Farragut
A Knox County town: town government, county tax, flood checks and TVA lake rules
Knox County · City of Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
A Tennessee River city with its own permit office, a joint city-county planning agency and a utility board that serves beyond the city line
Knoxville, Tennessee, is a city in Knox County governed by a Mayor and a nine-member City Council. The city’s Plans Review & Inspections division handles permits, while Knoxville-Knox County Planning publishes the zoning ordinances. TVA places Fort Loudoun Reservoir on the Tennessee River at Knoxville, and the Knox County Property Assessor values parcels.
In short: Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, governed by a Mayor and nine-member City Council, with its own Plans Review & Inspections division and joint city-county planning.
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Overview
Knoxville at a glance
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | City in Knox County, Tennessee. MTAS lists the county as Knox | Note 5 |
| Local government | The city’s home page says Knoxville is governed by a Mayor and nine member City Council, and its council list shows six district seats and three at-large seats. MTAS lists the charter type as Home Rule | Notes 3, 5 |
| Population | The Census Bureau QuickFacts page shows an estimate of 202,021 for July 1, 2025 and a count of 190,740 for April 1, 2020. MTAS lists 190,740 as the 2025 population certified by TNECD, which equals the 2020 count, so the two sources differ for 2025 | Notes 4, 5 |
| Land area | 98.72 square miles in 2020, or 1,932.1 people per square mile, according to Census QuickFacts | Note 4 |
| Building permits and inspections | The City of Knoxville Plans Review & Inspections division handles plans review, permits and building inspections. The division’s page gives its address as 400 Main St. and carries a dated 2018 notice of a room move | Notes 1, 2 |
| Zoning and subdivision | Knoxville-Knox County Planning publishes separate City and County zoning codes and is responsible for subdivision regulations in both the City of Knoxville and Knox County | Note 6 |
| Property assessment | The Knox County Property Assessor values property. The city’s property tax page says the assessment is provided by the Knox County Property Assessor because the city does not appraise property | Notes 13, 14 |
| Property tax bills | The city and county are separate taxing authorities. The city mails its own tax bills through its Revenue Office, and county tax questions go to the Knox County Trustee, whose office calculates and collects county tax | Notes 13, 16, 18 |
| River and reservoir | TVA describes Fort Loudoun Reservoir as located on the Tennessee River at Knoxville. For the reservoir as a whole TVA gives 379 miles of shoreline and 14,600 acres of water surface | Note 20 |
| Utilities | The city’s utilities page says KUB provides electric, gas, water and wastewater service in Knoxville and surrounding areas. KUB says it buys its electric power from TVA. The same city page also lists other providers for some areas, including Lenoir City Utilities Board for electric and several utility districts for water and sewer | Notes 23, 25 |
Nearby East Tennessee guides: Farragut, Vonore and Tellico Lake. The Census figures are the Bureau’s own and are not ABODE estimates.
Setting
How is Knoxville set up?
A city on a TVA reservoir, with one permit office for city construction and a planning agency shared with the county (Notes 1, 6, 20).
- TVA places Fort Loudoun Reservoir on the Tennessee River at Knoxville. TVA calls it the uppermost of nine TVA reservoirs, and the dam itself is in Lenoir City, not Knoxville (Note 20).
- TVA’s environmental review of the Knoxville South Waterfront project says the city proposed to redevelop three sections of downtown riverfront under a plan adopted in 2006, with riverwalks, temporary mooring facilities and a fishing pier on the south side of the river. TVA says those public improvements require its approval under Section 26a of the TVA Act, and also need approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Note 21).
- The city’s floodplain page says Knoxville has participated in the FEMA flood insurance program since 1971, and that digital flood mapping is integrated into KGIS (Note 11).
- The city’s zoning code, as described in an October 2019 reference manual, groups its districts into residential, commercial and office, industrial, form-based and special-purpose or overlay families, and gives Downtown Knoxville its own DK district (Note 9).
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning serves mainly Knoxville and Knox County. It was renamed from the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission on December 14, 2018 (Note 8).
- Utilities cross the city line. KUB says its electric service covers Knox County and parts of seven surrounding counties, and TVA names eight counties for KUB (Notes 24, 25).
Local rules
Who sets the rules in Knoxville?
Three bodies matter most for a Knoxville parcel: the City of Knoxville for permits and the city tax bill, Knoxville-Knox County Planning for zoning and subdivision, and Knox County for property valuation.
- The City Council is the city’s legislative body (Note 3).
- The Plans Review & Inspections division handles plans review, permits and building inspections. The city’s development-process page says reviewers check plans against adopted codes, that Zoning, Engineering, Building, Fire and Utilities are typically involved, and that a project receives a Certificate of Occupancy after passing required inspections (Notes 1, 2).
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning lists a City zoning code and a County zoning code, with links to Municode. It does not state effective dates for them; its archive lists June 26, 2025 for the most recent City version and April 21, 2025 for the most recent County version, without saying what those dates mean. Farragut administers its own zoning within its corporate limits (Note 6).
- The Planning Commission is a 15-member volunteer board: seven members appointed by the City Mayor and eight by the County Mayor (Notes 7, 8).
- A 2019 city reference manual lists the code administrators as the City Council, the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Zoning Administrator, the Director of Plans Review and Building Inspections, the Design Review Board, the Historic Zoning Commission, the Administrative Review Committee and the Infill Housing Review Committee. The manual says it was not approved by City Council and is not binding, so confirm against the code itself (Note 9).
- Overlay districts. The manual’s district table lists these overlays: Historic (H), Neighborhood Conservation (NC), Infill Housing (IH), Technology Park (TO-1), Hillside Protection (HP) and Floodplain (F). Planning’s own zoning page, under “Design Guidelines / Specific to Zoning District,” lists D (Downtown Design Overlay District), H (Historic Overlay District), IH (Infill Housing Overlay District) and TO1/TO (Technology Park District). That page does not mention a hillside or floodplain district, and the manual does not list a Downtown Design overlay, so the two sources do not match. Ask Planning which overlays apply to a specific parcel (Notes 6, 9).
- Hillside and ridgetop protection. City Council adopted the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan on December 13, 2011 as an element of the General Plan, and Knox County Commission adopted its version on January 23, 2012. Planning’s article says the plan provides a framework for decision-making for future zoning cases and development plan review, and refers to the ordinances and regulations needed to implement its recommendations (Note 10).
- Knox County has its own Code Administration with an online permit portal. Its page does not say which areas it covers, so ask whether a parcel outside the city limits is permitted by the county or by another town (Note 19).
Rules and fees change. Confirm current text and the parcel’s district with the city and with Knoxville-Knox County Planning.
Due diligence
What should you check before buying in Knoxville?
| Check | Why it matters here | Source |
|---|---|---|
| City limits or county | The city and county publish separate zoning codes, have separate tax bills, and Farragut runs its own zoning. Confirm which jurisdiction a parcel is in before asking who permits or taxes it | Notes 1, 6, 13 |
| Zoning district and overlays | Ask for the parcel’s district and whether a historic, downtown design, hillside, floodplain, infill or technology park overlay applies. The overlay lists in the 2019 manual and on Planning’s current page differ, so check the current code | Notes 6, 9 |
| Steep slopes and ridgetops | The Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan sets out principles for developing steep slopes and a framework for future zoning cases, and the 2019 manual describes an HP overlay with maximum density and land disturbance for residential districts within it. Ask whether the parcel is in a hillside overlay and what limits apply | Notes 9, 10 |
| Flood zone and floodplain rules | Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask for any elevation certificate. The city’s floodplain page says FEMA guidelines strictly regulate construction or development within a regulatory floodplain, and cites Chapter 12 of the City Code, the Flood Damage Prevention and Control Ordinance, in effect since 1990. Its text says updated maps and profiles “will become effective on August 5, 2013,” a date that has passed, so confirm the current effective maps | Notes 11, 12 |
| Stream or river work | The city’s page says work within a stream typically requires permits from TDEC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For the Tennessee River, TVA’s regulations require its approval before building obstructions along or in the river or its tributaries | Notes 11, 22 |
| TVA land and flowage easements | TVA’s regulations say a structure built on land subject to a TVA flowage easement is deemed an obstruction, and fill within a TVA reservoir’s flood control zone needs TVA review and approval. Ask whether the survey or title shows a TVA easement or TVA-owned shoreline | Note 22 |
| Permit history | Check open and past permits and Certificates of Occupancy with the Plans Review & Inspections division | Notes 1, 2 |
| Property tax | Expect separate city and county bills. The Assessor sets value, the city bills city tax, and the Trustee handles county tax. A May 2026 WVLT report on Knox County reassessments quotes the county’s chief finance officer saying a new rate will be set after the appeal process, so confirm current rates with the city and the Trustee rather than relying on older figures | Notes 13, 14, 16, 17, 18 |
| Reappraisal and appeals | The Assessor says Knox County follows a two-year reappraisal schedule and that reappraisal does not automatically raise taxes. Ask whether the parcel’s value is under appeal | Notes 15, 17 |
| Sewer and electric service | KUB says it reviews each request for new wastewater service, including system capacity. Ask KUB whether a specific parcel has wastewater service and what upgrades a new connection could need | Notes 25, 26 |
This is a checklist, not advice. Confirm each item with the city, the county, TVA and your attorney.
Comparison
How does Knoxville compare with nearby places?
| Community | Setting | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Farragut | Town. MTAS lists the counties as Knox and Loudon | MTAS lists a General Law Mayor-Aldermanic charter and a Community Development Director. Knoxville-Knox County Planning says the Town administers its own zoning within its corporate limits, while the City of Knoxville’s zoning is a separate city code (Notes 6, 27) |
| Vonore, Tennessee | Town in Monroe County, per MTAS | MTAS lists a General Law Mayor-Aldermanic charter and a Building Inspector, and its entry does not mention a planning commission. Knoxville has a nine-member City Council and a joint city-county planning agency (Notes 3, 7, 28) |
| Unincorporated Knox County | Outside city and town limits | Knoxville-Knox County Planning publishes a separate County zoning code, and Knox County has its own Code Administration permit portal. Its page does not say which areas it covers, so confirm coverage for a specific parcel (Notes 6, 19) |
Compare only parcels you have checked individually. Government form and office names say little about any one property.
Working with ABODE
How does ABODE help in Knoxville?
ABODE International Realty has a Knoxville office at 810 Clinch Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902, open by appointment; see the Knoxville office page. This guide is written for buyers and sellers of higher-value property and covers questions that turn on the parcel: which jurisdiction it is in, which overlay districts apply, flood and TVA status, and which tax and utility bodies are involved. ABODE’s Tennessee firm license number is 263936.
Keep reading
Which related guides should you read next?
Vonore
A Monroe County town: town zoning versus county, septic and sewer, Tellico Lake and flood checks
Tellico Lake
TVA Section 26a dock permits, flowage easements, county jurisdiction, septic and flood checks
Tellico Village
Property owners association, county and TRDA roles, TVA shoreline rules and buyer checks
Lenoir City
City zoning and permits, LCUB utilities, county property tax, flood and TVA lake checks.
Fort Loudoun Lake
TVA reservoir guide: Section 26a dock permits, flowage easements, county rules, septic and flood checks.
Questions
Knoxville real estate: frequently asked questions
Who governs Knoxville, Tennessee?
The City of Knoxville says it is governed by a Mayor and a nine-member City Council; its council list shows six district seats and three at-large seats (Note 3). Knoxville-Knox County Planning, a joint agency with a 15-member Planning Commission, publishes the city’s zoning code (Notes 6, 7).
Who issues building permits in Knoxville?
For construction in the city, the City of Knoxville Plans Review & Inspections division handles plans review, permits and building inspections (Notes 1, 2). Knox County has its own Code Administration and permit portal, but its page does not say which areas it covers, so ask which office applies to a parcel outside the city limits (Note 19).
Who sets property tax in Knoxville?
The Knox County Property Assessor values the property, the city does not appraise it, and the city and county are separate taxing authorities with separate bills (Notes 13, 14). A May 2026 WVLT report quotes the county’s chief finance officer saying a new rate will be set after the appeal process, so confirm current rates with the city and the County Trustee (Notes 17, 18).
Is Knoxville on the Tennessee River?
TVA describes Fort Loudoun Reservoir as located on the Tennessee River at Knoxville (Note 20). TVA’s regulations require its approval before building obstructions along or in the river or its tributaries, and its review of the Knoxville South Waterfront project said that project’s riverwalks and mooring facilities needed Section 26a approval (Notes 21, 22). Whether any rule reaches a particular parcel is a parcel-level question for TVA.
Is a Knoxville property in a flood zone?
It depends on the address. The city says FEMA guidelines strictly regulate construction or development in a regulatory floodplain, and Knoxville has participated in the FEMA flood insurance program since 1971 (Note 11). Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask for any elevation certificate (Note 12).
Does Knoxville have hillside or historic overlay rules?
City Council adopted a Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan in 2011, which Planning describes as a framework for decision-making on future zoning cases (Note 10). A 2019 city reference manual lists Hillside Protection (HP) and Historic (H) overlay districts, while Planning’s current page lists H but does not mention a hillside district. Ask Planning which overlays apply to the parcel (Notes 6, 9).
Who provides utilities in Knoxville?
The city’s utilities page says KUB provides electric, gas, water and wastewater service in Knoxville and surrounding areas, and KUB says it buys its electric power from TVA (Notes 23, 25). The city page also lists other electric and water providers for some areas. KUB reviews each request for new wastewater service, so ask KUB about a specific parcel (Note 26).
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Sources and notes
- City of Knoxville: Plans Review & Inspections. Source for the division’s role in plans review, permits and building inspections and its address, given as 400 Main St., Rm 505. The page also carries a dated notice that Plans Review would move in December 2018 to Room 475 on the fourth floor, so confirm the current room and hours with the division. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville: Steps to Understanding the Development Process. Source for plans review against adopted codes, the departments typically involved, and the Certificate of Occupancy. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville (official site, home page). Source for the Mayor and nine member City Council. The page’s council list shows six district seats and three at-large seats. Checked October 9, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Knoxville city, Tennessee. Source for the July 1, 2025 estimate, the April 1, 2020 count and the 2020 land area. The page shows housing units as not applicable, so no housing figure is given. Checked October 9, 2026.
- MTAS: Information & Data for Knoxville. Lists the county as Knox and a 2025 population of 190,740 certified by TNECD, which equals the 2020 census count and differs from the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Also lists the charter type as Home Rule. The page did not state a form of government. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning: Zoning Ordinances. Source for the separate City and County zoning codes, the subdivision responsibility, the districts listed under “Design Guidelines / Specific to Zoning District” (D, H, IH and TO1/TO) and the statement that Farragut administers its own zoning. Effective dates were not stated, and the archive dates are not explained. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville: The Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission. Source for the 15-member board, with seven members appointed by the City Mayor and eight by the County Mayor. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning: Welcome to Knoxville-Knox County Planning. December 14, 2018 announcement of the new name and the agency’s role. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville zoning ordinance users manual (October 2019). A reference manual that says it has not been approved by City Council and is not binding. Used only to describe the structure of the zoning code and its listed overlay districts (H, NC, IH, TO-1, HP and F); confirm against the current code. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning: City and County adopt Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan. Source for the adoption dates and for Planning’s description of the plan as a framework for decision-making on future zoning cases, with ordinances and regulations needed to implement its recommendations. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville: Floodplains (Stormwater Engineering Division). Source for the FEMA program participation since 1971, Chapter 12 of the City Code and the stream-work permit statement. The page says updated maps “will become effective on August 5, 2013” and may not reflect later changes. Checked October 9, 2026.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center. FEMA’s official public source for flood hazard information. Flood status is parcel specific, and FEMA warns that downloaded information can be superseded by new maps. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville: Property Taxes. Source for the city’s separate billing and collection and for the city not appraising property. The rates shown on the page are not repeated here because a May 2026 news report says Knox County will set a new rate after appeals; confirm current rates with the city. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knox County Property Assessor. Source for the Assessor’s role in assessing property in Knox County. The page does not describe who bills or collects tax. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knox County Property Assessor: Reappraisal. States a two-year reappraisal schedule and that the overall tax rate may be adjusted after reappraisal by the County Commission. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knox County Property Assessor: Property tax calculator. States that the Knox County Trustee calculates and collects taxes, not the Assessor, and that the estimate is not an official tax bill. Checked October 9, 2026.
- WVLT: Knox County homeowners shocked by property reassessments (May 13, 2026). Secondary news source, used only for the statement by Knox County’s chief finance officer, Chris Caldwell, that after the appeal process a new rate will be set. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knox County Trustee: Pay Taxes. Lists the Trustee’s payment channels. The page does not state due dates or which taxes it collects. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Knox County Code Administration. Describes the Knox Permit Portal and plan review and inspections. The page does not state the areas covered. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Fort Loudoun Reservoir. Source for the reservoir’s location on the Tennessee River at Knoxville, its shoreline miles and water surface acres, and the dam’s location in Lenoir City. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Knoxville South Waterfront Public Improvements (environmental review). Source for the project description and TVA’s statement that the improvements require Section 26a approval. The review dates from 2009, with a supplemental assessment in 2014. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Section 26a Regulations. Summary of the approval requirement for obstructions (§ 1304.1), structures on flowage easement land (§ 1304.300) and fill in flood control zones (§ 1304.303(b)). Read the full regulation or ask TVA about a parcel. Checked October 9, 2026.
- City of Knoxville: Utilities. Says KUB provides electric, gas, water and wastewater services in Knoxville and surrounding areas, and lists Lenoir City Utilities Board and several utility districts as providers for some areas. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Knoxville Utilities Board. Names the eight counties KUB serves: Knox, Grainger, Union, Loudon, Jefferson, Blount, Sevier and Anderson. KUB’s own page says electric service reaches Knox County and parts of seven surrounding counties. Checked October 9, 2026.
- KUB: Electric system. Source for KUB’s electric service area description and for its power purchases from TVA. Checked October 9, 2026.
- KUB: Wastewater capacity review application. KUB says it reviews each request for new wastewater service, including system capacity. The page does not define a wastewater service area. Checked October 9, 2026.
- MTAS: Information & Data for Farragut. Lists the counties as Knox and Loudon, a General Law Mayor-Aldermanic charter and a Community Development Director. Checked October 9, 2026.
- MTAS: Town of Vonore directory entry. Lists the county as Monroe, a General Law Mayor-Aldermanic charter and a Building Inspector, and does not mention a planning commission. Checked October 9, 2026.
- ABODE local knowledge. Comparisons and plain-language descriptions reflect ABODE’s experience and are not statistics