Sumner County, TN Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Side setback (single-family/duplex)
- 2 feet from lot line
- Corner-lot setback
- 30 feet from intersection
- Max driveway slope
- 20 percent
- Paving mandate
- Waived for 1-2 family homes
- Culvert minimum
- 15-inch reinforced concrete pipe
Summary
Sumner County's off-street parking design standards set a two-foot minimum setback between a single-family or duplex driveway opening and the adjoining side lot line, a thirty-foot setback from a corner-lot street intersection, and a twenty-percent maximum driveway slope. One- and two-family homes are specifically exempted from the hard-surface paving mandate that applies to other off-street parking areas.
3. Access Regulations... a. Minimum distance from an adjoining interior lot line and a driveway opening at the street right-of-way line: Nonresidential and multifamily uses: To be determined during site plan review Single-family and duplexes – Two (2) feet... 4. Surfacing & Border Barriers a. All off street parking areas with the exception of one or two family dwellings shall be surfaced with asphalt, concrete, or other hard-surfaced dustless material and so constructed to provide for adequate drainage for both on and off site and to prevent the release of dust... 7. Slope in Parking Areas The maximum slope within the area of the parking spaces shall be eight (8) percent. The maximum slope of driveways shall be twenty (20) percent.
Full Breakdown
Zoning Resolution Sec. 1102(E), 'Off Street Parking Lot Design Standards,' sets the access and surfacing rules for driveways county-wide. Under Sec. 1102(E)(3)(a), a single-family or duplex driveway opening must sit at least two feet from an adjoining interior lot line at the street right-of-way; nonresidential and multifamily driveways are sized during site plan review instead. On a corner lot, a residential driveway opening must be at least thirty feet from the intersection of the two street rights-of-way (Sec. 1102(E)(3)(b)). Driveway culverts must be sized for expected stormwater and be at least a 15-inch reinforced concrete pipe (Sec. 1102(E)(3)(c)).
On surfacing, Sec. 1102(E)(4)(a) requires off-street parking areas to be paved in asphalt, concrete, or other hard, dustless material, but it carves out 'one or two family dwellings' from that mandate, so a typical house driveway is not required to be paved under this section (pervious pavement or grass pavers may substitute elsewhere with Planning Department approval, per Sec. 1102(E)(4)(c)). Slope is capped separately: the maximum grade within a parking space is eight percent, and the maximum slope of a driveway anywhere in the county is twenty percent (Sec. 1102(E)(7)). This general driveway standard is distinct from Sec. 1101(Q)(1), which requires a hard, dustless surface specifically for front-yard RV, boat, or trailer parking even though an everyday car driveway for a one- or two-family home is not required to be paved.
Violations & Fines
Building or widening a driveway that violates the setback, culvert, or slope standards in Sec. 1102(E) without an approved site plan or permit is a Zoning Resolution violation under Chapter 14, Sec. 1413(D): a misdemeanor fined up to $50, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The County Engineer reviews driveway culvert sizing and site plans before permits issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pave my driveway in unincorporated Sumner County?
How steep can my driveway be?
How close to my neighbor's lot line can my driveway be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumner County
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