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Mount Juliet commissioners vote to put home-rule repeal on Nov. 3 ballot
Summary
The board approved an ordinance to submit to voters the question of repealing Mount Juliet's home-rule charter; proponents said the change could enable impact fees for roads, sewer, water and parks and would be subject to the state's private-act process if requested.
The Mount Juliet Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 10 to place a referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot asking voters whether the city should repeal its home-rule charter and return to Tennessee general-law status.
Commissioner Malely (speaker S10), who presented the measure, said the change would allow the city to pursue a private act from the Tennessee General Assembly to authorize a structured impact-fee system. "If the home rule is repealed in November, we would have the ability to create a structured impact fee system to help cover long term maintenance for the impacts of growth and development and have developers fairly share in that," she said, urging that a private act could fund roads, stormwater, sewer and parks.
City Attorney (speaker S11) clarified legal limits during a question-and-answer exchange, saying the city "cannot do whatever it wants under home rule if it has to have authority from the state to do it." Commissioners and staff discussed public meetings the city will hold before early voting; S10 said at least five informational meetings will be scheduled for each district and one citywide meeting. The board approved putting the question on the ballot by voice vote.
Why this matters: commissioners framed the move as a tool to shift some long-term infrastructure costs from current residents to future development by enabling impact fees that the city currently lacks authority to impose under its existing charter. The referendum now goes to voters; if they approve repeal, the board would then request a private act from the Tennessee General Assembly to authorize an impact-fee framework.
