Historic zoning commission delays decision on circular driveway at 720 Scenic Drive, asks for engineering review

The Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission on June 18, 2026 postponed action on a proposed circular driveway at 720 Scenic Drive and asked staff to coordinate an engineering feasibility review and for the applicant to submit site documentation.

Staff told the commission that a circular driveway in the front yard would be highly visible from Scenic Drive, convert most of the front yard to parking, and conflict with the overlay's design emphasis on lawns, plantings and semi-wooded front yards. Staff said circular driveways have been approved in the Scenic Drive overlay only in extraordinary cases when they are not visible from the street and when rear-yard access is impractical. The proposal described a 13-foot-wide driveway set 8'6" from the house's facade; city inspectors observed gravel poured in the front yard in May without a permit and staff said engineering had not yet reviewed the site for sight distances or utility easements.

Applicant Allison Peak, who said she is a long-time Sequoia Hills resident and property owner, said the front-yard turnaround is a safety measure to avoid backing onto Scenic Drive, a collector roadway with limited sightlines at the property's access point. Peak said neighbors were unwilling to remove a privacy hedge at the rear that would allow a rear turnaround, that the existing side drive is too narrow to stage a turn, and that she "holds my breath every time I back out of this driveway." The neighborhood overlay representative opposed the circular drive, citing the overlay's 30% desirable maximum lot coverage guidance and preference for minimal front-yard pavement and native plantings.

Commissioners and staff recommended additional documentation before a COA decision: a site survey or civil-engineer assessment, annotated drawings showing maneuvering diagrams for the proposed turnaround or alternatives (hammerhead/branch turn), and an engineering review of site distances and any utility easements. Commissioners noted that engineering must review feasibility and that permitting typically requires a COA before issuance; they also noted potential stormwater implications of unpermitted gravel.

A motion to postpone the application for 30 days to allow engineering review and fuller documentation was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff will coordinate with the applicant on next steps and with city engineering to evaluate sight distances, utility easements and alternative turnaround designs that reduce front-yard paving and preserve character-defining trees.