In Chattanooga's RN-1-7.5 single-family zone, homes need a 25-foot front setback, 5-foot interior side setbacks, and a 25-foot rear setback. Setbacks vary by zone; unincorporated Hamilton County uses its own Zoning Regulations.
Chattanooga City Code Sec. 38-16 sets residential setbacks in Table 38-16.5. For the RN-1-7.5 zone the minimum front setback is 25 feet (or the average setback, whichever is less), the minimum interior side setback is 5 feet, and the minimum rear setback is 25 feet; corner side setbacks are 25 feet. Smaller-lot residential zones (RN-1-5, RN-1-3) use 15-foot front setbacks. Detached accessory structures must be at least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines and out of front yards (Sec. 38-50). In unincorporated Hamilton County, the Hamilton County Zoning Regulations (administered by the Regional Planning Agency) set setbacks by zone; the R1 zone requires a minimum 7,500-square-foot lot.
Building inside a required setback without a variance from the Board of Appeals can result in denied permits, stop-work orders, and an order to remove or relocate the encroaching structure.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga does not impose a blanket spay or neuter mandate, but McKamey Animal Center sterilizes shelter pets before adoption and offers low-cost clinics f...
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga encourages microchipping for dogs and cats handled by McKamey Animal Center, and impounded animals are scanned for chips before adoption or eutha...
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga regulates vegetation through Chapter 21 (Property Maintenance), Article IV (Exterior Requirements), which requires that grass, underbrush, and we...
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga sits in a moderate wildland-urban interface along Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain, and Stringer’s Ridge, and CFD coordinates with TN Division o...
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga Fire Department enforces the adopted Tennessee Fire Code on residential propane cylinder storage, capping above-ground container size and requiri...
Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga has no general City Code ordinance restricting lawn ornaments, garden statues, or yard decorations on private residential property. Items must re...
See how Chattanooga's setback rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.