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By David Walsh

By BROOKE WANSER

At last week’s town hall meeting, Williamson County legislators delivered the news that a bill which would take the power to enforce design standards from city governments had been killed.

And during Tuesday night’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, District 65 Rep. Sam Whitson personally delivered the news. He thanked the city staff while delivering a warning.

“It will probably be back next year, and the following year,” he said. “I just want to make sure we stay vigilant on that.”

House and senate bills proposed by Rep. Marc Gravitt, R-East Ridge, and Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, R-Knoxville, would prohibit city government from enforcing design elements on one and two family dwellings, like building color type of roof, structures or porches.

This is the second year the bill has been brought forth before the Tennessee General Assembly. Last year, Assistant City Administrator Vernon Gerth and Director of Planning and Sustainability Emily Hunter spoke out on Capitol Hill during a legislative session.

The bill was supported by the Homebuilders Association of Tennessee and the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee, located in Brentwood.

City and legislative officials say the bill was targeted at Franklin.

City Administrator Eric Stuckey said Sen. Jack Johnson facilitated a conversation between architects and builders at city hall, but the meeting bore no fruit.

The city moved forward in opposition of the bill, spreading the news and asking residents to contact their representatives to vote “no” on the bill.

“We’re glad that it’s not moving forward because we feel like that kind of local decision-making is supported by our community and property investors,” he said,

Part of the secret to Franklin’s success, Stuckey said, was having neighborhoods that fit well within the community.

“This does tie to comprehensive and community land use planning,” he pointed out.

Stuckey echoed Whitson’s concern about the bill returning before the general assembly.

“We don’t have any illusions that this is the end of the road, it will probably come back in some form,” Stuckey said. “We will be ready to make our case.”