Davidson County sets March 10 public hearing on zoning text changes for triplexes, solar limits and firing-range noise

Davidson County commissioners voted Feb. 10 to set a public hearing for March 10 on proposed text amendments to the county zoning ordinance that would change density rules for triplexes and quadplexes, alter residential solar size limits and loosen a decibel standard for indoor firing ranges.

Planning staff told the board the three proposed amendments respond to recent state building-code changes and practical problems that have created repeated variance requests. Jason Crook, plan director, said House Bill 488 and Senate Bill 166 moved triplexes and quadplexes into the residential building code and that the county’s current ordinance treats triplexes and quads at a higher density requirement than duplexes. The proposal would treat triplexes and quadplexes in the medium-density district the same as duplexes, effectively reducing the lot-per-unit requirement to 20,000 square feet per unit.

Crook also said the ordinance currently limits residential solar to 400 square feet, a limit staff believes dates to older water-heating systems. Under the proposed change, roof-mounted residential systems would be allowed up to the square footage needed to meet the home’s electrical consultant’s recommendations, so long as arrays do not extend beyond the roofline; ground-mounted residential systems would remain limited and staff proposed a ceiling tied to 125% of a home’s electrical demand (staff noted the board could refine the metric to an average demand if commissioners preferred).

On indoor firing ranges, staff said the ordinance’s Special Use Permit standard now sets a 40-decibel maximum at the property line — a level the county’s consultant described as “exceptionally quiet.” Planning staff proposed raising the allowable limit (discussed as roughly 55 dB at night and 60 dB daytime) and requiring an acoustical demonstration and post-construction testing to verify compliance.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about combined roof-and-ground systems, screening requirements for ground arrays, and how an applicant would demonstrate conformance for a firing-range acoustical design. Crook said screening requirements for ground-mounted systems would stay in place and that an applicant for a firing range would document compliance with simulation reports and post-construction testing.

The board voted to set a public hearing for Monday, March 10, at 6 p.m., and referred the amendments to the planning board for review ahead of the hearing. No ordinance text was adopted at the Feb. 10 meeting; the public hearing will be the next formal step.

Why this matters: The three changes are aimed at reducing the number of variance requests (solar) and aligning local zoning with recent state building-code changes (triplexes/quadplexes). The firing-range change is intended to avoid imposing construction costs that could make a community facility infeasible while preserving a testable acoustical standard.

Next steps: Planning staff will present recommended ordinance language at the planning-board hearing and at the March 10 public hearing before the Board of Commissioners considers adoption.