Zoning › Tennessee › Davidson County › Nashville

Nashville, TN Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 50 districts · 11 overlays · 6 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed

Nashville is a CONSOLIDATED CITY-COUNTY (Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, est. 1963 under TN Metro Charter). Title 17 governs all of Davidson County except where superseded by a satellite city's own code (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop). District inventory: AG, AR2a (agricultural); RS80/40/30/20/15/10/7.5/5/3.75 + -A variants (single-family); R80/40/30/20/15/10/8/6 + R8-A/R6-A (one/two-family); RM2/4/6/9/15/20/40/60/80/100 + -A variants (multifamily); MUN/MUL/MUG/MUI + -A and -NS variants (mixed-use); ON/OL/OG/OR20/OR40/ORI (office); CN/CL/CS/CA/CF (commercial); SCN/SCC/SCR (shopping center); IWD/IR/IG (industrial); DTC subdistricts under Ch. 17.37 (downtown); SP (specific plan, form-based, used for most large new-development entitlements). Major rewrite-in-place: 2025 Downtown Code Amendment effective May 30, 2025 updated Bonus Height Program, outdoor space standards, and housekeeping items. | naming_convention_raw=mixed: lot-size-encoded for single-family (RS5 = 5,000 sf min, RS7.5, RS10, RS15, RS20, RS30, RS40, RS80; one/two-family R series at R6/R8/R10/etc.), density-encoded for multifamily (RM2..RM100 = 2..100 du/ac), use-index for office (OR20/OR40 = du/ac cap; ORI = high-intensity), letter-code for commercial (CN/CL/CS/CA/CF) and mixed-use (MUN/MUL/MUG/MUI), special chapters for Downtown (DTC §17.37) and Specific Plans (SP). Many districts have an '-A' (Alternative) twin with form-based bulk standards designed to create walkable neighborhoods (identical permitted uses, modified setbacks/build-to). ; sub_flags_raw=[consolidated-city-county, metro-charter, downtown-form-based-overlay, sp-driven-new-development] ; narrative_ref=narratives/nashville-tn/drain-20260518T072625-tn-08.json

Worth knowing
  • Consolidated city-county (Metropolitan Government) — Metro Nashville-Davidson is one of the few true consolidated city-county governments in the US (chartered 1963 under TN Metro Charter). Title 17 governs the ENTIRE COUNTY except for six satellite cities (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop) that retained their independent municipal codes. Pre-zoning analysis must verify the parcel is not inside a satellite city. — [TN Metro Charter (1963); Title 17 §17.04 (Applicability)]
  • General Services District vs. Urban Services District tax tiers — Metro operates two property tax tiers: General Services District (countywide, lower rate, basic services) and Urban Services District (smaller boundary, higher rate, full services including police/fire). This is not zoning but it shapes development feasibility — infrastructure availability for water/sewer/drainage often turns on USD vs. GSD location. — [TN Metro Charter; not in Title 17 directly]
  • SP (Specific Plan) as dominant new-development entitlement vehicle — Title 17 §17.40 Art. III Specific Plan district has become the predominant entitlement path for large new development in Nashville since the 2010s. SP rezone replaces base district envelope entirely with a project-specific design book adopted by Metro Council. Each SP is its own micro-code. Means base district mapping understates the operative regulatory regime — many parcels look like RM20 or MUL on the map but are actually governed by a parcel-specific SP design book. — [§17.40 Art. III (Specific Plan); empirical observation of post-2015 Nashville rezone docket]

+ 14 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

res_sf 15res_mf 10commercial 8office 6mixed_use 4spec 3industrial 3downtown 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
AGAgricultural Districtspec217,800 sf[1]———0.2[2]—— / — / —
AR2aAgricultural Residential District (2 acres)spec87,120 sf[3]———0.5[4]—— / — / —
RS80Single-Family Residential (80,000 sf)res_sf80,000 sf[6]3 ft[7]0.2[8]———— / — / 20[5]
RS40Single-Family Residential (40,000 sf)res_sf40,000 sf[10]3 ft[11]0.25[12]———— / — / 20[9]
RS30Single-Family Residential (30,000 sf)res_sf30,000 sf[14]3 ft[15]————— / — / 20[13]
RS20Single-Family Residential (20,000 sf)res_sf20,000 sf[17]3 ft[18]0.35[19]———— / — / 20[16]
RS15Single-Family Residential (15,000 sf)res_sf15,000 sf[21]3 ft[22]————— / — / 20[20]
RS10Single-Family Residential (10,000 sf)res_sf10,000 sf[25]3 ft[26]0.4[27]———— / 5[23] / 20[24]
RS7.5Single-Family Residential (7,500 sf)res_sf7,500 sf[30]3 ft[31]0.45[32]———— / 5[28] / 20[29]
RS5Single-Family Residential (5,000 sf)res_sf5,000 sf[35]3 ft[36]0.5[37]———— / 5[33] / 20[34]
RS3.75Single-Family Residential (3,750 sf)res_sf3,750 sf[38]3 ft[39]————— / — / —
R80One- and Two-Family Residential (80,000 sf)res_sf80,000 sf[40]3 ft[41]————— / — / —
R40One- and Two-Family Residential (40,000 sf)res_sf40,000 sf[42]3 ft[43]————— / — / —
R20One- and Two-Family Residential (20,000 sf)res_sf20,000 sf[44]3 ft[45]————— / — / —
R10One- and Two-Family Residential (10,000 sf)res_sf10,000 sf[46]3 ft[47]————— / — / —
R8One- and Two-Family Residential (8,000 sf)res_sf8,000 sf[48]3 ft[49]————— / — / —
R6One- and Two-Family Residential (6,000 sf)res_sf6,000 sf[50]3 ft[51]————— / — / —
RM2Multifamily Residential (2 du/ac)res_mf————2[52]—— / — / —
RM4Multifamily Residential (4 du/ac)res_mf————4[53]—— / — / —
RM6Multifamily Residential (6 du/ac)res_mf————6[54]—— / — / —
RM9Multifamily Residential (9 du/ac)res_mf————9[55]—— / — / —
RM15Multifamily Residential (15 du/ac)res_mf————15[56]—— / — / —
RM20Multifamily Residential (20 du/ac)res_mf————20[57]—— / — / —
RM40Multifamily Residential (40 du/ac)res_mf————40[58]—— / — / —
RM60Multifamily Residential (60 du/ac)res_mf————60[59]—— / — / —
RM80-AMultifamily Residential — Alternative (80 du/ac)res_mf————80[60]—— / — / —
RM100-AMultifamily Residential — Alternative (100 du/ac)res_mf————100[61]—— / — / —
MUNMixed-Use Neighborhoodmixed_use——————— / — / —
MULMixed-Use Limitedmixed_use——————— / — / —
MUGMixed-Use Generalmixed_use——————— / — / —
MUIMixed-Use Intensivemixed_use——————— / — / —
ONOffice Neighborhoodoffice——————— / — / —
OLOffice Limitedoffice——————— / — / —
OGOffice Generaloffice——————— / — / —
OR20Office / Residential (20 du/ac)office————20[62]—— / — / —
OR40Office / Residential (40 du/ac)office————40[63]—— / — / —
ORIOffice / Residential Intensiveoffice——————— / — / —
CNCommercial Neighborhoodcommercial——————— / — / —
CLCommercial Limitedcommercial——————— / — / —
CSCommercial Servicecommercial——————— / — / —
CACommercial Amusement (Tourist Commercial)commercial——————— / — / —
CFCommercial Core Framecommercial——————— / — / —
SCNShopping Center — Neighborhoodcommercial——————— / — / —
SCCShopping Center — Communitycommercial——————— / — / —
SCRShopping Center — Regionalcommercial——————— / — / —
IWDIndustrial Warehousing/Distributionindustrial——————— / — / —
IRIndustrial Restrictiveindustrial——————— / — / —
IGIndustrial Generalindustrial——————— / — / —
DTCDowntown Codedowntown——————— / — / —
SPSpecific Plan Districtspec——————— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

UZO
Urban Zoning Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.36 Art. III (Urban Zoning Overlay); created by BL2000-364 (effective 2000)

Designated urban core area developed prior to ~1950 (mapped boundary on the official Zoning Map with -UZO suffix); intended to protect the character of the urban core

HZO
Historic Zoning Overlay (Preservation, Conservation, Landmark)
SPEC
Ch. 17.40 Art. IX (Historic Zoning Commission); §17.36 Art. II; Title 17 §17.40.410 (Powers and duties of Historic Zoning Commission); TCA §13-7-401 et seq. (enabling)

Properties designated on Zoning Map as Historic Preservation (HP), Historic Conservation, or Historic Landmark; designation by Metro Council on recommendation of the Historic Zoning Commission

NCZO
Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.36 (Neighborhood Conservation provisions)

Designated neighborhoods seeking conservation-style protections short of full historic preservation; mapped on Zoning Map

UDO
Urban Design Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.40 Art. IV §17.40.130 (Urban design overlay district)

Specifically designated corridors and special areas (mapped on Zoning Map with -UDO suffix); typically applied to mixed-use corridors and special activity centers

CDO
Corridor Design Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.36 (Corridor Design Overlay provisions)

Specifically designated arterials and corridors (mapped on Zoning Map with -CDO suffix); applied to major roads to manage development form along the corridor

IO
Institutional Overlay
spec
Ch. 17.36 (Institutional Overlay provisions)

Mapped on Zoning Map as -IO suffix; typically applied to large institutional campuses (hospitals, universities) to coordinate growth via a master plan

FP
Floodplain Overlay (Floodplain Regulations)
SPEC
Title 17 floodplain regulations (Ch. 17 and stormwater regulations); §17.04.060 (Floodplain definition); incorporates FEMA FIRM Community Panel 47037C

Areas identified on the most current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) as the 100-year floodplain (Special Flood Hazard Area), within Metro Nashville-Davidson County (Community Panel 47037C)

AHO
Airport Hazard Overlay (Airport Overlay)
SPEC
Ch. 17.36 Art. VI (Airport Overlay District)

Approach, transitional, horizontal, and conical surfaces around Nashville International Airport (BNA) and John C. Tune Airport (JWN); mapped per FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces

DADU
Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit Overlay
spec
Ch. 17.36 (DADU provisions); Ch. 17.40 Art. III (procedures); §17.04.060 (DADU definition)

Activated by either (a) lot within a Historic Overlay (HZO), (b) lot within an Urban Design Overlay (UDO) with DADU development standards, (c) lot with an improved alley abutting the rear or side property line, or (d) any lot >15,000 sf

CO
Contextual Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.36 (Contextual Overlay provisions)

Designated neighborhoods on Zoning Map with Contextual Overlay; lighter-touch than NCZO, used in established residential neighborhoods to control infill scale

NL
Neighborhood Landmark Overlay
SPEC
Ch. 17.40 Art. IV §17.40.160 (Neighborhood Landmark district)

Individual properties recognized as neighborhood landmarks (typically older non-conforming commercial uses in residential neighborhoods, e.g. corner stores, small churches) per §17.40.160 designation procedure

State preemptions

TN-STR-ACTapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"jurisdiction_type": "TN consolidated city-county (Metro Nashville-Davidson)", "population_2024": 715884, "vintage": "Census 2024 estimate; Metro Nashville-Davidson chartered 1963"}, "threshold_compared": "Statute applies to all 'local governmental units' in TN \u2014 no population threshold", "result": "applies"} | city_specific_note=Metro Nashville's 2017 STR ban (BL2016-493 prohibiting non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones) was challenged and invalidated as to grandfathered units in Anderson v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County (Tenn. Ct. App. 2019). Metro now operates a permit-based STR ordinance distinguishing owner-occupied (Type 1) from non-owner-occupied (Type 2) units; Type 2 in residential zones is subject to caps and grandfathering. Title 17 §17.16.250 contains STR-specific use development standards.
Effect
Any Metro Nashville STR ordinance cannot retroactively prohibit pre-existing lawfully operating STRs. Pre-ordinance STRs grandfathered in perpetuity. Prospective regulation (registration, permitting, occupancy, noise, tax) permitted. The 2024 PC 963 'functional denial' bar applies — registration/permit/fee regimes cannot be structured to effectively eliminate grandfathered units.
TN-IZ-BANapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"jurisdiction_type": "TN consolidated city-county (home rule)", "population_2024": 715884}, "threshold_compared": "Statute applies to all TN 'local governmental units' \u2014 no population threshold", "result": "applies"} | city_specific_note=Metro Nashville's 2016 mandatory IZ ordinance (BL2016-280) — the most prominent attempt in Tennessee — was the DIRECT trigger for the state's adoption of §6-54-127 in 2016 (PC 1018), which invalidated it. Metro has since operated only voluntary density-bonus and PILOT-tied affordable housing programs (Barnes Fund, MDHA-administered). The 2024 attainable-housing carve-out explicitly enables Metro to continue voluntary IZ tied to bonuses; Mayor's housing teams have used this carve-out post-2024.
Effect
Metro Nashville may not enact mandatory inclusionary zoning (mandatory affordable set-asides tied to zoning approvals or COs). Voluntary density-bonus or direct-subsidy-tied affordability programs are permitted (and explicitly safe-harbored by 2024 attainable-housing legislation).
TN-MH-PARITYapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"residential_districts_permitting_sfd": ["AG", "AR2a", "RS80", "RS40", "RS30", "RS20", "RS15", "RS10", "RS7.5", "RS5", "RS3.75", "R80", "R40", "R20", "R10", "R8", "R6"], "manufactured_home_districts": ["AG", "AR2a (mobile homes permitted per \u00a717.08.020)"]}, "threshold_compared": "Statute prohibits exclusion of HUD-code manufactured homes from any residential district where SFD is permitted, except via parity-equivalent compatibility standards", "result": "applies \u2014 Title 17 permits mobile homes only in AG and AR2a; HUD-code MH on individual SF lots in RS/R districts would need parity-equivalence analysis under \u00a713-24-211"} | city_specific_note=Title 17 confines mobile homes to AG and AR2a (rural districts) per §17.08.020 descriptions. HUD-code MH placement on individual SF lots in urban/suburban RS5/RS10/RS20/etc. is not explicitly contemplated by Title 17 — this is the classic TN parity-risk pattern. The 2025 PC tightening of §13-24-211 post-dates the current Title 17 codification. Flag for parity audit; not auto-resolved here.
Effect
If a HUD-code manufactured home (post-1976) meets the same compatibility standards as a site-built home in an RS/R district, Title 17 cannot exclude it. Practical effect: Metro's compatibility standards (foundation, roof pitch, siding) must be 'facially and functionally equivalent' between MH and site-built SFD in the same district.
TN-Greenbeltapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"agricultural_district_present": true, "ag_district_acreage_present": "Yes \u2014 AG district with 5-acre min and AR2a with 2-acre min (\u00a717.08.020)"}, "threshold_compared": "Greenbelt classification (15+ ac ag/forest; 3+ ac open space) tied to assessor classification, not zoning; rollback applies at conversion / rezoning / subdivision", "result": "applies \u2014 AG and AR2a parcels with 15+ ac are common Greenbelt candidates"} | city_specific_note=Metro Nashville Assessor of Property maintains the Greenbelt roll. AG district (§17.08.020) is the operative ag-zone container; flag any AG or large fringe parcel for Greenbelt-rollback liability at site selection. Davidson County retains substantial AG/AR2a acreage in eastern and southern outer-county.
Effect
Conversion of Greenbelt-classified AG or AR2a parcels triggers rollback tax: 3-year (ag/forest) or 5-year (open space) of market-vs-use-value tax difference + interest at conversion/rezoning/subdivision (not sale).
TN-13-7-208-Nonconformingapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"jurisdiction_type": "TN consolidated city-county"}, "threshold_compared": "Applies to any TN municipality + county", "result": "applies"} | city_specific_note=Title 17 Ch. 17.40 (Administration and Procedures) and the Nonconforming Uses provisions govern locally. State-law protection at TCA §13-7-208 sits ABOVE local nonconformity regulations. The Neighborhood Landmark Overlay (§17.40.160) is a Metro-specific mechanism for legitimizing certain non-conforming uses.
Effect
Any lawfully established industrial/commercial use pre-dating a Metro zoning change is protected; cannot be terminated by subsequent zoning change absent discontinuance.
TN-PC1101-GrowthPlanapplies
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"jurisdiction_type": "TN consolidated city-county", "davidson_county_growth_plan_status": "Davidson County is structurally consolidated since 1963 \u2014 entire county is one government; PC 1101 nominally applies but the UGB/PGA/RA distinction collapses into Metro's General Services District (urban services) vs. Urban Services District (full-service) zones"}, "threshold_compared": "All 95 TN counties required to adopt; Metro Nashville-Davidson operates under the consolidated structure with the entire county as its jurisdiction", "result": "applies \u2014 Metro's UGB is effectively the county boundary; the satellite cities (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop) have their own UGBs within the county"} | city_specific_note=Metro's General Services District (county-wide) vs. Urban Services District (smaller, full-service tier) is unique to the consolidated charter and pre-dates PC 1101. The six satellite municipalities within Davidson County operate independent UGBs and growth plans.
Effect
Metro Nashville's UGB equals the Davidson County boundary; no future municipal annexation is possible (consolidated structure). Internal services boundary (General Services District vs. Urban Services District) controls property-tax tier and full-service infrastructure access, but this is not zoning. PC 1101 has minimal operational bite in Davidson County beyond confirming the consolidated structure.
Non-applicable laws (1)
TN-ADU-NONEunder_review
Qualifying condition
{"inputs": {"date_checked": "2026-05-18"}, "threshold_compared": "Multiple 2024-2025 ADU bills died in committee; no statewide ADU mandate enacted", "result": "not applicable \u2014 no preempting statute"} | city_specific_note=Title 17 governs ADUs locally. Nashville's DADU overlay (§17.04.060; §17.36) enables detached ADUs on eligible lots in R/RS districts (historic-overlay lots, UDO lots with DADU standards, alley-served lots, lots >15,000 sf); attached ADUs are also permitted per §17.16 development standards. Among the more permissive TN ADU regimes (alongside Chattanooga).
Effect
ADU regulation is fully local; no state ceiling or floor.

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

  • Consolidated city-county (Metropolitan Government) — Metro Nashville-Davidson is one of the few true consolidated city-county governments in the US (chartered 1963 under TN Metro Charter). Title 17 governs the ENTIRE COUNTY except for six satellite cities (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop) that retained their independent municipal codes. Pre-zoning analysis must verify the parcel is not inside a satellite city. — [TN Metro Charter (1963); Title 17 §17.04 (Applicability)]
  • General Services District vs. Urban Services District tax tiers — Metro operates two property tax tiers: General Services District (countywide, lower rate, basic services) and Urban Services District (smaller boundary, higher rate, full services including police/fire). This is not zoning but it shapes development feasibility — infrastructure availability for water/sewer/drainage often turns on USD vs. GSD location. — [TN Metro Charter; not in Title 17 directly]
  • SP (Specific Plan) as dominant new-development entitlement vehicle — Title 17 §17.40 Art. III Specific Plan district has become the predominant entitlement path for large new development in Nashville since the 2010s. SP rezone replaces base district envelope entirely with a project-specific design book adopted by Metro Council. Each SP is its own micro-code. Means base district mapping understates the operative regulatory regime — many parcels look like RM20 or MUL on the map but are actually governed by a parcel-specific SP design book. — [§17.40 Art. III (Specific Plan); empirical observation of post-2015 Nashville rezone docket]
  • Downtown Code (DTC) 2010 + 2025 Amendment Bonus Height Program — Ch. 17.37 Downtown Code is a true form-based code adopted 2010 (BL2009-586) governing the downtown core. 2025 Downtown Code Amendment effective 2025-05-30 updated the Bonus Height Program (BHP), outdoor space standards, and housekeeping items. Core Subdistrict allows 30 stories base PLUS UNLIMITED additional stories via BHP (the BHP point system rewards public/underground parking, pervious surfaces, LEED, affordable housing, public art, etc.). — [Ch. 17.37; BL2009-586 (2010); 2025 DTC Amendment effective 2025-05-30]
  • Lower Broadway / 2nd Avenue DTC Historic Subdistrict TDR-eligible — The DTC has a dedicated subdistrict for 2nd Avenue and Lower Broadway that reinforces the historic zoning overlay for these streets (the honky-tonk corridor). To encourage adaptive reuse of historic structures, this subdistrict is eligible for transfer of development rights (TDR) into the Bonus Height Program — receiving sites elsewhere in DTC can purchase TDR from these protected structures. — [Ch. 17.37 (DTC) — 2nd Avenue / Lower Broadway subdistrict; 2025 DTC Amendment]
  • No maximum FAR in RM15/RM20/RM40/RM60/OR20/OR40 multifamily — §17.12.020 Table B footnote: 'No maximum FAR applies to multifamily developments in the RM15, RM20, RM40, RM60, OR20 or OR40 districts.' Density is bounded by du/ac + height + setback + height-control plane, not by an explicit FAR cap. Major differentiator vs. typical TX/FL suburban codes. — [§17.12.020 Table 17.12.020B footnote]
  • UZO residential FAR bonus +1.0 — Properties inside the Urban Zoning Overlay (urban core developed pre-1950) get an additive +1.0 FAR bonus on MUN/MUL districts when 25%+ of building floor area is residential. Major development incentive for residential mixed-use inside the UZO — a MUL parcel with base 1.0 FAR effectively becomes 2.0 FAR if you add at least 25% residential. — [§17.12.020 (UZO residential FAR bonus); §17.36 Art. III (UZO)]
  • Alternative (-A) districts paired with base districts — Most R/RS/RM/MU/CN/CL/CS districts have a parallel '-A' Alternative district with identical permitted uses but DIFFERENT building placement and bulk standards designed to create walkable neighborhoods (build-to lines, reduced front setbacks, parking placement to side/rear). Examples: RS5 + RS5-A, R6 + R6-A, MUL + MUL-A, CN + CN-A. Choice of base vs. -A is a deliberate planning decision for the parcel. — [§17.08 (Zoning Districts); §17.12.020 Table 17.12.020D]
  • Lower Broadway / Music Row tourist zoning (CA + DTC) — The honky-tonk corridor on Lower Broadway and Music Row uses a mix of CA (Commercial Amusement) and DTC subdistricts. CA was historically the tourist-commercial designation; large parts of the tourist district are now within DTC subdistricts as the 2010+ Downtown Code took over. Lower Broadway / 2nd Avenue gets historic overlay protection PLUS TDR-eligibility within DTC. — [§17.08.020 (CA); Ch. 17.37 (DTC subdistricts)]
  • DADU activation by overlay or lot characteristic — Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) are permitted on R/RS lots when ANY of: (1) lot is in a Historic Overlay (HZO), (2) lot is in a UDO with DADU standards, (3) lot has improved alley abutting rear/side, or (4) lot exceeds 15,000 sf. This makes DADU eligibility a per-parcel question — many core neighborhood lots qualify via alley or historic overlay; suburban large lots qualify via the 15,000 sf threshold. — [§17.04.060 (DADU definition); §17.36 (DADU overlay)]
  • Two-tier residential SF naming (RS vs. R) — RS-series = SINGLE-family only (RS80/40/30/20/15/10/7.5/5/3.75). R-series = ONE- and TWO-family allowed (R80/40/30/20/15/10/8/6, with R8-A and R6-A having walkable-form variants). Choice of RS vs. R at zoning matters: R districts permit duplexes by right, RS districts do not. — [§17.08.020 (RS and R district descriptions)]
  • TN-IZ-BAN was triggered by Nashville's 2016 mandatory IZ ordinance — Metro Nashville's 2016 mandatory IZ ordinance (BL2016-280) was the direct catalyst for the state legislature's adoption of TCA §6-54-127 in 2016 (PC 1018), which prohibited mandatory IZ statewide. Metro now operates only voluntary density-bonus and direct-subsidy-tied affordability programs (Barnes Fund, MDHA). The 2024 'attainable housing' carve-out (HB 2623 / SB 2496) explicitly enables voluntary bonus-based IZ — Mayor's housing teams have used this post-2024. — [TCA §6-54-127; PC 1018 of 2016; Tennessean and Lookout coverage of BL2016-280]
  • BNA + JWN airport overlay (FAA Part 77) — Airport Overlay District §17.36 Art. VI applies FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces around BOTH Nashville International (BNA — primary commercial) and John C. Tune Airport (JWN — general aviation on the west side). FAA Form 7460-1 required for any structure penetrating the surfaces; Metro denies permits on FAA Determinations of Hazard. BNA expansion (BNA Vision program) post-2018 has expanded airspace constraints especially north of the airport. — [§17.36 Art. VI; FAA 14 CFR Part 77]
  • Floodplain — Cumberland River and tributaries — Metro Nashville-Davidson has substantial SFHA along the Cumberland River and its tributaries (Mill Creek, Browns Creek, Richland Creek, Whites Creek, Stones River). May 2010 historic flood prompted strengthened freeboard (typically 4 ft above BFE in Metro per CRS Class 5 participation) and stormwater controls administered by Metro Water Services. Title 17 cross-references the floodplain regulations and FEMA FIRM 47037C. — [Title 17 floodplain regulations; §17.04.060 (Floodplain definition); FEMA FIRM 47037C; May 2010 flood lesson learned]
  • TN-MH-PARITY risk on AG/AR2a-only mobile home siting — Title 17 confines mobile homes to AG and AR2a (rural) districts per §17.08.020. HUD-code MH placement on individual SF lots in urban RS5/RS10/RS20/etc. is not explicitly contemplated. Under TCA §13-24-211 (post-2025 'facially and functionally equivalent' parity test), this confinement could be vulnerable to a parity challenge. Same risk pattern as Memphis. Flag for parity audit. — [§17.08.020 (AG/AR2a mobile homes); §13-24-211]
  • Urban Design Overlays (UDOs) substantially modify base — Each UDO is a unique form-based overlay with its own design book — modifies setbacks, build-to lines, parking placement, materials, transparency. Examples include Charlotte Pike UDO, 12 South UDO, Hillsboro Village UDO, Demonbreun UDO. Cumulative Metro UDO inventory is ~30+ unique overlays each with bespoke standards. Site-level pre-zoning analysis MUST check for UDO overlap. — [§17.40.130 (UDO); 30+ adopted UDOs per Metro Planning]
  • Cluster Lot Option (§17.12.090) — §17.12.090 provides a cluster lot option allowing concentration of lots on a portion of an R/RS-zoned site in exchange for preserving open space on the balance. Permits effective intensification without rezone on land-rich suburban parcels in Davidson County's outer ring. — [§17.12.090 (Cluster Lot Option)]

Formulas

Definitions

height
Stories-based residential limit is the operative cap in most R/RS districts; height-control planes (§17.12.060) impose additional envelope along property lines
setbacks
Street (front) setbacks per Table 17.12.030A (single/two-family) and Table 17.12.030B; other setbacks (side/rear) per §17.12.040 and District Bulk Tables 17.12.020A-D
lot_coverage
far
parking

Capacity calculations

no_max_far_multifamily_high_density
No maximum FAR applies to multifamily developments in the RM15, RM20, RM40, RM60, OR20 or OR40 districts
uzo_residential_far_bonus
For property within the Urban Zoning Overlay and within MUN/MUN-NS/MUN-A/MUN-A-NS/MUL/MUL-NS/MUL-A/MUL-A-NS, where >=25% of floor area (exclusive of parking) is designed and constructed for residential occupancy, a bonus value of 1.0 may be applied to the permitted FAR (=1.0 additive_FAR_bonus)
dtc_core_base_height
Properties within the Downtown Code Core Subdistrict are entitled to 30 stories of base height with ability to earn unlimited additional entitlements via the Bonus Height Program (BHP) (=30 stories_base_plus_BHP_unlimited)
rs5_typical_residential_envelope
RS5 single-family typical envelope from §17.12.020 Table A: 5,000 sf min lot, 3 stories max height, 0.50 max building coverage, 20 ft min rear setback, 5 ft min side setback (front setback per Table 17.12.030A)

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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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Primary source
Title 17 — Zoning, Code of Ordinances, Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Title 17 Zoning Code; major rewrite-in-place via Ord. BL2010-694 (Downtown Code Ch. 17.37 adopted 2010); 2025 Downtown Code Amendment effective May 30, 2025; current through latest BL2026 ordinances · retrieved 2026-05-18
Citations
  1. [1] §17.08.020 / §17.12.020 — 5-acre minimum (5 ac = 217,800 sf) for very low density residential on unsubdivided tracts where public sewer/water are least practical
  2. [2] implied from 5-ac min lot (1 dwelling per 5 acres = 0.2 du/ac); §17.08.020 AG description
  3. [3] §17.08.020 / §17.12.020 — 2-acre minimum (2 ac = 87,120 sf)
  4. [4] implied from 2-ac min lot (~0.5 du/ac); §17.08.020 AR2a description
  5. [5] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft min rear setback
  6. [6] §17.12.020 Table A (RS80 row)
  7. [7] §17.12.020 Table A — 3 stories max
  8. [8] §17.12.020 Table A — 20% max building coverage
  9. [9] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft min
  10. [10] §17.12.020 Table A (RS40)
  11. [11] §17.12.020 Table A — 3 stories max
  12. [12] §17.12.020 Table A — 25% max
  13. [13] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft typical
  14. [14] §17.12.020 Table A (RS30)
  15. [15] §17.12.020 Table A
  16. [16] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft min
  17. [17] §17.12.020 Table A (RS20)
  18. [18] §17.12.020 Table A
  19. [19] §17.12.020 Table A — 35% max
  20. [20] §17.12.020 Table A
  21. [21] §17.12.020 Table A (RS15)
  22. [22] §17.12.020 Table A
  23. [23] §17.12.020 Table A — 5 ft min side
  24. [24] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft
  25. [25] §17.12.020 Table A (RS10) — 10,000 sf
  26. [26] §17.12.020 Table A — 3 stories
  27. [27] §17.12.020 Table A — 40% max
  28. [28] §17.12.020 Table A — 5 ft min
  29. [29] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft min
  30. [30] §17.12.020 Table A (RS7.5)
  31. [31] §17.12.020 Table A
  32. [32] §17.12.020 Table A — 45% max
  33. [33] §17.12.020 Table A — 5 ft min
  34. [34] §17.12.020 Table A — 20 ft min
  35. [35] §17.12.020 Table A (RS5)
  36. [36] §17.12.020 Table A — 3 stories
  37. [37] §17.12.020 Table A — 50% max
  38. [38] §17.12.020 Table A (RS3.75)
  39. [39] §17.12.020 Table A
  40. [40] §17.12.020 Table A (R80)
  41. [41] §17.12.020 Table A
  42. [42] §17.12.020 Table A (R40)
  43. [43] §17.12.020 Table A
  44. [44] §17.12.020 Table A (R20)
  45. [45] §17.12.020 Table A
  46. [46] §17.12.020 Table A (R10)
  47. [47] §17.12.020 Table A
  48. [48] §17.12.020 Table A (R8)
  49. [49] §17.12.020 Table A
  50. [50] §17.12.020 Table A (R6)
  51. [51] §17.12.020 Table A
  52. [52] §17.08.020 (RM2 description); §17.12.020 Table B
  53. [53] §17.08.020 (RM4); §17.12.020 Table B
  54. [54] §17.08.020 (RM6); §17.12.020 Table B
  55. [55] §17.08.020 (RM9); §17.12.020 Table B
  56. [56] §17.08.020 (RM15); §17.12.020 Table B
  57. [57] §17.08.020 (RM20); §17.12.020 Table B
  58. [58] §17.08.020 (RM40); §17.12.020 Table B
  59. [59] §17.08.020 (RM60); §17.12.020 Table B
  60. [60] §17.08.020 (RM80-A); §17.12.020 Table D
  61. [61] §17.08.020 (RM100-A); §17.12.020 Table D
  62. [62] §17.08.020 (OR20); §17.12.020 Table B
  63. [63] §17.08.020 (OR40); §17.12.020 Table B

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedhttps://library.municode.com/tn/metro_government_of_nashville_and_davidson_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CD_TIT17ZO (Municode, official aggregator-for-cities — not on aggregator-blocklist; aggregator block is for zoneomics/steadily/etc.)
no aggregator citedpassedscan clean — no zoneomics/steadily/siteplanguide/sitedesignguide/siteplancreator/propwire/zonara/unzoned references in record
confidence tags full formpassedAll confirmed base districts (47 entries) carry §-citations to Title 17 chapter/section (§17.08.020 or §17.12.020 Table A/B/C/D); 2 partial districts (DTC, CDO overlay, IO overlay, FP overlay, Contextual overlay) carry what_is_confirmed/what_is_missing pairs
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassedAll 11 overlays have non-empty parameters, geographic_trigger, status (confirmed or partial), and citation; partial overlays carry what_is_confirmed + what_is_missing
preempt section city specificpassed7 state-preemption entries; TN is not on schema's 'active-preemption states' list but populated for completeness — each entry has qualifying_condition_checked with inputs/threshold/result tied to Metro Nashville facts (715,884 pop; consolidated city-county; 2016 mandatory IZ trigger; AG/AR2a-only MH siting); TN-STR-ACT, TN-IZ-BAN, TN-MH-PARITY, TN-Greenbelt, TN-13-7-208, TN-PC1101-GrowthPlan, TN-ADU-NONE

Data quality

82%completeness96 confirmed9 partial
Documented gaps
  • Front setbacks per Table 17.12.030A not snippet-extracted for every RS/R district — recorded only where snippets confirm (front setback typically 20-25 ft in low-density RS, less in higher-density per UZO/Alternative)
  • Full DTC subdistrict dimensional inventory (Core/Central/Riverfront/Capitol/2nd Ave-Lower Broadway/etc.) deferred — Ch. 17.37 spans 200+ pages of form-based code
  • Specific Plan (SP) district inventory inherently parcel-specific — each SP has its own design book; not enumerable
  • Cumulative inventory of ~30+ adopted UDOs deferred — individual UDO design books not captured here
  • Per-corridor CDO design books deferred
  • TN-MH-PARITY risk flagged but not litigated — AG/AR2a-only MH siting may face §13-24-211 parity challenge under post-2025 'facially and functionally equivalent' test
  • Six satellite municipalities (Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop) have independent codes — Title 17 does NOT govern parcels inside their corporate limits

Verification

last_verified_at2026-05-21T00:00:00Z
verifier_specialistmanual-web-research-with-snippet-triangulation
verifier_version2.0
verification_resultpassed
atomic_claims_checked96
atomic_claims_passed96
atomic_claims_failed0
notesPrimary code (Title 17) hosted on Municode (Cloudflare-gated to scripted access) — alternate elaws mirror (nashville-tn.elaws.us) returned 503 to direct scripted access. Verification proceeded via Google search snippet triangulation of canonical elaws section pages (17.08.010, 17.08.020, 17.12.020, 17.12.030, 17.12.060, 17.12.090, 17.36, 17.37, 17.40.130, 17.40.160, 17.40.410, 17.04.060) plus the Nashville.gov Planning Department's Zoning Classifications page (zoning-classifications) and Understanding the Zoning Code page. District inventory matches §17.08.020. Bulk values for RS series (lot/coverage/stories/setback) extracted from search snippets of §17.12.020 Table A. Multifamily/mixed-use/office no-max-FAR confirmed from §17.12.020 Table B footnote snippets. UZO FAR bonus +1.0 confirmed from snippet. DTC Core Subdistrict 30-stories-base + BHP unlimited confirmed from 2025 DTC Amendment effective 2025-05-30. Overlays inventoried from Planning Department Overlays page + §17.36 Art. VI (Airport) + §17.40.130 (UDO) + §17.40.160 (Neighborhood Landmark) + §17.40.410 (Historic Zoning Commission powers). State preemption analysis: TN-STR-ACT applies (Metro 2017 ban precedent); TN-IZ-BAN applies (Metro 2016 ordinance was the TRIGGER for the state law); TN-MH-PARITY flagged (AG/AR2a-only MH siting); TN-Greenbelt applies (AG/AR2a parcels); TN-13-7-208 applies; TN-PC1101 effectively moot (consolidated structure means UGB = county boundary); TN-ADU-NONE no state mandate — local DADU regime is permissive. v1 template-bleed values (uniform 5000/36.5/0.5 across 24 districts) replaced with primary-source values or status:'see_per_table' where exact value not snippet-extractable.
narrative_refnarratives/nashville-tn/drain-20260518T072625-tn-08.json
last_verified_evidence{"verified_at": "2026-05-21T00:00:00Z", "method": "re-fetch Nashville.gov Planning Department Zoning Classifications page (canonical, city-authored district summary)", "url": "https://www.nashville.gov/departments/planning/land-development/rezone-my-property/zoning-classifications", "sections_resampled": ["Agricultural ladder: 'AG: agricultural, requiring a minimum lot size of 5 acres' (= 217,800 sf) — matches profile AG min_lot_sf=217800 exactly", "'AR2a: agricultural, requiring a minimum lot size of 2 acres' (= 87,120 sf) — matches profile AR2a min_lot_sf=87120 exactly", "Single-Family Residential ladder: 'RS80: low density residential, requiring a minimum 80,000 square foot lot' — matches profile RS80 min_lot_sf=80000", "'RS40 ... 40,000 square foot lot' — matches profile RS40", "'RS30 ... 30,000 square foot lot' — matches profile RS30", "Municode primary URL returns SPA stub (HTTP 200, JS-rendered, no extractable content via WebFetch); elaws.us mirror returned HTTP 503 (server down at verification time) — both retrieval bypasses currently blocked but city's canonical Planning Department page corroborates §17.08.020 district inventory + min-lot dimensional values for the entire RS/AG ladder"], "match_rate_pct": 100, "outcome": "verified-and-bumped", "blocker_notes": "Municode SPA + elaws 503 mean dimensional values beyond min_lot_sf (height, density, coverage, setbacks) could NOT be re-sampled from canonical text on this verification pass — only the lot-area ladder. Profile retains 2026-05-18 source-derived values for those secondary dims with 'see_per_table' status flags where snippet-extraction failed. Recommend a fresh deep-sample once Municode/elaws becomes scriptable again."}

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