Title 7, Consolidated Governments and Local Governmental Functions and Entities

(a) The chief legislative body of any county having a metropolitan form of government is empowered to authorize the chief executive officer of the county to appoint a metropolitan hearing officer who shall serve at the pleasure of the chief executive officer. (b) The metropolitan…

(1) The qualifications of a metropolitan hearing officer are as follows:(1) A resident of the county, having been a resident for at least three (3) years immediately prior to appointment; and(2) An attorney in good standing and licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee f…

(1) The powers, duties, obligations and responsibilities of a metropolitan hearing officer are to:(1) Promptly hold a hearing on all matters appealed to appellate boards of the county;(2) Issue subpoenas as requested by either party in such matters;(3) Prepare a complete record o…

(a) In lieu of appointing a hearing officer as authorized in this chapter, any county having a metropolitan form of government and a population of over four hundred fifty thousand (450,000), according to the 1990 census or any subsequent federal census, is empowered to contract w…

(a) Any county having a metropolitan form of government may establish a housing trust fund for the purposes set out in this chapter, to be administered by the housing development agency of such county (herein referred to as “agency”) in accordance with this chapter. The cost of a…

(1) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Housing trust fund” means appropriations, reserves or dedications of any funds by the county;(2) “Low income persons” means qualified persons or families who lack the amount of income that is necessary, as de…

Any loans or grants to applicants by the county, including interest earned on investment of repayments of the loans, shall be used to benefit low income individuals or families residing within the county. All funds received for the purposes provided for in this chapter and all su…

The agency shall design and tailor the program according to its needs and requirements and shall promulgate necessary rules and regulations to implement the effect and intent of this chapter.

(a) Any county having a metropolitan form of government may create a special escrow account earmarked for the sole purpose of generating revenue to provide low income persons, as defined in § 7-8-102, with safe and affordable housing. (b) Notwithstanding any other law to the cont…

The county may utilize any funds authorized by title 13, chapter 23, part 3, as provided by § 13-23-303(b) for any and all authorized purposes in the housing trust fund.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Charter Government Unification Act.”

This chapter shall apply to the consolidation and unification of the governmental and corporate functions of a county whose voters have adopted county charter government pursuant to the Constitution of Tennessee, Article VII, § 1, with one (1) or more of the municipalities within…

(a) It is hereby declared that this chapter is remedial and shall be liberally construed to achieve the purposes stated in this chapter by utilization of the constitutional power granted by the Constitution of Tennessee, Article XI, § 9 with respect to the consolidation of the go…

(1) As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Charter” means a document containing a unified government structure, pursuant to this chapter, that constitutes the fundamental law of the unified government;(2) “Charter commission” means a commission establ…

(a) Each county in this state whose voters have adopted a charter form of government and the principal city within its boundaries may create and establish a unified government to perform all of the governmental and corporate functions now, or hereafter authorized to be, performed…

When a charter commission shall be created pursuant to this chapter, no municipality shall thereafter be created in the county, unless and until the proposed charter shall have been rejected by voters in a referendum election as provided in this chapter, or unless and until a cha…

Any smaller city that has elected not to be initially included in a unified government created and established under this chapter may at any time become a part of the unified government under such terms and conditions and by such methods and procedures as may be established in th…

(a) The initial step in the creation of a unified government shall be the creation of a charter commission. The charter commission may be initiated either by a proclamation of the chief executive officer of the county or by resolution of the county legislative body. Such proclama…

(a) It is the duty of the county legislative body to appropriate sufficient funds to defray the expenses of the charter commission, which appropriation shall be not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). Such funds shall be disbursed by the fiscal officer of the county upon …

All public officials shall, upon request, furnish the charter commission with all information and assistance necessary or appropriate for its work.

(a) All meetings of the charter commission shall be held in compliance with the open meetings law, compiled in title 8, chapter 44. (b) The charter commission shall prepare and file the charter proposed by it not later than the date provided in the proclamations or resolutions cr…

(a) After a copy of the proposed charter has been certified to the county election commission and the proposed charter has been, in all respects, qualified to be submitted to the voters of the principal city and to the voters of the county outside the principal city, including an…

(a) The name of the unified government shall be such name as the charter commission shall deem historically and geographically appropriate. (b) The proposed charter shall provide for the effective date of the unified government. (c) The proposed charter shall provide for a single…

(a) (1) Any unified government created and established under this chapter shall possess all powers, rights, obligations, duties and privileges to provide electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater, solid waste disposal, recycling, energy production or any other utility service a…

(a) Any unified government created and established pursuant to this chapter may at any time assume and take over the utility services provided within its county by any utility service provider created, authorized or owned by any private or public entity located outside such count…

(a) (1) Notwithstanding anything in this part to the contrary, no unified government may take over, assume or acquire any powers, rights, obligations, duties and privileges with respect to any utility service created, authorized or owned by a smaller city not electing to merge in…

(a) Any unified government created and established under this title shall possess all powers, rights, obligations, duties and privileges of county and municipal governments not prohibited by general law or its charter; and, without the necessity or formality of deed, bill of sale…

On or before December 31 of the first calendar year following a year of federal decennial census, it is the duty of the legislative branch of the unified government to reapportion or redistrict the seats of the legislative branch and the seats of the board of education of the uni…

(a) Any unified government created and established pursuant to this chapter shall be authorized and empowered, through its legislative branch, to levy every tax that a county or municipality is now authorized to levy or may hereafter be authorized to levy. (b) Any tax created, as…

The legislative branch of the unified government may establish and name such special service districts, as in its judgment, may be necessary or appropriate for the exercise within such district of any one (1) or more of the public corporation rights or powers of the unified gover…

Any unified government created and established pursuant to this chapter may issue bonds under such terms, conditions and limitations as may be prescribed by general law and the charter.

The creation and establishment of unified government under this chapter shall not alter the status of the county, any unified municipality or any smaller city not electing to be included in the unified government as to the legality of the manufacture, receipt, sale, storage, tran…

The creation and establishment of a unified government under this chapter shall not alter or change zoning regulations effective in the county and in the unified municipalities, but the zoning regulations shall continue until modified or changed by the legislative branch of the u…

This chapter shall not apply to counties having a metropolitan form of government pursuant to chapters 1-8 of this title, or to counties having a county charter form of government, pursuant to title 5, chapter 1, part 2, where the county charter prohibits consolidated government.

(a) It is the duty of all incorporated municipalities, when a public highway passes through the corporation, or to any public place within the incorporated municipality, to keep the road in good repair. Nothing in this subsection (a) shall be construed to apply to any railroads o…

It is the duty of all incorporated municipalities to keep an organized governing board functioning, and if any incorporated municipalities fail so to do for six (6) consecutive months, the residents of the municipality shall be subject to work on the public roads for the space of…

No suit shall be brought against any municipal corporation on account of injuries received by person or property on account of the negligent condition of any street, alley, sidewalk, or highway of the municipal corporation, unless within one hundred twenty (120) days after an inj…

When the limits of an incorporated municipality are enlarged by law, the mayor and board may establish such new streets, alleys, or parks as are deemed necessary by reason of the enlargement. When the improvement is made for its public utility, it shall be done at the expense of …

It is lawful for any person owning town lots, or lands adjoining the public highways or streets in any village or unincorporated town in the state, to construct suitable sidewalks on those highways or streets along the line of the lots or lands.

When any sidewalks are constructed, every person who rides or drives a horse, team or other vehicle on the sidewalks, except for the purpose of crossing the sidewalks when necessary to do so, or who hitches any horse or other animal to any tree growing on or adjacent to such side…

Wherever any municipal corporation shall seek to condemn lands to be used in establishing, widening, extending, or otherwise improving its public streets, alleys, highways, parks, parkways, or boulevards, it shall have full power to condemn the fee of the land necessary to be tak…

When the owner of the land through which any street, alley, or park is to be extended or established requires compensation or damages for the extension or establishment, the legislative body of such municipality shall, by ordinance or resolution, appoint freeholders, not exceedin…

Upon payment of the compensation or damages that have been assessed by the condemnation commission and approved by the municipal legislative body, into the office of the recorder or city clerk, for the benefit, or to the account and subject to the order of the owner of the land c…

If any owner of land condemned refuses or fails to give possession of land to the municipality or to open the public streets, alleys, highways, parks, parkways, or boulevards, so condemned within fifteen (15) days after the order of the administrative officer or officers of such …

Any owner aggrieved by the opening of the public streets, alleys, highways, parks, parkways, or boulevards may appeal to the circuit court within twenty (20) days after the administrative officer or officers of the municipality have ordered the public streets, alleys, highways, p…

When any owner of real estate in any municipality sustains any damage to the owner's property by reason of any change made in the natural or established grade of any highway, street or alley, or by reason of the raising or lowering of the grades, or other acts done for the purpos…