TN Code § 7-32-101 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 7 - Consolidated Governments and Local Governmental Functions and Entities|Chapter 32 - Improvements by Special Assessment|§ 7-32-101. Chapter Definitions — Powers of Municipalities

  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:  “Assessed value basis” means the apportionment of the applicable cost according to the ratio that the assessed value of the individual parcels of property bears to the total assessed value of all such properties at such time as is determined by the legislative body;   “Benefits received basis” means the apportionment of the applicable costs according to an equitable determination by the legislative body of the municipality of the special benefit received by the individual parcel of property from the public facility, taking into account any of the following factors: square footage of parcels or anticipated improvements, or both, front footage, assessed value, type of use, business classification, property location, zones of benefit or a combination of such factors;   “City clerk” or comparable official includes the clerk or other officer who maintains the records of a municipality;   “Fair basis” means assessed value basis, square foot basis, or benefits received basis;   “Public facility” means roads, streets, sidewalks, utilities, including electrical, gas, water and wastewater improvements, related improvements, parking facilities, parks and greenways and any improvements for public safety, including police and fire stations;   “Mayor” of a municipality in this chapter includes the chief executive officer of any municipality;   “Municipality” or “city” means any town, city, metropolitan government or county;   “Square foot basis” means the apportionment of the applicable costs according to the ratio that the square footage of the individual parcels of property or the buildings expected to be constructed on the property bears to the square footage of all the property or the buildings expected to be constructed on the property; and   “Treasurer” includes the finance director or other chief financial officer of the municipality.     The municipalities whose charters do not contain specific provisions to the contrary, or otherwise, have the power to design, or cause to be designed, contract for, and execute, or cause to be executed, the construction and improvement or the reconstruction or reimprovement of any street, avenue, alley, highway, or other public place, by opening, extending, widening, grading, paving, macadamizing, curbing, guttering, draining, or otherwise improving any street, avenue, alley, highway, or other public place, in such manner and with such materials and with such culverts and drains as the legislative body of such municipality may prescribe, and to cause not less than two thirds (2/3) of the cost or expense of the work and improvements mentioned in this subsection (b) to be assessed against the property abutting or adjacent to the street, avenue, alley, or any other public place so improved.   The municipalities described in subsection (b) shall also have the power to design, or cause to be designed, contract for, execute, or cause to be executed, improvements or alterations for flood control, water management, soil erosion, and disaster relief and to cause not less than two thirds (2/3) of the cost or expense of the work and improvements mentioned in this subsection (c) not paid by federal funds to be assessed against property within the flood plain in which the improvements or alterations are made.    Notwithstanding any local charter provision or other law to the contrary, the legislative body of any municipality may approve the transfer to the municipality of a public facility or property to be improved as a public facility that has been acquired, improved or constructed by a third party, including a private entity, or enter into an agreement with a private entity under which the private entity agrees to pay all or a portion of the costs of a public facility being constructed by the municipality; provided, that, in either case, the municipality reasonably anticipates that private investment of not less than twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) will be made on property benefitted by the public facility.    The transfer of any public facility or agreement for a third party to pay costs relating to a public facility shall be documented by written agreement between the municipality and the other party or parties thereto, and the agreement shall be approved in substantially final form by the legislative body of the municipality. The agreement may provide that payment of any amounts under the agreement by the municipality may be contingent upon the availability of funds from the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to § 7-33-121, and the agreement may also provide that the obligation of a private entity to pay a portion of the cost of a public facility may be reduced to the extent proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to § 7-33-121 are available for such purpose. The mayor of the municipality shall submit the proposed form of the agreement to the legislative body for approval. As a condition to entering into an agreement, the legislative body shall determine that the municipality and the citizens of the municipality will receive a public benefit from entering into the agreement. Before approving any such agreement and the assessment of any portion of any costs to be incurred under the agreement pursuant to § 7-32-115, the legislative body of the municipality shall hold a public hearing relating to the proposed agreement and assessment.   Notice of the public hearing shall be published by the mayor of the municipality in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the public hearing. The notice shall include the time, place and purpose of the public hearing and notice of how the proposed form of the agreement and a map of the area that is proposed to be subject to assessment pursuant to § 7-32-115 can be viewed by the public and the date the documents will be available for review, which shall be no later than one (1) week prior to the date of the hearing. Additionally, the notice shall be mailed by the mayor of the municipality or the mayor's designee via certified mail to each owner of property proposed to be subject to assessment at the address of the owner on the records of the assessor of property of the county in which the property is located. The notice may be combined with the notice of assessment required by § 7-32-115(b).     The municipality may pay consideration for any transfer of a public facility pursuant to this subsection (d). The amount of the consideration and the terms of payment for the consideration shall be set forth in the agreement described in subdivision (d)(2); however, the consideration may not exceed the cost documented by the transferring party of acquiring, improving or constructing the public facility, including any costs incurred in the acquisition of the land on which the public facility is or will be located; provided, however, that the municipality may pay the appraised value for the acquisition of real property to be used in connection with public facilities to be constructed or improved by the municipality or other governmental entity. The consideration shall be payable in the manner agreed upon between the municipality and the transferor or transferors of the public facilities and may be payable in the installments and at the times agreed upon by the municipality and the transferor or transferors. Additionally, a municipality may agree as additional consideration for the transfer of a public facility to reimburse the transferor or transferors or a public facility for expenditures made by the transferor or transferors to improve existing public facilities in order to facilitate the construction of the public facility being sold or to connect the public facility being sold to existing public facilities; however, the amount of the reimbursement may not exceed the actual documented cost of the expenditures.   Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, §§ 7-32-102 — 7-32-114 shall not apply to the acquisition, improvement or construction of any public facilities pursuant to this subsection (d) or § 7-32-115(b) or any assessments relating to the acquisition, improvement or construction.   The authority granted to municipalities by this subsection (d) shall not be construed to limit in any manner the authority of any municipality to acquire a public facility or any other property or enter into any agreement with another party in accordance with other law or any local charter.   Any action taken by the legislative body under this chapter relating to any agreement entered into pursuant to this subsection (d) or any assessments under § 7-32-115 or any matters relating thereto may be by resolution, adopted at a meeting, regular or special, of the legislative body at which the resolution is introduced and shall take effect immediately upon adoption. Except as specifically provided in this subsection (d), the resolution need not be published or posted or be subject to veto by the municipality's mayor, nor shall the resolution require for its passage more than a majority vote of all members of the legislative body then in office. Any property that is subject to assessment pursuant to § 7-32-115 shall be specifically identified in the resolution that is adopted approving any such assessment. In approving the property that is to be subject to assessment, the legislative body may remove, but not add, any properties to those identified in the map of the properties that are subject to public view prior to the public hearing required as described in subdivision (d)(2).