Public Acts of 1993 Chapter 212

SECTION 1.  The metropolitan council of any county having a metropolitan form of government may designate Division IV of the county's general sessions court as the Environmental Court.

SECTION 2.  In making such designation, the judge of Division IV is granted the additional power to issue injunctions, both mandatory and prohibitory, as provided in Rule 65 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure.  The judge may order any defendant found guilty of violating any metropolitan ordinance relating to health, housing, fire, land subdivision, building or zoning to correct such violation at the defendant's own expense.  In a case involving the alleged violation of any ordinance relating to health, housing, fire, land subdivision, building or zoning, the judge may appoint a master to aid the court.  Rule 53 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure shall govern the appointment, power, and duty of the master.

SECTION 3.  The judge may also punish a person for contempt who, having been ordered to correct a violation of any metropolitan ordinance relating to health, housing, fir, land subdivision, building or zoning, willfully fails to obey such order within the designated day and at the designated time as given by court order.  The punishment for contempt in such case is limited to a monetary penalty of not more than fifty dollars ($50) and confinement for not more than five (5) days for each violation.

SECTION 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1993, the public welfare requiring it.

Passed:  April 12, 1993.