Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee

Town of Cumberland Gap’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Cumberland Gap town limits.

  • The zoning map and its explanatory matter are adopted as part of Chapters 2 through 15.

  “The regulations of chapters 2 through 15 of this title shall apply in the zoning districts established in § 14-207.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Cumberland Gap town limits.

  • The zoning map is maintained at City Hall for public inspection while Chapters 2 through 15 remain in effect.

  “Certified prints of the adopted zoning map or zoning map amendment shall be maintained in the City Hall of Cumberland Gap and shall be available for inspection by the public at all reasonable times, as long as chapters 2 through 15 of this title remain in effect.”

• Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

  Subdivision lots inside Cumberland Gap town limits where public sewer is not accessible.

  • An alternate sewage-disposal method requires municipal planning commission approval.
  • It is subject to lot-size requirements where water is not available.

  “Where a public sewer is not accessible, an alternate method of sewage disposal may be used, upon approval by the municipal planning commission subject to the lot size requirements where water is not available.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Lots in a subdivision inside Cumberland Gap town limits where public water and sanitary sewer are reasonably accessible.

  • This applies to subdividers where public water and sanitary sewer systems are reasonably accessible.
  • Where public sewer is not accessible, an alternate sewage-disposal method may be used with municipal planning commission approval and subject to the specified lot-size condition.

  “Where public water and sanitary sewer systems are reasonably accessible, the subdivider shall connect with such sewer and provide a connection to each lot.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Cumberland Gap town limits.

  • The regulations are administered by the Cumberland Gap Municipal Planning Commission.

  “These regulations shall govern all subdivision of land within Cumberland Gap, Tennessee now or hereafter established and within these regulations.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Curb cuts on city streets or rights-of-way inside Cumberland Gap town limits.

  • For a state highway, a permit must be obtained from the Tennessee Department of Highways.

  minimum separation from public-intersection right-of-way line: >= 20 feet

  “No point of access shall be allowed within twenty (20) feet of the right-of-way line of any public intersection. (5) No curbs on city streets or rights-of-way shall be cut or altered without written approval of the zoning board, or if a state highway, a permit must be obtained from the Tennessee Department of Highways.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Cumberland Gap town limits.

  • For construction valued at $1,000 or less, there is no fee unless inspection is required; then a $25 fee plus a $5 recording fee for each inspection applies.
  • Plan-check fees are additional for proposed construction valued at $300,000 or more.

  building permit fee for valuation $1,001 to $49,999: $25 plus $5 recording fee for first $1,000 plus $5 for each additional thousand or fraction USD

  “$1,001 to $49,999 $25.00 + $5.00 recording fee for the first $1,000.00 plus $5.00 for each additional thousand or fraction thereof, to, and including $49,999.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Cumberland Gap

Town of Cumberland Gap does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Uses permitted in the R-2 Medium-Density Residential District.

  minimum lot area: 5000 square feet

  “All uses permitted in the medium density residential district, R-2, shall comply with the following requirements: (1) Minimum lot area . . . . 5,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Uses permitted in the R-2 Medium-Density Residential District.

  front yard minimum depth: 30 feet · rear yard minimum depth: 20 feet · side yard minimum width: 10 feet per side (1-, 2-, and 3-story buildings)

  “(3) Minimum depth of front yard . . . . . 30 feet. (4) Minimum depth of rear yard . . . . .20 feet. (5) Minimum width of side yard: 1 story building . . . . . . . . . 10 feet per side. 2 story building . . . . . . . . . 10 feet per side. 3 story building . . . . . . . . . 10 feet per side.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Uses permitted in the R-2 Medium-Density Residential District.

  maximum building area: <= 50 percent of total lot area

  “(6) Maximum building area . . . 50 percent of the total lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-2 Medium-Density Residential District.

  • Exception as provided in § 14-1203 of the code.

  maximum stories: <= 3 stories (except as provided in § 14-1203) · maximum height: <= 40 feet (except as provided in § 14-1203)

  “No building shall exceed three (3) stories or forty (40) feet in height except as provided in § 14-1203 of this code.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Major recreational equipment, including travel trailers, parked or stored on residential lots in the R-1 Low-Density Residential District.

  • The restriction applies when the equipment is parked or stored on a residential lot or any location not approved for that use.

  “No such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Cumberland Gap or Claiborne County directly.

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Cumberland Gap town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Cumberland Gap town limits.
• Inspections — Residential building work inside Cumberland Gap town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Cumberland Gap town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Cumberland Gap town 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.