Round limestone fire pit burning on a brick paver patio with Adirondack chairs

Williamson County · 9 miles from downtown Nashville

Patios, pergolas, decks and fences in Brentwood

Outdoor living for Brentwood’s large lots, 9 miles south of downtown Nashville, built to the city’s fence and accessory building rules.

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Building in Brentwood

Brentwood had 45,373 residents at the 2020 Census. Its Planning and Codes Department on Maryland Way handles permits under the 2018 International Residential Code. We build whole backyards there: patios and fire pits, outdoor kitchens, pergolas and pavilions, decks, lighting and fences.

How tall can a fence be in Brentwood?

Under section 78-10 of the city code, a fence in a front yard or in a side yard along a street can be 4 feet, or 6 feet if it’s an open style other than chain link. Other yards allow 6 feet, and a fence directly around a patio or deck can reach 8 feet for privacy where you sit. No permit is needed unless a solid fence goes over 8 feet, which takes plans sealed by an engineer. Each lot gets one perimeter fence, kept 3 feet off any sidewalk and out of easements, finished side toward the neighbors and the street. Plywood and barbed wire aren’t allowed.

Pergolas, pool houses and fireplaces

Brentwood sorts backyard structures by type. Pergolas and arbors can go anywhere on the lot. Decks and freestanding outdoor fireplaces have to sit within the buildable area, inside the setbacks. A roofed accessory building of 50 square feet or more, such as a pavilion or pool house, goes in the rear yard and 10 feet from other buildings. Staff can approve one up to 12 feet tall and 225 square feet; bigger ones go to the Board of Zoning Appeals, with a ceiling of 1,000 square feet in R-1 and 750 elsewhere.

Retaining walls and driveways

A retaining wall over 4 feet needs a Tennessee professional engineer to certify it when it’s finished, so taller walls are designed with the engineer from the start. Residential driveway work needs the city’s miscellaneous permit. Brentwood’s Historic Commission is advisory only, so a fence or patio here doesn’t need a certificate of appropriateness.

Sources

What we build in Brentwood

Everything for a Brentwood backyard

  1. 01 Paver & Brick Patios
  2. 02 Outdoor Kitchens
  3. 03 Pergolas, Pavilions & Patio Covers
  4. 04 Fences
  5. 05 Fire Pits & Outdoor Fireplaces
  6. 06 Retaining Walls
  7. 07 Brick & Stone Walls
  8. 08 Walkways & Steps
  9. 09 Driveways
  10. 10 Outdoor Lighting
  11. 11 Decks

Answers

Brentwood questions

Is a fence permit required in Brentwood?

Usually not. Brentwood requires a permit only for a solid fence over 8 feet, which also needs plans sealed by an engineer. Every fence still has to meet section 78-10: 4 feet in front, or 6 if open, 6 feet elsewhere, kept 3 feet off sidewalks and out of easements, and one perimeter fence per lot.

Can I put a privacy screen around my patio in Brentwood?

Yes. Brentwood allows a fence up to 8 feet tall directly around a patio or deck, taller than the 6 feet allowed along the rest of the backyard. It’s a good way to screen a hot tub or an outdoor kitchen from the neighbors without fencing the whole lot to that height.

Where can a pergola or pavilion go on a Brentwood lot?

A pergola or arbor can go anywhere on the lot. A roofed pavilion or pool house of 50 square feet or more goes in the rear yard, 10 feet from other buildings, and staff can approve one up to 12 feet tall and 225 square feet. Bigger ones need the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Does a retaining wall in Brentwood need an engineer?

Over 4 feet, yes. Brentwood requires a Tennessee professional engineer to certify any retaining wall taller than 4 feet when it’s finished, so the engineer is part of the design from the beginning. Walls 4 feet and under don’t carry that requirement, which is why many Brentwood slopes are terraced in shorter walls.

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