Chattanooga caps building height at 35 feet across its RN-1 through RN-2 residential zones. Detached accessory structures are limited to 24 feet and can never exceed the height of the main house. Unincorporated county height limits come from the county Zoning Regulations.
Chattanooga City Code Sec. 38-16 (Table 38-16.3) sets a maximum building height of 35 feet in the RN-1-7.5, RN-1-6, RN-1-5, RN-1-3, RN-2, and RN-3 residential zones. A footnote further limits any structure to 35 feet within 35 feet of those lower-density zones, protecting adjacent homes. For accessory buildings, Sec. 38-50(d) caps the height of any detached accessory structure at 24 feet, and no accessory structure may exceed the height of the principal building. In unincorporated Hamilton County, maximum height is set by the Hamilton County Zoning Regulations administered by the Regional Planning Agency; confirm the limit for your zone with Development Services.
Exceeding the zone height limit requires a variance; building over-height without approval can lead to denied inspections, stop-work orders, and required alterations.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Hamilton County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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