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

Town of Gordonsville’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, moving, additions and fill inside Gordonsville town, including accessory structures

  • Permit certifies conformity with the zoning ordinance
  • Permit void six months from issue unless substantial progress has been made
  • Issuance does not waive any ordinance provision

  permit validity without progress: 6 months

  “building permits shall be void six (6) months from date of issue unless substantial progress on the project has been made by that time.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Zoning-conformity inspections by the town building inspector inside Gordonsville town

  • Ordinance covers zoning compliance; building-code inspections not established from this source
  • Final inspection within 7 days after notice that a building is ready for occupancy

  “the building inspector shall have the power to grant building permits and use and occupancy permits, and make inspections of buildings or premises necessary”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

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

  • Building inspector must make final inspection within seven days of notification and issue certificate if conforming with the zoning ordinance

  final inspection deadline: <= 7 days

  “within seven (7) 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”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Gordonsville town limits (Tennessee)

  • Adopted under Tenn. Code Ann. 13-7-201 through 13-7-210
  • Ordinance number stated as 07-01-24; Article II definitions amended 01-09-24

  “an ordinance establishing comprehensive zoning regulations for the town of gordonsville, tennessee, and providing for the administration, enforcement and amendment thereof”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Gordonsville town

  • Districts: R-1, R-2, C-1, C-2, I-1, I-2, A-1 (plus an M-1 district described in Article V)
  • Official map dated December 3, 1987 per Article IV

  “r-1, residential district r-2, residential district c-1, general business district c-2 highway commercial district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-2 residential district, single unit, inside Gordonsville town

  • Additional 4,500 sq ft per unit over one
  • Lot area depends on sewer availability

  minimum lot area single unit with sewer: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot area single unit without sewer: >= 20000 sq ft · minimum lot width at setback line: >= 75 ft

  “minimum lot area for single unit (with sewer) 10,000 sq. ft. minimum lot area for single unit (without sewer) 20,000 sq. ft. minimum for each additional unit over one 4,500 sq. ft. minimum lot width at building setback line 75 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Low Density Residential district inside Gordonsville town

    “minimum lot area (with sewer) 12,000 sq. ft. minimum lot area (without sewer) 20,000 sq. ft. minimum lot width at building setback line 75 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 Low Density Residential district inside Gordonsville town, principal building

  • Front yard depends on street type: minor 35 ft, collector 40 ft, arterial 50 ft
  • Corner-lot side yards equal the front yard minimum for the side street

  rear yard: >= 30 ft · side yard one or two story: >= 15 ft (three story 20 ft)

  “minimum depth of rear yard 30 ft. minimum width of side yard on each side: a. one or two story building 15 ft. b. three story building 20 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 residential district inside Gordonsville town

    “minimum depth of rear yard 30 ft minimum side yard on each side: a. one story building 15 ft. b. two story building 20 ft.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R-1 district inside Gordonsville town

  • Mobile homes are excluded from R-1 permitted dwellings; other districts (R-2, mobile home parks) not reviewed

  “single family detached dwellings; excluding mobile homes.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning/building permit application inside Gordonsville town

  • Application must include plan or plat; written denial reasons given if not approved

  “application for a building permit shall be made in writing to the building inspector on forms provided for that purpose.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Gordonsville town
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Gordonsville town
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Gordonsville town
• Lot coverage — Lot coverage in R-1/R-2 inside Gordonsville town
• Building height — Building height in R-1/R-2 inside Gordonsville 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.