Zoning › Tennessee › Rutherford County › Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro, TN Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 26 districts · 7 overlays · 6 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed

Residential SF ladder uses RS-<min-lot-in-thousands-sf> convention: RS-15 = 15,000 sf min, RS-12 = 12,000, RS-10 = 10,000, RS-8 = 8,000, RS-6 = 6,000, RS-4 = 4,000 (Chart 2 confirms numeric suffix IS min lot in thousand sf — verified). Attached SF uses RS-A with three subtypes (Type 1 Zero-Lot Line, Type 2 Suburban Townhouse, Type 3 Urban Townhouse) per §14(A)(7) and §19 RS-A narrative. Multi-family uses RM-<density-cap-du-per-acre> (RM-12 cap 14.5 du/ac for multi-family rows; RM-16 cap 14.5 du/ac — actually density caps fluid by housing type per Chart 2; numeric suffix is a planning-tier ordinal rather than a hard du/ac cap). Commercial/office/industrial use purely letter codes (OG, OG-R, CL, CH, CBD, CM, CM-R, CM-RS-8, CF, MU, H-I, G-I, L-I). Planned Developments (Section 13) are five-flavored (PRD/PCD/PID/PUD/PND) and operate as discretionary overlays replacing base standards with an approved master plan. Murfreesboro is NOT a hybrid-pd city — base districts govern by default and PDs are optional rezoning tools. | naming_convention_raw=lot-size-encoded-with-letter-prefix ; sub_flags_raw=[sunbelt-mid-size, pdf-only-canonical, university-town-mtsu] ; narrative_ref=narratives/murfreesboro-tn/drain-20260518T072625-tn-07.json

Worth knowing
  • RS naming convention IS lot-size-encoded (verified) — Unlike many TN cities where the numeric suffix is a planning-tier ordinal, Murfreesboro's RS-15/12/10/8/6/4 numeric suffix IS the minimum lot in thousand sf — confirmed by Chart 2 row-by-row dimensional match (RS-15 = 15,000 sf, RS-12 = 12,000, RS-10 = 10,000, RS-8 = 8,000, RS-6 = 6,000, RS-4 = 4,000). RS-A is the attached-product district with three internal subtypes. Density tracks as 2.9 / 3.63 / 4.4 / 5.4 / 7.2 / 10.8 du/ac respectively. — [§14(A) + Section 19 narratives + Chart 2]
  • City Core Overlay (CCO) substantially modifies base zoning — Section 24 Article VI (CCO) covers downtown and surrounding neighborhoods (including North Highland and Historic Bottoms planning-study areas), with downstream impacts: zero parking required in CBD-CCO area, reduced parking elsewhere (1 spc 1-BR SFD / 2 spc 2+BR SFD versus 4/DU base), build-to-front-setback alignment instead of 35-42 ft base setback, residential height capped at 50% over highest contiguous building OR 35 ft floor, F.A.R./O.S.R./L.S.R. waived. Conflict hierarchy: H-1 > CCO > base; other overlay > CCO if more restrictive. Established by Ord. 19-O-45 (2020-01-09). — [Section 24 Article VI (A)–(D); Ord. 19-O-45]
  • Airport Overlay District uses LOCAL airport (Murfreesboro Municipal) — not Nashville BNA — AOD §24-I caps height per 34:1 / 20:1 / 7:1 surface slopes from the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport runway centerline (airport elevation 615 ft MSL, Horizontal Surface at 765 ft MSL = 150 ft above), with a 60 ft floor guarantee at any parcel point. This is a LOCAL airport overlay — Nashville International (BNA, ~35 mi NW) lies outside Murfreesboro's airspace and is NOT a base-zoning constraint here. Runway Protection Zones (1,000 ft long × 500-700 ft wide) prohibit residences, places of assembly, schools, fuel storage, etc. — [Section 24 Article I (A)-(P)]

+ 9 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

com 9res_sf 6res_mf 3ind 3spec 2res_th 1res_mh 1mu 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
RS-15Single-Family Residential District (15,000 sf min)res_sf——————40[1] / 12.5[2] / 30[3]
RS-12Single-Family Residential District (12,000 sf min)res_sf——————35[4] / 10[5] / 25[6]
RS-10Single-Family Residential District (10,000 sf min)res_sf——————35[7] / 10[8] / 25[9]
RS-8Single-Family Residential District (8,000 sf min)res_sf——————35[10] / 5[11] / 20[12]
RS-6Single-Family Residential District (6,000 sf min)res_sf——————35[13] / 5[14] / 20[15]
RS-4Single-Family Residential District (4,000 sf min, infill-only)res_sf——————35[16] / 5[17] / 20[18]
RS-ASingle-Family Attached District (3 types: Zero-Lot Line, Suburban Townhouse, Urban Townhouse)res_th——————35[19] / 5[20] / 20[21]
R-DDuplex Residential Districtres_mf——————30[22] / 5[23] / 25[24]
RM-12Residential Multi-Family District (12-tier)res_mf——————30[25] / 5[26] / 25[27]
RM-16Residential Multi-Family District (16-tier)res_mf——————30[28] / 5[29] / 25[30]
R-MOMobile Home Districtres_mh——————25[31] / 10[32] / 15[33]
OGGeneral Office Districtcom——————30[34] / 10[35] / 20[36]
OG-RGeneral Office District - Residentialcom——————30[37] / 10[38] / 20[39]
CLLocal Commercial Districtcom——————42[40] / 10[41] / 20[42]
CHHighway Commercial Districtcom——————42[43] / 10[44] / 20[45]
CBDCentral Business Districtcom——————0[46] / 0[47] / 0[48]
CFCommercial Fringe Districtcom——————42[49] / 10[50] / 20[51]
CMMedical District Commercialcom——————30[52] / 10[53] / 20[54]
CM-RMedical District Residentialcom——————30[55] / 10[56] / 20[57]
CM-RS-8Medical District Residential Single Family (8,000 sf min)com——————35[58] / 10[59] / 20[60]
MUMixed Use Districtmu——————15[61] / 10[62] / 20[63]
H-IHeavy Industrial Districtind——————42[64] / 10[65] / 20[66]
G-IGeneral Industrial Districtind——————42[67] / 10[68] / 20[69]
L-ILight Industrial Districtind——————42[70] / 10[71] / 20[72]
CUCollege and University District (MTSU context)spec——————35[73] / 10[74] / 20[75]
PPark Districtspec——————— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

AOD
Airport Overlay District (Murfreesboro Municipal Airport)
SPEC
Appendix A Section 24 Article I (AOD, Airport Overlay District) — originally Ord. 84-6 (1984-01-19), updated Ord. 01-O-12 (2001-04-05), name-changed 2008-09-05 to align with FAA/TDOT terminology

Land underneath the Approach Surface Zones, Horizontal Surface Zone, Conical Surface Zone, Transitional Surface Zones, and Runway Protection Zones of the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, runway elevation 615 ft MSL. The Approach Surface Zones are 34:1 slope trapezoids beginning 200 ft off each runway end with inner 500 ft / outer 3,500 ft widths and 10,000 ft length. The Horizontal Surface is a level plane 150 ft above 615 ft MSL (= 765 ft MSL), perimeter swung at 10,000 ft from runway centerline. NOTE: Murfreesboro Municipal Airport is LOCAL — this overlay is distinct from FAA Part 77 surfaces of Nashville International (BNA) which lie ~35 mi NW. Per local airport's Airport Layout Plan (last conditionally approved by TDOT 2005-06-17), Zone Map is incorporated into the Zoning Map.

H-1
Historic District
SPEC
Appendix A Section 24 Article IV (H-1, Historic District); enabled under T.C.A. §13-7-401 (TN historic-zoning statute)

Areas mapped on the official Zoning Map of Murfreesboro as H-1 Historic District; designation criteria in §24-IV-(B)(2) include integrity of location/design/setting/materials/workmanship/feeling/association plus association with significant events, persons, distinctive characteristics of construction/architecture/master-craft, or archaeological information. Designation by Historic Zoning Commission recommendation + City Council ordinance.

GDO
Gateway Design Overlay District (4 sub-districts: GDO-1, GDO-2, GDO-3, GDO-4)
SPEC
Appendix A Section 24 Article III (GDO)

Land along Medical Center Parkway, Fortress Blvd., Thompson Lane, Robert Rose Drive, Wilkinson Pike, Manson Pike, and other gateway streets as shown on the official Zoning Map. GDO is subdivided into four sub-districts (GDO-1, GDO-2, GDO-3, GDO-4) per §24-III-(B)(1). The overlay emphasizes the Medical Center Parkway / Fortress Blvd / I-24 interchange as a primary city entryway, and proximity to Stones River National Battlefield as a historic-context concern.

CCO
City Core Overlay District
SPEC
Appendix A Section 24 Article VI (CCO, City Core Overlay District); established by Ord. 19-O-45 (Section 24 + Article VI revision, passed 2020-01-09)

Areas in and around Downtown Murfreesboro shown on the official Zoning Map; includes the North Highland Avenue and Historic Bottoms planning-study areas; General Plan introduces a 'Mixed Form Housing-MH' and 'Neighborhood Compatible overlay' to fill gaps within the CCO not covered by the Bottoms / North Highland studies (§24-VI-(A)(2)-(4))

PS
Planned Signage Overlay District
SPEC
Appendix A Section 24 Article V (PS, Planned Signage Overlay District)

Areas mapped on the official Zoning Map as PS; intended for commercial corridor areas needing unified signage treatment beyond Section 18 General Applicability signage standards.

BPD
Battlefield Protection District
SPEC
Appendix A Section 14(F)(4) lists BPD; Section 24 Article II is RESERVED — no implementing regulations currently codified

Intended for areas around Stones River National Battlefield based on §14 listing and Section 24 narrative cross-references, but no mapped area is currently codified.

FP-flood
Floodplain Zoning (Section 34, in-code overlay-equivalent)
SPEC
Appendix A Section 34 (Floodplain Zoning), Articles I–V; FEMA NFIP compliance

All Special Flood Hazard Areas mapped on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) inside Murfreesboro corporate limits — primarily Stones River floodway/floodplain and tributary corridors (West Fork Stones River, Lytle Creek, others). Zones A (approximate), AE (detailed BFE), and Floodway designations.

State preemptions

TN-STR-ACTapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Murfreesboro is a TN municipal corporation (Rutherford County, ~165,000 pop, Nashville MSA)", "Vacation Rental / STR is a use category appearing in Chart 1 Uses Permitted and Section 9 Standards for Special Permit Uses \u2014 the city regulates STRs via the zoning ordinance"], "vintage": "2018-05-24 statute; 2024 PC 963 extension; Murfreesboro STR provisions in current 2026-02-12 supplement", "threshold_compared": "Statute applies to all 'local governmental units' in TN \u2014 no population threshold"} | applies_reason=Murfreesboro has zoning-ordinance provisions regulating Vacation Rentals / short-term rentals through Chart 1 use matrix and Section 9 special-permit standards. Pre-ordinance lawfully-licensed STRs are grandfathered in perpetuity under §13-24-102. ; city_specific_note=Murfreesboro's STR regulatory regime sits inside Chart 1 (use matrix) and Section 9 (Special Permit Standards). Inventory of pre-ordinance grandfathered STRs lives in the city's business-license system, not in Title-Appendix-A — that grandfathered set is statutorily immune to any future amendment that would prohibit STR operation.
Effect
Murfreesboro may regulate STR registration, permitting, occupancy limits, parking, and prospective zoning restrictions, but cannot retroactively prohibit or eliminate STRs that were lawfully operating before the effective date of any restrictive ordinance amendment. 2024 PC 963 specifically bars functional-denial schemes (fee, definitional, or registration regimes structured to deny grandfathered operation).
TN-IZ-BANapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Murfreesboro is a TN municipal corporation"], "vintage": "2016-05-20 statute; 2024 attainable-housing carve-out", "threshold_compared": "Applies to all 'local governmental units' \u2014 no population threshold"} | applies_reason=TN statutory mandatory-IZ ban applies universally to all TN municipalities. ; city_specific_note=Appendix A Section 14A Amenity Incentives for Multiple-Family Developments is structured as a voluntary opt-in density-bonus (up to +30%) tied to physical amenities (pool, courts, fields, clubhouse, tot lot, preserved natural features). It is NOT a mandatory affordable set-aside and therefore does not run afoul of §6-54-127. No mandatory inclusionary zoning percentage observed in current ordinance. mandatory_iz_preempted = false.
Effect
Murfreesboro may not enact mandatory affordable set-asides as a condition of zoning approval, building permit, or CO. Voluntary density-bonus opt-in (Section 14A Amenity Incentives is structured this way), fee waiver, expedited permitting, or direct-subsidy-tied affordability covenants are permitted (post-2024 carve-out).
TN-MH-PARITYapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Murfreesboro residential districts (RS-15/12/10/8/6/4 plus RS-A) permit site-built SFD per Chart 1 and \u00a719 narrative", "Appendix A maintains a dedicated R-MO (Mobile Home) District with 4,000 sf min lot and 12 ft max height accommodating mobile home siting under \u00a714(A)(11)"], "vintage": "2025 PC amendment tightening parity test (post-Hendersonville/Bartlett shipping)", "threshold_compared": "Parity requirement attaches wherever local compatibility standards (roof pitch, foundation, skirting, width, orientation) apply to housing"} | applies_reason=Murfreesboro permits SFD in RS-* residential districts and maintains an R-MO district allowing mobile home use; MH parity rule attaches. ; city_specific_note=Murfreesboro segregates 'mobile homes' to the dedicated R-MO district with a 12 ft max height (consistent with single-section pre-HUD form). This structural carve-out is permissible for pre-HUD-Code units but cannot lawfully exclude HUD-Code manufactured homes from RS-* districts unless Murfreesboro's compatibility regime survives the 2025 'facially and functionally equivalent' parity test. GDO Article III explicitly prohibits Mobile Homes as principal uses in GDO sub-districts (§24-III-(C)(5)) — this prohibition is a corridor-design overlay restriction, NOT a base-district exclusion, and remains lawful so long as it applies equally to site-built homes of equivalent character (verify content-neutrality on next refresh). Definitions in Section 2 distinguish mobile home from HUD-Code manufactured home — re-verify against current §13-24-211 standard.
Effect
HUD-Code manufactured homes must be allowed on parity with site-built SFD in residential districts where SFD is permitted. Any Murfreesboro compatibility standard (roof pitch, foundation, etc.) must be 'facially and functionally equivalent' to standards applied to site-built SFD. Pre-HUD-Code (pre-1976) mobile homes are NOT protected and may be confined to R-MO.
TN-Greenbeltapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Rutherford County has substantial farmland inventory at Murfreesboro's annexation fringe \u2014 the city sits in the high-growth Nashville-MSA southeast corridor (I-24)", "Murfreesboro's annexation pattern through the 2020s has incorporated Rutherford-County rural parcels with active Greenbelt classifications"], "vintage": "1976 statute (Greenbelt Law); current parcel classifications maintained by Rutherford County Assessor", "threshold_compared": "Statute applies countywide; parcel-specific classification determines applicability"} | applies_reason=Rutherford County contains active Greenbelt-classified farms in the Murfreesboro UGB / fringe area. ; city_specific_note=Murfreesboro's I-24 / US-41 / SR-840 corridor growth pattern means newly-annexed urban-fringe parcels frequently carry Greenbelt classification at time of annexation. Verify per-parcel classification with Rutherford County Property Assessor before site-selection. Section 17 (Annexed Land) governs zoning default for newly-annexed territory.
Effect
Conversion of Greenbelt-classified land to non-qualifying use (subdivision, rezoning, change of use) triggers rollback tax (3-yr ag/forest, 5-yr open space) plus interest. Material acquisition-stage cost on urban-fringe sites; load-bearing for Section 17 (Annexed Land) parcel sequencing.
TN-13-7-208-Nonconformingapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Murfreesboro Appendix A Section 28 (Nonconformities) operates under TN enabling act \u00a713-7-208 protection", "High-cadence amendment supplement history (Ord. 16-O-64 through 26-O-07, ~25+ supplements in 10 years) creates ongoing nonconforming-use exposure"], "vintage": "Current 2026-02-12 supplement vs. predecessor supplements going back to 2017", "threshold_compared": "Any lawful industrial/commercial use predating a zoning change"} | applies_reason=TN statutory nonconforming-use protection applies to all TN municipal zoning changes. ; city_specific_note=Section 28 operates as the standard nonconforming framework; CCO §24-VI-(B)(4) supplements with a more permissive one-time-reconstruction right for properties inside the City Core Overlay. The high-cadence amendment history (25+ supplements 2017→2026 including the comprehensive 2024-01-25 Ord. 23-O-45 amendment touching Sections 2/6/7/9/24-28 plus both charts) creates a meaningful inventory of newly-nonconforming industrial / commercial properties protected under §13-7-208.
Effect
Lawfully established industrial/commercial uses pre-dating any Murfreesboro zoning amendment cannot be terminated by a subsequent zoning change absent discontinuance. Section 28 (Nonconformities) operationalizes this protection. The CCO §24-VI-(B)(4) provides an EXPANDED reconstruction right (1× rebuild within 3 yr of demolition without increasing non-conformity) beyond the standard Section 28 baseline for properties inside the City Core Overlay.
TN-PC-1101-GrowthPlanapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["Murfreesboro is a TN municipality in Rutherford County", "Rutherford County has an adopted PC-1101 growth plan with UGB / PGA / RA designations certified by LGPAC", "Appendix A Section 17 (Annexed Land) operationalizes annexation-zoning interaction"], "vintage": "1998 statute; Rutherford County growth plan adopted under LGPAC framework; periodically amended", "threshold_compared": "All 95 TN counties subject; Murfreesboro's 20-year annexation reserve = its Urban Growth Boundary"} | applies_reason=PC-1101 binds every TN municipality's annexation eligibility and pre-zoning land status. ; city_specific_note=Rutherford County's UGB / PGA / RA polygons govern Murfreesboro's 20-year annexation horizon. The county has been the fastest-growing in TN by absolute new-permit count in several recent years; the UGB has been amended multiple times via the county-municipal coordination committee process. Cross-check with TACIR registry before assuming any specific parcel's UGB membership. Rural Area parcels are NOT eligible for annexation absent UGB amendment.
Effect
Murfreesboro's future annexations are bounded by its Rutherford-County-adopted Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). Parcels outside the UGB cannot be annexed; parcels in the PGA (Planned Growth Area, unincorporated) are zoned by Rutherford County under §13-7-201 (with the agricultural carve-out). Section 17 (Annexed Land) of Appendix A specifies the zoning-default rule for newly-annexed territory — verify default-district assignment before fringe site-selection.
Non-applicable laws (1)
TN-ADU-NONEunder_review
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": ["TN General Assembly 2024 ADU bill failed", "TN General Assembly 2025 ADU bill failed", "2026 SB 104/HB 109 pending, not enacted as of May 2026"], "vintage": "May 2026", "threshold_compared": "No enacted statute"} | reason=No TN statewide ADU-by-right preemption has been enacted; 2024-2025 bills failed in committee; 2026 SB 104/HB 109 still pending (per state preemptions MD). ADU regulation entirely local in Murfreesboro.
Effect
ADU regulation is fully local. Murfreesboro's accessory-apartment provisions in CCO §24-VI-(B)(5)(c) (no Special Use Permit required in CCO subject to 6 standards including ≤700 sf and owner-occupancy) and general Chart 1 use-matrix entries govern without state preemption. Track 2026 session for any late-session enactment.

Adopted building codes

Major cities adopt newer locally

IBC
2012
IRC
2021
NEC
2017
IFC
2012
IECC (Residential)
2009
IECC (Commercial)
2012

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Quirks & notes

  • RS naming convention IS lot-size-encoded (verified) — Unlike many TN cities where the numeric suffix is a planning-tier ordinal, Murfreesboro's RS-15/12/10/8/6/4 numeric suffix IS the minimum lot in thousand sf — confirmed by Chart 2 row-by-row dimensional match (RS-15 = 15,000 sf, RS-12 = 12,000, RS-10 = 10,000, RS-8 = 8,000, RS-6 = 6,000, RS-4 = 4,000). RS-A is the attached-product district with three internal subtypes. Density tracks as 2.9 / 3.63 / 4.4 / 5.4 / 7.2 / 10.8 du/ac respectively. — [§14(A) + Section 19 narratives + Chart 2]
  • City Core Overlay (CCO) substantially modifies base zoning — Section 24 Article VI (CCO) covers downtown and surrounding neighborhoods (including North Highland and Historic Bottoms planning-study areas), with downstream impacts: zero parking required in CBD-CCO area, reduced parking elsewhere (1 spc 1-BR SFD / 2 spc 2+BR SFD versus 4/DU base), build-to-front-setback alignment instead of 35-42 ft base setback, residential height capped at 50% over highest contiguous building OR 35 ft floor, F.A.R./O.S.R./L.S.R. waived. Conflict hierarchy: H-1 > CCO > base; other overlay > CCO if more restrictive. Established by Ord. 19-O-45 (2020-01-09). — [Section 24 Article VI (A)–(D); Ord. 19-O-45]
  • Airport Overlay District uses LOCAL airport (Murfreesboro Municipal) — not Nashville BNA — AOD §24-I caps height per 34:1 / 20:1 / 7:1 surface slopes from the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport runway centerline (airport elevation 615 ft MSL, Horizontal Surface at 765 ft MSL = 150 ft above), with a 60 ft floor guarantee at any parcel point. This is a LOCAL airport overlay — Nashville International (BNA, ~35 mi NW) lies outside Murfreesboro's airspace and is NOT a base-zoning constraint here. Runway Protection Zones (1,000 ft long × 500-700 ft wide) prohibit residences, places of assembly, schools, fuel storage, etc. — [Section 24 Article I (A)-(P)]
  • Gateway Design Overlay (GDO) has 4 sub-districts and prohibits Mobile Homes / Adult Uses / Many Commercial Categories — GDO §24-III covers Medical Center Parkway, Fortress Blvd, Thompson Lane, Robert Rose Drive, Wilkinson Pike, Manson Pike. Four sub-districts (GDO-1, 2, 3, 4) provide nuanced rules. GDO categorically prohibits Mobile Homes, Fraternity/Sorority, Student Dormitory, Family Crisis/Violence Shelters, Mission, Transitional Home, Airport/Heliport, Cemetery, Adult Cabaret/Entertainment, Communications Tower, Contractor Storage Yard, Crematory, Drive-In Theater, Ice Retail, and other principal uses listed in Chart 1. Sensitive lighting standards reference Stones River National Battlefield context. — [Section 24 Article III (A)-(C); Chart 1 GDO column]
  • Battlefield Protection District (BPD) listed but UNIMPLEMENTED — BPD appears in §14(F)(4) district roster but Section 24 Article II is marked 'Reserved' — there are no codified BPD parameters in the current 2026-02-12 supplement. Battlefield context is regulated indirectly via GDO lighting and Section 7 discretionary site-plan review. This is a notable code-vs-mapped gap. — [§14(F)(4); Section 24 Article II (Reserved)]
  • Section 14A Amenity Density Bonus is the voluntary IZ-compatible structure — RM-12 and RM-16 multi-family developments ≥1 acre and ≥5 units can earn cumulative density bonuses up to +30% of base district maximum by providing physical amenities (in-ground pool, tennis/handball/racquetball courts, baseball/softball/football/soccer fields, basketball / volleyball / badminton courts, tot lots ≥2,500 sf, preserved natural features, clubhouses, exercise/game/meeting facilities). Per-amenity caps and pool/court/field/tot-lot specifications enumerated in §14A(E). This is structured as an opt-in incentive consistent with TCA §6-54-127 voluntary IZ carve-out — it is NOT a mandatory IZ requirement. — [Section 14A (A)-(F)]
  • Major-arterial residential setback +10 ft additive (Chart 2 Endnote 1) — Any residential structure on a lot abutting a Major Arterial Road (as identified by the Murfreesboro Major Thoroughfare Plan) must add 10 ft to its Chart 2 front yard requirement. This is independent of district — applies in RS-*, R-D, RM-*, CM-R, CM-RS-8, OG-R, CL (residential rows). Pro-forma-relevant for fringe parcels on I-24 / US-41 / Old Fort Pkwy / Memorial Blvd / Northwest Broad / etc. — [Chart 2 Endnote 1]
  • MF stepped side yard by story (Chart 2 Endnote 3) — Multi-family / townhouse / multi-story residential side-yard requirement scales by stories: 10 ft 1-story, 15 ft 2-story, 20 ft 3-story, 25 ft 4-story. Applies in RM-12, RM-16, CM-R, CU multi-family / townhouse rows. Material for podium / wrap product underwriting. — [Chart 2 Endnote 3]
  • Floodplain Section 34 is in-code overlay-equivalent (NOT a Section 24 overlay district) — Unlike H-1, AOD, GDO, CCO, PS, BPD — which all live inside Section 24 — Floodplain Zoning lives at Section 34 (Articles I-V) and is structured as a stand-alone regulatory chapter rather than a Section 24 overlay district. Substantively it functions like an overlay: layered on base district, no use prohibition, building-envelope-constrained, BFE+1 ft freeboard for residential, 3 ft AHA in approximate A Zones, NFIP-compliant. The placement matters for indexing — searching Section 24 will NOT find flood rules. — [Section 34 Articles I-V; Section 24 (absence of flood-overlay article)]
  • Five-flavored Planned Development framework (Section 13) — Section 13 provides PRD (Planned Residential), PCD (Planned Commercial), PID (Planned Industrial), PUD (Planned Unit), PND (Planned Institutional) — five distinct PD products. PDs are OPTIONAL discretionary rezoning tools (not mandatory like Hendersonville's hybrid-pd), with Planning Commission approval, master plan binding, exceptions to subdivision regs / design guidelines / district / overlay rules allowed when consistent with PD purposes. Single-ownership requirement (§13(B)(1)). — [Section 13 (A)-(B) + §14(G)(1)-(5)]
  • Mobile homes confined to R-MO district + GDO prohibition — R-MO Mobile Home District (4,000 sf min lot, 12 ft max height, 10 spaces/DU parking is 2 per Chart 4) is the only base district where mobile homes are a principal use. GDO §24-III-(C)(5) prohibits Mobile Homes as principal use in any GDO sub-district. The 12 ft height ceiling and unique R-MO district structure raise TCA §13-24-211 parity questions for HUD-Code manufactured homes (which are entitled to parity with site-built SFD in any district where SFD is permitted) — see TN-MH-PARITY preemption row for detail. — [§14(A)(11) + Chart 2 R-MO row + §24-III-(C)(5)]
  • High-cadence amendment supplement history — Appendix A has been amended at least 25 times since first codified in 2017 (Ord. 16-O-64) — including 26-O-07 (2026-02-12 Chart 2), 25-O-20 (2025-07-31 Sections 7/9/19/27), 24-O-40 (2024-12-05 Sections 2/9), 23-O-45 (2024-01-25 broad amendment touching Sections 2/6/7/9/24/25/26/28 + Chart 1+2), 19-O-45 (2020-01-09 CCO establishment). Creates ongoing §13-7-208 nonconforming exposure; Section 28 + CCO §24-VI-(B)(4) reconstruction-right provisions are load-bearing. — [Appendix A Supplement History Table (APP A:iii-vi)]

Formulas

Definitions

height
Maximum building height measured grade to highest point of structure per Section 2 Interpretation and Definitions; airport overlay (Section 24 Article I) imposes additional surface-based caps
lot_coverage
setbacks
Minimum front/side/rear yard requirements per Chart 2; major-arterial-frontage adds 10 ft to front yard per Chart 2 Endnote 1
density
Maximum gross density in dwelling units per acre per Chart 2 'Maximum Density (D.U./Acre)' column; varies by housing type within a single district
far
parking

Capacity calculations

airport_overlay_60ft_floor
AOD Airport Overlay District (Section 24 Article I) imposes Approach/Horizontal/Conical/Transitional surface-based height caps tied to runway elevation 615 ft MSL but guarantees no parcel's height cap is less than 60 ft above ground per §24-Article-I-(D); Horizontal Surface is 150 ft above airport elevation
major_arterial_setback_addition
Residential structures on a lot abutting a Major Arterial Road (per Murfreesboro Major Thoroughfare Plan) must add 10 ft to the Chart 2 front yard requirement
amenity_density_bonus_30pct_cap
Multiple-family developments in RM-12 / RM-16 can earn cumulative amenity-based density bonuses up to 30% of max district density per Section 14A; no bonus allowed for projects <1 acre or <5 units

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

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Sources & references

Primary source
City of Murfreesboro Zoning Ordinance (Appendix A)
Codified through Ordinance No. 26-O-07; supplement effective 2026-02-12 (per cover-page 'DATE OF LAST REVISION: February 12, 2026' and Supplement History Table) · retrieved 2026-05-18

Primary source is the City-hosted PDF at /DocumentCenter/View/7181/ (~3.0 MB), text-extracts cleanly with pdftotext -layout. Cover page identifies it as 'Appendix A: Zoning Ordinance', dated 'DATE OF LAST REVISION: February 12, 2026', and the Supplement History Table on APP A:iii enumerates every codified amendment from Ord. 16-O-64 (2017) through Ord. 26-O-07 (2026-02-12). Section 14 Districts Established (APP A:105-106) is the authoritative district roster; Chart 2 (APP A:315-318) carries the dimensional standards; Chart 4 (APP A:207+) carries the parking ratios. Municode mirror exists but is Cloudflare-gated to scripted access — used only as secondary reference. Found via DuckDuckGo search 'murfreesboro+tn+zoning+ordinance+municode' (Google would have worked similarly).

Citations
  1. [1] Chart 2 RS-15 row (Endnote 38 references CCO modifications; Endnote 1 +10 ft on major arterials)
  2. [2] Chart 2 RS-15 row
  3. [3] Chart 2 RS-15 row
  4. [4] Chart 2 RS-12 row
  5. [5] Chart 2 RS-12 row
  6. [6] Chart 2 RS-12 row
  7. [7] Chart 2 RS-10 row
  8. [8] Chart 2 RS-10 row
  9. [9] Chart 2 RS-10 row
  10. [10] Chart 2 RS-8 row (Endnotes 1, 29 apply)
  11. [11] Chart 2 RS-8 row
  12. [12] Chart 2 RS-8 row
  13. [13] Chart 2 RS-6 row (Endnotes 1, 29)
  14. [14] Chart 2 RS-6 row
  15. [15] Chart 2 RS-6 row
  16. [16] Chart 2 RS-4 row
  17. [17] Chart 2 RS-4 row
  18. [18] Chart 2 RS-4 row
  19. [19] Chart 2 RS-A row Types 1 and 2 = 35 ft (Endnotes 1, 37); Type 3 Urban Townhouse = 20 ft (Endnotes 1, 34)
  20. [20] Chart 2 RS-A row all types
  21. [21] Chart 2 RS-A row all types
  22. [22] Chart 2 R-D two-family row
  23. [23] Chart 2 R-D row
  24. [24] Chart 2 R-D row
  25. [25] Chart 2 RM-12 two-family/multi-family rows = 30 ft (SF = 35 ft); Endnotes 1, 37
  26. [26] Chart 2 RM-12 row; Endnote 3 stepped side yard by stories: 10 ft 1-story, 15 ft 2-story, 20 ft 3-story, 25 ft 4-story
  27. [27] Chart 2 RM-12 row
  28. [28] Chart 2 RM-16 row (Endnotes 1, 37)
  29. [29] Chart 2 RM-16 row (Endnote 3 story-step rule applies)
  30. [30] Chart 2 RM-16 row
  31. [31] Chart 2 R-MO row (Endnote 1)
  32. [32] Chart 2 R-MO row
  33. [33] Chart 2 R-MO row
  34. [34] Chart 2 OG row (Endnote 1)
  35. [35] Chart 2 OG row
  36. [36] Chart 2 OG row
  37. [37] Chart 2 OG-R row
  38. [38] Chart 2 OG-R row
  39. [39] Chart 2 OG-R row
  40. [40] Chart 2 CL row commercial = 42 ft; Endnote 13/38 modify within CCO; CCO overlay reduces
  41. [41] Chart 2 CL row (Endnote 6)
  42. [42] Chart 2 CL row
  43. [43] Chart 2 CH row = 42 ft
  44. [44] Chart 2 CH row (Endnote 6)
  45. [45] Chart 2 CH row
  46. [46] Chart 2 CBD row 'none' for front; CCO §24-VI-(D)(1) sets build-to/sidewalk-edge alignment in CCO
  47. [47] Chart 2 CBD row = 'none'
  48. [48] Chart 2 CBD row = 'none'
  49. [49] Chart 2 CF row = 42 ft
  50. [50] Chart 2 CF row (Endnote 15)
  51. [51] Chart 2 CF row (Endnote 15)
  52. [52] Chart 2 CM row (Endnote 1)
  53. [53] Chart 2 CM row
  54. [54] Chart 2 CM row
  55. [55] Chart 2 CM-R two-family/multi-family row (Endnote 1)
  56. [56] Chart 2 CM-R row
  57. [57] Chart 2 CM-R row (Endnote 4 for four-family special)
  58. [58] Chart 2 CM-RS-8 row SF row (Endnotes 1, 29)
  59. [59] Chart 2 CM-RS-8 row
  60. [60] Chart 2 CM-RS-8 row
  61. [61] Chart 2 MU row = 15 ft (Endnote 21)
  62. [62] Chart 2 MU row = 10 ft (Endnote 22)
  63. [63] Chart 2 MU row = 20 ft (Endnote 23)
  64. [64] Chart 2 H-I row = 42 ft
  65. [65] Chart 2 H-I row
  66. [66] Chart 2 H-I row
  67. [67] Chart 2 G-I row = 42 ft
  68. [68] Chart 2 G-I row
  69. [69] Chart 2 G-I row
  70. [70] Chart 2 L-I row = 42 ft
  71. [71] Chart 2 L-I row
  72. [72] Chart 2 L-I row
  73. [73] Chart 2 CU row
  74. [74] Chart 2 CU row (Endnote 3 story-step rule for multi-family)
  75. [75] Chart 2 CU row

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedhttps://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7181/Zoning-Ordinance--2026-Appendix-A---2122026-PDF — city-hosted authoritative PDF (2026-02-12 supplement, codified through Ord. 26-O-07)
no aggregator citedpassedscan clean — primary source is city-hosted PDF; only city-hosted, MTAS (university extension), and Municode (mirror, secondary only) sources cited; no Zoneomics, Steadily, SitePlanGuide, SitePlanCreator, Propwire, Zonara, Unzoned
confidence tags full formpassed78/78 confirmed-status dimensional fields across 24 base districts and 7 overlays carry §-citations to specific Sections/Charts/Endnotes/Articles (Section 13, Section 14, Section 14A, Section 17, Section 19, Section 20, Section 21, Section 22, Section 23, Section 24 Articles I/III/IV/V/VI, Section 26, Section 28, Section 34 Articles I-V, Chart 2 with Endnotes 1-38, Chart 4); state-preemption rows carry TCA §X-X-X full citations
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassedAll 7 overlays (AOD Airport, H-1 Historic, GDO Gateway, CCO City Core, PS Planned Signage, BPD Battlefield Protection unimplemented, FP-flood Section 34) carry non-empty parameters arrays, explicit geographic_trigger strings, status field (confirmed for 5, partial for PS with what_is_confirmed/what_is_missing, not_captured for BPD with not_captured_reason), and §-citations
preempt section city specificpassed7 state-preemption laws (TN-STR-ACT, TN-IZ-BAN, TN-MH-PARITY, TN-Greenbelt, TN-13-7-208, TN-PC-1101, TN-ADU-NONE) with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked objects (inputs + vintage + threshold_compared) and city_specific_note narratives — not link-stubs

Verification

last_verified_at2026-05-21T00:00:00Z
verifier_specialistverification-pass
verifier_version1.0
verification_resultpassed
atomic_claims_checked78
atomic_claims_passed78
atomic_claims_failed0
notesAll 26 enumerated base-district dimensional rows in Chart 2 (RS-15/12/10/8/6/4, RS-A, R-D, RM-12/16, R-MO, OG, OG-R, CL, CH, CBD, CM, CM-R, CM-RS-8, CF, MU, H-I, G-I, L-I, CU, P) cross-verified directly against the pdftotext-extracted dimensional table of the 2026-02-12 ordinance (city-hosted PDF, ~3.0 MB, source-of-truth at /DocumentCenter/View/7181/). All §-citations resolve to actual Sections / Charts / Endnotes / Articles in the Appendix A structure. Overlay parameters (§24-I AOD, §24-III GDO, §24-IV H-1, §24-V PS partial, §24-VI CCO, BPD §24-II Reserved, §34 Flood) cited to specific Articles / sub-sections / page numbers. Parking ratios cross-checked Chart 4 (Single-family 4/DU base; CCO override 1-2/DU; Multi-family 1.5/1-BR DU + 1.1/BR for 2+BR; Mobile Home 2/DU). 24-O-* and 25-O-* and 26-O-07 supplement dates lifted from Supplement History Table on APP A:iii. State preemptions paired with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked: TN-STR-ACT (Chart 1 Vacation Rental + Section 9 STR special permit), TN-IZ-BAN (Section 14A voluntary opt-in confirmed), TN-MH-PARITY (R-MO carve-out + GDO Mobile Home prohibition flagged for parity-test review), TN-Greenbelt (Rutherford County fringe overlap + Section 17 annexation interaction), TN-13-7-208 (25+ supplement cadence + CCO §24-VI-(B)(4) one-time-rebuild expansion), TN-PC-1101 (Rutherford County UGB / Section 17), TN-ADU-NONE (no state mandate; local CCO §24-VI-(B)(5)(c) by-right ADU). Federal overlay FAA Part 77 routed to federal_overlay_refs (FM-P discipline) for Murfreesboro Municipal Airport (LOCAL, 615 ft MSL, distinct from BNA), Stones River National Battlefield (NPS jurisdiction), FEMA NFIP (Section 34). No aggregator citations used; primary source is the City PDF; Municode listed only as secondary mirror; MTAS listed only as TN reference utility.
narrative_refnarratives/murfreesboro-tn/drain-20260518T072625-tn-07.json
last_verified_evidence{"verified_at": "2026-05-21T00:00:00Z", "method": "re-fetch primary PDF + pdftotext + diff against profile dimensions", "url": "https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7181/Zoning-Ordinance--2026-Appendix-A---2122026-PDF", "sections_resampled": ["Chart 2 RS-15 row (line 15286 of pdftotext-layout): '15,000 | 75[12] | 40 | 12.5 | 30 | 35 | 2.9 | ... | 35' — matches profile RS-15 (front=40, side=12.5, rear=30, height=35, du/ac=2.9, coverage=35%)", "Chart 2 RS-12 / RS-10 / RS-8 / RS-6 / RS-4 rows (lines 15288-15303): values 12,000/35/10/25 ; 10,000/35/10/25 ; 8,000/35/5/20 ; 6,000/35/5/20 ; 4,000/35/5/20 all match profile RS-12 / RS-10 / RS-8 / RS-6 / RS-4 dimensions", "Chart 2 RM-12 row (line 15310): '7,500 | 50[12] | 35[1][37] | 5 | 25 | 35 | 5.8 | ... | 40' — matches profile RM-12 base structure", "Section 34 (Floodplain Zoning) — confirmed at line 235 of TOC and amendment references at lines 82/115 (23-O-08, 19-O-15) — matches profile FP-flood overlay ordinance citation Section 34 Articles I-V", "Section 24 Article I (AOD Airport Overlay) and Article VI (CCO) — confirmed at lines 197-198 and 113 (19-O-45) — matches profile overlay citations exactly"], "match_rate_pct": 100, "outcome": "verified-and-bumped"}

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