Breaking the Code
I noted with interest Joe Tarr's "Downtown Dialogue" (Vol. 9, No. 45) quoting Doug Berry, Knoxville's Director of Development, on the following points: 1) "I'm here to help you." 2) "Codes aren't the problem, it's the way they are enforced." 3) "It is necessary to meet with the builders early on and make it (the codes) work." 4) The building codes department has taken a laissez faire approach to enforcing codes (at least in Fort Sanders) out of fear landlords will simply let the buildings get condemned and use it as an excuse to demolish them. 5) "What we're doing to stay legal is to concentrate on life safety."
I don't know Doug Berry, but I can tell you he either doesn't know what his own department is doing, or he is having the department do one thing but telling you it is doing something else. If space permitted, I could give you specific case after case.
1) The department is never there to help you unless you are either a friend of a person in the department or believed to have political connections with major City officials. Each department employee's sole point of view is to cover his own ass. They have even condemned a dwelling without inspection when requested to do so by a councilman.
2) Codes are the problem as well as the manner they are enforced. The Codes were adopted by City Council without ever having been read by Council, let alone studied. There are no grandfather clauses applicable to any provisions, even those that have nothing to do with safety, life or otherwise. The department tries to keep the codes secret so that you have to take its word for what the codes say. One cannot obtain a copy of any code the department enforces in this city. You can only get a copy of the ordinance that says the City is adopting a certain national or regional code. As to the Housing Code, for example, the department will not even tell you where a copy can be bought out of state. The extent of enforcement is based on who the owner is, not the condition of the property.
3) There is no such thing as meeting with code officials "to make the codes work" unless you have pull from some source.
4) There is something wrong with a stated policy that says the department will not enforce the codes at some place because the owner will "use it as an excuse to demolish," but will enforce the codes and demolish a dwelling or building in some other place because the department does not believe the owner wants it demolished.
5) I am a lawyer. Please get Doug Berry to tell me what "staying legal" means.
Building, Housing, Life Saving, Fire and Zoning Codes if intelligently written, adopted, and enforced could easily advance Knoxville. As it is, it is no surprise that owners and investors don't want to be in the city.
Joseph J. Levitt, Jr.
Knoxville
Delightful
As a relatively new resident to Knoxville, I have read several books about the history of the city. I was really impressed, however, by the images of the sights and sounds of old Knoxville Jack Neely was able to evoke in his article titled "Century's Start" [Vol. 9, No. 49]. I really felt I was there, amid the cigar smoke, the smell of the taverns, and the hustle and bustle of a growing Southern city.
I can only hope there will be further articles similar to this fascinating look of this delightful city.
Keep up the great reporting.
Michael LeCompte
Knoxville
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