Stone outdoor kitchen island with a built-in grill and granite counter on a paver patio

Rutherford County · 19 miles from downtown Nashville

Patios, decks and fences in Smyrna

Patios, outdoor kitchens, decks and fences for the Town of Smyrna, 19 miles southeast of downtown Nashville.

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Building in Smyrna

Smyrna is a town by charter, though with 63,321 residents by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate it’s bigger than most Tennessee cities, and at the 2020 Census it was the largest town in the state. Permits come from the town’s Building Safety department on South Lowry Street, which adopted the 2024 International Codes on April 15, 2026.

Fences stay out of the front setback

Smyrna’s zoning ordinance keeps fences out of the front-yard setback, apart from short decorative runs of wood, wrought iron, vinyl or brick no taller than 3 feet and no more than 10 feet long in all. Barbed, razor and chicken wire are banned in residential districts, and easements stay clear unless the town approves. A fence over 7 feet needs a building permit; a shorter one still goes through the Public Works fence application with a site plan. On a corner, nothing between 3½ and 10 feet tall can stand within 75 feet of the intersection, measured along the street centerlines.

Decks and outbuildings

Starting a deck takes a site plan sent to the town’s permit office. Every accessory structure, a pavilion included, needs a building permit and has to meet the setbacks. Its size scales with the lot: 600 square feet on a lot under 10,000 square feet, up to 3,500 on a lot over 5 acres. Beside a one-story house, the roof peak is held to 18 feet.

Driveways and Front Street

No curb can be cut for a driveway without written approval from the Smyrna Street Superintendent, plus a TDOT permit on a state highway. In the Front Street Historic District, the old downtown, work needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Zoning Commission before the building permit. Front-yard fences aren’t allowed there, and chain link, vinyl and concrete block are ruled out wherever the street can see them.

Sources

What we build in Smyrna

Everything for a Smyrna backyard

  1. 01 Paver & Brick Patios
  2. 02 Pergolas, Pavilions & Patio Covers
  3. 03 Decks
  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 Kitchens
  11. 11 Outdoor Lighting

Answers

Smyrna questions

Can I put a fence in my front yard in Smyrna?

Mostly no. Smyrna’s zoning ordinance keeps fences out of the front-yard setback, except decorative runs of wood, wrought iron, vinyl or brick no taller than 3 feet and no more than 10 feet long in total. Behind the setback, fences go through the Public Works fence application with a site plan.

When does a Smyrna fence need a building permit?

A building permit only for a fence over 7 feet. Shorter fences still go through Smyrna’s Public Works fence application, which asks for a site plan showing where the fence runs. Barbed, razor and chicken wire aren’t allowed in residential districts, and fences stay out of easements unless the town approves.

What size outbuilding does Smyrna allow on my lot?

It depends on the lot. Smyrna allows 600 square feet of accessory building on a lot under 10,000 square feet, scaling up to 3,500 square feet on a lot over 5 acres. Beside a one-story house the roof peak is held to 18 feet, and every accessory structure needs a building permit.

What are the rules in the Smyrna Front Street Historic District?

Work there needs a certificate of appropriateness from Smyrna’s Historic Zoning Commission before the building permit. Front-yard fences aren’t allowed in the district, and chain link, vinyl and concrete block are ruled out anywhere the street can see them. Wood, brick and metal are the materials that fit.

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