Remodeling in Belmont-Hillsboro, 12 South and nearby

South of Music Row and east of Hillsboro Village, the neighborhoods around Belmont University and 12th Avenue South are full of early-20th-century bungalows, foursquares and Tudors on narrow lots. They're also some of the most sought-after addresses in the city, which means two things happen side by side: careful renovations of old houses, and teardowns replaced by much bigger new homes. Metro's conservation overlays exist largely to manage that tension.

Which overlay are you in?

Several Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlays (NCZOs) meet in this part of town:

• Belmont-Hillsboro, which has its own stand-alone design guidelines;
• Hillsboro-West End, also with its own guidelines;
• Waverly-Belmont, Edgehill and South Music Row, which use the consolidated guidelines for turn-of-the-century districts;
• Woodland-in-Waverly, which is a stricter Historic Preservation overlay.

Some blocks near 12 South are in none of them. Look up your parcel on Metro's Parcel Viewer before assuming either way.

What a conservation overlay does and doesn't review

MHZC's handbook calls the conservation overlay the least restrictive type. It only guides new construction, additions, demolition and moving buildings. In practice:

There's no MHZC fee. Pre-approved work usually gets a permit in about four days. Larger projects go to the monthly commission meeting.

Zoning limits on tight lots

Even outside an overlay, Metro's zoning rules decide how big an addition can be.

Front setback. If an addition brings the house closer to the street, it has to meet the front setback. In R and RS zones, that's the greater of the platted setback, the table setback and the average street setback, which is the average distance from the street of the four nearest homes on the same block face. You'll need a stamped survey to prove it.

Contextual overlays. Where a contextual overlay applies, building coverage and height are further limited based on nearby houses, and a contextual survey is required.

Coverage and height. Maximum building coverage and height come from Metro's bulk tables. Within the Urban Zoning Overlay, height is capped at 45 feet within three stories.

Decks. Metro lets an uncovered deck use a reduced 10-foot rear setback, but it must meet the full side setback. A covered deck must meet both full setbacks. Replacing more than 100 square feet of deck boards, or any footings or framing, needs a permit.

DADUs on narrow lots

Many lots here are deep enough for a detached accessory dwelling unit. Under Metro's rules, the DADU's footprint can't exceed the main house's, and when there's a DADU on the lot, no other accessory building can be larger than 200 square feet. The same owner must own both units, and one must be owner-occupied. In a conservation overlay, MHZC reviews the DADU's design as new construction. See our DADU guide.

Projects that suit the housing here

Second-story and rear additions. The classic Belmont-Hillsboro project is a rear addition or a modest second story that adds a primary suite without overwhelming the street. Expect MHZC to look closely at height and how the addition is set back from the front. See home additions.

Crawl-space and foundation work. Bungalows on brick piers or low foundations often need sistered joists, new piers or moisture control. It's unglamorous, but it should come before new floors. See basements and crawl spaces.

Kitchens and baths. Small original kitchens and one-bath layouts drive a lot of remodels. Moving walls in a 100-year-old house often turns up undersized framing. See kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling.

HVAC. Older homes here often have ductwork squeezed into crawl spaces and attics. A ducted or ductless heat pump can be a good fit, and TVA EnergyRight, delivered locally through NES, lists heat pump rebates. Check current terms first. See HVAC.

Windows. In an NCZO, window replacement isn't reviewed unless it's part of an addition or demolition. Restoring original wood windows is still often the better choice for appearance and resale. See windows.

Licensing and permits

Owner-occupants can pull a Metro self permit. Otherwise, the contractor must be licensed and bonded with Metro Codes. For remodeling jobs from $3,000 to $24,999, Davidson County also requires a state Home Improvement license, and $25,000 and up requires a state contractor's license. See our Tennessee contractor license guide.