You'd get your truck back, your house back, your lost dog back. There has to be more to community than stowing your children in your Ford Explorer and transporting them to every place they may need to go. Plan smart growth as a region by pushing the growth policy law. The Tennessee General Assembly law requiring all counties to develop a growth policy that addresses municipal annexations and the formation of new municipalities needs to be pushed and pushed hard. We heard criticism of the law, called Public Chapter 1101 and passed in May 1998.
People say it lacks teeth.
It doesn't say what growth densities need to be achieved. It's a sign of serious thinking about the future. During our visits and research, we did see signs that some Middle Tennessee counties understand the law's logic. We see an opportunity for denser development, for in fill, saving money on infrastructure and increasing property values and the quality of life. The growth law plans, when finally submitted, should be the product of real citizen commitment, so they're nailed down and can't be pried loose by the crowbars of special interests.