation (St. Mary's Campus): Approved. LMU will construct access improvements, a circular drop-off, benches, and trees on city property at its own cost and maintain the green space; LMU's dental school provides affordable dental care. Councilmember Thomas noted neighbor concerns about added lighting are being discussed.
• 12S – Legacy Parks Foundation MOU: Approved. Authorizes an MOU for services preserving natural areas, expanding park lands, creating trails and greenways, and improving river and stream access, not to exceed $125,000 annually. Councilmember Adams disclosed she serves on the Legacy Parks board without compensation.
• 12T – Loves Creek historic preservation funds: Councilmember Parker opposed awarding $100,000 to the Preserves at Loves Creek, LLC to move an historic home on the property to allow additional development, arguing the owner should pay and other priorities exist; the transcript does not clearly capture the final vote on this item.
• 12W – KAT Section 5339 grant extension: Approved. Authorizes acceptance of a TDOT grant extension of $30,740 for Knoxville Area Transit until December 31, 2026, after public comment in favor.
• 12AF – Pensions: Approved. Grants monthly pensions to certain city employees as set forth in the attached exhibit, after public comment on the pension approval process.

Key Outcomes

• Revised consent agenda approved by voice vote.
• African American Equity Restoration Task Force appointments confirmed for Gwen McKenzie and Dave Miller after an amendment removing Craig Pickett.
• Sevier Avenue appeal (11L) denied 5–4; related items 11M and 11N declared moot.
• Circle Lane appeal (11O) granted by voice vote, rezoning 103 Circle Lane from O (Office) to C-G-1 (General Commercial).
• Hoitt Avenue rezoning (10H) passed 8–1.
• Compensation study contract (12Q) approved with one abstention; the agenda and transcript conflict on the amount ($239,000 vs. $293,000).
• Resolutions 12P, 12R, 12S, 12W, and 12AF approved.
• The final votes on items 10E and 12T are not clearly captured in the transcript.