Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Union City, Tennessee

Union City’s own rules

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  Owner building a private residence inside Union City city limits

  • Owner assumes all legal responsibility for liability and workers' compensation
  • State law limits new home construction to one personal residence every two years
  • This is an owner permit pathway, not an exemption from the permit

  “1. the property owner can obtain a building permit for their private residence. the owner assumes all legal responsibilities for liability and workmen's compensation. state law limits new home construction to one personal residence every two years.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Union City city limits

  • Insulation requirements are taken from the 2009 energy code charts
  • Also adopted: 2021 ICC IBC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, IPMC; ICC A117.1-2009; 2018 ICC Energy Conservation Code (with amendments)

  residential code: 2018 ICC International Residential Code

  “the city of union city has adopted for residential building, design, and construction the 2018 icc international residential code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Union City city limits

  • Administered with the municipal-regional planning commission and Board of Zoning Appeals
  • Newly annexed territory is zoned R-1 until otherwise classified

  “the city of union city is hereby divided into thirteen zones, or districts, as shown on the official zoning map”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Union City city limits

  • Districts include R-1, R-2, R-3, OTR-1, OTR-2, business, industrial, hospital-medical, planned and flood hazard districts
  • Official zoning map is kept in the city clerk's office

  number of districts: 13

  “the city of union city is hereby divided into thirteen zones, or districts, as shown on the official zoning map”

• Tiny homesLimited

  OTR-1 (old town low density residential) district inside Union City city limits

  • Tiny houses must connect to public gas, electric, water and sewer
  • Site built only; one story not counting sleeping lofts
  • Other districts not checked

  “3. signs as permitted by section 11-1405. 4. tiny houses. (added per ordinance 189-18)”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Tiny houses inside Union City city limits (only the tiny-house rule was found; no general new-home rule located)

  • Applies to tiny houses; must comply with adopted building and electric codes
  • General rule for conventional homes not located

  “tiny houses shall be required to connect to a public utility system which includes gas, electric, water and sewer in compliance of the adopted applicable building and electric codes.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Union City or Obion County directly.

• Building permit — Construction inside Union City city limits
• Inspections — Construction inside Union City city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy inside Union City city limits
• Minimum dwelling size — R-1 district inside Union City city limits
• Minimum lot size — R-1 district inside Union City 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.