Click here for the amount of protected land in Tennessee, and click here to review Tennessee's federal transportation spending.
Source:  Pew Center on the States & Changing Direction:  Federal Transportation Spending in the 1990s. Surface Transportation Policy Project

Overview:
In 1998 Tennessee enacted a new law incorporating many smart growth themes including urban growth boundaries and planned growth areas.¹The Act was created to establish a comprehensive growth strategy for the State that, among other things, more closely matches the timing of development  and the provision of public services, and that minimizes urban sprawl.² Each county is required to create a coordinating committee to recommend a growth plan by January 1, 2000, which shall be revised and/or ratified no later than July 1, 2001.³ In August 1998, a comprehensive Guide in Growth Policy for Community Leaders was published and disseminated as the "one source" document that all implementing agencies have agreed to use.⁴

The above material is excerpted with permission from "Smart Growth at Century's End: The State of the States" by Patricia E. Salkin, published in The Urban Lawyer, Sumr 1999 v 31 n 3, p. 601.  For a complete copy of the article, please contact The Urban Lawyer.
(link: http://www.abanet.org/statelocal/urbanlawyer/home.html). 

Key Laws:
For an overview of Tennessee planning and zoning statutes, see a summary provided by the American Planning Association.

S.B. 3278, Public Chapter 1101, "Annexation Bill" or "Ad Hoc Committee Bill"  Passed in May, 1998, S.B. 3278 requires each Tennessee county to establish a coordinating committee to develop its county growth plan. The growth plan must identify urban growth boundaries (UGBs) for each municipality within the county and identify planned growth areas and rural areas within the county.  The coordinating committees have until January 1, 2000, to submit their plans to the county legislative body and the governing body of each municipality within the county. The plan is not required to be as extensive as those required in Oregon or Washington nor does it contain the mandatory planning requirements of the Florida or Rhode Island's laws.  Other features of S.B 3278:

Public Chapter 699 "An Act Relative to the preservation of state property which is significant in history, architecture, or culture..."The provisions of this act establish a review process to allow the Tennessee Historical Commission to review plans of state agencies to demolish, alter, or transfer state property which "is or may be of historical, architectural, or cultural significance."  Comments are then transmitted to the State Building Commission which has final decision-making authority.  Contact: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, 401 Church Street, L&C Tower 21st Flr, Nashville, TN  37243-0435   Telephone: 1-(888) 891-TDEC; Internet: http://www.state.tn.us/environment/hist/progrms.htm

Reports:
"Where Are We Growing?  Land Use and Transportation Trends in Middle Tennessee,"
Southern Environmental Law Center. (April 2001.)

Organizations: 
Scenic Tennessee
71 Lakewood Drive
Winchester, TN 37398
Tel: 931-962-1813

Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC)
The TEC educates and advocates for the protection of Tennessee's environmental and public health.
Address: 1700 Hayes Street, Suite 101, Nashville, TN  37203, Telephone: (615) 248-6500. 

State Historic Preservation Office
Tennessee Historical Commission
The mission of the Tennessee Historical Commission is to record, preserve, interpret, and publicize events, persons, sites, structures, and objects significant to the history of the state and to enhance the public's knowledge and awareness of Tennessee history. Address: Dept. of Environment and Conservation, 401 Church Street, L&C Tower 21st Flr, Nashville, TN  37243-0435, Telephone: 1 (888) 891-TDEC 

Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association
The American Planning Association is devoted to advancing the art and science of planning and to foster the activity of planning -- physical, economic, and social -- at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Address: P.O. Box 111108, Memphis, TN  38111-1108, Telephone: (901) 576-6610 

Sierra Club, Tennessee Chapter
The Sierra Club is a non-profit member-supported, public interest organization that promotes conservation of the natural environment by influencing public policy decisions--legislative, administrative, legal, and electoral. Address: 2408 Belmont Blvd., Apt. A3, Nashville, TN  37217-5504, Telephone: (615) 298-5154, Email: tennessee.chapter@sierraclub.org 

Regional:
Chattanooga
Chattanooga launched its city planning effort --Visions 2000 -- in 1984. A partnership of government, businesses and citizens developed a citywide plan that included 34 goals.  In 1996, Chattanooga was honored as one of the world's "12 Best Practices" cities at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul, June 3-14, 1996. Contact: Chattanooga City Council, (423) 757-5196; Internet: http://www.chattanooga.net/

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