At the last Lenoir City planning commission meeting, the board approved a rezone of property on Poplar Street and Bussel Ferry just off Lee Drive. The request was to rezone the property from R-1-S, single family, to R-2. R-2 allows for multi-family/duplexes. The property is currently owned by George Bove. Back on 2015, Lenoir City mayor, Tony Aikens gave, Quit Claimed, the property to Bove. Bove also owns two adjoining properties, one of which he bought from Aikens and the other that was also given, Quit Claimed, to him by Aikens. Mr. Bove is a board member of the LCUB power board representing West Knox County. However, he lives at the property on the Bussel Ferry Road. 

Apparently, Mr. Bove is now planning to sell the property to Genny Martinez. According to the submitted plat, the new owner apparently plans to subdivide the property into 6 lots and given the request for the rezone to multi family, it could be duplexes or four-plexes  which are allowed in the R-2 zone. Duplexes and multi family developments are not covered in the city's apartment moratorium.

The city council has already approved the rezone on first reading.