Building codes need to be updated in order to accommodate development in downtown buildings. Currently, there are several statutes in the codes which mandate a necessary setback from the road and extensive parking. New student housing downtown is one thing the university endorses. City officials are counting on students and recent college graduates for the initial majority of new residents downtown. Planning of a trolley system has been going on for several years and is viewed as an integral part of downtown development.
City officials hope to offer downtown visitors reliable transportation alternatives.
The trolley system is expected to relieve some of the parking problems alongside downtown streets. They want to drive their own cars and park at their front doors. They are going to have to rethink their ideas about transportation in the near future if they want to continue to develop at the rate they are going. These numbers do not hold significant weight among the tens of thousands of daily commuters. As it stands now, Knoxville has a long way to go in enacting a long term smart growth plan.