Williamson County, TN Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing definition
- Zoning Ordinance § 23.04, combined use type
- Use permission
- Table 11.01-1/11.01-2 sets permitted vs. special use
- Parking minimum
- 1.0 space per 300 square feet (Table 17.06-1)
- Boarding limit
- Only short-time stays incidental to treatment
- Penalty
- $10-$50 fine per day, Section 22.07
- Geographic reach
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Williamson County's zoning ordinance treats a veterinary clinic, animal hospital, and pet-grooming operation as one regulated use type, defined at Section 23.04, that must sit in a zoning district where Table 11.01 lists it as permitted or special use. Off-street parking is fixed at one space per 300 square feet, and operating without the required district approval is a misdemeanor under Section 22.07.
ANIMAL HOSPITAL OR VETERINARIAN CLINIC OR ANIMAL GROOMING A place where animals or pets are given medical or surgical treatment and are cared for during the time of such treatment. Use as a boarding facility shall be limited to short-time stays and shall be only incidental to the veterinarian facility. Such use type shall also apply to facilities that provide grooming and general care services to animals. ... TABLE 17.06-1: MINIMUM OFF-STREET PARKING STANDARDS ... Animal Hospitals or Veterinarian Clinics or Animal Grooming ... 1.0 space per 300 square feet ...
Section 22.07:Penalties and Remedies
(A) Any person violating any provisions of this Ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than fifty dollars for each offense in accordance with Section 13-7-111 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
" Because grooming is folded into the veterinary-clinic definition, the county does not zone pet grooming as a separate category; a stand-alone grooming shop is classified and permitted exactly like a veterinary clinic. 01-2 (Village Districts, including the Grassland Village Commercial GVC1 through GVC4 and Town Center TCA-1 through TCA-4 districts) list this combined use type under the Commercial Use Classification, marking it "P" (permitted) in some districts and "S" (special use, requiring Planning Commission review) in others; a blank cell means the use is prohibited outright in that district.
03(D)(3), which pulls in the animal-boarding-facility standards (minimum lot size and setbacks); a routine clinic or groomer without extended boarding does not trigger those additional requirements. 06: Off-Street Parking Standards. This ordinance governs only the unincorporated county; Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview, and Nolensville each administer their own separate zoning codes for property inside their city limits.
Violations & Fines
Operating a veterinary clinic, animal hospital, or grooming facility in a zoning district where the combined use type is not listed as permitted or special use, or without obtaining required special-use approval, is a zoning violation. Section 22.07 makes any violation of the ordinance a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50 per offense under Tenn. Code Ann. § 13-7-111, and each day a violation is permitted to exist is a separate offense. The county may also bring a civil enforcement proceeding, and payment of the fine does not itself constitute compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Williamson County treat pet grooming as separate from veterinary clinics?
Can a veterinary clinic board animals overnight in Williamson County?
How much parking does a veterinary clinic or groomer need?
What happens if a clinic or groomer opens in the wrong zoning district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Williamson County
Compare Williamson County to another location·View the Tennessee animal ordinances overview
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