Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization

The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Executive Board hereby establishes the Regional Transportation Planning Council (RTPC). The purpose of the RTPC is to foster cooperative regional transportation decision-making and to facilitate the development and implementation of a Regional Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) including an air quality conformity plan, to coordinate any programs considered appropriate to comply with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, and to facilitate projects that promote regional transportation coordination. The RTPC will act in concert with the TPO Executive Board to approve an areawide unified LRTP, an air quality conformity plan, and any other plans or amendments as necessary.

Article I – Name/Study Area
The name of the committee shall be the Regional Transportation Planning Council (RTPC). The study area shall include those areas contained in the Knoxville non-attainment area but outside the Knoxville urban area. The 2000 United States Census, and those amendments that may be made by the TPO Executive Board, defines the urban area. The Knoxville non-attainment area is defined by the EPA, and is that area designated as non-attainment for Ozone. Decisions made to adjust urban area boundaries shall automatically adjust the RTPC’s study area.

Article II – Composition
The RTPC shall be composed of the following:

Anderson County Mayor
Blount County Mayor
Cocke County Mayor
Jefferson County Mayor
Knox County Mayor
Loudon County Mayor
Sevier County Mayor
Governor of the State of Tennessee

Article III – Responsibilities
The RTPC constitutes the forum for regional transportation decision-making in the Knoxville non-attainment area. The RTPC responsibilities include:

Make recommendations regarding the Regional Long Range Transportation Plan for those areas in the Knoxville non-attainment area but outside the Knoxville urban area;
Make recommendations regarding the Regional Transportation Improvement Plan (2-5 year capital plan) for those areas in the Knoxville non-attainment area but outside the Knoxville urban area;
Make recommendations regarding Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) policies, allocations, and funding awards available to those areas in the Knoxville non-attainment area but outside the Knoxville urban area; and
Make recommendations regarding other regional issues that may impact transportation and air quality.
Meet jointly with the TPO Executive Board to approve a combined Regional Long Range Transportation Plan and Urban Area transportation plan into an area wide unified long range transportation plan and approve the distribution of CMAQ funds for the air quality non-attainment area.

Article VI – Organization

The RTPC shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from its membership. Such election shall be by a majority vote of that membership.
Election of officers shall take place on the first meeting of the calendar year, and the term of office shall be for one year, or until such time as new officers are needed. Upon initial approval of these bylaws, officer elections shall occur during the first RTPC meeting, and the one-year term limit will not officially start until January of 2005.
An officer is eligible to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.
The TPO Director shall serve as the secretary (non-voting) for the RTPC.
Establishment of advisory or technical committees as necessary.

Article V – Duties of the Chair

The Chair, or in his/her absence, the Vice Chair, shall preside at all meetings of the RTPC.
The Chair shall authenticate, by his/her signature, all resolutions adopted by the RTPC.
The Chair, or his/her designated representative, may represent the RTPC at hearings, conferences, or other events as required.
The Chair may call special meetings when necessary. In the absences or refusal of the Chair, a majority of the RTCP may call special meetings as necessary.

Article VI – Meetings

The RTPC shall meet at least quarterly. The RTPC can meet more than quarterly, if necessary, to accomplish required tasks.
Each RTPC member may designate, in writing, a representative to serve at meetings during said member’s absence.
The presence of a simple majority of the RTPC membership or designated representatives shall constitute a quorum for business transactions.
Each RTPC member shall have one vote.
A majority vote shall be required from members present to carry a motion.

Article VII – Rules of Order

The RTPC shall conduct business as prescribed in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised unless prescribed otherwise by amendment to these bylaws.

Article VIII – RTPC/TPO Executive Board Relationship; Bylaw Amendments

The RTPC is a committee formally established by the TPO Executive Board and therefore its existence, organization, or purpose can be determined or modified as necessary by the TPO Executive Board provided changes are in accordance with the TPO Executive Board Bylaws.
The TPO Executive Board must approve any amendments to the RTPC Bylaws.
The RTPC may recommend bylaw amendments at any time, or shall be afforded a 60-day review and comment period for any proposed amendments to the RTPC Bylaws prior to TPO Executive Board approval.

Article IX – Funding Resources

Funding resources made available to the RTPC shall be approved by the TPO Executive Board.

Article X – RTPC/TPO Executive Board Relationship

Approval of items listed in Article III of these bylaws shall be considered final upon the majority vote of the combined TPO Executive Board and the RTPC during a special called meeting. Special meetings called shall follow TPO Executive Board Bylaws that guarantee fair and equal rights to those RTPC members who do not already serve on the TPO Executive Board.
The TPO Executive Board will not call a special meeting or consider formal action on any of the items listed in Article III of these bylaws prior to receiving a recommendation from the RTPC. The TPO Executive Board shall, however, reserve the authority to establish reasonable schedules for the completion of RTPC recommendation decisions, and may call a special meeting upon the determination that further delay would have a negative impact on the urban area or non-attainment area.
There shall also be in place a Memorandum of Agreement between the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization and the Lakeway Area Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the development of the Transportation Conformity Determination(s) under the 8-Hour Ozone Standard.
At joint meetings of the TPO Executive Board and the RTPC, each member shall have only one vote even if they serve on both the RTPC and the TPO Executive Board.

Article XI- Staff for the RTPC

Staff for the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization shall serve as staff of the RTPC.

DISCLAIMER
The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information shown in text documents, maps, charts and other materials produced or reproduced by the agency. However, TPO makes no warranty or representation, express or implied, as to the use, accuracy, or interpretation of the data accessible on this site. The data is provided for informational purposes only. Before relying on this data, the user should visit the TPO office to review the official records of the agency and confirm that the data is current and accurate.