Knoxville hillside and ridgetop protection rules limit grading, retaining walls, and tree loss on slopes greater than fifteen percent, protecting scenic East Tennessee terrain and reducing landslide risk.
Recode Knoxville incorporated long-standing Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan recommendations into supplemental development standards. On parcels with slopes greater than fifteen percent, plans must show existing topography, building footprints stepped to grade, retaining wall heights, and tree retention zones. Steeper slopes above twenty-five percent often require geotechnical reports. Disturbance is minimized along ridgelines, and roof reflectivity and lighting can be reviewed for visual impact. The standards work alongside stormwater, grading, and tree code reviews handled jointly with Knox County Planning.
Working in a hillside area without engineered plans, removing protected trees, or exceeding cut and fill limits triggers stop-work orders, redesign requirements, and replanting or restoration obligations.
Knoxville, TN
Recode Knoxville, adopted in 2020, replaced the 1962 zoning code with form-based standards, neighborhood districts, and clearer mixed-use rules grounded in t...
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville recognizes heritage and significant trees through inventory programs, hillside protection, and Recode landscape standards that limit removal of lar...
See how Knoxville's hillside overlay rules rules stack up against other locations.
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