City Ordinances

The City of Baneberry’s municipal ordinances are continuously evolving.  The ordinances on this web site are provided as a convenient reference and may not contain all recent revisions.

For questions on any matter requiring legal or official certainty, contact the City Manager at 865-674-0124 for the most current updates.

The ordinances listed here, are those most routinely applicable to Baneberry residents, property owners, and Baneberry businesses.

This is just a few of the City’s ordinances.  As of March 2017 there were seventy nine (79) active ordinances of the one hundred eighty nine (189) ordinances ordained since Baneberry’s incorporation in 1986.

The table below organizes the most applicable City Ordinances by categories.

Links to the “selected” ordinances are found after the table.

207-4: Animal Control

Rabies vaccination and registration is required for all dogs and cats in accordance with the “Tennessee Anti-Rabies Law”, Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A., 68-8-101 through 68-8-115) and other applicable laws.  Pets must wear tags evidencing vaccination and registration.

It is unlawful to permit pets to run at large within the corporate limits.  All pets outside the owner’s domicile must be under control of the owner by leash or in an approved enclosure.

It is unlawful to permit pets to defecate on any property not owned by the pet-owner or the person having control of the pet.  Pet-owners or the person in control of the pet must clean up after the pet.

Noisy dogs are prohibited.  No person shall own, keep, or harbor any dog which, by its loud and frequent barking, whining, or howling, disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood.

Vicious dogs must be kept securely restrained.  It is unlawful for any person to own or keep any dog known to be vicious or dangerous unless such dog is so confined and/or otherwise securely restrained as to provide reasonably for the protection of persons and other animals.

Livestock are prohibited in the incorporated area of the City of Baneberry.  No person shall own, keep, or harbor any livestock such as swine, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, or fowl.

A violation of any section of Baneberry’s Animal Control Ordinance: 207-4, shall constitute a civil offense and shall, upon conviction, be punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) plus court cost, for each violation.  Each day a violation is allowed to continue shall constitute a separate offense.

Any law enforcement officer; the Mayor; the City Commissioners; or a City Code Enforcement officer may issue citations for violations of this ordinance and exercise control procedures.

If a pet is notoriously running loose, City officials are required to enforce applicable City ordinances and to comply with appropriate State and County laws and regulations.

If the pet can be safely approached and identified, City officials will attempt to notify the owner.  If the owner can’t be reached, or the pet cannot be safely approached and controlled, City officials will ask the local Animal Control Agency to remove it.

Pets that do not have an ID tag and a rabies tag will be impounded.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office is in charge of “animal control”.  If they spot a pet running loose they will impound it.

If you encounter an animal that appears to be dangerous, call 911, otherwise call one of the following numbers:

  • City Hall: 865-674-0124
  • Humane Society: 865-475-8930
  • Jefferson County Animal Control: 865-471-5980

Tennessee Code Annotated provides that any pet found running at large may be seized by authorities and placed in a dog pound.  If the pet is wearing a tag, the owner shall be notified by a postcard addressed to the owner’s last-known mailing address to appear within five (5) days and pay a fee or the pet will be destroyed.  If the pet is not wearing a tag, the dog shall be destroyed, unless legally claimed by the owner within two (2) days.