Sumner County pauses Brown House RFQ after TDEC riparian-buffer review halts access

Sumner County officials paused the request-for-qualifications (RFQ) process for restoration work at the historic Brown House after staff learned a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) filing raised questions about riparian-buffer boundaries and access to the property.

The ad hoc committee overseeing the Brown House restoration discussed the pause and follow-up steps at a recent meeting. Committee members said the county closed the RFQ so staff could confirm whether the house or the driveway falls inside a newly mapped riparian buffer and to add that information to the procurement materials.

Why it matters: county leaders say the Brown House was donated with a codicil directing the county to maintain a park and the historic home, and the commission previously allocated $500,000 toward establishing and maintaining the site. Committee members said the RFQ suspension is intended to prevent bidders from submitting proposals that omit new environmental constraints that could affect access, costs and construction methods.

County staff told the committee they discovered potential buffer markings while preparing to open bids. Justin, a county staff member, said a TDEC data-viewer entry and an aquatic-resource alteration permit (listed in the viewer as RNRS20DOT029ARAP) prompted staff to ask TDEC for clarification about whether the buffer line affects the Brown House and the access driveway.

Members described a series of exchanges: Sydney, a TDEC project manager, and Ed,…