Historic downtown and design review
Downtown Franklin has a historic district, and changes to the outside of a house there generally go through the city's design review before work starts. A fence along the front walk or a deck you can see from the street is the kind of project that tends to get a close look. That review is a separate step from the building permit, so it adds time. If your house is in or near the district, call the City of Franklin planning office with your address before you settle on a design. Shaping a plan around their feedback is easier than redrawing one later.
Planned communities with their own standards
Westhaven and Berry Farms were laid out as planned communities, and each one has design standards that reach into the backyard. Those standards often set fence style and color and where a solid privacy fence may go. They may also say where a deck can sit on the lot. Many homes in these Franklin neighborhoods sit close together, so placement matters as much as materials. Expect to send drawings to a review committee and wait for approval. Our guide to HOA approval explains how to put a clean submission together.
Lots along the Harpeth River
The Harpeth River winds through Franklin, and many yards back up to it or to one of the creeks that feed it. Low ground near the water can stay soggy for days after a hard rain, and part of some lots may fall inside a mapped flood zone. The city can have extra rules for building in those areas, so a deck or fence near the water may need more review than the same project on higher ground. Being close to water changes the build as well. Posts in wet soil need solid footings and good drainage, and a fence across a low spot can catch debris when the river rises.
Rolling ground and acreage outside town
Much of Franklin sits on rolling ground, and it tends to get hillier as you head west and southwest toward Leipers Fork. Limestone often lies close to the surface in Williamson County, so post holes can hit rock a short way down. Outside the city limits, some homeowners have acreage and want long fence runs with gates wide enough for a tractor or trailer. Others want a deck placed to look out over the pasture. Keep in mind that a Franklin mailing address does not always mean the city handles your permit. Much of the land around town is unincorporated, and Williamson County is usually the office to call there.
Decks for Franklin homes
A deck project in Franklin usually starts from one of a few places. An older home downtown may have a worn deck that needs replacing with one that suits the house and passes historic review. A house in a subdivision around Cool Springs may have a builder grade deck that is showing its age, or a small patio the family has outgrown. On sloped lots, a walkout basement can mean a deck set well above the yard with a long stair down, and that height changes the framing and the footings. Our page on building a deck in Franklin covers footings and board choices in more detail, along with the approval steps.
Fences for Franklin yards
A fence in Franklin often starts with a dog that needs room to run or a neighbor who is closer than you would like. In the planned communities, the style is often chosen for you, so the work is getting it approved and building it straight and solid. Downtown, a front fence may need to fit the look of the street. On acreage, the job is long straight runs over uneven ground and gates that open wide. The Franklin fence page covers building on slopes and near the river in more depth.
Franklin deck and fence questions
Do I need approval to build a deck or fence in Franklin's historic district?
Usually, yes, when the work changes the outside of the house or shows from the street. Franklin reviews exterior changes inside its historic district, and that review comes before the building permit. How much review a project gets can depend on what you are building and where it sits on the lot. Contact the City of Franklin planning office with your address and a rough sketch before you commit to a design or sign a contract.
Is my house inside Franklin city limits if my address says Franklin?
Not always. The Franklin mailing address covers a good deal of unincorporated Williamson County, including much of the country around Leipers Fork. Inside city limits, the City of Franklin handles building permits. Outside them, the county codes office usually does. It matters because the rules and review steps are not the same for both. A quick call to the city with your address will settle it before you plan anything.
Does my HOA in Westhaven or Berry Farms have to approve a deck or fence?
In most cases, yes. Both communities have design standards, and projects that change the outside of a home usually go to a review committee before work starts. Committees often want a site plan along with the style and color of the fence or railing. Get the approval in writing before you schedule the build. When you request an estimate, tell us which community you live in so the plan fits its rules from the start.