Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of New Tazewell, Tennessee

Town of New Tazewell’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • The adopted International Building Code edition is 2006.
  • Chapter 11 on accessibility, chapter 27 on electrical requirements, and the International Electrical Code are deleted from this municipal building-code adoption.

  building code edition: 2006

  “International Building Code, [...] 2006 edition, [...] is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land use inside the Town of New Tazewell.

  • The cited code says amendments to the zoning ordinance and zoning map are recorded in the recorder's office.

  “Land use within the Town of New Tazewell shall be governed by Ordinance #56”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Mobile home parks and individual mobile-home spaces inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • A mobile home park must comprise at least two acres.
  • Individual mobile-home-space standards apply within a mobile home park.

  minimum mobile home park tract area: >= 2 acres · minimum mobile home space area: >= 2400 square feet

  “not less than two (2) acres. [...] Minimum lot area of two thousand four hundred (2,400) square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Mobile homes in mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • The spacing standards apply to mobile homes parked on spaces in mobile home parks.

  minimum distance from trailer to property line: >= 20 feet · minimum distance from public street or highway right-of-way: >= 25 feet

  “twenty feet (20') between any trailer and property line and twenty-five feet (25') from the right-of-way”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Recreational vehicles in mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • This prohibition is limited to mobile home parks and does not establish a townwide RV-occupancy rule.

  “Recreational Vehicles (RVs), campers, or tents which are prohibited in mobile home parks.”

• Manufactured homesProhibited

  Mobile homes outside designated mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • The restriction applies after December 31, 2007.
  • It does not prohibit mobile homes in designated mobile home parks.
  • Single-wide mobile homes may not be used other than as residential dwellings in approved mobile home parks.

  “outside of any designated mobile home park after December 31, 2007.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid sewage disposal at mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • A septic tank and subsurface soil absorption system is allowed only in lieu of public sewer, where soil characteristics are suitable and an adequate disposal area is available.
  • An officially approved package treatment plant may be used in lieu of public sewerage or septic tank system.

  “a septic tank and sub-surface soil absorption system may be used provided the soil characteristics are suitable”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • Public water must be used exclusively where available.
  • An independent water supply requires express approval of the county health officer.
  • The rule does not establish a universal townwide water or sewer connection mandate.

  “Where a public water supply is available, it shall be used exclusively.”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Subdivision proposals and new developments in flood-prone areas inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • The rule is limited to flood-prone areas.
  • Base-flood-elevation data is required for proposals greater than 50 lots and/or five acres.

  base flood elevation data threshold: > 50 lots (also applies to developments greater than five acres)

  “Base flood elevation data shall be provided for subdivision proposals [...] that are greater than fifty (50) lots and/or five (5) acres in area.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development activities in flood-prone areas inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • A development permit is required before developmental activities.
  • The town building official is the floodplain ordinance administrator.
  • Application is made on community forms and may require plans and elevation information.

  “A development permit shall be required in conformity with this chapter prior to the commencement of any developmental activities.”

• Permit processPartial

  Floodplain development permits inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • This is a floodplain-development process only, not a general building-permit process.
  • Application must be made before development activities on forms furnished by the community.

  “Application for a development permit shall be made to the administrator on forms furnished by the community prior to any development activities.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of New Tazewell

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

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  Sewage disposal at mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • The municipal code identifies the Claiborne County Health Department Inspector as the town health inspector.
  • The provision is limited to mobile home parks.

  “The Town of New Tazewell's Health Inspector is the Claiborne County Health Department Inspector.”

• Septic permitLimited

  Sewage disposal systems in mobile home parks inside New Tazewell town limits.

  • An adequate sewage disposal system must be approved in writing by the health officer.
  • A septic tank and subsurface soil absorption system may be used instead of public sewer only where soil characteristics are suitable and an adequate disposal area is available.

  “An adequate sewage disposal system must be provided and must be approved in writing by the health officer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — General residential construction inside New Tazewell town limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside New Tazewell town limits.
• Inspections — General residential construction inside New Tazewell town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside New Tazewell town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside New Tazewell 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.