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Property owner says longtime driveway was closed after city acquired adjacent lot; city manager, TDOT to review
Summary
A Collegedale property owner told the commission that a long-standing driveway entrance to his parcel was closed after the city acquired a neighboring parcel; city staff said the access does not appear in their survey records and advised the owner to seek a state driveway permit while the city reviews records and consults the city attorney.
AJ Javadi, a property owner who said his mailing address is 4921 Ultrawinga Road, told the Collegedale City Commission on Jan. 21 that a driveway he has used for more than 25 years was closed after nearby land was sold to the city and developed as a park.
Why it matters: Javadi said losing the driveway limits how he can use or sell the vacant parcel behind a dry cleaner and asked the city to help determine whether the access should be restored. The commission agreed to review state and city records and consult the city attorney.
Javadi said he bought two adjoining parcels about 25 years ago and that the shared entrance at the rear of one lot was arranged by previous owners. “There is a covenant and some restriction … one of the biggest was you cannot put anything outside of the business,” Javadi said, describing earlier negotiations with a shopping-center owner and later deals involving Tractor Supply.
Javadi said he discovered the rear entrance had been closed after the city acquired the neighboring parcel from Jack McKee and developed it as a park. “I came to visit my property and the entrance that I had is shut down,” he told commissioners. He said he left messages for the city manager but did not receive a callback.
City Manager Mr. Hines told Javadi the driveway access does not show up in the city’s parking-lot survey records and recommended the owner apply to the State of Tennessee for a driveway permit. “None of the driveway access, none of that was ever recorded in any documents that we have,” Mr. Hines said. He added the city would search TDOT records and speak with the city attorney to determine options.
Commissioners and staff described a mix of factors that may have caused the closure: a parking-lot reconfiguration, a permit condition from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and an easement arrangement between private parties that apparently did not appear on the city’s survey. Commissioner discussion noted that TDOT had previously told staff to stop that access as a condition of the city’s driveway permit and that the easement did not appear on the survey used when the lot was redesigned.
Next steps and context: Staff said they will review TDOT filings and road-improvement plats, check any recorded agreements between the prior owners (named in the meeting as Jack McKee and Fletcher Bridal), and consult the city attorney. At one point a city staffer said, “I’ll go back through our comments from TDOT and who that person was, have that conversation with them, and talk to our city attorney as well.” Javadi provided contact information to the city for follow-up.
The commission did not take any formal vote on the access; staff characterized the matter as one for record review and possible state permitting.
