Code Enforcement Helping Build Strong Neighborhoods
Over the past few years, Kingsport has made purposeful gains toward building and maintaining strong neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Commission, PaveKingsport, Neighborhood Cleanups, Coffee with Cops and many other efforts have gone a long way to strengthen Kingsport’s wonderful neighborhoods. Additionally, ensuring that neighbors are properly maintaining their property and that community nuisances efficiently handled are foundational to building strong neighborhoods.
The City of Kingsport utilizes Code Enforcement to ensure we are meeting citizen’s expectations related to these issues. Over the past year, City Manager Chris McCartt assembled a task force to review efforts being done well, areas needing improvement and any opportunity for immediate impact.
“After reviewing the city’s operations and benchmarking with other communities, the task force determined that the city has the right people in the right positions, but needs to bring those positions together to work as one team,” said Deputy City Manager Ryan McReynolds.
This realignment will provide the citizens a less fragmented and more responsive structure related to code enforcement. To that end, all enforcement related to properties and community nuisances are now integrated within the Building Department under the direction of the Chief Building Official Keith Bruner.
Citizens are encouraged to report suspected code violations to 423-224-CODE (2633). Additionally, at their last business meeting, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen invested $100,000 toward code enforcement. This funding will go toward taking care of high grass and demolition of structures where the owner is absent. In either case, the city will place a lien on the property to recover their cost.
Upcoming improvements related to Code Enforcement include connecting citizens to the city via a new app through SeeClickFix. The SeeClickFix app is soon to replace YourGov as the city’s primary tool to engage the citizens in reporting issues throughout the city. It expands the citizen’s ability to not only report, but report and interact with the city on issues related to Public Works and Code Enforcement.
