A review of approaches to incorporating environmental considerations in planning in Tennessee

The comprehensive planning process has traditionally neglected environmental considerations. Environmental features were usually given consideration only insofar as they affected the suitability of the land to accommodate development. Some of the problems of this limited consideration has been pollution and depletion of ground water supplies from development located on aquifers and their recharge areas and loss of property from building in active geologic zones. Where the full range on environmental features are considered in the planning process, suitable measures can be taken to prevent these problems.

This research had two main objectives. The first objective was to review the works of planning agencies and consultants outside the state of Tennessee and survey selected Tennessee planning agencies to ascertain how they incorporate environmental considerations into the comprehensive planning process. The second objective was to build a model, based on the findings of the literature search and the survey, which could be employed to incorporate environmental considerations into each phase of the comprehensive planning process.

The Environmental Planning Model developed as a result of this research represents a combination of the additive approach (which adds a new element or planning section to focus on environmental concerns) and the realignment of objectives approach (which calls for a fundamental realignment of all community goals and objectives in light of environmental implications). The critical component of this model is an inventory and analysis of environmental features. This model should be given serious consideration by the various Tennessee planning agencies for incorporation into their planning process.