Murfreesboro, Tennessee zoning

A plain-language summary of the Murfreesboro zoning ordinance, organized by district and topic. Source: the official ordinance on official City of Murfreesboro Appendix A Zoning Ordinance PDF, last revised May 21, 2026, last reviewed July 3, 2026.

Zoning districts

• RS-15Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Low-density single-family residential district with 15,000 square foot minimum lots and compatible institutional uses controlled by Charts 1 and 2.

• RS-12Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Low-density single-family residential district with 12,000 square foot minimum lots and compatible uses controlled by Charts 1 and 2.

• RS-10Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Low-density single-family residential district with 10,000 square foot minimum lots and compatible uses controlled by Charts 1 and 2.

• RS-8Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Single-family residential district with 8,000 square foot minimum lots and Chart 2 dimensional controls.

• RS-6Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Single-family residential district with 6,000 square foot minimum lots and Chart 2 dimensional controls.

• RS-4Residential

  Single-Family Residential District

  Older-area single-family district for continued maintenance of 4,000 square foot lots, not intended for new undeveloped-area subdivisions.

• RS-AResidential

  Single-Family Attached District

  Single-family attached district with Type 1 zero-lot-line, Type 2 suburban townhouse, and Type 3 urban townhouse development types.

• RS-A1Residential

  RS-A Type 1, Zero-Lot Line

  GIS code for the RS-A Type 1 zero-lot-line form described in Section 19 and regulated by Chart 2 RS-A row 1.

• RS-A2Residential

  RS-A Type 2, Suburban Townhouse

  GIS code for the RS-A Type 2 suburban townhouse form described in Section 19 and regulated by Chart 2 RS-A row 2.

• RS-A3Residential

  RS-A Type 3, Urban Townhouse

  GIS code for the RS-A Type 3 urban townhouse form described in Section 19 and regulated by Chart 2 RS-A row 3.

• R-DResidential

  Duplex Residential District

  Residential district for single-family and two-family dwellings, with Chart 1 use controls and Chart 2 dimensional controls.

• RM-12Residential

  Residential Multi-Family District

  Residential district with a broad range of housing types. Chart 1 Endnote 21 permits multiple-family dwellings only where the property was zoned RM-12 on or before December 31, 2017.

• RM-16Residential

  Residential Multi-Family District

  Residential district with a broad range of housing types. Chart 1 Endnote 21 permits multiple-family dwellings only where the property was zoned RM-16 on or before December 31, 2017.

• R-MOResidential

  Mobile Home District

  District for mobile home parks and subdivisions with additional site approval, site standards, and mobile-home setback rules.

• OGCommercial

  General Office District

  Office district for administrative, executive, and professional uses plus specified institutional and limited retail uses.

• OG-RMixed use

  General Office District - Residential

  Office-residential district allowing office, residential, specified institutional, and limited retail uses.

• CLCommercial

  Local Commercial District

  Local commercial district for retail and personal service uses serving a relatively small area.

• CPSpecial purpose

  Legacy Commercial Planned / Reserved Commercial Code

  GIS layer contains CP, but current Section 14 lists the first commercial district entry as reserved and planned commercial development as PCD. Treat CP as legacy or map-specific and confirm with Planning before relying on it.

• CHCommercial

  Highway Commercial District

  General commercial district for linear highway and transportation-area commercial uses.

• CBDCommercial

  Central Business District

  Central business district for residential, employment, commercial, governmental, and cultural center uses, with special restrictions on new multiple-family permissions.

• CM-RMixed use

  Medical District Residential

  Medical district residential category devoted primarily to health-related uses with residential dimensional rows in Chart 2.

• CMCommercial

  Medical District Commercial

  Medical district commercial category for hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, medical offices, and related uses.

• CM-RS-8Mixed use

  Medical District Residential Single Family

  Medical district residential single-family category for health-related uses and single-family residential controls.

• CFCommercial

  Commercial Fringe District

  General commercial fringe district along highways and major arterials, with drive-up, fuel, dumpster, and lighting limitations near residential property.

• MUMixed use

  Mixed Use District

  Mixed use district allowing vertical and horizontal mixtures of commercial and institutional uses, intended for GDO or similar overlay areas.

• H-IIndustrial

  Heavy Industrial District

  Industrial district for manufacturing, wholesaling, or warehousing accessible to major transportation routes.

• G-IIndustrial

  General Industrial District

  Industrial district for wholesaling, warehousing, or limited manufacturing with controls to reduce impacts on nearby districts.

• L-IIndustrial

  Light Industrial District

  Industrial district for warehousing, wholesaling, and light assembly uses with little neighborhood impact other than truck traffic.

• CUSpecial purpose

  College and University District

  Special-purpose district for colleges, universities, and compatible uses serving college and university areas.

• PSpecial purpose

  Park District

  Special-purpose district for park, recreational, and open-space areas under public or private ownership.

• PRDSpecial purpose

  Planned Residential District

  Planned development district for residential development approved under the planned development procedures and conditions.

• PCDSpecial purpose

  Planned Commercial District

  Planned development district for commercial development approved under the planned development procedures and conditions.

• PIDSpecial purpose

  Planned Industrial District

  Planned development district for industrial development approved under the planned development procedures and conditions.

• PUDMixed use

  Planned Unit District

  Planned unit district where the approved plan and ordinance control use, layout, and conditions.

• PNDSpecial purpose

  Planned Institutional District

  Planned institutional district where the approved plan and ordinance control use, layout, and conditions.

• AODSpecial purpose

  Airport Overlay District

  Airport overlay district controlling height and uses that may create airport hazards. Section 24 Article I names it AOD; Section 14(F)(3) lists it as AHR, Airport Height Regulation District.

• BPDSpecial purpose

  Battlefield Protection District

  Overlay district established by Section 14(F)(4). The current Appendix A contains no separate Section 24 article for BPD, so confirm applicability and standards with Planning.

• H-1Special purpose

  Historic District

  Historic overlay district controlling designated historic areas in addition to base zoning.

• GDO-1Special purpose

  Gateway Design Overlay District 1

  Gateway design overlay subdistrict applying gateway design standards in addition to base zoning.

• GDO-2Special purpose

  Gateway Design Overlay District 2

  Gateway design overlay subdistrict applying gateway design standards in addition to base zoning.

• GDO-3Special purpose

  Gateway Design Overlay District 3

  Gateway design overlay subdistrict applying gateway design standards in addition to base zoning.

• GDO-4Special purpose

  Gateway Design Overlay District 4

  Gateway design overlay subdistrict applying gateway design standards in addition to base zoning.

• PSSpecial purpose

  Planned Signage Overlay District

  Planned signage overlay district applying planned signage controls in addition to base zoning.

• CCOSpecial purpose

  City Core Overlay District

  City core overlay district used with the base district, with the more stringent CCO standards applying.

Rules by topic

• Permitted usesWhat you can do by right in each zoning district.
• Special land usesUses that need special approval before they are allowed.
• SetbacksHow far buildings must sit from property lines.
• Building heightHeight limits by district, and the exceptions.
• Lot coverageHow much of a lot buildings may cover.
• Lot size and widthMinimum lot area and width requirements.
• ParkingRequired spaces, driveway rules, and surfaces.
• Accessory dwelling unitsWhether a second dwelling unit is allowed.
• Garages, sheds, and accessory structuresSize caps, setbacks, and height limits for detached structures.
• FencesHeight limits, placement, and prohibited materials.
• SignsWhat signs are allowed and where.
• Home occupationsRunning a business from a residence.
• Variances and appealsWho decides, what standard applies, and the sequence.

Common questions

• What does the airport overlay do?
• Are accessory dwelling units allowed in Murfreesboro?
• Where are duplexes allowed in Murfreesboro?
• Where do I check whether a shop, restaurant, office, hotel, or auto use is allowed?
• What special commercial-fringe limits apply near residential property?
• Can I run a home business in Murfreesboro?
• How tall can a house be in Murfreesboro?
• How is required parking calculated in Murfreesboro?
• How do planned development districts work in Murfreesboro?
• What are the basic setbacks in Murfreesboro RS districts?