ADU rules in Hamilton County, TN — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
In Chattanooga (Hamilton County's seat), one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per single-unit detached lot, capped at 800 square feet, on a permanent foundation and same owner. Detached ADUs go in the rear or interior side yard only.
Chattanooga's zoning code (Sec. 38-43(b)) permits one ADU per lot accessory to a single-unit detached dwelling on the same lot. Detached and attached ADUs may not exceed 800 gross square feet, measured by exterior dimensions including conditioned sleeping lofts and stairwells. The ADU must be owned by the same owner as the principal dwelling and cannot be subdivided or sold separately. Detached ADUs sit in the rear or interior side yard (5-foot rear/interior side setback, 10-foot corner side) and never in the front yard. Shipping containers and recreational vehicles are prohibited; a permanent foundation is required. No minimum on-site parking applies, but existing required parking must be preserved. Unincorporated Hamilton County follows the RPA zoning resolution.
Building or occupying a non-conforming ADU is a zoning violation enforced by the Land Development Office; it can trigger permit denial, stop-work orders, removal, and city court penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Chattanooga encourages backyard composting and offers free mulch and compost to city residents. No ordinance bans a tidy home compost pile. The city collects...
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No Hamilton County or Chattanooga ordinance specifically bans or requires a permit for residential artificial turf. In required landscape areas of developmen...
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Neither Hamilton County nor Chattanooga requires homeowners to plant native species, and there is no ban on turf lawns. Native and pollinator plantings are e...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal in Tennessee with no state permit or volume limit for non-potable uses like irrigation. Chattanooga actively encourages it, eve...
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Tennessee has no statewide homeowner lawn-watering ban, and neither Hamilton County nor Chattanooga imposes fixed watering days. During drought, Tennessee Am...
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Chattanooga treats weeds like tall grass: grass, underbrush, or weeds must be kept under 10 inches. Overgrown lots are tagged as public nuisances by Code Enf...
See how Hamilton County's adu rules rules stack up against other locations.
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