Board conditionally approves large noncommercial storage barn on Wylie Road amid neighbors’ drainage complaints

Rutherford County officials approved a special-exception request Tuesday allowing a 5,200-square-foot noncommercial storage building to remain at 2240 Wylie Road, but required the property owner to complete driveway and drainage modifications the highway department identified before receiving a building permit and ordered a six-month review.

Staff said Application 202507 concerns a 4.43-acre parcel currently occupied by a large detached structure the owner said he built for personal storage. Planning staff recommended approval with conditions, including that the owner undertake specified driveway modifications — such as installation of a culvert and cleaning of an existing drainage ditch — and obtain inspection and approval from the highway department before any building permit is issued.

Danielle (Rutherford County staff) told the board the building had originally been reported as agricultural and permitted under that exemption in 2021, but neighbors later reported it was being used for personal storage and code enforcement opened a case in May 2023. “At that time, agricultural use was approved. And then about a year later, we were notified by the neighbors, saying that it was not being used for agricultural use,” Danielle said.

Shelby Huntin, who said he owns the property, told the board he cleaned years of debris from the parcel and placed the buildings to store antiques and several older cars while he evaluates long-term plans for the site. He said a soil report showed “no sites found” for a conventional septic system, which affected plans to build a primary dwelling. “I was hoping to may have this culvert in without the amount of rain we've had. There's no way to bring in equipment to get anything done,” Huntin said, describing frequent flooding and the difficulty of work during wet conditions.

Neighbors strongly disputed Huntin’s account that the structure did not alter drainage. Robert Burford, who lives on Timber Place, said the owner “brought all that field dirt in, all that concrete, made it so that water doesn't drain out of our neighborhood,” and described the property as previously absorbing water before fill and a slab were installed. William Yelbertson, who owns a nearby historic log house, read county code sections and argued the structure does not qualify under an agricultural exemption and is incompatible with the residential district.

Staff and multiple residents flagged recurring drainage problems in the neighborhood and said the highway department had discussed specific improvements with the applicant. Staff recommended the driveway and ditch work be completed and inspected by the highway department prior to issuance of any building permits to resolve a code-enforcement case and to reduce local drainage impacts.

After a lengthy public hearing with residents both opposing and supporting Huntin, a board member moved to approve the request subject to staff conditions and to review compliance in six months; a second motion was made and the board approved it on a roll-call vote with all voting members recorded as yes.

The board's action allows the property owner to retain the structure for personal storage provided he completes the highway-department improvements before a building permit is issued and complies with the noncommercial-storage conditions (no business storage for off-site commercial activity; no living quarters; no additions without approval). Staff noted that if permit conditions are not satisfied within a reasonable period, the county can pursue enforcement options including civil or criminal actions.

The board made no finding that the approval would fully resolve neighborhood flooding; several board members and staff said the highway department's work might improve local drainage but did not guarantee a complete fix. The six-month review will allow the board to revisit compliance and any outstanding code-enforcement concerns.