Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Rockwood, Tennessee

Rockwood’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Rockwood city

  • Plumbing code (IPC 2018) also adopted in Title 12 ch. 2
  • Permits may not be extended more than three periods of 180 days each
  • Violation penalty up to $50 per offense per day

  International Building Code edition: 2018

  “the international building code,3 2018 edition, including appendix chapters and subsequent amendments or additions to said code, as prepared and adopted by the international code council, inc., is hereby adopted”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Mobile home parks and individual mobile homes inside Rockwood city

  • Not required for placing a trailer coach on a stand in a licensed park, but required for the park itself
  • Certificate states maximum occupants

  “a certificate of occupancy is not required for placement on a stand of a trailer coach in a duly licensed mobile home or travel trailer park, but a certificate of occupancy is required for the park itself.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Rockwood city limits

  • Ordinance #706 and amendments are published as separate documents on file with the city recorder; not opened here
  • Planning commission serves as board of zoning appeals

  “land use within the city of rockwood shall be governed by ordinance #706, titled "zoning ordinance, rockwood, tennessee," and any amendments thereto.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers / trailer coaches used for overnight occupancy inside Rockwood city

  • Allowed only in a licensed trailer court or place authorized by a temporary permit
  • Trailer coaches may not be parked in a public right-of-way over one hour except emergency repairs
  • Coaches other than mobile homes may not be occupied 30 days or longer except under § 14-409

  “no trailer coach shall be used for overnight occupancy in any place, public or private, except a duly licensed trailer court or other place authorized by a temporary permit”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Overnight occupancy in trailers/campers inside Rockwood city

  • Only licensed trailer court or temporary-permit location
  • Tent camping rules not found

  “no trailer coach shall be used for overnight occupancy in any place, public or private, except a duly licensed trailer court or other place authorized by a temporary permit”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes for permanent occupancy inside Rockwood city

  • Must be in a mobile home park (min. 6 acres or one block, at least 25 spaces) or on an individual lot meeting § 14-408 site features
  • Zoning districts allowing mobile homes are in Ordinance #706, not reviewed

  “no mobile home shall be deemed fit for human habitation of a permanent nature unless either it is located in and served by the necessary group facilities of a mobile home park”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private sewage disposal inside Rockwood city

  • Permitted only where the sanitary sewer is not available
  • Must follow local, county, state and federal law
  • Septic tank within fire limits must be approved by the health officer

  “the disposal of sewage by private disposal systems shall be permissible only in those instances where 18-4 service from the available sanitary sewage system is not available.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Occupied buildings abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sewer inside Rockwood city

  • Within 90 days after official notice
  • Public sewer must be adjacent to the owner's abutting property line except where some other unusual circumstance exists
  • Owner pays; separate building sewer permit from the superintendent required
  • Water connection requirement not found

  connection deadline after notice: 90 days

  “is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Inside Rockwood city
• Inspections — Construction inside Rockwood city
• Zoning districts — Inside Rockwood city
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential district inside Rockwood city
• Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Rockwood 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.