Variance Decisions in Memphis
How variance requests are decided across Memphis, TN council meetings, the vote and the conditions on the record
Variance is one of the most actively tracked zoning topics in Memphis, TN. ZoneWire has analyzed 4 council meetings and detected 69 instances of variance activity. Below are the most recent discussions.
What is Variance?
An exception to existing zoning rules granted to a property owner, such as reduced setbacks or increased height.
A variance is an authorized departure from the strict requirements of a zoning ordinance. Rather than changing the underlying zoning classification (which is what rezoning does), a variance allows a property owner to deviate from specific rules - like setback distances, building height limits, lot coverage ratios, or parking requirements - while keeping the same zoning designation.
Read full definitionVariance in Memphis, TN
An exception to existing zoning rules granted to a property owner, such as reduced setbacks or increased height. In Memphis, TN, local government bodies regularly discuss variance as part of zoning and land use decisions.
ZoneWire has analyzed 4 meetings in Memphis and detected 69 mentions of variance, an average of 17.3 mentions per meeting.
No material zoning changes in Memphis in the last 30 days. We monitor every Memphis, TN meeting and surface new opportunities here as they happen.
Recent Variance meetings in Memphis
Why Track Variance?
Variance applications are typically heard by a Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) or Board of Adjustment. The applicant must demonstrate:
Variance Regulations in Tennessee
Tennessee sets the regulatory framework that governs how variance decisions are made at the county and municipal level. State statutes define zoning authority, hearing requirements, and appeal processes that directly affect variance outcomes in Memphis.
View all Tennessee zoning activityEvery Variance decision in Memphis
See how every variance request in Memphis was decided: the vote, the conditions attached, and how it moved through its hearings.
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Variance in Other Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
A variance is an authorized departure from the strict requirements of a zoning ordinance. Rather than changing the underlying zoning classification (which is what rezoning does), a variance allows a property owner to deviate from specific rules - like setback distances, building height limits, lot coverage ratios, or parking requirements - while keeping the same zoning designation. ZoneWire tracks variance activity across Memphis, TN public meetings.
ZoneWire monitors Memphis, TN planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags variance activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 4 meetings and detected 69 variance mentions.
Tracking variance 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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What gets approved in Memphis
In Memphis, 77% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Variance clear 79%. ZoneWire analyzed 31 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% |
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