Nashville and Davidson County operate as a single consolidated government — which means your site plan doesn't get reviewed by "the city" and "the county" separately. It's one review, through one department. That's a genuine advantage. It's also why a site plan drafted for a typical two-tier city misses what Metro's single-step process actually checks.
The correction letter read: “Property within Metro Stormwater overlay — water quality buffer not addressed. Detached ADU exceeds maximum size for RS5 zoning. Flood zone reference missing — property within Cumberland River drainage basin.”
Three items, one consolidated review, one resubmission cycle that adds weeks regardless of how small the original gaps were.
Nashville-Davidson’s consolidated metropolitan government means zoning, stormwater, floodplain, and tree requirements all run through Metro’s Department of Codes Administration as a single review — but that consolidation doesn’t mean simplification. The Cumberland River and its tributaries — Mill Creek, Brown’s Creek, and others — create flood zone designations across a wide area of the county, not just riverfront parcels. Metro’s zoning code sets ADU standards that vary by base zoning district, and a generic “800 square foot” figure doesn’t apply uniformly. And Metro Water Services stormwater requirements apply to projects that increase impervious surface, regardless of whether the project looks like it should trigger drainage review.
We draft Nashville site plans against Metro’s consolidated checklist — flood zone, ADU sizing by district, and stormwater all addressed in the single review Metro actually runs.
- 24‑hour turnaround for most residential plans
- Free revisions if Metro Codes returns comments
- Fixed pricing – $89 to $249
What Makes Nashville-Davidson's Review Different
Consolidated metro government means one review — but one review that checks everything at once. Nashville and Davidson County merged into a single metropolitan government decades ago, and that consolidation extends to permitting: Metro’s Department of Codes Administration handles building permit review for the entire county, incorporating zoning compliance, stormwater, and floodplain requirements into a single process rather than routing through separate city and county departments. The upside is there’s no jurisdictional ambiguity about which government reviews your project. The consideration is that a single review checking multiple categories means a gap in any one category — zoning, stormwater, flood — holds the entire review, not just its corresponding piece.
The Cumberland River basin creates flood zone designations well beyond the riverfront. The Cumberland River runs through the heart of Davidson County, and its tributary network — Mill Creek, Brown’s Creek, Whites Creek, and others — means FEMA flood zone designations extend into neighborhoods that don’t read as “river-adjacent” from the street. A property in East Nashville, Donelson, or Bellevue can carry a flood zone designation tied to a tributary creek rather than the Cumberland itself. The site plan needs to reflect the FEMA panel number and zone designation regardless of whether the property feels like a flood risk — Metro’s reviewers check FEMA mapping directly, not visual proximity to water.
ADU size limits depend on the base zoning district — there’s no single citywide number. Nashville’s zoning code includes ADU provisions, but the applicable size limit, height restriction, and lot coverage implication depend on which residential zoning district the parcel falls into. RS5, RS7.5, R6, and other districts common across Davidson County each carry their own standards. A figure that’s accurate for one zoning district isn’t necessarily accurate for the property next door if the districts differ — which can happen at block boundaries, especially in neighborhoods that have seen rezoning activity. We verify the specific zoning district for the parcel before applying ADU size standards.
Metro Water Services stormwater requirements trigger on impervious surface increase, not project type. Adding a detached garage, an addition, or hardscape that increases the property’s impervious surface area can trigger Metro Water Services stormwater management requirements — independent of whether the project “looks like” a drainage project. A site plan that doesn’t address the impervious surface change and corresponding stormwater consideration generates a comment from this review track even when the zoning and setback elements are otherwise complete.
Tree protection considerations apply within Metro’s urban forestry framework. Davidson County’s tree canopy — particularly mature stands in established neighborhoods — falls under Metro’s tree protection considerations for development review. Properties with significant tree cover within a proposed disturbance area may need tree identification and protection notation as part of the site plan.
What Real Nashville Correction Comments Say
“Property located within FEMA-designated flood zone per current FIRM — Mill Creek tributary basin. FEMA panel number and zone designation not provided on site plan. Required regardless of distance from primary waterway. Resubmit.”
We check FEMA flood zone status against current FIRMs for every Davidson County parcel — including properties near tributary creeks like Mill Creek, Brown’s Creek, and Whites Creek, not just the Cumberland River itself.
“Detached ADU size shown exceeds maximum permitted for RS5 zoning district. Verify zoning district designation and applicable ADU standards prior to resubmittal.”
We confirm the specific zoning district for the parcel — RS5, RS7.5, R6, or others — before applying ADU size, height, and lot coverage standards, since these vary by district rather than applying as a single citywide figure.
“Proposed project increases impervious surface area. Metro Water Services stormwater management requirements apply. Stormwater documentation not provided. Resubmit with impervious surface calculation and stormwater notation.”
We calculate the impervious surface change for every Nashville project — additions, garages, driveways — and address Metro Water Services stormwater requirements when the increase triggers them, regardless of project type.
“Setback dimension shown measured to foundation wall. Furthest projection of structure — including roof overhang — must be used for setback measurement. Resubmit with corrected dimensions.”
We measure to the furthest projection — eave, overhang, chimney — on every Nashville plan.
“Significant tree cover identified within proposed disturbance area per aerial review. Tree protection notation not provided. Resubmit with tree identification and protection measures for trees within disturbance footprint.”
We identify significant trees within the proposed disturbance area and add protection notation where Metro’s urban forestry considerations apply.
“Easement shown without recorded instrument reference. Book and page number from Davidson County Register of Deeds required.”
We pull easement references from Davidson County recorder records — book and page, not a generic “utility easement” label.
What Every Nashville Site Plan We Deliver Includes
| Element | Why Metro’s Consolidated Review Checks It |
|---|---|
| Property lines from Davidson County recorded plat | Legal dimensions, not GIS approximations |
| Zoning district verification for the specific parcel | RS5, RS7.5, R6, and other districts each carry different setback and ADU standards — confirmed for the specific parcel, not assumed from the neighborhood |
| Setbacks measured to furthest projection | Eave, overhang, chimney — foundation measurements are redlined |
| Flood zone + FEMA panel number | Checked against current FIRM for Cumberland River and tributary basins (Mill Creek, Brown’s Creek, Whites Creek) — added regardless of visual proximity to water |
| ADU size, height, lot coverage per zoning district | Standards verified against the confirmed zoning district — not a single citywide figure |
| Impervious surface calculation | Existing and proposed hardscape totaled — supports Metro Water Services stormwater review |
| Stormwater notation where impervious surface increases | Addressed for any project increasing impervious surface, regardless of project type |
| Tree protection notation | Significant trees within disturbance area identified where Metro’s urban forestry considerations apply |
| Easements with Davidson County instrument references | Book and page from Register of Deeds records |
| North arrow, engineering scale, legal description | Required on every sheet |
Real Nashville Case Study — Germantown ADU, Three Issues in One Consolidated Review
Project: Detached ADU, Germantown neighborhood
What the homeowner submitted: A site plan from a national online drafting service, showing an 1,000 square foot detached ADU with setbacks measured from the foundation and no flood zone or stormwater notation.
What Metro Codes sent back in a single review cycle:
- “Property located within FEMA-designated flood zone per current FIRM — tributary basin designation. FEMA panel number not provided.”
- “Detached ADU size shown (1,000 sq ft) exceeds maximum permitted for confirmed zoning district. Verify district designation and applicable ADU standards.”
- “Setback dimensions measured to foundation wall. Furthest projection required.”
The compounding problem: Because Metro’s review is consolidated, all three issues came back in the same correction letter — but they required three different research steps to resolve: confirming the zoning district to determine the correct ADU cap, checking FEMA mapping for the tributary flood zone designation, and re-measuring every setback to the eave.
What we did when the homeowner came to us: Confirmed the parcel’s zoning district and the ADU size limit that applied to it specifically — reduced the footprint from 1,000 to the confirmed maximum for that district. Checked current FIRM data and identified the flood zone designation tied to a nearby tributary, adding the FEMA panel number and zone classification to the plan. Re-measured all setback dimensions to the roof eave. Added the impervious surface calculation and confirmed whether Metro Water Services stormwater notation was triggered by the revised footprint.
Outcome: The revised plan addressed all three correction items in a single resubmission, clearing Metro Codes review on the next cycle. Because Metro’s review is consolidated, resolving all three issues together — rather than addressing them one at a time across multiple resubmissions — kept the project to a single additional review cycle rather than three.
Pricing
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic Site Plan — property lines, setbacks, existing/proposed structures, north arrow, scale | $89 |
| Enhanced Plan — adds flood zone + FEMA panel, impervious surface calculation, easements, tree notation | $159 |
| Premium Plan — adds ADU compliance verified by zoning district, Metro Water Services stormwater documentation, complex lot geometry | $249+ |
✅ Free revisions if Metro Codes returns comments
✅ 24-hour turnaround for most residential plans
✅ No survey required for most projects — we use Davidson County recorded plats and GIS
✅ Zoning district verification included on every order
Real Nashville Story – ADU Rejected Twice, Fixed in 24 Hours
Detached ADU in Germantown (R‑6 zone)
The homeowner ordered a site plan from a national online service. No flood panel. ADU size was 1,000 sq ft – over the 800 sq ft cap. No tree preservation notes.
The homeowner ordered a site plan from a national online service. No flood panel. ADU size was 1,000 sq ft – over the 800 sq ft cap. No tree preservation notes.
Added FEMA panel number (Zone X, Panel 47037C0450J), reduced ADU footprint to 800 sq ft, added tree preservation notes for two protected oaks, and verified setbacks from the eave.
The homeowner resubmitted our plan. Nashville approved it on the next review cycle. Total delay saved – 6 weeks.
Nashville Site Plans Quick Answers – Before You Buy
Possibly, yes. Davidson County’s flood zone designations extend along the Cumberland River’s tributary network — Mill Creek, Brown’s Creek, Whites Creek, and others — which means properties in neighborhoods that don’t feel river-adjacent can still carry a FEMA flood zone designation. We check current FIRM data for every Davidson County parcel and add the panel number and zone designation where it applies, regardless of how far the property appears to be from the Cumberland itself.
It depends on your specific zoning district — RS5, RS7.5, R6, and other residential districts in Davidson County each carry their own ADU size, height, and lot coverage standards. There isn’t a single citywide figure that applies uniformly. We confirm the zoning district for your specific parcel before applying ADU standards, since two properties on the same block can occasionally fall into different districts depending on zoning history.
Metro Water Services stormwater requirements trigger based on whether a project increases impervious surface area — not based on whether the project is categorized as a “drainage” project. An addition, a detached garage, or added hardscape can increase impervious surface enough to trigger stormwater documentation requirements, even though the project’s primary purpose has nothing to do with drainage. We calculate the impervious surface change for every Nashville project and address stormwater notation when it applies.
It means zoning, stormwater, floodplain, and related requirements are reviewed together by Metro’s Department of Codes Administration, rather than being routed to separate city and county departments. The benefit is there’s no jurisdictional back-and-forth about who reviews what. The consideration is that if your site plan has gaps in multiple categories — say, both a flood zone omission and an ADU sizing issue — both come back in the same correction letter, and the resubmission needs to address all of them together to avoid a second cycle.
It can. Metro’s development review includes urban forestry considerations for significant tree cover within a proposed disturbance area. If aerial review identifies meaningful tree canopy where construction is proposed, the site plan may need tree identification and protection notation. We assess tree cover within the disturbance area as part of the drafting process.
Send us the correction letter. Because Metro’s review is consolidated, correction letters often address several categories — zoning, flood, stormwater, setbacks — in a single document. We work through each item, confirm the underlying requirement (zoning district, flood zone designation, etc.), and revise the plan to address all of them in one resubmission rather than addressing them piecemeal across multiple cycles.
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Official Nashville Permit Resources
- Metro Nashville Department of Codes Administration — 800 2nd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201. Phone: (615) 862-7190
- Metro Nashville ePermits Portal — Online applications and plan review: epermits.nashville.gov
- Metro Nashville Zoning Code — Zoning districts (RS5, RS7.5, R6, and others), ADU provisions
- Metro Water Services — Stormwater management requirements for impervious surface changes
- Davidson County Register of Deeds — Recorded plats, easement instrument references
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center — Flood zone and panel lookups, including Cumberland River tributary basins: msc.fema.gov
One Review, Every Category — Built to Clear All of It at Once
Based on Metro Nashville-Davidson County zoning code, Metro Water Services stormwater requirements, and Department of Codes Administration submittal standards as of June 2026.
Serving homeowners and contractors across Tennessee and nationwide.
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98% First‑Time Approval. You Read That Right.
Most homeowners wait weeks for a rejection. Our plans are built to pass on the first submission – because we already know what reviewers flag.
Upload Your Address at 9 AM. Get a Reviewer‑Ready Plan by Tomorrow.
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One missing setback or easement reference pushes your permit to the back of the queue. We catch it before you submit.
What Nashville Homeowners Say About Getting Their Permits Approved
“I tried to draw my own site plan for a garage. Rejected twice. They fixed it in 24 hours and I was approved. Worth every dollar.” – Brian, East Nashville
“No survey, no site visit. Uploaded my address and got a PDF that passed Metro Planning on the first try. Saved me 5 weeks.” – Amanda, Bellevue addition
“They knew exactly what Nashville’s floodplain rules required. My ADU plan sailed through.” – Steve, Germantown