A History of the Department of Codes & Building Safety
The Charter of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County was adopted independently by the citizens of the City of Nashville and the County of Davidson in late 1962, consolidating the two governments into one entity, with the effective date to be April 1, 1963. Most of the existing departments were continued under consolidation. However, those agencies responsible for permit issuance, inspections, and land use enforcement were fragmented or non-existent in both the city and county governments, neither having a unified codes enforcement department.
Thus, as mandated by Section 2.01 of the new Charter, the Mayor and forty member Council began the task of centralizing the permit and inspection functions of the government almost immediately. The Department of Codes Administration was created by the Mayor and Council on July 2,1963, by Ordinance No. 63-36. It operates today as one of the larger departments created by ordinance rather than charter. This new department would be led by the old County Public Works Director and was to enforce the laws of the City and County governments until a comprehensive plan could be implemented re-organizing the department and adopting county-wide codes.
The Mayor appointed a "Mayor's Citizen Advisory Code Committee" which was charged with the task of promulgating a Plan of Action for the department, and of conducting study and work sessions to write and adopt codes for the "new" government. Their work came to fruition on October 20, 1964 when the Council adopted Building, Electrical, Housing and Weights and Measures Codes along with a "Plan of Action" for the department. One year later the council adopted a Plumbing Code for the Metropolitan Government.
The consultant that had been employed to work with the committee in writing the new codes also drafted the departmental reorganization plan which was adopted by the Council in June of 1965. This plan revised the basic structure of the department.
Section 20.02 of the Charter continued all city and county zoning laws into the new government with a mandate to the Mayor and Council to promulgate a comprehensive zoning ordinance to apply uniformly to all of Davidson County. Nashville zoning laws would be enforced in the Urban Services District (the old city limits) and Davidson County zoning laws would be enforced in the General Services District. Permit issuance became somewhat complicated in keeping these two laws separate. In keeping with this mandate of the Charter, the Mayor appointed yet another study committee composed of over one hundred citizens to draft a new zoning ordinance. After over three years of work, the Council adopted a comprehensive zoning ordinance (COMZO) in December of 1974.
In the early 1980's the Weights and Measures Division was transferred to the Metro Finance Department. After years of discussion and debate, a decision was made to draft a Gas Code and a Mechanical Code for the Metropolitan Government. In July of 1990, the Council adopted a Gas/Mechanical Code for the government and created a new inspection division, and an additional licensing and appeals board for the department.
Meanwhile, the Council became increasingly aware that signs were becoming a blight on the community, and the zoning regulations were somewhat antiquated. A consultant was employed to draft a new zoning ordinance, including signs and tree requirements. The Council adopted new sign regulations in 1992, and a tree ordinance in 1994 under the direction of an Urban Forester. After seven years of debate, the Council adopted a new, comprehensive Zoning Code which became effective on January 1, 1998 and included the previously adopted sign and tree regulations.
In March of 2001, the Metro Council adopted
a new Property Standards Code based upon the International
Property Maintenance Code, establishing minimum property
maintenance standards for all properties (residential and
non-residential) within Davidson County. The Property Standards
Code replaced Nashville's old Housing Code which applied
only to residential properties. The department's Housing
Inspection Division was reorganized and consolidated with
the Zoning Inspection Division into a new Property Standards
and Zoning Inspection Division.
The Department of Codes & Building Safety is composed
of eight principal divisions, including- Administrative,
Plans Examination, Building, Electrical, Gas/Mechanical,
Plumbing, Property Standards and Zoning Inspection, Permits & Zoning
-- with a Director, who serves as the Building Official,
a staff of approximately one hundred employees, and six related
licensing & appeals boards.
Since the department was created there have been six directors as follows: William A. Pitts (1963-1964), Robert L. Walker (1964-1974), Walter B. England (1974-1978), Elmer D. Young (1978-1984), James F. Osteen (1984-1989), and Terrence L. Cobb (1990-Present).