Nashville's Landscaping Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles landscaping rules a little differently. In Nashville, Tennessee, there are 5 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.

Native Plants

Nashville allows natural landscaping in place of a mowed lawn only if the design is filed with and approved by the beautification commission horticulturalist and Metro's chief traffic engineer, with a three-foot setback from the front and side property lines.

Key details: Approval required from: Beautification commission horticulturalist and traffic engineer. Minimum setback: 3 feet from front and side lines. Default weed limit: 12 inches without an approved design. Governing chapter: Metro Code Ch. 10.26, High Weeds and Debris. Max fine: $50 per day, per violation.

No approved design on file means the yard is judged under the plain twelve-inch weed limit, a code violation the Department of Codes Administration can cite. Metro's general penalty clause caps fines at fifty dollars, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Nashville's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Weed Ordinances

Metro Nashville caps weeds and grass at 12 inches on any property; taller growth is a public nuisance enforced by the Department of Codes Administration, with notice, fines, and a lien if you don't cut it.

Key details: Height limit: 12 inches for weeds/grass. Enforcement: Dept. of Codes Administration. Fine: $50/day, $250 cap per lot. Notice period: 10 days to remedy. Exempt areas: Six satellite cities keep own codes.

Public nuisance citation; unresolved after a ten-day notice draws a fine up to $50 per day, capped at $250 per lot, plus city abatement costs and a property lien.

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees

Removing a retained, protected, or heritage tree in Metro Nashville requires a zoning administrator permit backed by a tree survey, and approval hinges on meeting one of eight specific review criteria in the code.

Key details: Permitting authority: Zoning administrator, with urban forester review. Protected tree threshold: 6-inch DBH (2-inch in right-of-way). Permit validity: Expires in 6 months if unstarted. Unpermitted removal penalty: $50 per tree, per day. Heritage tree threshold: 24-inch DBH for deciduous canopy trees.

Unauthorized removal of a retained, protected, or heritage tree draws civil penalties of fifty dollars per tree, per day, plus mandatory inch-for-inch replacement under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 17.28.065.D.8 and § 17.28.065.C.2.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Nashville actively enforces its tree removal & heritage trees requirements.

Tree Trimming

Metro Nashville bans any tree, hedge, or bush inside a public street right-of-way, and bars them within 25 feet of intersections above 30 inches tall, whenever they block driver sight lines.

Key details: Citation: Metro Code § 13.12.190. Intersection setback: 25 ft, max 30 in. tall. Street right-of-way: No trees or hedges at all. Notice to remove: 15 days. Enforcing body: Traffic and Parking Commission.

After the 15-day notice period lapses without removal, the Traffic and Parking Commission has the obstruction removed by Metro forces or contract, and the cost becomes a debt owed by the property owner, recoverable by legal action.

Compared to other cities, Nashville takes a harder line on tree trimming. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Water Restrictions

Metro Water Services' director can ban outdoor sprinkling with hose or wagon anytime the water system's condition makes it necessary for public safety, publishing the order in a local paper: the ban stays in force until officially rescinded.

Key details: Authority: Metro Water Services director, by order. Trigger: water supply conditions requiring public safety. Notice: published in a daily newspaper. Duration: in force until rescinded. Separate rule: wilful water wasting always unlawful.

Using water for the banned purpose after the director's order is published is unlawful under 15.28.010; wilfully wasting water, opening a faucet or breaking pipes, violates 15.28.020 and draws the code's general $50-per-day penalty.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Nashville actively enforces its water restrictions requirements.

The Bottom Line

Nashville is tougher than many cities when it comes to landscaping rules. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Nashville, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Nashville's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.