Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Savannah, Tennessee

Savannah’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside Savannah city

  • Applies where cost exceeds $100; permit from the city manager.

  cost threshold: > 100 USD

  “it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association to construct, reconstruct, repair, enlarge, extend, or work upon any building or structure of any character within the city of savannah where the cost of such exceed the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) without having first obtained a permit from the city manager.”

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner building a residence for personal use inside Savannah city

  • Permit still required; owner must sign an affidavit of exemption under T.C.A. 13-7-211.

  “a property owner applying to build a residence for personal use shall be required to sign an (affidavit of exemption) as required under tennessee code annotated, § 13-7-211.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Savannah city

  • International Building Code 2012 with local modifications (sec. 12-102); IRC 2012 also adopted; code PDF codified 2016 so later amendments may exist.

  “adopt the "international residential code, edition 2012".”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Savannah city limits (Hardin County, TN)

  • Official zoning map on file at city hall; zoning ordinance PDF is stated as amended December 2008, map dated Feb 2026.

  “zoning is an ongoing function of the department used to plan and regulate the zoning and land uses of property located within the city.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Savannah city zoning districts

  • Districts: R-1A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 (mobile home), PUD, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, F-1 floodway, M-1, M-2.

  “savannah, tennessee is hereby divided into thirteen (13) districts, designated as follows: r-1a low density detached residential r-1 low density residential r-2 medium density residential r-3 high density residential r-4 high density residential/mobile home district pud planned unit development district b-1 neighborhood business b-2 general business b-3 central business district b-4 highway commercial district f-1 floodway m-1 light industrial m-2 heavy industrial”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 low density residential district, Savannah city

  • Other districts (R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4) have different figures; no agricultural district exists.

  minimum lot area: >= 12000 square feet · minimum lot width at building line: >= 90 feet

  “(a) minimum required lot area(as amended ord. 729-9-2008) 12,000 square feet (b) minimum lot width at the building line(as amended ord. 729-9-2008) 90 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 low density residential district, Savannah city

  • Corner and double-frontage lots need a front yard on each street.

  front yard: >= 40 feet · side yard: >= 10 feet · rear yard: >= 30 feet

  “(d) yard requirements (1) front yards forty (40) feet. on double frontage lots and corner lots, there shall be front yard on each street. (2) side yards (as amended ord. 729-9-2008) 10 feet (3) rear yards 30 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 low density residential district, Savannah city

  • Accessory buildings have separate height limits.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet

  “(c) maximum height the maximum height of a front wall or other portion of a building or other structure at the street level shall be thirty-five (35) feet above the finished grade.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile/manufactured homes inside Savannah city

  • Mobile home parks are a permitted use in R-4 (separate mobile home park ordinance, not reviewed); other districts not checked.
  • Multi-sectional manufactured housing must have a permanent perimeter enclosure (sec. 12-102).

  “e. mobile home parks (see mobile home park ordinance)”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks and cesspools inside Savannah city

  • General ban 'except as hereinafter provided'; new on-site systems must follow state requirements.

  “except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy abutting a street with a public sewer inside Savannah city

  • Connect within 60 days of official notice; applies where the public sewer is within 200 feet of the property.
  • Water connection rule not located.

  distance to public sewer: <= 200 feet · time to connect after notice: 60 days

  “within sixty (60) days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within two hundred (200) feet of the owner's property.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways crossing drainage ditches, curbs or gutters inside Savannah city

  • City manager may set drainage tile size.

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to construct a driveway, as provided in subsection (2) above, without having the permit approved by the city manager, and the city manager is authorized to make such changes in the size of the drainage tile as will be necessary to adequately drain all surface water flowing such drainage ditch or curb gutter.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits inside Savannah city

  • Fee tiers by valuation in sec. 12-204; code codified 2016, current fee schedule may differ.

  “for any permits issued contingent upon section 104.2 of the building code, a plan checking fee equal to one-half (1/2) of the building permit shall be added to the cost of the permit.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Savannah city

  • Application to city manager; plat may be required.

  “the application to be submitted in triplicate on such form as provided by the city manager.”

Still unanswered

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

• Inspections — Inspections inside Savannah city
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy inside Savannah city
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Savannah city
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Savannah city
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Savannah 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.