Landscaping Rules in Knoxville, TN (2026)

Knoxville Code of Ordinances § 14-59(a) (Ord. No. O-88-2014, § 8, 5-13-14; Ord. No. O-161-2021, § 21, 12-14-21)

It shall be the duty of any person or persons owning or occupying real property bordering on any street upon which property there may be trees, to prune or plant trees in such manner that they will not obstruct or shade street lights, will not obstruct the passage of pedestrians on sidewalks, will not obstruct vision of traffic signs, will not obstruct the use of any street or alley, will not o...

Knoxville Code of Ordinances § 14-35(a)

(a)No living tree within the city designated on the State of Tennessee Champion Tree list or designated as a landmark, or historic tree by the State of Tennessee or designated organization, shall be removed or otherwise substantially altered by pruning, trimming, or otherwise cutting more than twenty (20) percent of the woody area of such tree without first obtaining a permit from the urban for...

Knoxville Code of Ordinances § 13-143(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person owning, leasing, occupying or having control of property in the city to permit of suffer trees, vines, grass, weeds, underbrush or any other vegetation to grow or debris, trash, litter, garbage, refuse or other materials or any combination of such elements to accumulate on such property to such an extent that a nuisance is created injurious to the health, saf...

Knoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 7, Sec. 7.1.3.B (SW1 Old Sevier and Scottish Pike), Item 8.f; cross-referencing Sec. 7.0.3.E.2.b and Sec. 7.0.3.I.2.f (General Rules of Applicability)

Trash/Recycling Storage, External Mechanical Units, Electrical Units and Rain Barrels ... Integrate with building design or screen/conceal from view from public street and riverwalk. ... Solar panels, wind turbines and rainwater collection or harvesting systems less than 10 feet in height may encroach into a required rear setback, provided that such extension is at least 5 feet from the vertica...

Knoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 10, § 10.3.I.1-6 (Composting) (Ord. No. O-61-2020, § 1, 4-21-20; Ord. No. O-95-2022, § 1, 7-26-22; Ord. No. O-25-2024, § 1, 3-5-24)

I. Composting 1. Bins or piles are allowed only in rear yards and must be set back five feet from lot lines. 2. Bins or piles must not exceed 5% of the total lot area and six feet in height. 3. Bins or piles must be located outside of any required riparian buffer zone. 4. Compost must be enclosed or contained. 5. Compost must only be used for the composting of materials generated on-site, and c...