Right-of-way consistency found: FMPC
Taken from Town of Farragut’s subdivision regulations, a new ordinance now gives a consistent definition to right-of-way property designation — especially in regard to where signs are allowed — throughout Town.
Concerning “Ordinance 25-09, the language is really initiated by Alderman (David) White. He wanted to help clarify when signs could be removed by property owners,” Community Development director Mark Shipley said during Farragut Municipal Planning Commission’s monthly meeting (third Thursday evening) July 17. The ordinance proposal passed FMPC unanimously.
As a rough guide previously, “We looked at the overhead utility lines and the pole and said, ‘Well, that’s probably the right-of-way,’” said Shipley, as staff recommend passage of the ordinance proposal. “But this helps establish the standard: it’s basically 12 feet from the back of a curb or the edge of the street. If there’s no curving in place, that’s considered to be the public right-of-way for purposes of sign removal. So if a sign’s in that space, then it’s subject to being removed.
“Initially, the language was drafted by the town attorney (Tom Hale),” he added. “He sent it to me and Bart (Hose, assistant Community Development director), and we had some adjustments to it, and Tom agreed that those were good changes.”
Overall, “That’s something that I think we probably have needed for a while because the right-of-way varies throughout Town, and especially on these major roads,” Shipley said. “Unless the property has been developed or subdivided in recent years, we have no idea what the right-of-way is.
“This way it’s clear, it’s consistent,” he added. “Everybody knows what the standard is. It’s been adopted. It’s in writing. Normally, 12 feet is the right-of-way edge on a local street that’s internal to a subdivision. So that’s really where we got that language.
“… So we’re applying that standard more broadly to these arterial collector streets so that everything’s consistent.”
