Are accessory dwelling units allowed in Murfreesboro?
Not in the detached backyard-cottage sense. The ordinance defines an accessory dwelling unit as a dwelling attached to or located within a commercial or industrial building and occupied by the owner or an employee of the business, and Chart 1 Endnote 1 permits that only in the OG-R, OG, CL, CF, CH, MU, CBD, H-I, G-I, L-I, CM, CM-R, and CM-RS-8 zones. In the single-family districts the route is an accessory apartment, which Chart 1 Endnote 8 allows in the RS-15, RS-12, RS-10, RS-8, RS-6, RS-4, and RS-A districts only with Board of Zoning Appeals approval under Section 9 standards, or with administrative Planning approval inside the City Core Overlay district. Confirm the district, overlay, and permit path with Planning before designing anything. (Corrected 2026-07-02.)
Sources
Full text: Murfreesboro ordinance on official City of Murfreesboro Appendix A Zoning Ordinance PDF, last revised May 21, 2026. Applies to district: *.
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