New Development Review Timelines for Tennessee Local Governments (Public Chapter No. 1044): What Cities, Counties and Planning Commissions Need to Know Before January 1, 2027

Josh Suddath, Executive Director, Center for Local Planning.

Public Chapter No. 1044 establishes mandatory timelines for local government review of development applications, site inspections and project surety releases, effective January 1, 2027.

Failure to act within the statutory deadlines results in automatic approval of the submitted application. This webinar will walk local government officials and staff through the law’s requirements, explain its practical implications and outline concrete steps communities can take now to prepare for compliance.

The Center for Local Planning (CLP), the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) and the Municipal Technical Advisory Service are excited to offer this free webinar on Public Chapter 1040.

Webinar Details

• Wednesday, July 29, 2026
• 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. CST
• Online via Zoom  |  Register here

Registration is free, but space may be limited. A recording will be made available to registrants.

What You'll Learn in This Webinar

• 30- and 60-business-day review deadlines for development applications and site inspections.
• How the two-report limit on deficiency notices works and what happens after.
• New surety release procedures, including the 120-business-day timeline and independent engineer inspections. 
• When automatic approval is triggered and how to avoid it.
• The 50% fee refund requirement upon application denial.
• Best practices: designating a development administrator, pre-submittal meetings and interdepartmental coordination.

Who Should Attend

City and county managers and mayors, planning commissioners, planning and engineering staff, building and codes officials, city and county attorneys, public works and utility department staff, elected officials

Read the policy guide on Public Chapter No. 1044. [https://mrln.mtas.tennessee.edu/se/final/Portal/Default.aspx?component=b-USER&record=0841e3da-6d97-448a-b0d5-233aba218d72&lang=en-US]