Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Town of Lookout Mountain’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Municipal code (2023 compilation) adopts the 2018 edition of the International Building Code; the town may have adopted later editions by ordinance not in this compilation.
  • Permit fee schedule is set by ordinance of the board from time to time.

  code edition: IBC 2018

  “the international building code,2 2018 edition, as prepared and adopted by the international code council is hereby adopted and incorporated”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Lookout Mountain town limits (Hamilton County, TN)

  • Ordinance dates from July 5, 1955 with later amendments; the OCR scan is imperfect.

  “the board of commissioners of the town of lookout mountain is authorized to establish districts or zones within its corporate limits for the purpose of regulating the use of land and buildings”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Lookout Mountain town zoning districts

  • Four districts: Residential No. 1, Residential No. 2, Neighborhood Commercial, Recreation; all other land is Residential District No. 1.

  “is hereby divided into districts of which there shall be four (4), known as: residential district no. i residential district no. 2 neighborhood commercial district recreation district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in Residential Districts No. 1 and No. 2 inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Same lot area and width apply to public schools, libraries, public buildings, churches and parish houses.
  • Multiple-family use requires a conditional permit from the board of commissioners.

  minimum lot area: >= 22500 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 75 ft · minimum road frontage: >= 140 ft

  “the minimum building site area shall be one lot or parcel of 22,500 square feet in area for each single-family dwelling in the single-family district.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential Districts No. 1 and No. 2 (non-multiple-family uses) inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Front yard may follow the established average where 25% of frontage is developed within 6 ft variation, but no more than 50 ft required.
  • Side yard text reads 'ten (15) feet' in the scan; figure is ambiguous (10 vs 15).
  • Corner and through lots need front yard on both streets.
  • Multiple-family and recreation district dimensions are set by conditional permit.

  front yard: >= 35 ft (average-alignment rule, max 50 ft) · rear yard: >= 25 ft · side yard (ambiguous 'ten (15)'): >= 15 ft (ordinance text says both ten and 15)

  “there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than thirty-five (35) feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential Districts No. 1 and No. 2 (non-multiple-family) inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Exception for schools, churches, libraries and public buildings (up to 75 ft with larger yards).
  • Neighborhood commercial district limit is one story and 20 ft.

  max height: <= 35 ft (schools, churches, libraries, public buildings) · max stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “a building or structure shall not exceed two and one-half (2 t/z) stoies nor thirty-five (35) feet in height, except for schools, churches, libraries, and public buildings.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Use of a trailer (any wheeled unit used for living or sleeping) as a dwelling inside Lookout Mountain town

  • 'Trailer' is defined as any unit used for living or sleeping purposes equipped with wheels for transport.
  • The ordinance also bars trailers as accessory uses in the neighborhood commercial and recreation districts.

  “provided, however, that no trailer shall be classified as a dwelling nor used for such purposes.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Actual fee schedule not located; it is set by separate ordinance.

  “the schedule of permit fees shall be as provided by the mayor and board of commissioners from time to time by ordinance.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Lookout Mountain town

  • Building official may require soil percolation test results from a licensed engineer or architect.
  • Only application contents were found; no full process or timelines.

  “each application for a building permit for a new building permit or to enlarge an existing building shall be accompanied by a plat drawn to scale”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Lookout Mountain or Hamilton County directly.

• Building permit — New construction inside Lookout Mountain town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Lookout Mountain town
• Inspections — Inspections inside Lookout Mountain town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Lookout Mountain town
• Minimum dwelling size — Inside Lookout Mountain town

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.