Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Humboldt, Tennessee

Humboldt’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction inside Humboldt city

  • The MTAS copy of the code adopts the 2006 edition of the International Building Code, and the International Residential Code 2006 edition in § 12-501; a later amendment may have updated editions.
  • Local modifications are in § 12-102.

  International Building Code edition: 2006 (per MTAS code copy through change 1, June 2, 2014)

  “the international building code,2 2006 edition, as prepared and adopted by the 1 municipal code references fire protection, fireworks, and explosives: title 7. planning and zoning: title 14. streets and other public ways and places: title 16. utilities and services: titles 18 and 19. 2 copies of this code (and any amendments) may be purchased from the (continued) 12-2 change 1, june 2, 2014 international code council, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as a part of this code, and is hereinafter referred to as the building code.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Humboldt city (Gibson County), TN

  • Zoning is Title 14 of the municipal code, replaced by ord. #2010-01, Jan. 2010, amended through 2014 in the MTAS copy.
  • The code copy is hosted by MTAS; a newer edition may exist.

  zoning districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, PRD, B-1, B-2, B-3, H-M, M-1, M-2, F-H overlay, ACR overlay

  “14-218. classification of districts. for the purpose of chapters 2 through 12 of this title, humboldt, tennessee, is hereby divided into eleven (12) districts, designated as follows: r-1 low density residential r-2 medium density residential r-3 high density residential r-4 residential--professional prd planned residential development b-1 neighborhood business b-2 general business b-3 central business h-m hospital-medical m-1 light industrial m-2 heavy industrial f-h flood hazard district overlay acr airport clear zone overlay”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Humboldt city

  • Boundaries are on the official zoning map on file in city hall (§ 14-219); the map itself was not reviewed.

  “r-1 low density residential r-2 medium density residential r-3 high density residential r-4 residential--professional prd planned residential development b-1 neighborhood business b-2 general business b-3 central business h-m hospital-medical m-1 light industrial m-2 heavy industrial f-h flood hazard district overlay acr airport clear zone overlay”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 (low density residential) district inside Humboldt city, dwelling units

  • Minimum lot width at building line for dwellings is 75 feet.
  • Other districts and the agricultural/rural district were not reviewed.

  minimum lot area, dwelling units: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width, dwellings: >= 75 ft

  “(5) regulations controlling lot area, lot width, yards, building height. the principal building shall be located so as to comply with the following requirements: (a) minimum required lot area: (i) dwelling units 10,000 sq. ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 (low density residential) district inside Humboldt city, dwellings

  • Side yard 10 ft each side; corner-lot street side yard 30 ft.
  • Accessory buildings may not be in required front or side yards and must be at least 5 ft from lot lines.

  front yard, dwellings: >= 30 ft · rear yard, dwellings: >= 30 ft · side yard each side, dwellings: >= 10 ft

  “(c) minimum required front yard: (i) dwellings 30 feet (ii) churches 40 feet (iii) other uses 40 feet or more as required by the board of appeals (d) minimum required rear yard: (i) dwellings 30 feet (ii) churches 30 feet (iii) other uses 30 feet or more as required by the board of appeals (e) minimum required side yard on each side: (i) dwellings 10 feet (ii) churches 30 feet (iii) other uses 15 feet or more as required by the board of appeals (f) minimum required side yards for side facing streets on corner lots 30 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 (low density residential) district inside Humboldt city, dwellings and accessories

  • Churches 25%; other uses as required by the board of appeals.

  maximum lot coverage, dwellings and accessories: <= 30 percent

  “(g) maximum lot coverage by all buildings: (i) dwellings and accessories 30% (ii) churches 25% (iii) other uses as required by the board of appeals”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 (low density residential) district inside Humboldt city

  • Taller buildings up to 65 ft allowed if each side yard is increased 5 ft for every 5 ft of added height.
  • On a lot under 50 ft wide at the building line, no building may exceed 1 1/2 stories or 25 ft.
  • No accessory building may exceed two stories.

  maximum height: <= 35 ft (or 3 stories) (see conditions)

  “(h) maximum permitted height of structures: (i) no building shall exceed three (3) stories or thirty-five feet (35') in height unless each side yard is increased over the required minimum by five feet (5') for every five feet (5'), or fraction thereof, of additional height over thirty-five feet (35'), not to exceed sixty-five feet (65'), however; (ii) on a lot less than fifty feet (50') in width at the building line no building shall exceed one and one-half (1 1/2) stories or twenty-five feet (25') in height. (iii) no accessory building shall exceed two (2) stories in height.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R-1 (low density residential) district inside Humboldt city

  • Mobile homes are not a permitted use in R-1; the code cross-references mobile home park restrictions in Title 14, chapter 11, which was not reviewed.
  • Other districts were not reviewed.

  “(1) uses permitted. (a) single-family dwellings, not mobile homes.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New construction inside Humboldt city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Humboldt city
• Inspections — Inspections inside Humboldt city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Humboldt city
• Minimum dwelling size — R-1 district inside Humboldt 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.