Building and Codes Strategic Plan

The Building Department

Protecting the public’s life, health and welfare in the built environment. Jurisdiction across the country involves a busy and complicated profession that addresses every aspect of the building construction industry. The job is not limited to the difficult task of understanding and applying the architectural, engineering and construction concepts of building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and fire codes. The job includes the enforcement of zoning, subdivision of property, housing, environmental, traffic and various other county or state laws that directly affect the building construction industry.

Codes Enforcement Division

The purpose of the code is to provide the basic minimum housing standards deemed essential for safe and healthful living. The code provides the minimum requirements necessary to maintain any residential occupancy in a safe and sanitary condition.

In addition, the codes enforcement division enforces provisions of zoning resolutions of Montgomery County, adopted by the County Commission. The provisions of this resolution shall be administered by the Montgomery County Building Commissioner. This official or designee shall have the right to enter upon any premises in Montgomery County at any reasonable time for the purpose of making inspections of buildings or premises necessary to carry out his duties in the enforcement of this Resolution.

Adequate Facilities Tax

Over the past few years, Montgomery County has experienced rapid growth in its population, increasing the demand for new or upgraded school facilities. Until recently, the county’s revenue-raising authority for such projects was limited and relied heavily upon inter-governmental transfers, which weren’t subject to county control, and on property taxes, which would have imposed the costs of new growth on existing residents rather than on new residents, whom are creating the demand for those additional expenditures.

Being committed to the county’s present and future residents and desiring to maintain a level of services commensurate with those presently provided, county leadership realized that the present population, employment base, tax base and budget of the county could not have alone generated the additional revenue necessary to provide school facilities adequate to serve new growth without a substantial property tax rate increase.

In order to generate funding to meet the increasing need for school facilities necessitated by new development, county leadership saw the need to impose a fair and reasonable share of the costs of new or upgraded school facilities on that development, as not to create an unfair, inequitable burden on existing county residents. It was decided that the most logical and effective mechanism to accomplish the intended result would be the imposition of a new privilege tax on new development in Montgomery County and to use those revenues from such tax to provide necessary school facilities in those areas of the county that would be required because of growth in that area.

The result is the Montgomery County Adequate Facility Tax (AFT), which was adopted by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners on April 12, 2004, and became effective on July 1, 2004. The tax imposed was $250 on each new lot (created after the effective date of the AFT Resolution) and $250 on each single-family or multi-family unit(s) when adopted in 2004, increasing six percent annually to a combined maximum of $1000.

Managing Storm Water

On July 3, 2003, Montgomery County was issued a Notice of Coverage (NOC) under the State of Tennessee’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (issued to the state by the US Environmental Protection Agency) General Storm Water Discharge Permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). The NOC designates Montgomery County as an MS4, and requires the county to take certain legislative actions to remain in compliance with State and Federal regulations. In order to fulfill this obligation, The Montgomery County Commission adopted The Montgomery County Storm Water Resolution (#03-1-5), and The Water Quality Buffer and Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Resolution (#08-1-2). These resolutions set the county regulations for:

• Pre-construction storm water management planning in areas of new development and re-development
• Construction site storm water runoff control in areas of new development and re-development
• Post-construction storm water management in areas of new development and re-development
• Water Quality Protection Buffers in areas of new development and re-development
• An Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) Program
• County operation pollution prevention and good housekeeping procedures
• Public Education
• Public Involvement

Permits Issued

There are a variety of permits issued by Building and Codes, to include:

• Building Permits - for single family homes with basements/garages, detached garages, additions, swimming pools (in ground and above ground), mobile homes, barns/sheds/utility buildings, renovations, fire restoration.
• Barrier Permits - Shall be pulled by the property owner before a Pool permit will be issued
• Pool Permit - Required for all pools containing 24” or more of water. This includes any pool capable of holding more than 2 feet of water.
• Temporary Fireworks Tents
• Signs
• Decks
• Communication Stations and Towers
• Commercial/Industrial and Assembly/Educational Projects
• Plumbing Permits for construction, additions/alterations, mobile homes
• Demolition

The Building and Codes Department also has a five member Board of Zoning Appeals that hears all appeals cases dealing with property outside the City limits.

Mission Statement

The mission of Codes Compliance is to protect the public’s investment, life, health, and welfare in the built environment.

Vision Statement

To provide quality customer service through administration, communication, education, assisting the public in compliance with the adopted codes and regulations of Montgomery County.

Issue Statements

• Population and building growth in Montgomery County will result in an increase in volume of applications, plans to be reviewed, approved, and inspected. Provide courteous customer service in a timely manner helping to resolve the customer’s need.
• With sharply rising material and fuel costs as well as operating and maintenance costs. Codes Compliance is continually challenged to operate efficiently to keep cost down and meet our policy by completing applications and inspections in 24 hours, approve all plan reviews within 15 working days, and respond to complaints by visual inspection within 48 hours.
• With the adoption of the Storm Water Management Program we are now under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) phase 2 requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) that continually requires Montgomery County to take on more responsibility to meet the minimum requirements. This will further challenge Codes Compliance with finding ways to meet the increasing expense and generate revenue without causing an increase in taxes.

Goal Statements

• By December 2011 Codes customers will communicate and access information through Internet Access by an increased number of customers accessing information online, reporting satisfaction with communications, and inspection status made available online through Information Systems.
• By July 2011 Codes customers will be provided education in order to reduce the need for re-inspections, as evidenced by an increase in individual and/or public meetings, featured articles in the newspaper, and more brochures available online and displayed.
• By January 2011 Codes customers will experience consistency in information, interpretations, and inspections along with professionalism throughout the department as evidenced by practice of the Adopted Codes, written department policy and procedures, all inspectors will be certified with the International Code Council and State of Tennessee, two (2) and a total of four (4) Building inspectors will be Certified Plumbing Inspectors, and weekly staff meetings.
• By June 2010 Codes customers will experience cleaner, safer, properties by a reduction of visual clutter (signs, debris, and trash) and the number of abandoned or inoperable/unlicensed motor vehicles.
• By July 2011 the County Commissioner’s and Codes customer will experience the growth within Montgomery County by this department filing monthly revenue reports with the County Commission and monthly statistics through the website.

Organizational Structure

Codes Compliance

• Building Code Compliance Program
• Codes Enforcement Program
• Storm Water Management and Control Regulations Program
• Adequate Facilities Tax Collection Program
• State Division of Ground Water Protection

Purpose Statement

"Protecting Your Investment"

---

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Building Code Compliance program is to provide minimum requirements to safeguard the public’s investment, safety, health, and general welfare attributed to the built environment.

Performance Measures

Results

• Percentage of processed applications completed within 24 hours. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Percentage of inspections completed the same day requested. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Percentage of Montgomery County’s population reached through education programs. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Outputs

• Number of applications completed within 24 hours. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of inspections completed the same day requested. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Revenue received from fees. Goal 5

Demands

• Number of applications received. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of inspections received. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Number of Montgomery County residents. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4
• Number of dollars saved through scanning and archiving documents. Goal 1

Efficiencies

• Revenues received from fees collected. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4
• Expenditures for application and inspection completed. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Codes Enforcement program is to enforce provisions of the Zoning Resolution in addition to the Standard Housing Code and Montgomery County Blighted Property Resolution 96-6-2. These codes provide basic minimum housing standards deemed essential for safe and healthy living to maintain any residential occupancy in a safe and sanitary condition.

Performance Measures

Results

• Percentage of processed complaints within 48 hours. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4
• Percentage of inspections completed. Goal 3, 4
• Percentage of Montgomery County’s population outside the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee reached through education programs. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4

Outputs

• Number of complaints processed within 48 hours. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4
• Number of inspections completed. Goal 3, 4
• Revenue received. Goal 5

Demands

• Number of complaints received. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of inspections needed. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Number of Montgomery County residents outside the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of dollars saved through scanning and archiving documents. Goal 1

Efficiencies

• Revenues received from fees collected. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Expenditures for complaints and inspection completed. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Storm Water Management and Control Regulations Program is to protect, maintain, and enhance the public health, environment, safety, and general welfare by establishing minimum requirements and procedures to control the adverse effects of storm water runoff (quality and quantity) associated with development within Montgomery County, Tennessee outside the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee.

Performance Measures

Results

• Percentage of processed applications completed within 15 days. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Percentage of processed complaints within 48 hours. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Percentage of inspections completed. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Percentage of Montgomery County’s population reached outside the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee through education programs. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Outputs

• Number of applications completed within 15 days. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of processed complaints. Goal 1, 3, 4
• Number of inspections completed. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Revenue received from fees. Goal 5

Demands

• Number of applications received. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of complaints received. Goal 1, 3, 4, 5
• Number of inspections completed. Goal 3, 4, 5
• Number of Montgomery County residents outside the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Number of dollars saved through scanning and archiving documents. Goal 1

Efficiencies

• Revenues received from fees collected. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4
• Expenditures for application, complaints, and inspections completed. Goal 1, 2, 3, 4

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the Adequate Facilities Tax Collection Program is to impose a tax on new residential development as to ensure and require that the persons responsible for the new development share in the burdens of growth by paying their fair share for the cost of expanded school services and facilities made necessary by such development.

Performance Measures

Results

• Percentage of processed receipts. Goal 5

Outputs

• Number of receipts completed. Goal 5
• Number of units collected. Goal 5
• Revenue received from tax collection. Goal 5

Demands

• Number of receipts received. Goal 5
• Number of units collected. Goal 5
• Number of parcels within Montgomery County. Goal 5
• Number of dollars saved through scanning and archiving documents. Goal 1

Efficiencies

• Revenues received from taxes collected. Goal 5
• Expenditures for receipts completed. Goal 5

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the State Division of Ground Water Protection Program is to provide clerical staff, some office equipment, and assist the public with general information and the environmentalist’s who issue septic permits before a building permit can be issued.

Performance Measures

Results

• Percentage of processed applications. Goal 5

Outputs

• Number of applications received. Goal 5
• Revenue received from fees. Goal 5

Demands

• Number of applications received. Goal 5
• Number of Montgomery County residents requiring septic systems. Goal 5
• Number of dollars saved through scanning and archiving documents. Goal 1

Efficiencies

• Revenues received from fees collected. Goal 5
• Expenditures for applications processed. Goal 5