§ 633. Residential driveways.

Residential driveways shall meet the following requirements:

(a)

Limitation in number. Residential driveways shall be limited to one per lot, except that a circular driveway with two entrances onto a county public road may be authorized if the driveway connections are separated by 100 feet or more.

(b)

Width. Eight feet minimum, except for shared driveways which shall be at least 12 feet wide. A residential driveway shall not exceed a width (measured at the right-of-way line of the street to which the driveway is connected) of 12 feet, unless the driveway serves a garage or carport designed to park two or more cars located within 40 feet of the right-of-way, in which case the maximum residential driveway width shall be 20 feet. The maximum driveway widths of this paragraph shall not be construed to prevent additional surfacing for purposes of connecting the driveway to a garage or carport, or for additional uncovered parking, or for additional maneuvering space on the lot.

(c)

Spacing from road intersection. Spacing of residential driveways shall be as required by standard drawing T-10 (see article 23) for purposes of observing minimum required sight distance, unless specifically approved otherwise as part of final plat approval for a common development or per individual driveway permit.

(d)

Locations. Driveways will be restricted to locations where movements into and out of them can occur in a safe and orderly manner, subject to the approval of the public development director.

(e)

Angle of intersection with street. Right angled (80 degrees to 100 degrees).

(f)

Driveway apron. The public development director may require installation of an asphalt or concrete driveway apron at any driveway connecting to a county road. When a driveway apron is required, the minimum driveway radius for a residential driveway shall be five feet.

(g)

Slope and elevation. Any driveway entering on a roadway or street may be required to be sloped down from the street or roadway at a rate of one-half inch per one foot for a minimum of ten feet. In any case, the finished driveway surface within the right-of-way where it abuts the adjacent road must be no higher in elevation than the roadbed.

(h)

Drainage. As a condition of driveway approval, the public development director is authorized to require a driveway applicant to install a storm drainage culvert of a size as approved by the public development director in consultation with the county road superintendent (eighteen-inch culvert typical where curb and gutter do not exist). All waters from driveways must enter onto the shoulders of adjacent roads and into the ditch or gutter. No water shall be permitted to enter onto the adjacent road surface or pavement.

(i)

Sidewalk transitions. Where a sidewalk is provided or planned, the driveway shall be designed and constructed with sidewalk transitions as appropriate.

(j)

Sight visibility clearance. With the exception of sign posts and other structures less than eight inches in diameter, structures and landscaping shall not exceed three feet in height within a triangle measuring 20 feet along the edge of a driveway and 20 feet along the street right-of-way line.

(k)

No access easement. Residential lots in any major subdivision shall have no direct driveway access to a county arterial road unless approved by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, or to a state or U.S. numbered highway unless approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and incorporated into the construction drawings for the project prior to issuance of a development permit by Jackson County. An easement of at least 20 feet in width, across which there shall be no right of access, shall be provided along the entire width of lots in a major subdivision that abut any major collector or arterial road. Notwithstanding this provision, the public development director may permit up to a maximum of four driveways on an arterial road serving individual residential lots, if driveway separation requirements are met.

(Ord. No. 17-003 , § 1, 10-2-2017)