2019 Tennessee Code
Title 11 - Natural Areas and Recreation
Chapter 3 - State Parks
Part 1 - General Provisions
§ 11-3-120. Management plan.
(a) The department of environment and conservation is hereby directed to formulate a long-range plan, hereinafter referred to as a “management plan” for each state park. Each such management plan shall include the following:
(1) Funding requirements for state parks and an analysis of whether the revenue-generating facilities on the park are self-sustaining;
(2) Facilities preservation, maintenance and utilization;
(3) Management and personnel staffing, training, compensation and professional development;
(4) Preservation, development and expansion of existing and new park resources and facilities;
(5) Educational programming; and
(6) Land acquisition.
(b) Each management plan shall include goals and projections for state parks for the next ten (10) years and shall be updated every five (5) years by the department. Each management plan shall be posted on the department's web site. Prior to updating each management plan, the department shall conduct public hearings after public notice has been given in accordance with title 8, chapter 44. Public hearings shall be conducted in each park or in the vicinity of each park regarding any update to the management plan. Notice of these public hearings shall be given to any friends groups or other groups with a particular interest in the particular park. The department shall consider all written and oral comments received in these hearings and shall document its responses to such comments. The department shall submit by March 1 of each year, to the agriculture and natural resources committee of the house of representatives and the energy, agriculture and natural resources committee of the senate, a report outlining any major deviations from the management plans in the previous year and the reasons therefore.
(c) The department shall not commence construction on any new capital project which costs in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in any state park if it is not provided for in the park's current management plan and the project has been approved by the state building commission. The construction costs for such new capital projects other than those provided for in the management plan shall not be funded until the management plan is appropriately updated.
