Preliminary plans for driveways at two historic structures on North Main Street were delayed Tuesday by the Greeneville Historic Zoning Commission.

Joe Hickerson spoke about his plans to add driveways at the Harmony House and its neighboring log cabin, "Antrim," an area where Confederate soldiers camped during the Civil War.

Both homes were owned by Hickerson's uncle, the late Richard Doughty, who died in 2003 at age 80.

Doughty was a leader in local historic preservation and was a chairman and longtime member of the Historic Zoning Commission.

Joe Hickerson now owns Antrim, while Harmony House is owned by his son, John Hickerson.

Joe told the commission the homes would need driveways before they could be sold.

Commissioner Betsey Bowman, who lives nearby, recalled a gravel driveway at the Harmony House in the 1920s.

She said the driveway circled around to the back of house to an area where at least 20 cars could park. She recalled this from the era when her grandparents entertained on North Main Street, she said.

The commission discussed the need for specific guidelines on driveways in Greeneville's Historic District.

Existing guidelines from the U.S. Department of the Interior are vague regarding materials and other requirements for driveways, it was noted.

Chairman Sarah Webster said she will contact a representative from Jonesborough to get that historic town's guidelines on driveways.

Hickerson said he was seeking the commission's guidance on placing separate driveways at the two houses.

His plans, he said, are to put a driveway for Harmony House between it and the home of Greeneville Mayor Laraine King and her husband, Kidwell King.

This would require the removal of at least one of four trees in the area, he noted.

His plans also include putting a driveway for Antrim on the other side of Harmony House, he said.

He noted that the property line separating Harmony House and Antrim does not leave enough room for two adjacent driveways.

Chairman Webster said Hickerson will have to obtain a permit for curb cuts from the Tennessee Department of Transportation because Main Street is a state road.

Commissioners said they could not vote on the driveway application until they saw drawings of Hickerson's plans.

"I think we need it drawn out, because I'm not seeing this," Commissioner Nancy Monger said.

She added that the Harmony House is "a very important contributing structure to our Historic District."

Harmony House was the home of Dr. W.A. Harmon, who was a teacher at Rhea Academy in the 1850s and was also a physician and a lawyer.

Antrim is a restored log house originally built by Thomas Alexander at a different Greene County site.

Doughty named the cabin "Antrim" after the county in northern Ireland from which some of his pioneer ancestors came.

Chairman Webster said Hickerson could return to the commission after he has the TDOT permit.

She noted that the commission requires drawings, photographs, sample materials and other additional information with its applications.