Franklin's Fire Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fire regulations a little differently. In Franklin, Tennessee, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Outdoor Burning

Franklin bans open burning across the entire city limits by default, carving out only a short list of named exceptions, and two of the most common ones (ceremonial bonfires and wood-waste disposal) require a fire department permit before you strike a match.

Key details: Default rule: Open burning banned citywide. No-permit exceptions: Cooking/barbecue fires, commercial incinerator. Permit-required: Bonfires/cookouts, wood-waste burning. Correction window: 30 working days after notice. Extra authority: BOMA may restrict further in drought/water shortage.

Violating § 7-224 or any fire code provision is unlawful under § 7-208. Under § 7-209 the fire official serves a summons, citation or written notice and gives up to 30 working days to correct the violation; continuing the burn past that window draws a civil penalty set in appendix A, comprehensive fees and penalties, and any permit involved becomes void until the violation is fixed. A violator is also liable to the city for the cost of any fire department personnel or equipment sent to respond.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Franklin actively enforces its outdoor burning requirements.

Propane Storage

Franklin will not let anyone establish, build or enlarge a plant or place of business that manufactures, distributes or handles bulk liquefied petroleum gas unless it sits in a commercial or industrial area, and any such site must still meet the fire code and NFPA 58/59 tank standards.

Key details: Siting rule: Bulk LP-gas plants limited to commercial/industrial areas. Technical standard: Fire code plus NFPA 58 and 59 (1992). Sibling restrictions: Same rule applies to petroleum, LNG, CNG. Correction window: 30 working days after notice. Appeal body: Building & Streets Standards Board of Appeals.

Operating or building a bulk LP-gas plant or business outside a commercial or industrial area violates § 7-213 and is unlawful under the chapter-wide § 7-208. Under § 7-209 the fire official issues a summons, citation or written notice with up to 30 working days to correct the violation; continuing it past that deadline triggers a civil penalty set in appendix A, comprehensive fees and penalties, and any permit tied to the site is void until corrected. The violator is also liable to the city for the cost of any fire department response.

Smoke Detectors

Every Franklin short-term vacation rental must have UL 217-listed smoke alarms in each sleeping area, in every room along the egress path from a sleeping area to the exit door, and on each story of the unit including basements, under Sec. 13-208. It's one of several safety conditions, alongside the certificate of use and occupancy and $1,000,000 liability insurance, tied to keeping the STVR permit.

Key details: Standard required: UL 217-listed smoke alarms. Placement: Sleeping areas, egress path rooms, every story. Applies to: Short-term vacation rentals (STVR). Tied to: Certificate of use and occupancy. Complaint threshold: 3+ complaints/year triggers written notice.

Missing or noncompliant smoke alarms are a violation of the STVR chapter that can trigger a BNS complaint review under Sec. 13-216. Three or more complaints, including safety complaints, against the same STVR in a calendar year require written notice to the permit holder, and after 15 days' notice, BNS can seek revocation of the right to operate before the board of mayor and aldermen.

Fireworks

Franklin bans the manufacture, sale and storage of fireworks across the entire city, and discharging them anywhere in city limits is unlawful unless the fire marshal has approved it under the fire code and the applicable NFPA fireworks standards.

Key details: Ban scope: Manufacture, sale, storage, discharge citywide. Only lawful discharge: Fire marshal permit under NFPA 1123/1124. Drought authority: BOMA may further restrict in water shortage. Explosives-chapter carve-out: Fireworks excluded from § 7-217 explosives rules. Correction window: 30 working days after notice.

Manufacturing, selling or storing fireworks anywhere in Franklin, or discharging them without fire-marshal approval, violates § 7-218 and is unlawful under the chapter-wide § 7-208. Under § 7-209 the fire official issues a summons, citation or written notice with up to 30 working days to correct the violation before a civil penalty under appendix A, comprehensive fees and penalties, applies; violations the fire official treats as an immediate danger to life or property can bypass that notice period and go straight to a city court summons. The violator is also liable to the city for response costs.

Compared to other cities, Franklin takes a harder line on fireworks. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Franklin is tougher than many cities when it comes to fire regulations. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Franklin, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Franklin can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.