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Williamson County, TN HOA Rules: Dispute Resolution (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Zoning Ordinance Sec. 16.06(E)
Applies to
Unincorporated Williamson County only
County action
Discretionary, not mandatory
Remedy sought
Injunction or other civil remedy
Cost recovery
Pro-rata lien on all lot owners
Prerequisite remedies
Lot-owner self-assessment tried first

Summary

Williamson County does not referee disputes between a homeowner and their HOA board, but it holds a narrow civil-enforcement backstop under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 16.06(E): if an association fails to maintain required open space or common areas, the County may seek an injunction or other civil remedy and recover its costs by lien.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Williamson County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

In the event of a failure to maintain such open space or common areas, the County may, but is not required to, seek to enforce the homeowners' or property owners' association's non-performance of its obligations and duties (as described in the covenants and provisions) or as may be required by the Tennessee Code Annotated, through an injunction or any other civil remedy. The cost of such enforcement shall be reimbursed by the lot owners, and the County may place a lien on all lot owners within the subdivision for their pro-rata share of the cost, plus any administrative fees.

Full Breakdown

Article 16 of the Williamson County Zoning Ordinance requires any residential development of two or more lots with required common open space to form a homeowners' or property owners' association, and Sec. 06 sets the standards that association must meet: mandatory membership, permanent open-space restrictions, liability insurance, and pro-rata funding by every lot owner (Sec. 06(A)). If the association dissolves, Sec. 06(D) shifts maintenance responsibility to the individual lot owners on a pro-rata basis, or lets lot owners re-form the association and self-assess for upkeep; only if both of those remedies fail may the County step in, after notice, to bring the open space into compliance and lien the lot owners for the pro-rata cost plus administrative fees.

Sec. 06(E) is the separate, broader enforcement tool: whenever an association fails to perform its maintenance obligations, whether that failure is described in the recorded covenants or required by the Tennessee Code Annotated, the County 'may, but is not required to' pursue an injunction or any other civil remedy against it. This is discretionary, not a duty the County owes to any individual homeowner, and it addresses the association's performance of its recorded covenant duties, not day-to-day board governance disputes, vendor contracts, or election fights within the HOA.

Because this is county zoning authority, it reaches subdivisions in the unincorporated county only; residents inside Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview, or Nolensville fall under those cities' own codes, not this Article 16 mechanism.

Violations & Fines

The County recovers its enforcement costs, not fines against the HOA itself. Under Sec. 16.06(D) and (E), once the County acts to bring an association's open space into compliance or pursues an injunction/civil remedy for non-performance, it may place a lien on every lot within the subdivision for that lot's pro-rata share of the cost, plus any administrative fees the County incurred bringing the action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Williamson County mediate a dispute between me and my HOA board?
No. Sec. 16.06 governs the association's obligation to maintain common open space that the zoning ordinance required when the subdivision was platted; it gives the County a discretionary civil-enforcement role over that specific duty, not a mediation service for internal HOA governance, dues disputes, or architectural-review fights.
What happens if our HOA stops maintaining the common area and won't reorganize?
Under Sec. 16.06(D), lot owners may first re-form the association and self-assess for upkeep. Only if that fails may the County, after notice, bring the open space into compliance and, under Sec. 16.06(E), pursue an injunction or other civil remedy against the association's non-performance.
Who pays if the County has to sue or bring in an injunction over a failed HOA?
The lot owners do. Sec. 16.06(E) lets the County recover its enforcement cost by placing a lien on every lot in the subdivision for that lot's pro-rata share, plus any administrative fees the County incurred.
Does this rule apply inside Franklin or Brentwood?
No. Sec. 16.06 is part of the Williamson County Zoning Ordinance, which under Tennessee law reaches only the unincorporated county. Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview, and Nolensville each administer their own municipal code for HOA-related matters.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Williamson County

All Williamson County rules

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