Does downtown Franklin have extra design review?

Yes. Parcels within Franklin's historic overlay districts, including much of the downtown core, are subject to review by the Franklin Historic Zoning Commission for exterior changes and new construction, on top of the standard zoning review that applies citywide.

How do I find the zoning for a property in Franklin?

Contact the City of Franklin Planning and Sustainability Department or use the city's GIS resources to confirm the current zoning district, and check separately whether the parcel falls within a historic overlay subject to Historic Zoning Commission review.

Franklin, Tennessee · city zoning districts · 7 districts

Franklin, TN zoning map & districts

Franklin, an affluent Williamson County suburb south of Nashville, administers zoning through its Planning and Sustainability Department, with the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission reviewing rezonings and subdivision plats before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen takes final action. Franklin's zoning map is distinguished by strong historic preservation regulation: the Franklin Historic Zoning Commission reviews exterior changes, demolitions, and new construction within the city's historic overlay districts, including its downtown historic core, in addition to the standard base-zoning review that applies citywide.

The code City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance

Franklin zoning map

The City of Franklin Planning and Sustainability Department maintains the official zoning map and administers the zoning ordinance; the Franklin Historic Zoning Commission separately reviews projects within the city's historic overlay districts.

There is no link to the official map here yet — confirm current district boundaries directly with the Franklin planning or zoning department.

A published summary is never the authority. The adopted ordinance and the city's official zoning map govern, and both change — verify the district and every standard on your parcel before you rely on it.

How zoning works in Franklin

Developers working in or near downtown Franklin should expect a design-review layer on top of ordinary zoning compliance wherever a historic overlay applies, since the Historic Zoning Commission's standards govern building form and materials independent of what the underlying base district otherwise allows.

Franklin zoning districts by family

The 7 district codes below are the ones that decide most projects in Franklin, grouped by what they are for rather than by the order the ordinance prints them.

Key districts in the City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance — a curated reference, not the exhaustive list. Confirm against the current adopted code.
Code	District	What it is for
Residential 4 districts
RS-40	Estate-Lot Single-Family Residential District	40,000-square-foot minimum lot, Franklin's largest-lot single-family tier.
RS-20	Large-Lot Single-Family Residential District	20,000-square-foot minimum lot single-family district.
RS-10	Standard Single-Family Residential District	10,000-square-foot minimum lot, Franklin's standard single-family district.
RM	Multi-Family Residential District	Apartment-scale multifamily district.
Commercial 1 district
CG	General Commercial District	Broad commercial uses along Franklin's arterial corridors.
Industrial 1 district
I	Industrial District	Franklin's general industrial district.
Special purpose 1 district
AR	Agricultural-Residential District	One-acre-minimum district at Franklin's rural fringe.

Franklin zoning — common questions

Who administers zoning in Franklin, TN?: The City of Franklin Planning and Sustainability Department administers the zoning ordinance, with the Franklin Municipal Planning Commission reviewing rezonings and plats and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen holding final approval authority.
Does downtown Franklin have extra design review?: Yes. Parcels within Franklin's historic overlay districts, including much of the downtown core, are subject to review by the Franklin Historic Zoning Commission for exterior changes and new construction, on top of the standard zoning review that applies citywide.
How do I find the zoning for a property in Franklin?: Contact the City of Franklin Planning and Sustainability Department or use the city's GIS resources to confirm the current zoning district, and check separately whether the parcel falls within a historic overlay subject to Historic Zoning Commission review.

Working in Tennessee? Get on the list.

The parcel layer lands in the order demand does. Illinois went first because that's where the deals were; the next state is decided by who tells us what they're trying to underwrite. Tell us where you're building and what you wanted to run — you'll hear from us when Tennessee opens, and sooner if we need a test parcel.

Keep reading

← Tennessee zoning — who holds the zoning power in Tennessee, under which enabling statute, and the reforms that override local rules.

Other Tennessee cities

The zoning reference → — every state, plus city-level district guides like this one.

Franklin zoning summaries on this page are provided for information, not legal advice. Confirm every project against the current adopted code for the jurisdiction.