2010 Tennessee Code
Title 13 - Public Planning And Housing
Chapter 4 - Municipal Planning
Part 2 - Municipal Plan
13-4-202 - Adoption of plan Manner.

13-4-202. Adoption of plan Manner.

(a)  The commission may adopt the plan as a whole by a single resolution, or, as the work of making the whole plan progresses, may from time to time adopt a part or parts thereof, any such part to correspond generally with one (1) or more of the functional subdivisions of the subject matter of the plan. Prior to the adoption of the plan or any part or parts of the plan by the commission, the commission shall hold a public hearing thereon, the time and place of which shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting in which the adoption is to be first considered. The adoption of the plan or any part, amendment or addition shall be by resolution carried by the affirmative votes of not less than a majority of all the members of the commission. The resolution shall refer expressly to the maps, descriptive matter and other matters intended by the commission to form the whole or part of the plan, and the action taken shall be recorded on the adopted plan or part thereof and descriptive matter by the identifying signature of the secretary of the commission, and a copy of the plan or part thereof shall be certified to the chief legislative body.

(b)  Once the commission has adopted the general plan or amendment of the general plan for the planning jurisdiction of the commission, the commission's transmittal of the certification to the legislative body may simultaneously include a resolution by the planning commission requesting the consideration and adoption of the general plan by the legislative body of the municipality and in the case of a municipal regional planning commission by the county legislative body for the area outside the municipal boundary limits but within the county. The municipal legislative body, by ordinance, may adopt the general plan as certified by the planning commission and the county legislative body by resolution may adopt the elements of the plan within the jurisdiction of the county legislative body as certified by the planning commission. Once adopted by the legislative body, the general regional plan may be amended by a vote as follows:

     (1)  (A)  Except as provided in subdivision (b)(1)(B), the planning commission may initiate an amendment to the general plan. If the planning commission votes to adopt an amendment to the general plan, the planning commission shall transmit its action to the legislative body and the legislative body must pass the amendment by a majority vote in order for the amendment to be operative.

          (B)  (i)  If the planning commission initiates and votes to adopt an amendment to the general plan, the amendment shall be operative without further action of the legislative body. The planning commission shall transmit its action to the legislative body.

                (ii)  Subdivision (b)(1)(B)(i) shall only apply in any county having a population, according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, of:

Click to view table.

     (2)  The general regional plan may be amended upon the initiative of the legislative body. The initiative must be transmitted, in writing, to the planning commission for its review, consideration and vote. The planning commission must take action on the amendment and transmit its action to the legislative body within sixty-one (61) days of the submittal of the amendment to the planning commission by the legislative body.

          (A)  Except as provided in subdivision (b)(2)(B), if the planning commission votes to approve or not approve the amendment or transmits the amendment back to the legislative body with no recommendation, the legislative body must then approve the amendment by a majority vote.

          (B)  (i)  If the municipal planning commission created by a municipality votes to approve the amendment, the amendment shall be operative without further action of the legislative body. If the municipal planning commission votes to not approve the amendment or to make no recommendation on the amendment, the amendment shall not be operative. The municipal planning commission shall transmit its action back to the legislative body and provide a written explanation for its reasons in not approving the amendment or for not making a recommendation on the initiative transmitted to the commission by the legislative body.

                (ii)  Subdivision (b)(2)(B)(i) shall only apply to a municipality located in any county having a population, according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, of:

Click to view table.

                (iii)  Prior to the adoption of the general plan or amendment of the general plan, a legislative body shall hold a public hearing thereon, the time and place of which shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least thirty (30) days prior to the legislative body's meeting in which the adoption or amendment is to be first considered. After the adoption of the general plan by a legislative body, any land use decisions thereafter made by that legislative body and the respective planning commission must be consistent with the plan. The general plan may be adopted as an element of the jurisdiction's growth plan through the process established in title 6, chapter 58, but if the general plan is not adopted as part of the growth plan, it nevertheless cannot be inconsistent with the growth plan or the intent of title 6, chapter 58.

[Acts 1935, ch. 34, § 4; C. Supp. 1950, § 3493.4; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 13-504; Acts 2008, ch. 1150, §§ 7, 8.]