Hendersonville's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Hendersonville, Tennessee, there are 8 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.

Tree Trimming

Hendersonville has been a Tree City USA community for 32 years (designated by the Arbor Day Foundation through 2023) and also received a Tree City USA Growth Award (26 years), so it maintains a tree care ordinance and an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita. The City does not require a permit for routine pruning of healthy trees on private residential property. Pruning of public/right-of-way trees and trees within Old Hickory Lake's USACE-managed shoreline buffer requires advance authorization. Tennessee common law (UT Extension SP687) allows an adjoining landowner to trim overhanging branches back to the property line.

Key details: Tree City USA: 32 years (through 2023) + 26 Growth Awards. Per-Capita Spend: ≥ $2/capita (Tree City USA standard). Private Pruning: No City permit for routine healthy-tree pruning. Public/ROW Trees: City-maintained — call Planning 615-264-5316. Old Hickory Lake Shoreline: USACE Nashville District — limit trim to 1/3 height, ≤7 ft.

Improper pruning of a public/ROW tree may be referred to the Planning Department (615-264-5316). Pruning over the USACE shoreline limits at Old Hickory Lake (more than one-third of canopy height or more than 7 feet, or cutting trees >1 inch DBH where prohibited) is enforced by USACE Nashville District rangers and may result in restoration requirements and federal civil penalties. Cutting a neighbor's tree without permission exposes the cutter to civil damages under Tennessee common law.

Weed Ordinances

Hendersonville regulates weeds through the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (adopted by Ord. No. 2025-05). IPMC § 302.4 prohibits weeds or plant growth in excess of the adopted maximum and defines 'weeds' as 'all grasses, annual plants and vegetation' other than cultivated flowers and gardens. There is no standalone Tennessee statewide residential noxious-weed list; the Tennessee Invasive Plant Council (TN-IPC, formerly TN-EPPC) publishes the authoritative invasive-plant list used statewide and routinely cited in municipal tree and landscape ordinances. Enforcement is by the City Property Maintenance Inspector.

Key details: Operative Code: 2021 IPMC § 302.4 (Weeds) — adopted by Ord. 2025-05. Definition: All grasses, annual plants and vegetation — excludes cultivated flowers. Enforcement: Property Maintenance Inspector — 615-590-4662. Office Address: 3 Executive Park Drive, Hendersonville, TN 37075. TN Noxious Residential List: None statewide for residential lots.

The Property Maintenance Inspector issues a Notice of Violation with a deadline to abate (mow/cut). Failure to comply leads to a citation under the City's adopted IPMC framework and, where the adopting ordinance authorizes, City-contracted abatement billed back to the property. Continued violations may be referred to Hendersonville Municipal Court.

Native Plants

Hendersonville does not mandate native landscaping on private residential property, but the City's landscape standards require that 'for each development site, at least 75 percent of the trees required to be planted under the provisions of this article shall be native species.' The Tree Selection Notes template on the Planning Department's submittal page guides applicants in selecting native and adapted species. Tennessee's state tree is the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) per TCA § 4-1-305. Property owners may remove TN-IPC-listed invasive species without City restriction.

Key details: Development Standard: ≥ 75% of required trees must be native species. Trigger: Required plantings on regulated development sites. Existing Single-Family Lots: No City native-plant mandate. Guide Document: Tree Selection Notes template (Planning Dept.). State Tree: Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) — TCA § 4-1-305.

There is no penalty for choosing or not choosing native plants on existing private residential property. On regulated development sites, failure to meet the 75% native standard on required tree plantings is a landscape-ordinance violation enforced by the Planning Department through site-plan/development-plan compliance, potentially holding up certificates of occupancy until corrected. TN-IPC-listed invasive removal is unrestricted.

Artificial Turf

The City of Hendersonville does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting or regulating artificial turf on residential lots. Synthetic turf may be installed in rear and side yards without City permits. In required landscape areas under the City's landscape standards (street trees, bufferyards, parking-lot interior landscaping, screening), live plant material is required and artificial turf typically does not satisfy required-plantings standards. HOA covenants are commonly the operative restriction on synthetic turf in Hendersonville subdivisions and are enforceable independent of City rules.

Key details: City Permit: Not required for residential installation. Authority: Hendersonville Zoning / Landscape Standards. Required Landscape Areas: Live plant material — artificial turf generally not accepted. Single-Family Lot: No City restriction on synthetic turf. State Law: TN — no statewide artificial turf rule.

There is no Hendersonville code violation for installing artificial turf on a private single-family lot outside required landscape areas. Using artificial turf to satisfy required landscape material on a regulated development site would be a landscape-standards violation enforced by Planning, with corrective plantings required. HOA violations are enforced privately by the association, not the City.

The rules around artificial turf in Hendersonville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Grass Height Limits

The City of Hendersonville has adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) by Ordinance No. 2025-05, enforced by the Property Maintenance Inspector (615-590-4662) at 3 Executive Park Drive. Under IPMC § 302.4 (Weeds), all premises and exterior property must be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of the jurisdictionally adopted maximum (Hendersonville enforces the IPMC default of 10 inches absent a higher local figure). Tall grass and litter on private property are handled jointly by Property Maintenance and Zoning Enforcement.

Key details: Adopted Code: 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (Ord. No. 2025-05). Operative Section: IPMC § 302.4 — Weeds & plant growth. Enforcing Office: Property Maintenance Inspector — 615-590-4662. Office Address: 3 Executive Park Drive, Hendersonville, TN 37075. Complaints: pmcomplaint@hvilletn.org / 615-590-4662 / fax 615-590-1015.

Complaints intake by the Property Maintenance Inspector triggers a site inspection. Confirmed violations result in a Notice of Violation with a compliance deadline. Continued non-compliance escalates to municipal citation and, where allowed under the IPMC adoption ordinance, City-contracted abatement (cutting) with costs assessed against the property owner. Property maintenance violations of the IPMC are enforceable through Hendersonville Municipal Court under the City's adopted code framework.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

The City of Hendersonville Planning Department issues a Tree Removal Permit (application and checklist available under Application & Submittal Information). Tree Survey and Tree Removal documents are required components of a Land Disturbance Permit ($50 application fee + $10,000/acre surety), making tree-removal review mandatory for any site triggering land disturbance. On unregulated single-family residential lots, removal of a healthy tree generally does not require a City permit, but trees within the USACE-managed Old Hickory Lake shoreline buffer require federal approval. TCA § 43-28-312 imposes double (negligent) and triple (intentional) damages for unauthorized cutting of another's timber.

Key details: Permit Application: Tree Removal Permit Application + Checklist (Planning Dept.). Permit Trigger: Land Disturbance Permit sites (Title 18) + regulated developments. Land Disturbance Fees: $50 application + $10,000/acre surety. Application Portal: Hendersonville CSS Portal — css.hvilletn.org. Single-Family Exempt: Routine removal of healthy private trees on existing lots.

Removing trees on a site requiring a Land Disturbance Permit without an approved Tree Survey / Tree Removal review is a Title 18 stormwater-ordinance violation enforced by Planning/Stormwater and can hold up the Land Disturbance Permit and any downstream building permits. Removal of a USACE shoreline tree without federal approval is a federal violation enforceable by USACE rangers with restoration and civil penalties. Cutting a neighbor's tree is exposed to 2x (negligent) or 3x (intentional) market-value damages under TCA § 43-28-312.

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is legal and unregulated for residential non-potable use throughout Tennessee, including Hendersonville. There are no volume limits, no permit requirements, and no equipment/inspection requirements at the state level. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Permanent Stormwater Management Manual recognizes rainwater harvesting (Chapter 5.4.10) as an approved Stormwater Control Measure. Hendersonville's Title 18 stormwater program (revised September 10, 2024) treats green infrastructure favorably for development-site stormwater credits.

Key details: State Law: Legal — TN has no restrictions on rainwater harvesting. Permit: None required at State or City level for residential use. Volume Limits: None. TDEC Manual: Permanent Stormwater Manual § 5.4.10 Rainwater Harvesting. Stormwater Credit: Counts as SCM on Title 18 development sites.

There are no violations associated with installing or using residential rainwater harvesting systems in Hendersonville. Compliance issues only arise if a system is cross-connected to the potable supply without an approved backflow prevention device (a Tennessee plumbing-code matter, not a City code issue), or if a very large above-ground cistern triggers Zoning accessory-structure setbacks, height, or coverage limits.

The rules around rainwater harvesting in Hendersonville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Water Restrictions

Hendersonville is served by the Hendersonville Utility District (HUD), an independent utility serving more than 45,000 people in 14,000 homes/businesses across the greater Hendersonville area. HUD draws from Old Hickory Lake (Cumberland River system) via its intake near Rockland Park, treating water at a state-of-the-art plant dedicated in 2014. The City of Hendersonville does not own or operate water utilities. Tennessee has no statewide outdoor-watering schedule, and HUD does not impose routine year-round watering restrictions. White House Utility District serves portions of the area.

Key details: Primary Utility: Hendersonville Utility District (HUD). Service Population: More than 45,000 people (~14,000 customers). Source Water: Old Hickory Lake — intake near Rockland Park. Treatment Plant: State-of-the-art plant dedicated 2014. Contact: 125 Indian Lake Road / 615-824-3717 / hudcs@hendutil.net.

HUD enforces any conservation or shortage measures through its customer service and billing channels; the City of Hendersonville does not enforce water-utility restrictions since it does not own or operate the utility. Routine residential lawn watering during normal supply conditions is unrestricted in HUD's service area.

The rules around water restrictions in Hendersonville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Hendersonville gives residents more room on landscaping rules. 3 of the 8 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Hendersonville's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.