How GreenLite is helping developers unlock faster, more predictable permits under Tennessee’s new Private Plan Review (PPR) framework
25 business days
Average submission to approval timeline
7-38 business days
Typical range from submission to plan approval
0
Average resubmissions to the jurisdiction
Industries: Automotive, Restaurant Chains, Retail, Banking, REITs, Veterinary
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For years, permitting in Tennessee followed a familiar pattern: long review queues, complex paperwork and regulations, and inconsistent code interpretations. Even straightforward tenant improvements could stretch for months, pushing construction starts and opening dates further out with each round of comments. For many developers, permitting became a bottleneck rather than a support for growth.
That changed in 2024, when Governor Bill Lee signed Tennessee Senate Bill 2100 into law, modernizing the plan review and building inspection process.
Under SB 2100, developers can engage state-certified Private Plan Reviewers to conduct official code compliance reviews. Instead of waiting in a municipal queue, plans are reviewed and stamped by licensed professionals, then submitted to the city. Once received, the municipality must respond within 10 business days. Previously, developers often waited six or more weeks for initial feedback in busy jurisdictions.
For teams that understand how to implement it correctly, SB 2100 has transformed Tennessee into one of the most permit-efficient states in the country.
GreenLite’s Impact in Tennessee
As a certified Private Plan Reviewer under SB 2100, GreenLite helps developers fully leverage the new framework, not just by reviewing plans, but by managing the entire compliance and submission process.
GreenLite’s Tennessee strategy includes:
- Multi-discipline compliance reviews (architectural, structural, MEP, accessibility, life safety) before submission
- Jurisdiction-specific preparation to align plans with local intake expectations
- Early identification and resolution of issues that commonly trigger correction cycles
- Direct coordination with building departments to ensure the statutory review windows operate smoothly
- Real-time tracking and milestone visibility through LiteTable
The result is cleaner submissions, fewer correction cycles, and significantly shorter timelines from submission to permit issuance.
Some of Our Projects
National Pharmacy Remodel – Nashville
A leading pharmacy retail chain needed a permit for an interior remodel on a tight timeline. GreenLite performed a full code compliance review ahead of submission and coordinated closely with the city throughout.
Result: Full building permit issued in just 7 business days from submission, with zero resubmissions required, unlocking an estimated $1.5 million in potential revenue and cost savings by opening sooner.
National Retailer – Nashville
A major national retailer faced mounting delays for a store remodel under the traditional process. After engaging GreenLite, the project transitioned to the Private Plan Review pathway.
Result: Permit issued in 22 business days with no delays or resubmittals, despite initial setbacks under the old system. GreenLite’s registered reviewers delivered a coordinated, compliance-first review, and the city issued approval within the required 10-day response windows for each submission.
National BBQ Restaurant
A national barbecue restaurant chain needed to navigate Tennessee’s unpredictable permitting environment on a tight timeline in Clarksville. Disjointed coordination between civil and architectural packages risked delays, and every day lost meant construction slowdowns and missed revenue.
Result: The full building permit was issued just 4 business days after initial submission, with all comments resolved in a single review cycle. By syncing plan timing with civil clearance and coordinating directly with the city reviewer, GreenLite unlocked over $1.1M in potential revenue and helped the client eliminate 15+ weeks of projected delay.
World’s largest company by revenue
A national retail brand engaged GreenLite to manage a building permit for an alteration in Knoxville, TN.
GreenLite conducted a structured compliance review, coordinated revised drawings, and managed resubmissions directly with the building department. The team worked through correction cycles while maintaining alignment across stakeholders and tracking milestones in LiteTable.
Despite an initial correction cycle and resubmission, GreenLite secured permit approval ahead of the original target approval date, under 50 days, accelerating the client’s path to construction.
Across Tennessee, GreenLite clients have regained control of their construction schedules. Projects that might have waited in a queue for 6–8 weeks — or longer with multiple review cycles — are now receiving permits within days or a few short weeks. In major cities such as Nashville, GreenLite has secured dozens of permits in under four weeks, with some approvals issued in as little as 7 business days.
Just as important as speed is predictability. By reducing revision cycles and ensuring plans are code-ready before submission, GreenLite helps developers minimize costly delays and move confidently from planning to construction.
Beyond individual projects, SB 2100 is creating a structural shift in how permitting works in Tennessee. Builders can now accelerate approvals without sacrificing compliance. When implemented correctly, Private Plan Review creates a more streamlined partnership between private reviewers and public agencies, delivering faster, clearer outcomes for both the construction community and local jurisdictions.
For developers building in Tennessee, permitting no longer has to be the wildcard in the schedule.
Tennessee Project Team
Ally Cugini
Project Manager
Ally joined GreenLite in 2024 as a Permit Coordinator and was promoted to Project Manager in August 2025, reflecting her deep technical expertise and strong execution across complex projects.
Before joining GreenLite, Ally worked at Tesla in permitting and energy advisory roles, where she developed a strong command of regulatory processes and stakeholder coordination.
At GreenLite, she has led projects across multiple Tennessee jurisdictions, securing approvals through private provider plan review with no private inspections required, achieving first-cycle approvals or resolving all comments in a single review. Her work has also generated lasting value for the broader team, including documented insights on grease discharge water and sewer requirements, strong working relationships with city officials, and consistently clean health and building approvals in the City of Nashville.
Kevin Rogovich
Account & Project Manager
Kevin joined GreenLite as a Project Manager, bringing more than six years of experience across the construction and engineering industry. His background spans civil engineering design and permitting for residential, commercial, and municipal projects, giving him a practical understanding of how design intent, jurisdictional requirements, and construction timelines intersect.
Prior to GreenLite, Kevin worked at Welcome Homes, a startup focused on streamlining the residential building process, where he gained firsthand experience operating in fast-moving, process-driven environments.
At GreenLite, Kevin applies that same rigor to managing complex permitting efforts, helping clients navigate approvals efficiently while reducing uncertainty and rework across jurisdictions.
Peter Teachen
Principal Review Lead
Peter Teachen joined GreenLite in 2023 as Principal Review Lead, serving as the head of GreenLite’s internal review function and building a team of architects focused on mitigating revision cycles before plans reach city review.
A Registered Architect with over 15 years of experience, Peter has coordinated and collaborated across every phase of the design and construction lifecycle, with expertise spanning workplace, healthcare, commercial, hospitality, and recreational projects.
Prior to GreenLite, he played a key role in scaling WeWork from 9 locations to more than 900 globally, overseeing design and development for over 2 million square feet across the United States. He also helped launch the multi-billion-dollar rapid delivery startup Gopuff in major markets. At GreenLite, Peter applies this operator’s perspective to plan review, anticipating jurisdictional concerns early and helping project teams achieve faster, more predictable approvals nationwide.