Williamson County, TN Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

08: Historic and Cultural Resource Protection Standards applies to new development on any parcel containing a structure or site on the National Register of Historic Places, or containing historic dry-laid stone walls, cemeteries, archaeological sites, or vestiges of early human habitation. For a historic structure on a residential development, the structure must sit in commonly owned open space or occupy an individual lot of at least five acres or three times the largest lot in the development, whichever is greater, capped at 15 acres unless the applicant chooses to exceed it.

On nonresidential parcels, the structure is either subdivided into its own lot on the same size formula or incorporated into the new development, in which case new buildings should retain the structure's historic character, avoid altering its historic features, and match its massing, form, scale, size, height, and proportion. Where a historic structure sits within 500 feet of a public roadway, no new building may stand in front of it, side or front-yard additions must stay at least 100 feet from the structure's centerline extended toward the roadway, and rear or side additions must stay at least 50 feet away; beyond 500 feet, the flat setback is 50 feet.

For sites holding other historic or cultural resources, cemeteries, archaeological sites, or stone walls, the county requires them preserved as part of an open space set-aside where open space is required, or on an individual protected lot outside the building envelope where it is not, and bars any new building or addition within 25 feet of the resource. These standards are reviewed at the site plan or subdivision stage by the Community Development Department.