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Commissioners approve first reading of Knox County road-bore and road-cut ordinance
Summary
The Knox County Board of Commissioners approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-4 to regulate road bores and cuts, establish permit and as-built requirements, and raise application fees and deposits; the ordinance sets $200 and $500 deposits and requires inspections and 30-day agency review periods.
The Knox County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the first reading of Ordinance 2026-4, a comprehensive update to the county's road-boring and road-cut permitting process.
Under the ordinance discussed at the meeting, applicants must file a Highway Department application that includes maps, utility locations, a cross-section and profile showing the existing road surface and proposed work, and a plan for restoring the road and drainage. Permits will be granted on a one-time, time-limited basis and must include an expiration date by which the work must be completed.
The ordinance sets a $200 road-bore application deposit and a $500 road-cut application deposit; both deposits are to be returned after the applicant files an as-built drawing with the Highway Department within 30 days of project completion. The county will require pre- and post-work photographs, five-business-day advance notification to the Highway Department before work begins, and a post-completion inspection by county personnel. The county's superintendent must respond to permit applications within 30 calendar days or notify applicants of delays and provide a new expected completion date.
The measure also gives the county authority to deny access if a proposed bore or cut is hazardous, inconsistent with the comprehensive plan, or violates other ordinances; failure to file required as-built drawings can result in forfeiture of deposits and pursuit of legal remedies to recover remediation costs. The ordinance explicitly states that a road cut is a privilege, not a right, and places responsibility on applicants to coordinate with utilities and state agencies as needed.
The board advanced the ordinance on first reading by voice vote. The transcript records the motion as carrying with the notation "30"; the board recorded "I" votes and the clerk noted the motion passed. The ordinance will return in future meetings for subsequent readings as required by county procedure.
