Tennessee Code Title 13. Public Planning and Housing § 13-3-304

(b)(1) Once the planning commission of the region or the municipality has adopted and certified the general regional plan, the planning commission's transmittal of the certification to the legislative body may simultaneously include a resolution by the planning commission requesting the legislative body's consideration and adoption of the general regional plan. The county legislative body, by resolution or the municipal legislative body by ordinance, may adopt the general regional plan, or in the case of the municipality, their element of the plan as certified by the planning commission. Prior to the adoption of the general regional plan or amendment of the general regional plan by a legislative body, the legislative body shall hold a public hearing thereon, the time and place of which shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting in which the adoption or amendment is to be first considered. If the legislative body adopts the general regional plan in the form of an ordinance by the municipality or a resolution by the county, then any land use decisions thereafter made by the legislative body, planning commission or board of zoning appeals when the board of zoning appeals is exercising its powers on matters other than variances, must be consistent with the general regional plan.

(2) If the planning commission initiates the adoption of and votes to adopt an amendment to the general plan, the legislative body must pass the amendment by a majority vote in order for the amendment to be operative.

(4) The general regional plan may be adopted as an element of the jurisdiction's growth plan through the process established in title 6, chapter 58, but if the regional general plan is not adopted as part of the growth plan, it nevertheless cannot be inconsistent with the growth plan or the intent of title 6, chapter 58.