Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Kimball, Tennessee

Town of Kimball’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, moving, alteration or repair of buildings and structures inside Kimball town

  • Applies to work with a value in excess of $2,000.
  • Permit is issued by the town building inspector and certifies conformity with the zoning ordinance.
  • Permit expires unless the project is 60% complete within the period stated in the ordinance.

  value threshold: > 2000 USD

  “building permits shall be void after 6 months from date of issue, unless the project has or is 60% complete by that time.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Final zoning-conformity inspection before occupancy inside Kimball town

  • Inspection is for conformity with the zoning ordinance; no building-code inspection regime was found.

  inspection timing: <= 7 days after notification

  “within seven days after notification that a building or premises or part thereof is ready for occupancy or use, it shall be the duty of the building inspector to make a final inspection thereof”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land, buildings and structures erected, moved or changed in use inside Kimball town

  • Issued by the building inspector after a final inspection finding conformity with the zoning ordinance.

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

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the corporate limits of Kimball town (Marion County), TN

  • Posted copy states it was last amended May 4, 2017; later amendments and zoning map changes are separate ordinances and may not be reflected.

  “chapters 2 through 7 of this title shall be known as the zoning ordinance of kimball, tennessee, dated 1988.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Kimball town

  • Districts: R residential (R-1 low density, R-2 high density), C-2 highway business, I-1 industrial, F-1 flood hazard, A-1 agricultural.
  • Zoning map amendments are of record in the office of the recorder.

  “for the purpose of this ordinance the following zoning districts are hereby established in the town of kimball, tennessee:”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential district text (R-1/R-2 section, exact district not isolated) inside Kimball town; plus town-wide absolute minimum for detached residences

  • 15,000 sq ft generally; 10,000 sq ft where sanitary sewer service is available.
  • Existing lots of record under 15,000 sq ft may be built on if they have public water and sewer, but not under 7,500 sq ft.
  • Board of zoning appeals may not permit a detached residence on under 7,500 sq ft unless 14-708(c) standards apply.
  • A-1 agricultural district limits not retrieved.

  minimum lot area without sewer: >= 15000 sq ft · minimum lot area with sewer: >= 10000 sq ft · absolute minimum: >= 7500 sq ft (unless 14-708(c) applies)

  “no lot or parcel of land shall be reduced in size to provide separate lots or building sites of less than 15,000 square feet in area except where sanitary sewer service is available, in which case the minimum lot area shall be 10,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Residential district side yards abutting streets inside Kimball town (front and rear yard figures not retrieved)

  • Additional 5 feet of side yard for each story over 2.
  • Side yard abutting a major thoroughfare or collector road is 25 feet.
  • Front setback may be reduced where adjacent developed lots within 100 feet have shallower setbacks (14-605).

  side yard abutting local street or cul-de-sac: 20 feet · side yard abutting major thoroughfare or collector: 25 feet

  “if the side yard abuts a local street or cul-de-sac, the side yard setback shall be 20 feet. if the side yard abuts a major thoroughfare or collector road, the side yard setback shall be 25 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots inside Kimball town (definition of lot coverage)

  • Coverage includes all buildings and overhanging roofs.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 55 percent

  “"lot coverage." the lot area covered by all buildings located therein including the area covered by all overhanging roofs. the maximum coverage area is 55% of the lot.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential district buildings inside Kimball town

  • Except as provided in 14-603 (exceptions to height limitations).

  maximum height: <= 35 feet (or 2.5 stories) (14-603)

  “no building shall exceed 2 ½ stories or 35 feet in height, except as provided in § 14-603.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers/RVs inside Kimball town

  • Dwelling definition excludes motor homes and travel trailers.
  • Travel trailer parks are for short periods only.

  travel trailer park stay: <= 14 days

  “"travel trailer park." a parcel or area of land designed and equipped to accommodate travel trailers as defined in t.c.a. 68-36-202(10) for short periods of time, not to exceed 14 days.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Mobile homes on lots inside Kimball town

  • Lot must meet all health and other requirements.
  • Mobile home courts must meet all state, county and town regulations.
  • Definition of dwelling excludes single-wide modular homes regulated elsewhere; district-level use permissions not fully reviewed.

  “anyone owning a lot may place a mobile home on it and have all rights to move off and return with no restriction, as long as the lot meets all health and other requirements, and anyone wanting to open a court may do so, by meeting all state, county, and town regulations.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Kimball town
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Kimball town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Kimball town
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Kimball town
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Kimball 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.