Kingsport aims to strengthen its code enforcement efforts
The City of Kingsport is continuing to concentrate on code enforcement efforts by adding personnel to the department, addressing cases that can be handled quickly and focusing on several dilapidated commercial properties in the downtown area.
The enforcement of code violations is important to the city for a number of reasons – the health safety of residents and visitors, the protection of property values, to maintain a good quality of life and for public safety.
To accomplish these goals, Kingsport has strengthened the department by adding two property maintenance and housing inspectors. These two employees, along with the current code enforcement coordinator, are responsible for monitoring and enforcing city codes and ordinances.
“We’re looking to protect property values and to make sure issues – such as junk in the yard, high grass and dilapidated structures – don’t spread throughout a neighborhood,” said Assistant City Manager Jessica Harmon. “And our goal is always to get voluntary compliance, but sometimes that’s just not feasible and sometimes we have to take matters into the courts.”
Last fall, a corridor study of the Lynn Garden community revealed public safety is one of the top priorities of residents. In response, Kingsport intends to take a wholistic approach to this concern, with code enforcement playing a major role in bringing about improvements.
During the corridor study, code enforcement officials observed 130 various violations, including substandard structures, dilapidations, high grass, inoperable vehicles and junk on property. As a result of this inspection, 35 cases have been opened this year – 14 inoperable vehicles, 5 dilapidations, 10 junk on property and 6 substandard properties.
Citywide, Kingsport has 5 dilapidations ready to be bid out, 7 in the appeals process with 8 demolitions already taken place. In the downtown area, Kingsport has identified several commercial buildings in need of repair or demolition. These include 702 E. Center Street (the McAnnich Apartments), 609 Boone Street and 152 Broad Street.
City officials have said tearing down a dilapidated structure helps the neighborhood on a number of fronts – it improves the value of nearby properties, removes any squatters who may have taken up residence and curbs the spread of dilapidation.
The success to code enforcement is consistency,” said City Manager Chris McCartt. “If someone is living next to a violation or operates a business next to a violation, we as a city have a responsibility and we’re going to continue to stay on it.”
This information was presented to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen during a day-long, strategic planning session held February 23 at city hall. The BMA heard updates from staff on the city’s finances, economic development efforts and budget priorities and challenges for the coming year.
To view the presentations from the strategic planning session, visit www.kingsporttn.gov.
