Knoxville Zoning Intelligence
Zoning, permitted uses, and development potential for Knoxville, Tennessee. 44 districts with their permitted uses and building controls.
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Zoning districts are shown at zoom 15 and closer. Zoom out for the Knoxville city outline and street context.
How is Knoxville zoned?
Knoxville regulates land through 44 zoning districts, and the residential framework uses a Residential Neighborhood series numbered 1 through 6, from single family through general residential to multifamily.
RN-1 is the largest district in the city at roughly 17,316 acres, nearly three times RN-2 at about 5,939.
An Established Residential Neighborhood district at roughly 1,689 acres sits outside the numbered series, naming the older fabric separately and signalling an intent to maintain rather than intensify.
Water is its own district at roughly 3,091 acres, and a Natural Areas district covers about 1,942, alongside Parks And Open Space at roughly 3,302. Together those three cover more than eight thousand acres of non-developable land.
The commercial districts are numbered within each type: highway commercial at 1 and 2, regional commercial at 2, and general commercial at 1 and 2. The numbering distinguishes intensity within a role rather than across roles.
An Industrial Mixed Use district covers roughly 830 acres, providing a route between industrial and other uses.
General industrial covers roughly 2,711 acres and heavy industrial about 1,732. An Office Park district covers roughly 603 acres alongside a general Office district at about 693. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Knoxville, Tennessee Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Knoxville's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Zone Type | Area |
|---|---|---|
RN-1 Single Family Residential Neighborhood | - | 17,316.3 ac |
RN-2 Single Family Residential Neighborhood | - | 5,938.9 ac |
OS Parks And Open Space | - | 3,302.4 ac |
WATER Water | - | 3,091.2 ac |
What are the building controls in Knoxville?
Setback, height, FAR, lot area, and density controls enforced across Knoxville zoning districts.
- Building height
- Coverage
- Density
- FAR
- Front setback
- Lot
- Lot width
- Multi
- Pervious
- Rear setback
- Side setback
Other Tennessee cities
Knoxville zoning: frequently asked questions
- How is the Residential Neighborhood series organised?
- Numbered 1 through 6, from single family through general residential to multifamily. RN-1 is the largest district in the city at roughly 17,316 acres, nearly three times RN-2 at about 5,939.
- What is the Established Residential Neighborhood district?
- A district covering roughly 1,689 acres that sits outside the numbered series, naming the older fabric separately and signalling an intent to maintain rather than intensify.
- How much non-developable land is there?
- A Water district covers roughly 3,091 acres, Parks And Open Space about 3,302 and a Natural Areas district roughly 1,942, together more than eight thousand acres.
- How are commercial districts numbered?
- Within each type rather than across them: highway commercial at 1 and 2, regional commercial at 2, and general commercial at 1 and 2. The number distinguishes intensity within a role.
- What is the Industrial Mixed Use district?
- A district covering roughly 830 acres providing a route between industrial and other uses, alongside general industrial at about 2,711 acres and heavy industrial at roughly 1,732.
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Book a demo →Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Knoxville planning department before acquisition or design.