Smart GirlDevelopmentsReal Estate Development & AdvisoryYOUR LAND. YOUR QUESTIONS. A CLEARER START.
RS7.5. RM20. SP. The letters matter.
So does the land-use policy behind them.
Find your district, understand what it describes and learn which questions come next. If your vision needs a zoning change, rezoning and entitlements are a core Smart Girl service.
THE NASHVILLE ZONING DIRECTORY
119 documented district codes and variants. Open a row for its meaning and official sources. These summaries do not establish a parcel’s development rights.
1 of 119 district codes shown for “RM40-NS”.
Multifamily residential district with a stated density of 40 dwelling units per acre. This district variant prohibits short-term rental property uses; also check any applicable overlay and current permit rules.
A district label is the starting point. Confirm the current ordinance, use table, overlays, site conditions and any exceptions before designing or buying.
Need a different use or scale? Let’s review the property’s policy, zoning and approval path together.
Discuss my zoning with Jessica ↗THREE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS
Community plans and the Community Character Manual guide the area’s future character and zoning decisions. A policy designation does not, by itself, change your zoning or issue a building permit.
Metro’s community plans ↗Your zoning district, overlays and applicable ordinances govern permitted uses and development standards. Read the actual district and its conditions before assuming what you can build.
Find out what your zoning means ↗Entitlements are the land-use approvals a project requires. Depending on the site, the path may involve rezoning, an SP, subdivision, BZA or historic review, followed by separate permits.
Get rezoning & entitlement help ↗READ THE NUMBER IN CONTEXT
RS identifies a single-family residential district. These numbers refer to minimum lot areas of 7,500 and 5,000 square feet. They are not unit counts. Accessory dwelling eligibility and existing-lot exceptions need a separate check.
R identifies a one- and two-family residential district. R6 and R8 have 6,000- and 8,000-square-foot minimum lot-area baselines. Conditions and site standards still govern the proposal.
RM identifies multifamily residential zoning. The number describes dwelling units per acre. The -A suffix applies alternative form standards; it is not an extra density allowance.
Residential Neighborhood and Residential Limited are design-based districts added through BL2025-1005. Their numbers distinguish standards, not units per acre. Check Chapter 17.38 for building types and dimensions.
For an SP, read the site’s adopted ordinance, approved plans and amendments. For Downtown Code, check the applicable subdistrict and rules. Neither has one universal parcel capacity.
-NS identifies a district with short-term-rental restrictions. A district without -NS is not automatic permission to operate a short-term rental. Use conditions, overlays and permit rules still apply.
Reviewed October 28, 2026. This directory assembles 119 documented base district codes and variants from Metro’s classification guide, adopted amendments and current code references. It includes RN1, RN2, RL1, RL2 and RL3, effective April 1, 2026. Overlays, individual SP plans and DTC subdistricts are separate layers.
This is an independently maintained guide, not a live ordinance feed or a property-specific determination. Consult the current code and Metro staff before relying on a district summary. Some satellite municipalities have their own zoning authority.
MAKE A PLAN FOR YOUR PROPERTY
Bring the address and your goal. Jessica can help identify what deserves a closer look and scope the work with you.