Twelve states, including Tennessee, have imposed growth-managing laws. Tennessee's growth law, one of the strictest, requires growth perimeters around city boundaries. Voters in this area want little government intervention. We have a very independent mindset in this area. Henderson acknowledges that the environmental state of Knoxville and surrounding areas is not a main concern of citizens or local government.
People here are more concerned with having their own yards, houses and automobiles.
According to city officials, there have been no restrictions placed on road construction or development in the suburbs. Instead, they said that they are focusing on making downtown development attractive in order to pull prospective suburban developers back to the city's center. It is a challenge to use all of the space. We want to bring people back to live here. We are currently looking to revise some things that will make it easier to redevelop a traditional neighborhood.