The City Council on Tuesday night approved tighter stormwater regulations recommended by a technical advisory group.
Doug Stein, a developer and construction company owner who heads the city's Stormwater Board, said he favored the plan.
However, he said the tougher rules might cause developers of some smaller projects to opt not to build.
But he said in the case of some larger undertakings, including the plan to develop the top of Aetna Mountain at Black Creek, it was found that costs were actually less by following the stricter rules.
City Councilman Chris Anderson said by going by the tighter regulations that developers would pay up front. However, he said, if that approach was not taken, the burden of mitigation would ultimately fall on the city and its taxpayers.
Councilman Ken Smith said the position of TDEC as expressed in a letter was that governments would need to meet requirements eventually overseen by the EPB, but it would not be dictated by what method they would need to use.
Council members added requirements of an appeals process as well as an evaluation process.
Second and final reading will be in two weeks when all council members are expected to be present. Two are set to be absent next Tuesday.