Tellico Lake
TVA Section 26a dock permits, flowage easements, county jurisdiction, septic and flood checks
Monroe County · Town of Vonore
Vonore, Tennessee
A Monroe County town on Tellico Lake with its own zoning ordinance, planning commission and sewer utility
Vonore is a town in Monroe County, Tennessee, incorporated in 1965 under a general-law mayor-aldermanic charter. Its Board of Mayor and Aldermen and a planning commission set town zoning, while Monroe County planning rules cover land outside town limits. Vonore lies near Tellico Lake, a TVA reservoir, so shoreline approvals, flood maps and septic permits matter.
In short: Vonore is a town in Monroe County, Tennessee, with its own board of mayor and aldermen, planning commission and zoning ordinance, near Tellico Lake.
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Overview
Vonore at a glance
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Monroe County, Tennessee, in the East Grand Division. ZIP code 37885. Wikipedia says the town lies in Monroe and Blount Counties; the Tennessee municipal directory lists Monroe County only | Notes 1, 2, 22 |
| Incorporated | 1965, under a general-law mayor-aldermanic charter (Tennessee Code Annotated 6-1-101 et seq.) | Note 1 |
| Governing body | A five-member board: a mayor, a vice mayor and three aldermen. It meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM at Town Hall | Note 1 |
| Town Hall | 613 Church Street, PO Box 218, Vonore, TN 37885, an address the Town’s website also gives. The directory lists office hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM; the Town’s site lists none | Notes 2, 24 |
| Population | 1,574, which the MTAS municipal directory lists as certified by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (one MTAS page labels the figure 2024, another 2025, and neither gives an as-of date). Wikipedia gives 1,574 for the 2020 census. A Census Bureau figure could not be read, so none is shown and the year of the count is not confirmed | Notes 1, 2, 22 |
| Planning commission | The Vonore Regional Planning Commission has seven members including the Mayor and meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM at the Vonore Community Center, 613 Church Street | Note 4 |
| Zoning | The Zoning Ordinance of Vonore, Tennessee, adopted 1978 and updated June 2020, with residential, agriculture, business, industrial and flood plain districts | Note 5 |
| Sewer | The directory lists sewer as a town utility, and the Town’s website has a Sewer Services page saying the Town manages sewer service and requires an application. Neither states a service area, so ask the Town whether it reaches a given parcel | Notes 1, 2, 24 |
| Landmark | The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, at 576 State Highway 360 about one mile east of Vonore on the shore of Tellico Lake, which the National Park Service calls a property of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | Note 16 |
| Reservoir | Tellico Lake is TVA’s Tellico Reservoir on the Little Tennessee River. Tellico Dam was completed in 1979 | Notes 11, 12 |
| Roads (secondary source) | Wikipedia describes U.S. Route 411 linking Vonore with Maryville and Madisonville, and Tennessee Route 72 linking it with Tellico Village, Loudon and Interstate 75 | Note 22 |
Related guides: Tellico Lake, Tellico Village and Knoxville. Driving distances to Lenoir City and Knoxville, Tennessee were not confirmed in the official sources reviewed, so none are given.
Setting
How is Vonore laid out around Tellico Lake?
A Monroe County town beside a TVA reservoir, with a flood plain district in its zoning and a museum site on the lake (Notes 5, 11, 16).
- Tellico Lake is TVA’s Tellico Reservoir. TVA says Tellico Dam is on the Little Tennessee River, was completed in 1979, and that the reservoir extends 33 miles along the river with 15,560 acres of water surface and 357 miles of shoreline (Note 11). TVA’s land plan says the reservoir lies in Loudon, Blount and Monroe Counties (Note 12). Shoreline permits and dock rules are covered in the Tellico Lake guide.
- TVA describes the dam as linking Tellico Reservoir with nearby Fort Loudoun Reservoir by a short canal (Note 11). TVA’s history page says the project flooded several Cherokee archeological sites and calls it one of the most controversial projects in TVA history. It also says a reconstruction of the original Fort Loudoun stands on Tellico’s banks (Note 15).
- The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is at 576 State Highway 360, about one mile east of Vonore, on the shore of Tellico Lake. The National Park Service page calls it a property of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, says it was built in 1986, and lists it as a Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Certified Site (Note 16). The museum’s own About page gives the same address but does not say who operates it (Note 17).
- Tellico Village is, per Wikipedia, an unincorporated planned community in Loudon County on the western shore of Tellico Reservoir, with a Loudon mailing address (Note 23). Wikipedia says Route 72 connects Vonore with Tellico Village and Loudon (Note 22). See the Tellico Village guide.
- The town’s zoning ordinance includes a Flood Plain District alongside its residential, agriculture, business and industrial districts, and a separate flood damage prevention chapter in the town code (Notes 3, 5).
Local rules
Who sets the rules in Vonore?
Inside town limits the Town of Vonore’s ordinances apply, supported by the planning site Monroe County Planning hosts. Outside them, Monroe County’s regulations govern (Notes 4, 5, 7).
- The Board of Mayor and Aldermen governs the town (Note 1). The town code’s Title 14 covers the planning commission, zoning and floodplain rules. It sets the commission at seven members: the mayor, one alderman chosen by the board and five citizens appointed by the mayor to five-year terms (Note 3).
- The zoning ordinance defines its enforcing official as the zoning and codes officer appointed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Its table of contents lists a building permit requirement, certificates of occupancy and a Board of Zoning Appeals that hears variances and special exceptions (Note 5). The state directory also lists a Building Inspector among town officials (Note 1).
- The ordinance’s cover credits the Monroe County Planning Department, and the county’s planning site hosts Vonore’s variance, special exception, rezoning, site plan and plat application forms and subdivision regulations (Notes 4, 5). The county planning page names Madisonville, Sweetwater, Tellico Plains and Vonore among the places it serves (Note 6).
- Outside town limits, the Monroe County Regional Planning Commission administers the county subdivision regulations, which apply within the county’s planning region. They define a subdivision to include dividing land into parcels under five acres, and they exclude splits of five acres or larger that need no new street or utility construction (Note 8). The county planning page lists flood regulations with a floodplain development permit, mobile home and RV regulations and a nuisance ordinance, but no zoning ordinance, so ask Planning what applies to a specific parcel (Note 7).
- A Planning Region Lookup map on the county planning site helps show which planning region a parcel is in (Note 6).
- For property tax, Tennessee’s Comptroller says residential and farm property is assessed at 25% of appraised value, and that the county commission sets the county rate (Note 18). The Monroe County Property Assessor says its office identifies, appraises and lists taxable property and does not adjust the rate (Note 19). The county site links a Trustee tax-payment portal (Note 20). Whether the Town levies its own property tax was not confirmed, so ask the Town and the Trustee for the parcel’s bill.
Vonore Town Hall is at 613 Church Street, Vonore, TN 37885. Monroe County Planning is at 105 College Street South, Suite 4, Madisonville, TN 37354, (423) 545-8276. Rules and fees change; confirm with the town and county.
Due diligence
What should you check before buying in Vonore?
| Check | Why it matters here | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Inside or outside town limits | Town limits decide whether Vonore’s zoning ordinance or Monroe County’s regulations apply. Use the county’s Planning Region Lookup and confirm with the Town and Planning | Notes 5, 6, 7 |
| Zoning district and permits | Ask which Vonore district applies (R-1, R-2, A-1, C-1, C-3, M-1, M-2 or Flood Plain District), whether a building permit and certificate of occupancy were issued, and whether any variance or special exception exists | Notes 3, 5 |
| Town sewer or septic | The directory lists sewer as a town utility, and the Town’s site says the Town manages sewer service, but service at a parcel is not stated. Where there is no sewer, Tennessee requires a septic construction permit. Ask for the permit, system type and records | Notes 1, 9, 24 |
| Flood zone and flood permits | Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. The town code and zoning ordinance adopt FEMA map panels dated February 3, 2010, which may since have been replaced; the current effective date was not confirmed, so check the current map. The town requires a permit for development in flood areas and the county has its own floodplain development permit | Notes 3, 5, 7, 21 |
| TVA shoreline and land rights | For a parcel on or next to Tellico Lake, ask whether TVA owns land or holds rights along the shore and whether docks, ramps or shoreline work have TVA Section 26a approval. TVA also lists Tellico among its reservoir land management plans | Notes 12, 13, 14 |
| Subdividing acreage | County subdivision regulations define subdivision to include splits under five acres, and Vonore has its own subdivision regulations. Ask Planning which set applies before relying on a lot split | Notes 4, 8 |
| Septic approval on lots | County subdivision regulations call for written approval from the county health officer for lots that rely on septic. TDEC’s pages say applications go to its Division of Water Resources. See the note on differing wording below | Notes 8, 9, 10 |
| Property tax bill | Ask the Trustee for the parcel’s current bill and which jurisdictions levy tax. The Assessor does not set the rate, and the county commission sets the county rate | Notes 18, 19, 20 |
Sources use different wording on who handles septic. The Vonore zoning ordinance defines the health department as the Monroe County Health Department (Note 5), and the county subdivision regulations refer to the county health officer (Note 8), while TDEC’s pages say its Division of Water Resources, through an Environmental Field Office, receives septic construction permit applications and a TDEC Environmental Scientist conducts the site evaluation (Notes 9, 10). The county planning page lists (865) 594-6035 in a contact row labeled “Monroe County Septic System Permits” (Note 7). None of these pages explains how the roles fit together, and TDEC’s pages do not name a Monroe County office. Confirm the current office and process before relying on any one source. This is a checklist, not advice; confirm each item with the town, the county and your attorney.
Comparison
How does Vonore compare with nearby places?
| Community | Setting | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Tellico Village | Unincorporated planned community in Loudon County on Tellico Reservoir (Wikipedia) | Wikipedia says its governmental functions are managed by the Tellico Village Property Owners Association. Vonore is an incorporated town in Monroe County with its own board and zoning ordinance (Notes 1, 5, 23) |
| Tellico Lake | TVA reservoir in Loudon, Blount and Monroe Counties | A reservoir, not a place with a local government. TVA’s land plan and Section 26a govern shoreline questions, while the Town of Vonore’s ordinance applies only to land inside town limits (Notes 5, 12, 13) |
| Madisonville | Monroe County municipality | Has its own Regional Planning Commission page on the same Monroe County planning site, as Vonore does (Note 6) |
| Sweetwater | Monroe County municipality | The county planning site links its planning to the city’s own website rather than to a page on the county site (Note 6) |
| Unincorporated Monroe County | Land outside any town or city limits | The Monroe County Regional Planning Commission and county subdivision regulations apply instead of the Town of Vonore’s zoning ordinance (Notes 7, 8) |
Working with ABODE
How does ABODE help in Vonore?
ABODE International Realty has a Knoxville, Tennessee office at 810 Clinch Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902, by appointment; see the Knoxville office page. ABODE has one active listing in Vonore, Skyway Reserve, at 285 Bill Moser Rd, Vonore, Tennessee 37885.
This guide is written for buyers and sellers of higher-value property. On acreage and lake-adjacent land, the due diligence is the land and the law: which jurisdiction applies, septic or sewer, flood status and any TVA rights. ABODE reviews those records with you, and conversations are private. ABODE International Realty holds Tennessee firm license 263936.
Keep reading
Which related guides should you read next?
Tellico Village
Property owners association, county and TRDA roles, TVA shoreline rules and buyer checks
Knoxville
City versus county rules, floodplain and TVA checks, and the property tax authorities
Farragut
A Knox County town: town government, county tax, flood checks and TVA lake rules
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.
Tennessee acreage due diligence
Who controls septic, access, zoning, Greenbelt, flood and TVA items on Tennessee acreage
Questions
Vonore real estate: frequently asked questions
Is Vonore a town or unincorporated?
Vonore is an incorporated town in Monroe County, Tennessee. The state directory lists it as incorporated in 1965 under a general-law mayor-aldermanic charter, with a five-member board of a mayor, vice mayor and three aldermen (Note 1). Wikipedia says it lies in Monroe and Blount Counties, while the directory lists Monroe County only (Notes 1, 22).
Who handles zoning and building permits in Vonore?
Inside town limits, the Town of Vonore’s zoning ordinance applies. It is enforced by a zoning and codes officer appointed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and the Vonore Regional Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals are part of the process (Notes 3, 4, 5). Outside town limits, Monroe County’s planning commission and regulations apply (Notes 7, 8). Confirm the parcel’s location first.
Does Vonore have public sewer?
The state municipal directory lists sewer as a town utility (Notes 1, 2). It does not say which streets or parcels are served, so ask the town whether a specific property can connect. The Town’s website says the Town manages sewer service (Note 24). Where there is no sewer, a septic system needs a permit (Note 9).
Who issues septic permits near Vonore?
TDEC says a Septic System Construction Permit is required for any new septic installation or repair and that applications go to the appropriate Environmental Field Office of its Division of Water Resources (Note 9). Local documents refer to the Monroe County Health Department or health officer, so the wording differs and none of the pages names a Monroe County TDEC office; confirm the current process (Notes 5, 8, 10).
Who sets property tax in Vonore?
The Monroe County commission sets the county tax rate, and the county Property Assessor values property but does not adjust the rate (Notes 18, 19). Residential and farm property is assessed at 25% of appraised value (Note 18). Whether the Town also levies a property tax was not confirmed, so ask the Trustee for the parcel’s bill (Note 20).
Is property in Vonore in a flood zone?
It depends on the parcel. The town’s code and zoning ordinance include a flood plain district and flood damage rules, and adopt FEMA map panels dated February 3, 2010 (Notes 3, 5); the current effective date was not confirmed. Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, which warns that maps can be superseded, and confirm the current map (Note 21).
Does a dock on Tellico Lake need approval?
TVA says obstructions in TVA reservoirs require a Section 26a permit, and its regulations list boat docks, piers, boathouses, boat ramps and shoreline stabilization among the structures covered (Notes 13, 14). See the Tellico Lake guide for shoreline specifics.
Does ABODE International Realty work in Vonore?
ABODE International Realty is a Tennessee-licensed brokerage with a Knoxville office at 810 Clinch Ave, by appointment. It has one active listing in Vonore, Skyway Reserve, at 285 Bill Moser Rd. Request a consultation to discuss a purchase or sale.
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Sources and notes
- MTAS (UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service): Vonore municipal statistics. Source for the general-law mayor-aldermanic charter, 1965 incorporation, five-member board, listed officials and positions, sewer as a town utility and a population labeled 2024 and certified by TNECD, with no as-of date. Checked October 9, 2026.
- MTAS: Vonore city directory listing. Source for the Town Hall address, office hours, county, utility listing and a population labeled 2025 and certified by TNECD (the other MTAS page labels it 2024). Checked October 9, 2026.
- MTAS: Vonore Municipal Code, Title 14 (zoning and land use control). Planning commission, zoning ordinance and floodplain zoning chapters. The page is a code reproduction read through a summary; confirm current text with the Town. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Monroe County Planning: Vonore Regional Planning Commission. Planning commission membership and meeting time, application forms, subdivision regulations link and the Planning Department address. The Vonore subdivision regulations PDF returned no readable text, so its contents are not described. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Zoning Ordinance of Vonore, Tennessee (adopted 1978, updated June 2020). Districts, enforcing official, Board of Zoning Appeals, flood plain district and FEMA map panel date. Only an excerpt was readable, so district regulations and minimum lot sizes are not described. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Monroe County Planning Department (home). Jurisdictions served, Planning Region Lookup and subdivision regulation links. Its documents are not legal documents; verify with the department.
- Monroe County Regional Planning Commission page. Lists the documents the county commission page offers (subdivision regulations, flood regulations, mobile home and RV regulations, nuisance ordinance) and a septic permit phone number. It does not list a zoning ordinance or state whether the county zones unincorporated land. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Subdivision Regulations, Monroe County, Tennessee (July 1997, republished March 2007). Scope, definition of subdivision and health officer approval for lots without sewer. The copy shows no adoption date and may not include later amendments. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TDEC: Septic System Construction Permit. Who needs a permit and that applications go to the appropriate Environmental Field Office of the Division of Water Resources. The page did not name a Monroe County contact. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TDEC: Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (SSDS) FAQs. Says TDEC’s Division of Water Resources decides when an application is complete and an Environmental Scientist conducts the site evaluation. It does not name Monroe County. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Tellico Dam and Reservoir. Dam location on the Little Tennessee River, 1979 completion, reservoir size and canal link to Fort Loudoun Reservoir.
- TVA: Tellico Reservoir Land Management Plan. Counties the reservoir lies in, the August 2022 plan revision and TVA land acreage. It also mentions non-TVA shoreland with TVA land rights. Checked October 9, 2026.
- TVA: Section 26a jurisdiction. Says obstructions in TVA reservoirs require a Section 26a permit and that activities on TVA land require TVA permission. It does not mention Tellico by name.
- TVA: Section 26a regulations. Lists structures such as boat docks, piers, boathouses, ramps and shoreline stabilization as requiring approval. The page was long and only the first part was read.
- TVA: Telling the Story of Tellico (history). Source for the dam’s history, the flooded Cherokee archeological sites and the Fort Loudoun reconstruction.
- National Park Service: Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. Source for the museum’s address, its description as a property of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the 1986 build date and its Trail of Tears Certified Site status. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Sequoyah Birthplace Museum (official site): About. Gives the museum’s address in Vonore but does not state who operates or owns it. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Tennessee Comptroller: How to figure your tax bill. Assessment ratios and that the county commission sets the county rate. The 2025 aggregate report (comptroller.tn.gov) did not show Monroe County or Vonore rates in the text read, so no rate is quoted.
- Monroe County Property Assessor. Assessor’s mission, that the office does not adjust the tax rate and that the County Commission sets it, and office contact. The page shows two slightly different addresses.
- Monroe County, Tennessee (official site). Department list, including Strategic Planning and a Trustee tax-payment portal link. It lists no building, codes or environmental health department.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Search for an address to find the official flood map. Flood status is parcel specific. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Vonore, Tennessee (Wikipedia). Secondary source, used only for ZIP code 37885, the 2020 census population, the Monroe and Blount County statement and road connections. Its two land-area figures disagree, so no area is shown. Checked October 9, 2026.
- Tellico Village, Tennessee (Wikipedia). Secondary source for Tellico Village’s unincorporated status, Loudon County location and property owners association. See the Tellico Village guide for more.
- Town of Vonore: Contact/Location and Sewer Services. The Contact/Location page gives the Town Hall address (613 Church Street, PO Box 218) and lists no office hours. The Sewer Services page says the Town manages sewer service, requires an application and states no service area; fees are not quoted here. Checked October 9, 2026.
- ABODE local knowledge. Plain-language descriptions of ABODE’s Knoxville office, active listing and license reflect ABODE’s own information and are not statistics