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Driveway dispute leads Knox County commission to defer Parker Figgins rezoning request
Summary
Commissioners deferred a rezoning request for property on Strawberry Plains Pike after staff raised sight-distance concerns about an existing driveway; the applicant said the driveway was previously permitted and built, and commissioners voted to defer for 30 days to allow engineering staff and the applicant to resolve the permit and access questions.
Knox County zoning commissioners on July 20 deferred a rezoning request for parcels on Strawberry Plains Pike after debate over an existing driveway and its compliance with the county’s access-control standards.
Parker Figgins presented a request to amend the comprehensive plan and rezone property to accommodate a small commercial/retail development. Planning staff recommended approval of the plan amendment and later recommended approval of the rezoning subject to two conditions, including removal of existing access to South Wood Dale Road unless that access could meet county access-control policy and standards.
Figgins told the commission he planned “to add an additional parking lot with the driveway onto Strawberry Plains Pike” and argued he had “no intention of removing the Wood Dale Road” access because that driveway was previously permitted and constructed. “We just submitted the drawings probably late 2024, and it was approved by the county,” Figgins said, adding the driveway “was approved on the building permit when we built that parking lot and driveway.”
Knox County engineering staff (Director Snowden) said there were line-of-sight and separation concerns and that staff needed to review whether the previously issued permit met the county’s access-control policy. Snowden said, in part, that “it looked like there may not be sight distance at that location that would require grading off-site that he may not have the adjacent owner's permission.”
Given the conflicting accounts and the potential cost to remove and replace a driveway if later found noncompliant, a commissioner moved to defer action for 30 days to give the applicant and engineering staff time to verify the permit and sight-distance conditions. The motion to defer carried on vote.
The deferral leaves the rezoning unresolved; the commission recorded that planning’s recommended condition that “existing access to South Wood Dale Road must be removed unless the access can meet the county access control policy and standards” remains on the table pending staff review and any subsequent hearing.
Next steps noted on the record: staff will re-examine the permit and access-control compliance; the applicant may provide permit documentation or revised plans; the matter is scheduled for the August zoning meeting for continued consideration.
Votes and motions recorded at the meeting indicate the deferment was made by motion of Commissioner Thompson and seconded on the record; the transcript shows the motion carried on open vote.
