Title 11, Natural Areas and Recreation

(a) Any person owning “open space land” as defined in § 67-5-1004 may donate to the state an open space easement limiting the future use of the land. The commissioner may accept such easement on behalf of the state, imposing such restrictions and limitations on the future use of …

(a) If the current owner of any land on which an open space easement is in effect wishes to cancel the easement, such owner shall notify the commissioner of the owner's request in writing at least ninety (90) days in advance of the proposed date of cancellation. (b) The commissio…

The consent of the state of Tennessee is given to the acquisition by the United States, by purchase or otherwise, of such lands within the state as in the opinion of the federal government, the state forester and the governor concurring, may be necessary for the establishment and…

As to all lands acquired by the United States within this state for the purposes mentioned in § 11-18-101 or similar purposes, the state does not, by granting this consent, surrender or cede its legislative, executive and judicial jurisdiction over the same, but grants to the con…

The jurisdiction of the state of Tennessee, both civil and criminal, over persons upon the lands acquired for the purposes named in § 11-18-101, or similar purposes, shall not be affected or changed by their permanent acquisition and administration by the United States for such p…

(a) The state of Tennessee and its governmental or political subdivisions shall retain its and their title and ownership in and to and jurisdiction over all highways and thoroughfares over or contiguous to lands so acquired, and to all bridges and ferries forming parts of such hi…

The state of Tennessee reserves the right to tax persons and corporations, their franchises and property on land or lands deeded or conveyed as aforementioned and to tax sales of gasoline and other motor vehicle fuels and oil for use in motor vehicles or other means of transporta…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect any rights accrued prior to February 11, 1943, but as to any future acquisitions of property by the United States or any of its agencies, this chapter shall be applicable law and the right of cession of jurisdiction over proper…

Notwithstanding chapter 57 of the Public Acts of 1951, approved February 23, 1951, and the provisions found in the deed conveying all state highways within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the United States, dated June 1, 1951, and recorded in the register's office of S…

There is hereby created the Great Smoky Mountains Park commission to devote its attention to the problems of that portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park which lies within this state and, to that end, shall be required to meet at least once every six (6) months to perf…

(a) The Great Smoky Mountains Park commission shall be composed of five (5) members, one (1) member to be appointed by the governor each year, and each member to serve a five-year term. (b) In order that the members of the commission serve staggered terms, the initial appointment…

(1) It is the function of the Great Smoky Mountains Park commission to:(1) Have the authority to confer with the national park service, as a representative of the state of Tennessee, with regard to policies of the national park service to be observed in the Great Smoky Mountains …

The Great Smoky Mountains Park commission shall submit an annual report of its activities to the governor and to the general assembly within fifteen (15) days after the convening of each regular legislative session, and special reports at such other times as it may deem appropria…

The members of the Great Smoky Mountains Park commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for their necessary expenses in carrying out their obligations under this chapter, including, but not limited to, reimbursement for tr…

(a) The Great Smoky Mountains park commission shall be administratively attached to the department of environment and conservation, but for all other purposes other than administration shall be considered independent. (b) This section shall be subject to the specific appropriatio…

The purposes of this chapter are to create a county conservation board and to authorize counties to acquire, develop, maintain, and make available to the inhabitants of the county, public parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreational centers, county forests, wildlife area…

(a) Upon petition of not less than two hundred (200) qualified voters in any county to the county legislative body thereof, the county legislative body shall submit to the people of the county at the next general county-wide election the question of whether a county conservation …

Within thirty (30) days after their appointment, the county conservation board shall organize by selecting from its members a president and secretary and such other officers as are deemed necessary, who shall hold office for the calendar year in which elected and until their succ…

(1) The county conservation board has the custody, control and management of all real and personal property heretofore or hereafter acquired by the county for public parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, county forests, county wildlife areas, and other coun…

(a) The county conservation board may make, alter, amend or repeal rules and regulations for the protection, regulation and control of all parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, and other property under its control. No rules and regulations adopted shall be …

(a) Upon the adoption of any county of this chapter, the legislative body of such county may appropriate an amount of money from the general fund of the county in carrying out its powers and duties, and it may levy or cause to be levied an annual tax, in addition to all other tax…

Any county conservation board may cooperate with the federal government or the state government or any department or agency thereof, including the Tennessee Valley authority and the United States army corps of engineers, to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter. A…

(a) Any county board of education or the governing body of any special school district may grant the use of any buildings, grounds, or equipment of the district to any county conservation board for the purpose of carrying out this chapter whenever such use of the school buildings…

The departments of environment and conservation and education shall advise with and may assist any county or counties in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

(a) A county conservation board created by petition and election as provided for in § 11-21-102 may only be dissolved after an election on the issue of dissolution. In the case that there has been an election on the issue of dissolution and a majority of the voters vote for disso…

The county conservation board shall be considered the parks and recreation providing agency for certain small cities and towns excluded from the general application of chapter 24 of this title. Such boards shall work cooperatively with these cities and towns. A small city or town…

To effect § 11-21-107 and this chapter, county conservation boards desiring to cooperate with the conservation board of another county or with the parks and recreation board of a municipality, created pursuant to § 11-24-104(a), or with a municipality operating a parks and recrea…

The legislative body of any county is authorized to acquire, by gift or purchase, any natural lakes or lands suitable for the construction of lakes, and to hold fee simple title in the name of the county.

Counties, municipalities or other political subdivisions of the state are authorized to acquire by purchase, gift or otherwise lands within the boundaries of the state and to use the same for forestry purposes.

The governing body of the county, municipality or other political subdivision of the state may appropriate money or issue bonds pursuant to title 9, chapter 21, for the purchase of lands for the purposes herein provided, to establish forest plantations or for the care and managem…

Upon the acquisition of any forests or of lands suitable for such under this chapter, the governing body shall notify the state forester who shall make such rules for the government and proper administration of the same as may be necessary. The governing body shall thereupon publ…

Such governing body has the full power and authority to acquire, maintain, manage and operate such forest for the benefit of the inhabitants of the county, municipality or other political subdivision under such technical supervision as the state forester may prescribe and in acco…

The net income from such lands shall be paid into the general fund of such county, municipality or political subdivision and shall be used only upon order of its governing body.

For the purposes of this part, “municipality” shall be construed to mean any city, town, township, school district, or other political subdivision including counties of the state of Tennessee.

The governing body of any city or town, or county, or any school district, may dedicate and set apart for use as playgrounds, recreation centers, and other recreational purposes, any lands or buildings, or both, owned or leased by such municipality and not dedicated or devoted to…

(a) A municipality has the power to operate and maintain parks and recreation facilities and to conduct recreation programs. This power includes the power to appropriate funds for these purposes. (b) A municipality shall use one (1) and only one (1) of the following methods to op…

(a) If the governing body of any municipality determines that the power to provide, establish, conduct and maintain a supervised recreation system and facilities as aforementioned, and to acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation or lease, lands and buildings for such purposes, sha…

Any two (2) or more municipalities may jointly provide, establish, maintain and conduct a supervised recreation system and acquire property for and establish and maintain playgrounds, recreation centers, and other recreational facilities and activities.

A recreation board or commission or other authority in which this part vests the power to provide, establish, maintain and conduct such supervised recreation system may accept any grant or devise of real estate or any gift or bequest of money or other personal property or any don…

The governing body of any municipality may, pursuant to law, provide that the bonds of such municipality may be issued in the manner provided by law for the issuance of bonds for other purposes, for the purpose of acquiring lands or buildings for playgrounds, recreation centers a…

(a) It is the duty of the governing body of a municipality or county to provide for maintenance and conduct of any recreation system created under this part. (b) The funds for such maintenance and conduct may be provided from any of the following sources:(1) By taxes levied upon …

The governing body of any municipality or county adopting this part may levy and collect a tax, the rate of which to be set by the governing body and the proceeds to be designated as a special playground and recreation tax, and shall be levied and collected in like manner as a ge…

(a) Any county board of education or the governing body of any special school district may grant the use of any buildings, grounds, or equipment of the district to any municipal recreation system for the purpose of carrying out this part whenever such use of the school buildings,…

(a) Any municipality, county or metropolitan government which rents, leases, or otherwise makes available to any private entity or person, space within a public park for the operation of a sports or amusement facility operated for profit, shall be entitled to devote a portion of …

(a) Parks and recreation boards created under § 11-24-104(a) or joint systems created under § 11-24-105 are empowered to make, alter, amend or repeal rules and regulations for the protection, regulation and control of parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, a…

No municipality, recreation board or commission or other authority in which this part vests the power to provide, establish, maintain and conduct a supervised recreation system shall require that any parks, recreation facilities and other property under its control be named in de…