Dive Brief:
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Developers in Nashville, TN, now must provide sidewalks in front of most new single-family or duplex homes on streets in the city's downtown and surrounding suburban neighborhoods, according to The Tennessean. Previously, only developers of residential subdivisions had to provide sidewalks.
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The Metro Council voted on the measure last week, and it will go into effect on July 1. It also requires multifamily and commercial developers to provide sidewalks on certain major and collector streets.
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While developers can still pay into a common fund instead of building sidewalks themselves, the new legislation limits the conditions under which they can opt out of the latter, such as if there is already a sidewalk on the property, its neighbors' properties or along the rest of the block.
Dive Insight:
Tennessee builders have opposed the measure, saying significantly fewer projects will qualify for the option to pay a fee. More still, those opposed worry that the design and code rules for sidewalks could impact home sales.
Others say it could be a disproportionate drag on developers building on corner lots that necessitate extra sidewalk space, or for those working on affordable and low-income housing projects.
Other municipalities and states are taxing developers to fund the construction of local infrastructure that supports the addition of new residential and commercial buildings.
In North Carolina, state lawmakers are considering a bill that could scale back the impact and other regulatory fees levied on developers to help pay for public services and utilities like roads and sidewalks. Builders and developers typically oppose impact fees, though The News & Observer notes that many municipalities in the state have used them for many years.
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