(a) In exercising the powers granted to it by this part, the planning commission shall adopt regulations governing the subdivision of land within the municipality. Such regulations may provide for the harmonious development of the municipality and its environs, for the coordination of streets within subdivisions with other existing or planned streets or with the plan of the municipality or of the region in which the municipality is located, for adequate open spaces for traffic, recreation, light and air, and for a distribution of population and traffic which will tend to create conditions favorable to health, safety, convenience and prosperity, and identify areas where there are inadequate or nonexistent publicly or privately owned and maintained services and facilities when the planning commission has determined the services are necessary in order for development to occur.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 13-4-303

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Plat: includes plat, plan, plot or replot. See Tennessee Code 13-4-301
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • streets: means and includes streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, lanes, alleys and other ways. See Tennessee Code 13-4-301
  • Subdivision: means , in any county having a population of not less than thirty-two thousand seven hundred (32,700) nor more than thirty-two thousand seven hundred sixty (32,760), according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census, the division of a tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, sites or other division of less than five (5) acres for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or building development, and includes resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context, relates to the process of subdividing or to the land or area subdivided. See Tennessee Code 13-4-301
  • Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
(b)

(1) As a condition precedent to the final approval of the plat, the regulations may include infrastructure improvement requirements as to the extent to which and the manner in which:

(A) Roads are constructed and improved;
(B) Water, sewer, and other utility mains, piping, and connections are constructed or installed; or
(C) Other infrastructure and facilities are constructed or installed.
(2) The regulations of the planning commission may provide for the preliminary approval of the plat before the infrastructure improvements, but any preliminary approval shall not be entered on the plat.
(3) In lieu of the completion of the infrastructure improvements before the final approval of a subdivision plat, the planning commission may grant final plat approval subject to the submittal and acceptance of a bond, letter of credit, or other method of assurance, in form, in amount, and with conditions and surety satisfactory to the planning commission. The bond, letter of credit, or other method of assurance shall provide for and secure to the public and the local government the actual construction and installation of the infrastructure improvements within a period specified by the municipal planning commission and expressed in the bond, letter of credit, or other method of assurance.
(4) The attorney for the municipality shall enforce any bond, letter of credit, or other method of assurance by all appropriate legal and equitable remedies, and moneys collected on the bond, letter of credit, or other method of assurance shall be paid into the municipality’s treasury. Upon the order of the planning commission, the moneys shall be applied to the construction and installation of the infrastructure improvements.
(c) Before adoption of its subdivision regulations or any amendment thereof, a public hearing thereon shall be held by the commission.
(d)

(1) In exercising the powers granted to it by § 13-4-302, the planning commission shall not require an owner of private property to dedicate real property to the public, or pay money to a public entity in an amount that is determined on an individual and discretionary basis, unless there is an essential nexus between the dedication or payment and a legitimate local governmental interest and the dedication or payment is roughly proportional both in nature and extent to the impact of the proposed use or development of the property. An owner of private property required to make a dedication or pay money in violation of this subdivision (d)(1) may seek relief through a common law writ of certiorari in chancery court.
(2) Regulations adopted by planning commissions pursuant to this section must include the provisions in subdivision (d)(1).
(3) This subsection (d) does not apply to an assessment, fee, or charge that is imposed on a broad class of property owners by a local governmental entity.