Zoning, building permits and septic rules in McKenzie, Tennessee

McKenzie’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Parking, locating, or occupying a house trailer or portable building inside McKenzie city limits.

  • The trailer or portable building must comply with plumbing, electrical, sanitary, and building provisions applicable to stationary structures.
  • The proposed location must conform to city zoning provisions.
  • A permit must first be issued by the building official under the building code.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to park, locate, or occupy any house trailer or portable building unless it complies with all plumbing, electrical, sanitary, and building provisions applicable to stationary structures and the proposed location conforms to the zoning provisions of the city and unless a permit therefor shall have been first duly issued by the building official, as provided for in the building code.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings or premises inside McKenzie city limits alleged or deemed unsanitary, unsafe, or dangerous.

  • Inspection occurs upon a written complaint by a reliable city citizen or whenever a majority of the board deems inspection necessary.

  “The chief of police, the fire chief, and the health officer of the City of McKenzie shall constitute a board of inspection with the authority and duty, upon complaint in writing by any reliable citizen of the City of McKenzie, or whenever a majority of the board deems it necessary, to inspect any or all buildings or premises within the City of McKenzie to determine whether or not they are unsanitary, unsafe, or dangerous to the health, morals, or safety of the inhabitants of the City of McKenzie or to adjoining property.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land use inside the City of McKenzie.

  • The separate zoning ordinance and its amendments govern land use.

  “Land use within the City of McKenzie shall be governed by Ordinance Number 240, titled "Zoning Ordinance of McKenzie, Tennessee," and any amendments thereto.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts identified in the official McKenzie municipal code.

  • The current separate zoning ordinance and zoning map govern land use, but their complete district schedule was not included in the municipal-code PDF opened.

  identified district: R-2 Residence District (Independent mobile-home parks may be located there.) · identified district: B-2 Business District (Dependent mobile-home parks may be located there.)

  “R-2 (Medium Density Residential) [...] B-2 (Highway Business)”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Private sewage-disposal systems inside McKenzie city limits where public sanitary sewer is not available.

  • The city superintendent signs the private-system permit.
  • The code does not interfere with additional requirements imposed by the health officer.

  “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent. The owner shall cooperate with the superintendent by furnishing him a construction schedule and any plans and specifications which are deemed necessary.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Construction of a private sewage-disposal system inside McKenzie city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

  • The owner must obtain a written permit signed by the city superintendent before construction.
  • The owner must furnish a construction schedule and any plans and specifications the superintendent considers necessary.

  “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the superintendent. The owner shall cooperate with the superintendent by furnishing him a construction schedule and any plans and specifications which are deemed necessary.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Permitted private sewage-disposal systems inside McKenzie city limits.

  • The permit is ineffective until installation is completed to the superintendent's satisfaction.
  • The superintendent may inspect at any construction stage.
  • The applicant must notify the superintendent for final inspection before underground portions are covered.

  “A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the superintendent. He shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the superintendent when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal inside McKenzie city limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

  • The private system must comply with § 18-303.
  • When public sewer becomes available, the building sewer must connect within 60 days and the private system must be cleaned of sludge and filled.

  “Where a public sanitary sewer is not available under the provisions of § 18-302(4), the building sewer shall be connected to a private sewage disposal system complying with the provisions of this section.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New construction inside McKenzie city limits when City of McKenzie sanitary sewer is available to the property.

  • New construction must connect immediately when sewer is available.
  • Existing property must connect when sewer is available and the Carroll County Health Officer properly declares its existing septic system a health hazard.

  “The owner of property when new construction is in progress is hereby required to connect to the City of McKenzie Sanitary Sewer System immediately, provided sewer is available to the property. The owner of existing property shall connect to the City Sanitary Sewer System, if available to the property, when the Carroll County Health Officer properly declares the existing septic system of such property to be a health hazard.”

• Permit processPartial

  City-administered planning submissions inside McKenzie city limits.

  • The official planning page publishes checklists for master design plans, engineering plans, site plans, and final subdivision plats.
  • This does not establish a complete general building-permit process.

  “Master Design Plan Submittal Check List Engineering Plan Submittal Check List Site Plan Submittal Check List Final Subdivision Plat Submittal Check List”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask McKenzie or Carroll County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside McKenzie city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside McKenzie city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new or altered buildings inside McKenzie city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside McKenzie city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside McKenzie city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.