Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Kingston, Tennessee

Kingston’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Excavation, construction, moving or alteration of buildings (including accessory buildings) inside Kingston city

  • Interior alterations are excepted
  • Permit becomes void six months after issuance unless substantial progress is made

  “it shall be unlawful to commence excavation, construction of any building, including accessory buildings, or to commence the moving or alteration of any building, except for interior alterations, until the building inspector has issued a building permit for such work.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Final inspection before occupancy inside Kingston city (zoning-conformity inspection)

  • Source describes zoning-ordinance conformity inspection; building-code inspection rules not located

  “it shall be the duty of the building inspector to make a final inspection thereof and to issue a certificate of occupancy if the land, building or part thereof and the proposed use thereof are found to conform with the provisions of this ordinance”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land or buildings erected or altered in use or structure inside Kingston city

  • Issued only if the land, building and use conform to the zoning ordinance
  • Building inspector must make final inspection within three days after notification

  “no land or building or part thereof hereafter erected or altered in its use or structure shall be used until the building inspector shall have issued a certificate of occupancy stating that such land, building, or part thereof, and the proposed use thereof are found to be in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Kingston city limits (Roane County, TN)

  • Zoning map is on file with the city clerk
  • Administered by the city building inspector as zoning officer; Board of Zoning Appeals handles appeals, special exceptions and variances

  “title 11, chapters 2 through 9, inclusive of this code shall be known as the zoning code, and a map entitled "zoning map of kingston, tennessee", dated ---------, and referred to in this code as the zoning map and all explanatory matter thereon is hereby made a part of the zoning code and is on file in the office of the city clerk.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Kingston city

  • Districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, O-1, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, M-1, M-2, H-1 (F-1 removed)
  • Newly annexed territory is treated as R-1 until reclassified (11-314)

  “for the purposes of this ordinance, the city of kingston, tennessee, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: r-1, r-2, r-3, o-1, c-1, c-2, c-3, c-4, m-1, m-2, f”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 residential district (main single-family district) inside Kingston city

  • 20,000 sq ft where lot is not served with public water (appendix: 43,560 sq ft without public water and sewer)
  • R-2 district: 7,500 sq ft with public water and sewer; 15,000 sq ft for single-family lot without public sewer

  minimum lot area, public water and sewer: >= 7500 sq ft · minimum lot area, no public water: >= 20000 sq ft · minimum lot width at setback line: >= 75 ft

  “minimum lot area for single-family dwelling units served by public water and sewer systems: 7,500 square feet. b. minimum lot area for single-family dwelling units where lot is not served with public water: 20,000 square feet. c. minimum lot width at building setback line: 75 feet.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 residential district inside Kingston city

  • Side yards: 1-story 10 ft each side, 2-story 15 ft, 3-story 20 ft
  • R-2 is 25 ft front, 15 ft rear, 8 ft side (1-story) per appendix and 11-404

  front yard: >= 30 ft · rear yard: >= 20 ft

  “minimum depth of front yards: 30 feet. e. minimum depth of rear yards: 20 feet. f. minimum width of side yards: • • • g. 1-story building…10 feet each side 2-story building…15 feet each side 3-story building…20 feet each side”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 residential district inside Kingston city

  maximum lot area occupied by structures: <= 40 percent

  “maximum percentage of lot area which may be occupied by structures: 40 percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  All districts inside Kingston city, general maximum

  • Except as provided by section 11-506 (height limit exceptions), not reviewed

  maximum height: <= 50 ft (or three stories; see 11-506)

  “no structure shall be erected which exceeds three (3) stories or fifty (50) feet in height except as provided by section 11-506.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Living in travel trailers/RVs parked or stored on residential lots inside Kingston city

  • Also applies to any location not approved for such use
  • Travel trailer parks are a defined use; their district rules not reviewed

  “no major recreational equipment (including boats and boat trailers, travel trailers, partial travel trailer units, and the like), shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Kingston city

  • Permit issued by building inspector after site plan approval
  • Which districts allow individual mobile homes (11-606) not fully reviewed

  “a permit is required before any mobile home unit shall be located or relocated within the corporate limits of the city. permits may be issued by the building inspector after submission and approval of a site plan showing the anticipated location of the unit on the lot and service connections.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Kingston city

  • Application submitted to the building inspector; refusal must be stated in writing with the cause

  “in applying to the building inspector for a building permit, the applicant shall submit a dimensioned sketch or scale plan indicating the shape, size, height, and location of all buildings”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Kingston city
• Building code adopted — Building codes inside Kingston city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Kingston city
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Kingston city
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Kingston 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.