Knoxville public officer orders repairs and affirms boarding charges for multiple properties; administrative fee waived in one contested case

Nicholas Bradshaw, the public officer designated by the mayor, ordered owners to repair multiple structures found out of compliance with Knoxville codes and affirmed several boarding actions at a Jan. 30 public hearing.

Bradshaw read into the record the scope of his authority and the city’s adopted technical codes, then heard staff presentations from Scott Elder, neighborhood codes enforcement manager, on a series of cases. For 3030 Woodbine Avenue, Elder described ‘‘significant deterioration of the floor framing,’’ rotted sill and floor joists, exposed electrical wiring and ‘‘improperly’’ supported wood decks attached to metal posts, and requested a 60-day repair order focused on the decks. After owner Lee Jackson described his chosen support method and said he was working to supply permit documentation, Bradshaw found the structure out of compliance and ordered repairs within 60 days, warning that failure to complete repairs could lead to placarding, vacating and possible demolition.

Jackson told the hearing he used carriage bolts and estimated the deck and materials ‘‘weigh about 1000 pounds,’’ arguing the supports are sufficient. Elder and his staff told Jackson the building department needs detailed attachment calculations and installation information as part of the permit review and offered to assist him in person to resolve computer-access difficulties.

The hearing next took up boarding charges for 5800 Parkdale Road after staff said the city performed a boarding action on June 5 following an inspection and mailed notice. Steve George, speaking for the Parkdale property, said he personally boarded the home ‘‘that day’’ and provided photos showing more extensive boarding than the city’s photographs. City staff and Alan, a codes staff member, read inspection and mailing dates into the record: an inspection on 05/20/2025, a mailed notice on 05/21/2025 and a reinspection date of 06/04/2025 with boarding performed 06/05/2025. Elder said the city typically acts only after the notification period expires but offered to re-check the timeline if there was a discrepancy.

After discussion, Bradshaw agreed to reduce or waive the $100 administrative fee and affirmed the city’s boarding action and amended charges for 5800 Parkdale Road, conditioning the concession on the owner keeping the property secured going forward. ‘‘If you've done beyond that, then certainly that's it,’’ Elder said when reviewing the owner’s work; Bradshaw then stated he would take the fee reduction into account.

The public officer also ordered 60-day repair or demolition actions for other properties presented by staff: an accessory structure at 3332 Midway Street; a deteriorated house at 2036 Seminole Avenue with multiple nuisance calls and utility removal; and serious deck failures at 5501 Westover Drive, a two-family dwelling. Boarding charges were affirmed for 8220 Gleason Drive (an old car wash boarded April 2025), 208 East Morelia Avenue (boarded Nov. 21, 2025) and 4810 North Middlebrook Pike (a long-troubled historic house boarded April 28, 2025). In each case the public officer found the buildings to be attractive nuisances and dangerous or injurious to public safety and ordered the standard corrective deadlines and enforcement options.

Bradshaw closed the hearing at 10:05 a.m. and encouraged owners to follow up with staff for assistance completing permits or payments. ‘‘We want to get it done,’’ he said when announcing the Woodbine order.