§ 7-51-1601 — Definitions - Assistance to private residential property owners

(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Natural disaster" means a disaster that has caused widespread devastation in an area and includes an area that has been declared by the governor to be a disaster area; and (2) "Private residential property" means real property, and the improvements to such real property, that is not owned by the federal government or a state agency and is used as a dwelling. (b) When a natural disaster occurs, a municipality or county shall have access to and may spend public funds to assist in cleaning up debris and fallen trees on private residential property, if a request is made by the owner of the property for such assistance. (c) The municipality or county shall by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, adopt a plan for providing assistance for natural disaster relief to private residential property as authorized by this section. A county highway department may perform work as part of a plan adopted under this subsection (c) if the plan specifically authorizes the county highway department to perform the work and the plan provides for the reimbursement of the costs incurred by the county highway department.

Legislative History

Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 275,Secs.s1, s2 eff. 5/4/2017. T.C.A. §58-2-111(c)(10); Acts 2004, ch. 743, § 3.