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Farragut staff outlines overhaul of driveway and access ordinance, seeks streamlined approvals
Summary
Town staff presented draft revisions to the 1997 driveway and access ordinance aimed at clarifying purpose, incorporating pedestrian/bicycle impacts, reducing unnecessary variances, and streamlining approvals for certain collector‑street variances.
Town planning staff presented a proposed rewrite of the town’s driveway and access ordinance during a June 19, 2025 discussion item, outlining a package of changes intended to modernize provisions last substantially written in 1997.
Staff said the rewrite adds a clear purpose/intent section tied to the town plan, incorporates recent changes that require traffic impact studies to consider pedestrians and bicyclists, and would include standard legal provisions such as a stricter‑applies clause (when code sections conflict) and severability. The draft also reorganizes permit‑and‑approval language to reflect electronic submissions and the town’s current approval workflow.
A principal objective is reducing the number of variances that go to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for collector‑street access when the planning commission or town engineer could handle routine exceptions. Staff noted the town received 17 variances under the existing ordinance in the last five years and cited examples—Boring Road, Heron Road, Turkey Creek Road and South Hobbs Road—where applicants sought variances for minor adjustments that required higher‑level review.
The draft adds a section specific to single‑family driveways (maximum width guidance and a requirement that driveways be paved or concrete within the right‑of‑way) to reduce runoff, mud and rocks washing into travel lanes. Staff proposed retaining more rigorous review and Board involvement for arterial streets (for example, Kingston Pike and Campbell Station Road) while allowing more administrative authority for collector and local streets.
A commissioner suggested separating approval process language from technical specifications such as deceleration lanes and cross‑access requirements; staff agreed that creating a separate section on connectivity and lane requirements would improve clarity. Staff intends to present an ordinance for consideration next month or in August if the July agenda fills.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the item was discussion only.
