Building permits, zoning and land rules in Cannon County, Tennessee

Yes. Cannon County requires a residential building permit before soil is disturbed for covered construction; manufactured and modular homes are an exception to that building-permit requirement, although impact fees still apply¹. County building-code administration covers Cannon County, including Woodbury, but excludes Auburntown².

Permitted residential work normally receives four inspections: foundation before the pour, rough-in and framing, plumbing and mechanical systems, and final construction⁷. A fifth inspection applies to a concrete slab under living space when its footing is poured separately and is not monolithic⁷. The permit holder must request inspections; one re-inspection is free, while later re-inspections cost $100 each⁷. Zoning approval, septic approval, floodplain review and electrical requirements remain separate from the building permit⁸.

The Cannon County Planning Department is the starting point for building permits and zoning in its service area. The department administers and enforces the county zoning resolution and supports the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals⁹. The office is at 200 West Main St. in Woodbury, and its phone number is (615) 563-5263⁹.

After a building-permit application is submitted, the county says it creates the permit-and-fee invoice within three workdays and issues the permit after payment². Residential construction is charged an Adequate Facilities Privilege Tax of $0.90 per square foot of heated space and, outside Woodbury, a zoning-compliance fee of $0.95 per square foot of heated space². Auburntown is outside the county's building-permit administration, while a Woodbury residential application needs a town-approved site plan before permit issuance².

Yes. Cannon County zoning applies in unincorporated territory; Woodbury and Auburntown are separate municipal jurisdictions for relevant planning and zoning matters^3,9. The unincorporated map uses R-1 residential, C-1 commercial, A-1 agricultural and I-1 industrial districts¹⁰.

Lot size depends on district and utility availability. In R-1, the minimum is 15,000 square feet with public water and sewer, 30,000 square feet with public water, and 2 acres without public water, or more if TDEC requires it³. In A-1, nonfarm buildings generally need a 30-foot front yard and 5-foot rear and side yards; a corner lot abutting a state or federal highway has a 25-foot minimum setback¹¹. Building height is also district-specific³.

Tennessee's Division of Water Resources is the septic authority identified for Cannon County, and a septic construction permit is required before installing a new subsurface system or repairing a faulty one^4,5. The TDEC septic-assistance contact listed by the county is at 1221 South Willow Avenue in Cookeville and can be reached at 931-206-6329¹².

After installation, the installer must arrange a final inspection before covering the system; TDEC issues a Certificate of Completion if the work is approved⁵. Soil suitability should be settled early because only 0.8% of mapped county soils avoid a “very limited” rating for a conventional drain field¹³. In unsewered R-1 areas, the zoning minimum is 2 acres or more if TDEC requires it, so meeting the acreage rule does not establish that the parcel has a workable septic site³.

We could not confirm a complete rule allowing or prohibiting long-term residence in an individual RV in unincorporated Cannon County. Ask the Cannon County Planning Department about the parcel's district, temporary occupancy and required utilities before buying or moving an RV onsite⁹.

We also could not confirm the placement and occupancy conditions for a tiny home or a countywide minimum dwelling floor area. County zoning still applies in unincorporated areas, and lot area, setbacks and height depend on the district and utility service^3,11. Three or more mobile homes used for living or sleeping outside Woodbury and Auburntown must be in an approved mobile-home park, but that rule does not settle individual RV or tiny-home occupancy³.

1. Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Cannon County, Woodbury or Auburntown; county building-code administration includes Woodbury but excludes Auburntown².
2. Ask the Cannon County Planning Department for the zoning district, lot and setback rules, and floodplain status^9,10,11.
3. Secure the TDEC septic construction permit, then arrange the final inspection before the installed system is covered⁵.
4. Resolve access; a driveway built or changed on state highway right-of-way requires a TDOT permit¹⁴.
5. Submit the building-permit application before disturbing soil and budget for the applicable taxes and zoning-compliance fees^1,2.
6. Request each required construction inspection as the permit holder⁷.
7. An owner-builder may construct one residence every two years for personal use, not resale, lease or rent; hired work of $25,000 or more remains subject to contractor licensing¹.

Start with buildability, not just acreage. Only 0.8% of mapped soils avoid severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, while 48.9% of county land is at a 15% slope or less¹³. A soil evaluation, reserve area and buildable access route can matter more than gross acreage.

Check the zoning map and utilities because district lot rules vary with public water and sewer availability³. A land division creating two or more lots may require Planning Commission plat review; divisions into parcels of 5 acres or more are excluded only when they involve no new roads, utility construction or access easements¹⁵. Regulated flood-hazard development needs a permit before work begins⁶. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.5%, and the median annual bill is $1,091¹³.