Metro Codes says it can operate within mayor's proposed budget, forecasts $9 million contribution to general fund

Bill Herbert, director of Metro Codes, told the Budget & Finance Committee that the department can operate within the mayor's proposed operating budget and expects to contribute about $9,000,000 to Nashville's general fund by the end of the fiscal year.

The department's work affects building safety, zoning compliance and property standards across the city; Herbert stressed the volume of permitting and inspections and said maintaining service levels depends on filling vacant inspector positions and continuing recent pay increases.

Herbert reported that Metro Codes has responded to more than 39,000 building- and property-violation complaints submitted via the city's hub, phone and email systems year to date and that the property-standards division has conducted over 39,000 inspections with an average turnaround of about 48 hours. He said the building-and-trades divisions have conducted more than 12,000 inspections and issued more than 50,000 permits year to date, and that the department has collected nearly $23,000,000 in revenue so far this fiscal year. "We anticipate revenue collections of over…