Mike CarterNASHVILLE – State Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, is pressing legislation aimed at blocking what he calls efforts by Chattanooga to “cherry pick” affluent suburbs outside its current urban growth boundary plan.
“I call it the Ryan’s buffet rule,” Carter told House Local Government Subcommittee on Wednesday, alluding to the all-you-can-eat restaurant chain. “We don’t care how much you eat. Just eat all that’s on your plate before you go back and get another plate.”
The bill would affect all cities. The panel, despite reservations voiced by one member about its impact in his district, moved the bill to full committee.
Under a 1998 Tennessee law, cities are required to create urban growth boundaries where they expect to extend as a solution to urban sprawl.
“We’re finding, particularly in my district, the city of Chattanooga has an enormous urban growth area that they’re allowed to annex,” Carter said. “Yet they’re selecting not to annex those areas which they agreed to annex when they first came to annex under the urban growth plan.”