Blog: City Blog

#PublicWorksWednesday: Dirty Lots and Neighborhood Codes

Dirty or overgrown lots can be more than just an eye sore.

Improperly maintained properties can cause negative consequences for both the homeowner and surrounding residents.

Dirty lot

What are Neighborhood Codes and how do they affect you?

Neighborhood Code ordinances are created to encourage Knoxville residents to keep their houses in good repair, to maintain the vegetation on the property, and to keep their yard free of trash and other unusable items. The City of Knoxville Municipal Code classifies a dirty lot as "a lot where trash and debris have accumulated, as well as areas where vines, brush, or grass exceeds 12 inches in height."

In 2023, Code Enforcement officers received 9,770 complaints resulting in more than 18,000 property inspections.

Are you concerned about a blighted property in your neighborhood?

Neighbors can report property concerns by calling the City's 311 hotline or creating a service request on the MyKnoxville app which initiates Code Enforcement Officers to launch an initial inspection on the reported address.

Overgrown lot

What happens if an officer finds a code violation?

The officer will mail a "Notice of Violation" letter outlining the cited violation(s) and what corrective action is required. The property owner will be afforded a reasonable period of time to correct the violation(s). Codes Enforcement will do follow up inspections throughout the process to ensure the property violations are resolved.

What if the property owner fails to fix the violations?

If the property owner does not take proper action, the Public Service Department's Codes Crew may clean up the lot, in which case, the property owner will be billed for the cost of the lot clean up. The owner may even be cited in Municipal Court where fines and penalties can be imposed for neglecting to correct the lot violations.

Together, we can keep Knoxville a safe, healthy, and beautiful place to live.

Another dirty lot

Posted by ptravis On 12 March, 2024 at 4:01 PM