Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Forest Hills, Tennessee

Forest Hills’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Construction or alteration of structures or property inside Forest Hills city limits.

  • The City says a permit may be required, including for new structures, physical changes to structures or land forms, and other work regulated by City building codes and ordinances.

  “Construction or alterations to structures or property in the City of Forest Hills may require a permit. The requirement applies not only to new structures but to any work that physically changes structures or land forms already on the property, plus any other work regulated by the City building codes and ordinances.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Construction and alteration work inside Forest Hills city limits.

  • The City page describes a transition to the 2024 IRC/IBC in October 2026; the page does not identify a precise adoption ordinance or transition day.

  “City is transitioning to the 2024 IRC/IBC in Oct 2026”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Forest Hills city limits.

  • The City building and zoning department administers and enforces the Municipal Code and Zoning Ordinance.

  “The building and zoning department is responsible for protecting public safety, health, and general welfare through the administration and enforcement of the Forest Hills Municipal Code and Zoning Ordinance.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Forest Hills city limits.

  • The official City guide index names Estates 1A, Estates A, Estates B, Estates C, Residential A, Neighborhood Conservation 1, and Neighborhood Conservation 2.

  “Estates 1A Estates A Estates B Estates C Residential A Neighborhood Conservation 1 Neighborhood Conservation 2”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  City building and zoning permit applications inside Forest Hills city limits.

  • Applications and plans must be approved by the Building Official and City Manager; they may require City Engineer or other-staff review; the permit may issue if no issues are found.

  “The application and plans must be approved by the Building Official and the City Manager, who may elect to require further review by the City Engineer or other staff. If no issues are found, the permit may be issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Forest Hills or Davidson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Forest Hills city limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Forest Hills city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Forest Hills city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Forest Hills city limits.
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Forest Hills city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Forest Hills means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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