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Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Nashville, TN (2026)

2 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for Nashville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Density Bonus Law

Metro Nashville grants developers up to a 25% density or floor-area bonus in a Planned Unit Development in exchange for dedicating land for public use, such as parks, schools, or greenways.

Nashville PUD Density Bonus Rules

Some Restrictions

Metropolitan Code of Laws § 17.36.090(A)

A development bonus may be awarded by the council to a master development plan from which there is an offer of public dedication and subsequent acceptance of land to satisfy or further a recognized community need or the provision of affordable housing. ... For each form of contribution established below, a twenty-five percent increase above the conventional density or floor area ratio (FAR) sta...

Downtown Design Guide

Metro Nashville adopted the Downtown Code (DTC), a separate development-standards document that sets building placement, height, and design rules for the DTC zoning district and overrides the citywide bulk-regulation tables in Chapter 17.12.

Nashville Downtown Code Design Standards

Some Restrictions

Metropolitan Code of Laws § 17.37.010

The metropolitan government adopts the DTC to be applicable throughout the metropolitan government. A copy of such DTC is attached to the ordinance codified in this section and made a part hereof, the same as if copied verbatim herein. (Ord. BL2025-799 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; Amdt. 1 to Ord. BL2025-761 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; Ord. BL2025-761 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; Ord. BL2024-452 § 1(Exh. B), 2024; Ord. B...