Special Use Permit Decisions in Memphis
How special use permit requests are decided across Memphis, TN council meetings, the vote and the conditions on the record
Special Use Permit is one of the most actively tracked zoning topics in Memphis, TN. ZoneWire has analyzed 11 council meetings and detected 26 instances of special use permit activity. Below are the most recent discussions.
What is Special Use Permit (SUP)?
A permit for a use that requires individual review due to its potential impact on surrounding properties.
A Special Use Permit (SUP) is functionally similar to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) - the terminology varies by jurisdiction. In both cases, the permit authorizes a land use that is allowed in the zoning district but requires individualized review and conditions to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area.
Read full definitionSpecial Use Permit in Memphis, TN
A permit for a use that requires individual review due to its potential impact on surrounding properties. In Memphis, TN, local government bodies regularly discuss special use permit as part of zoning and land use decisions.
ZoneWire has analyzed 11 meetings in Memphis and detected 26 mentions of special use permit, an average of 2.4 mentions per meeting.
Recent Special Use Permit meetings in Memphis
Why Track Special Use Permit?
In most jurisdictions, these terms are interchangeable. The key distinction is:
Special Use Permit Regulations in Tennessee
Tennessee sets the regulatory framework that governs how special use permit decisions are made at the county and municipal level. State statutes define zoning authority, hearing requirements, and appeal processes that directly affect special use permit outcomes in Memphis.
View all Tennessee zoning activityEvery Special Use Permit decision in Memphis
See how every special use permit request in Memphis was decided: the vote, the conditions attached, and how it moved through its hearings.
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Special Use Permit in Other Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
A Special Use Permit (SUP) is functionally similar to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) - the terminology varies by jurisdiction. In both cases, the permit authorizes a land use that is allowed in the zoning district but requires individualized review and conditions to ensure compatibility with the surrounding area. ZoneWire tracks special use permit activity across Memphis, TN public meetings.
ZoneWire monitors Memphis, TN planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags special use permit activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 11 meetings and detected 26 special use permit mentions.
Tracking special use permit in Memphis surfaces zoning and development signals early, so developers, investors, and brokers can evaluate parcels and approvals before they reach the broader market.
Zoning in Memphis is governed by the Unified Development Code (UDC), which serves as the Zoning Code and Subdivision Regulations for the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County. The UDC is administered jointly through the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development. Property owners can look up a specific parcel's zoning district using the Zoning Atlas referenced on the Division's Develop901 site.
The Land Use Control Board (LUCB) is a joint body serving both the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County. It reviews area and neighborhood plans, zoning map changes (rezonings), zoning text changes, planned developments, special use permits, and street closures before those items advance to the Memphis City Council or the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. The LUCB has final approval authority over special exceptions, subdivisions, and major modifications to permits and planned developments unless a decision is appealed to the relevant legislative body.
The Land Use Control Board meets on the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 AM in the City Council Chambers at 125 North Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103. Agendas and meeting minutes are posted by the Division of Planning and Development.
Variances are heard by the Memphis and Shelby County Board of Adjustment. The Board hears variances from provisions of the Unified Development Code when an applicant demonstrates exceptional circumstances and practical difficulties or undue hardships. It also hears conditional use permits for select uses, appeals of staff interpretation of the zoning regulations, requests to extend a zoning district boundary up to 25 feet, and nonconforming use permits. The Board is staffed by Land Use and Development Services within the Division of Planning and Development.
The Memphis and Shelby County Board of Adjustment is composed of eight members serving three-year terms: four appointed by the Mayor of Shelby County and confirmed by the County Board of Commissioners, and four appointed by the Mayor of Memphis and confirmed by the Memphis City Council. Established in 1925, it is Tennessee's oldest administrative zoning board. It meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2:00 PM (moving to the third Wednesday in November and December) in the City Council Chambers at 125 North Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103.
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Know how special use permit requests get decided in Memphis, TN
Get the vote, the conditions, and how each special use permit request was decided, the day it lands.
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What gets approved in Memphis
In Memphis, 82% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Variance clear 79%, Special exception / conditional use 86%. ZoneWire analyzed 53 land-use board decisions in Memphis over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Variance | 14 | 79% |
| Special exception / conditional use | 7 | 86% |
| Multifamily / attached housing | 6 | 100% |
| Subdivision / plat | 5 | 100% |
| Single-family homes | 5 | 80% |
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