Gallatin city leaders push for impact fee on new developers
GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new bill would allow a growing Sumner County city to levy impact fees on new land developers.
Senate Bill 1435 was introduced last month by state Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) and is directed at the city of Gallatin.
Among city governments, Councilman Pascal Jouvence has been looking to implement impact fees across the city since the start of his term in 2023.
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'I don't want the people who have been living here forever, or have been living here awhile, have to pay to supplement the people who arrive in the city,' said Jouvence.
In January, Gallatin's city council approved changing their city's charter to allow for impact fees on new construction. Ultimately, the decision will be made by the state.
'We need money. Money doesn't grow on trees. We have to find money somewhere to make sure our constituents are taken care of,' Jouvence told News 2.
Jouvence said the funds would, ideally, help keep their city resources, like police or fire, up to par with their growth. He said there's a 'misconception' as to what impact fees would do for the local housing market.
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Citing a 2024 study from Tennessee's Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Resources (TACIR), Jouvence said impact fees have shown to have little effect on housing costs.
To that point, much of Gallatin's new development is neighborhood units; high-density builds that are often near large, spaced-out residential properties. That's a problem, in Jouvence's eyes.
'We're building a small city there,' he said, pointing to a nearby development along Saint Blaise Road in Gallatin. 'And if you look at the other side [of the street], we have this issue where a lot of things that are built right now doesn't follow the character of the areas.'
'People have the right to sell their land and develop it, but their liberties should not infringe on the liberties of other people around them,' Jouvence continued.
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Jouvence said the impact fee rate would be determined through a study from an outside company. Even if Gallatin is given clearance from the state to levy impact fees, it doesn't mean they will, according to Jouvence.
A possible downside to impact fees is it could deter developers from investing in Gallatin and stifle their recent growth boom.
The bill will go in front of the House's 'Private Acts Committee' for review on Monday, and still has several committees to get through to be approved.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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