Committee Chair

Tucker, John C.

Committee Member

Mies, Jonathan; Nelson, Charles; Hundt, Karen

Department

Dept. of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The state of Tennessee adopted The Comprehensive Growth plan in 1997 in an effort to coordinate and control growth. The state legislative assembly recognized that coordinated and controlled growth is essential to maintain the quality of life thatTennessee residents expect.The creation of growth-management legislation is a significant step in the right direction; the adoption of a bottom-up management method has seriously compromised the effectiveness of the growth-management program in the state. The state has failed to allocate the necessary funding and has not established an effective incentive program to facilitate compliance with a bottom-up growthmanagement method.The state has also placed an undue burden on local governments and communities in the development of local comprehensive growth plans and failed to adequately resource these agencies to ensure compliance with the statutory goals of the program. The growth-management statute fails to provide for a state agency with growth plan review authority and provides no statutory obligation to ensure that local comprehensive plans consider state or regional interests. Future evolution of growthmanagement legislation and subsequent growth program development in Tennessee should give serious consideration to the growth-management programs of Oregon and Florida. Oregon and Florida have developed evolving growth-management programs that provide for a state oversight agency, funding, and an administrative appeals process.The establishment of a state growth-management agency, an administrative appeals panel, and the allocation of funds by the state would help to create an effective and efficient mechanism for controlling growth in Tennessee.

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Environmental Science Department. The professionalism of the department has been has contributed greatly to my experience at the university. I would also like to express my gratitude to a select group of individuals that contributed to my experience at UTC. I would like to begin my thanking Ms. Karen Hundt from the regional planning office. Ms. Hundt graciously agreed to serve as a committee member on short notice, and for that I am eternally grateful and indebted to you. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Jonathan Mies of the Geology Department who agreed to serve as a committee member for an environmental science student and has continued his support through this process. I would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Deborah Artken for her support; if not for Dr. Arfken and her consideration of my special circumstances I would not be enrolled in the program. I am most indebted to Dr. John Tucker, Environmental Science Graduate Program Director. Dr. Tucker has mentored, cajoled, and encouraged me throughout my efforts to complete the program. Dr. Tucker is a true professional, and his leadership and genuine concern for the individual student are the epitome of his profession. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Tucker for his guidance and assistance, but more importantly I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be mentored by a true professional. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge my wife. Kim has offered her tireless support and encouragement and her contributions are invaluable. I would also like to thank her for the greatest gift that a wife can bestow upon her husband and that is the birth of our twin daughters Abby and Lauren. The "girls" are the light of our lives, I never knew what joy and fulfillment a child could bring into one's life.

Degree

M. S.; A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Date

8-2005

Subject

Cities and towns--United States--Growth; Regional planning--United States; Environmental policy--United States; State governments--Tennessee--Planning

Discipline

Urban Studies and Planning

Document Type

Masters theses

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

i, 64 leaves

Language

English

Call Number

LB2369.2 .L356 2005

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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