Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Moscow, Tennessee

Moscow’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, moving, alteration within Moscow city

  • Permit void six months after issuance unless substantial progress made.
  • City page also requires permits for demolition; contact City Hall if unsure.

  “it shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for the construction of any building, including accessory buildings, or to commence the moving or alteration of any building, including accessory buildings, until the building inspector has issued a building permit for such work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings and structures inside Moscow city

  • Code as published adopts the 1976 Standard Building Code with 1978 amendments; likely outdated and may have been superseded by later ordinances not located.
  • Permit fee schedule modified to $5 per building, minimum inspection fee $1.50; section 114 deleted.

  “the standard building code, 1976 edition with 1978 amendments, as prepared and adopted by the southern building code congress international, inc., is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as a part of this code”

• InspectionsRequired

  Buildings in Moscow city, by city building inspector

  • Final inspection occurs on notification that building is ready for occupancy.

  “it shall be the duty of the building inspector to make a final inspection thereof and to issue a certification of occupancy”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land or buildings erected or altered in use or structure in Moscow city

  • Issued by building inspector if conforming to zoning chapters.

  “no land or building or part thereof hereafter erected or altered in its use or structure shall be used until the building inspector shall have issued a certificate of occupancy”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Moscow city limits

  • Zoning ordinance derived from Ordinance 54, passed August 4, 1975; text is the MTAS-hosted copy of the city code last updated 1992, not Moscow's own site; may have been amended since.

  “moscow, tennessee is hereby divided into four (4) districts, designated as follows: r-l residential b-1 general business b-9 central business district m-1 industrial”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Moscow city zoning districts

  • Official zoning map is kept at city hall; the map itself was not viewed.
  • B-2 is the central business district (code text typo shows B-9).

  “moscow, tennessee is hereby divided into four (4) districts, designated as follows: r-l residential b-1 general business b-9 central business district m-1 industrial”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 (residential) district, Moscow city

  • Minimum lot width at building line 100 feet for dwellings.
  • Apartments: 30,000 sq ft minimum with 2,000 sq ft per dwelling unit.
  • Variances for lots of record via board of zoning appeals.

  minimum lot area, first dwelling unit: >= 15000 square feet · each additional dwelling unit: 4000 square feet

  “dwelling unitssingle and multiple family 15,000 square feet for the first dwelling unit plus 4,000 square feet for each additional dwelling unit.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 (residential) district, dwellings, Moscow city

  • Corner lot side yard facing street is 30 feet.
  • Accessory buildings: not in required front or side yard, at least 5 feet from lot lines and other buildings.
  • Front yard may be averaged with adjacent developed lots (11-215).

  front yard: >= 30 feet · rear yard: >= 15 feet · side yard each side: >= 10 feet

  “minimum required front yard. (i) dwellings and apartments 30 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 (residential) district, Moscow city

  • Churches 30%; other uses 50% or less as set by board of zoning appeals.
  • Accessory buildings may not cover more than 30% of a required rear yard.

  maximum coverage by all buildings, dwellings/apartments/accessories: <= 35 percent

  “maximum lot coverage by all buildings. (i) dwellings, apartments and accessories. 35% lots. (h) (ii) churches 30% (iii) other uses 50% or less as required by the board of zoning appeals.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 (residential) district, Moscow city

  • Taller allowed if each side yard grows 5 ft per 5 ft of added height, max 65 feet.
  • Lots under 50 feet wide: 1.5 stories or 25 feet.
  • Accessory buildings max 2 stories.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (or 3 stories) (increased side yards allow up to 65 feet)

  “no building shall exceed three (3) stories or thirty-five (35) feet in height unless each side yard is increased over the required minimum by five (5) feet for every five (5) feet, or fraction thereof, of additional height over thirty-five (35) feet, not to exceed sixty-five (65) feet, however.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes in the R-1 residential district of Moscow city

  • Single-family dwelling is defined as other than a mobile home; mobile homes appear as permitted only in mobile home parks (R-1 and B-1) under the mobile home park ordinance (title 5, chapter 5, not reviewed).
  • Any use not permitted or permissible on appeal in R-1 is prohibited.

  “mobile home parks provided all provisions of the mobile home park ordinance 1 are complied with.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic tanks, privies and other disposal facilities inside Moscow city

  • Approval and permit come from the 'health officer', before construction starts.
  • Septic only where no accessible sewer exists.

  “shall, before the initiation of construction, obtain the approval of the health officer for the design and location of the system and secure a permit from the health officer for such system.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Sewage disposal methods inside Moscow city

  • Inspection frequency at the health officer's discretion; installation under general supervision of the department of health.
  • Violations corrected within 45 days of notice.

  “it shall be the duty of the health officer to make an inspection of the methods of disposal of sewage and human excreta as often as is considered necessary to insure full compliance with the terms of this chapter.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sanitation not on public sewer inside Moscow city

  • Only where no accessible sewer exists; septic or privy needs health officer approval and permit.

  “a sanitary pit privy or other approved method of disposal shall be provided.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways onto streets inside Moscow city

  • Max two access points on lots 100-400 ft wide; one on lots under 100 ft.
  • No curb cut without written building inspector approval.
  • State highways governed by TDOT rules or this section, whichever is higher.

  maximum access width: <= 30 feet

  “a point of access, i.e., a drive or other opening for vehicles onto a street shall not exceed thirty (30) feet in width.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits inside Moscow city

  • Examples only; the page does not give a full fee schedule; code 4-102 sets a $5 fee per building, which conflicts and may be outdated.

  storage building, fence permit: 50 USD · swimming pool permit: >= 50 USD

  “placement of a storage building --- $50.00 permit building a fence --- $50.00 permit putting a swimming pool up minimum of $50.00”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits inside Moscow city

  • Applications are filled out at City Hall.
  • If refused, the inspector states the refusal in writing with cause.

  “in applying to the building inspector for a building permit, the applicant shall submit a dimensional sketch or a scale plan indicating the shape, size, height, and location on the lot of all buildings”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders in Moscow city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Moscow city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Moscow city
• Camping on your land — Camping inside Moscow city
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Moscow city

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.