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SB 785

Zoning - As introduced, prohibits local governments or planning commissions from requiring more than one means of ingress and egress into a proposed subdivision unless the proposed subdivision has at least 70 residential dwellings. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 13.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Page Walley

SB 785 prevents Tennessee local governments from requiring multiple subdivision access points for developments with fewer than 70 residential units, reducing infrastructure mandates for smaller projects.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 785

Legislative bill overview

SB 785 restricts local zoning authorities' ability to mandate multiple access points (ingress/egress) for new residential subdivisions unless the development contains at least 70 dwellings. The bill modifies Tennessee's zoning and land development codes across five title sections, effectively reducing infrastructure requirements for smaller residential projects.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects how residential developments are planned and built, with implications for emergency response times, traffic flow, and property values. It could reduce development costs for builders while potentially compromising public safety and infrastructure planning at the local level, creating tension between state-level deregulation and municipal land-use control.

Potential points of contention

  • Public Safety: Single access points create bottlenecks for emergency evacuation and fire/ambulance response; this requirement exists in most jurisdictions for precisely this reason
  • Local Control: The bill overrides local governments' ability to set zoning standards based on community-specific geography, infrastructure capacity, and growth patterns
  • Infrastructure Planning: Prevents municipalities from requiring adequate access based on neighborhood density, topography, or existing road conditions that may differ from the 70-unit threshold
  • Development Costs vs. Safety Trade-off: Reduces builder expenses but may externalize costs through emergency response delays and reduced neighborhood accessibility

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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