Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Milan, Tennessee

Milan’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Buildings and structures inside Milan city limits

  • Modification: any work with no inspection within 180 days of permit issuance or of the prior inspection is deemed suspended or abandoned and the permit becomes invalid (IBC § 105.5 addition).
  • Residential, plumbing, electrical, fuel gas, energy, mechanical and property maintenance codes are separate chapters of Title 12, not reviewed here.

  International Building Code edition: 2018 (appendices b, c, h, i included)

  “2018 edition including appendices b, c, h, and i, as published by the international code council, be and is hereby adopted as the building code of the city of milan, tennessee”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Milan city limits

  • The zoning ordinance text is a separate document of record with the city recorder, not reproduced in the code.
  • Ordinance #10-03 was adopted April 2010; amendments may exist.

  “land use within the city of milan shall be governed by ordinance #10-03, titled "zoning ordinance, milan, tennessee," and any amendments thereto.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupying travel trailers, motor homes and similar units inside Milan city limits

  • Storage is allowed if the unit is not occupied as a dwelling within city limits.
  • Parks must be in districts specified by the zoning ordinance and hold a permit ($18.50 annual).
  • Occupant may stay no more than 14 days in one park; spaces rented by the day or week only.

  maximum stay in travel trailer park: <= 14 days

  “it shall be unlawful for any travel trailer to be occupied or serviced outside of any properly designated travel trailer park.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping in tents, campers or similar units inside Milan city limits

  • 'Travel trailer' is defined to include tents, pickup campers, converted buses, motor homes and similar temporary housing.
  • 14-day limit in a travel trailer park.

  “a travel trailer, pickup camper, converted bus, tent-trailer, tent, motor home, or similar device used for temporary portable housing”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Milan city limits (code chapter predates current HUD-code terminology)

  • Mobile homes must be in a licensed mobile home park of at least 3 acres, in districts specified by the zoning ordinance, with city planning commission and board approval.
  • Mobile home parking permit fee $10.00; park permit $18.50 annually.
  • Parks must connect to the public sewer.

  minimum park size: >= 3 acres · minimum space lot area: >= 5000 sq ft

  “it shall be unlawful for any mobile home to be used, stored, or placed on any lot or serviced by the utilities”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  Private sewage disposal (septic) systems inside Milan city limits where public sewer is not accessible

  • Allowed only after the superintendent certifies that public sewer is not accessible and none is proposed for construction in the immediate future.
  • No certificate for subsurface absorption systems where lot area is less than that specified by the city and Gibson County Health Department.

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain written permission from the city and the gibson county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Milan city limits where public sewer is not accessible

  • Written permission from both the city and the Gibson County Health Department.
  • Applicant supplies plans, specifications and other information they deem necessary.

  “before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system, the owner shall first obtain written permission from the city and the gibson county health department.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Private sewage disposal systems inside Milan city limits

  • City and Gibson County Health Department may inspect at any stage of construction.
  • Inspection occurs within a reasonable time after notice.

  “the owner shall notify the city and gibson county health department when the work is ready for final inspection, and before any underground portions are covered.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New buildings inside Milan city limits on property served by the city's public sewer system (POTW)

  • Superintendent decides whether sewers are available.
  • Septic allowed only with a certificate that public sewer is not accessible and none is proposed in the immediate future.
  • Public water connection requirement not found.

  “all new buildings hereafter constructed on property which is served by the potw shall not be occupied until the connection has been made.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Mobile home park and travel trailer park permits inside Milan city limits

  • Building permit fees are in a separate schedule of fees set by ordinance; that schedule was not seen.

  annual permit fee per mobile home park: 18.5 USD · annual permit fee per travel trailer park: 18.5 USD

  “the annual permit fee for mobile home parks shall be eighteen and 50/100 dollars ($18.50). the annual permit fee for each travel trailer park shall be eighteen and 50/100 dollars ($18.50).”

• Permit processPartial

  Mobile home park and travel trailer park permits inside Milan city limits

  • Plan drawn at 1 inch = 100 feet or larger, filed in triplicate, with owner certification and planning commission approval.
  • General building permit process not found.

  “application for a mobile home park shall be filed with city building inspector and he shall issue a permit after approval by the planning commission and mayor and board of aldermen of the mobile home park plan.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Milan city limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Milan city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Milan city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Milan city limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Milan 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.