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Council backs moving to 2024 building code and discusses inspection, short‑term rental fees
Summary
The council supported updating the town’s building code from 2018 to the 2024 edition and heard staff recommendations to raise certain inspection fees and add a short‑term‑rental application fee ($250) plus a $100 annual renewal; councilors asked staff to check statutory maximums and confirm fee amounts reflect actual inspection costs.
Signal Mountain staff told the council the town needs to adopt the 2024 building code to remain within the state’s update cycle and recommended several fee changes to better reflect inspection workload.
Staff explained proposed increases for electrical inspection fees (for example, raising the existing $10 per 100‑amp increment to $20), and suggested adding a $20 charge for each branch circuit, each solar circuit, and each EV charger inspection to account for the additional staff time those inspections require. For short‑term rentals (STRs), staff recommended establishing a $250 application fee and a $100 annual renewal fee; the town currently imposes only a $500 penalty for failing to apply.
Council members urged staff to check state statutory limits and to consider raising penalties so noncompliance is not economically attractive. Several members also asked staff to examine whether marketplace facilitators (booking platforms) could be assessed or required to collect registration information. Staff said they would research allowable penalty levels and best practices used elsewhere and return with recommended fee schedules and legal authorities.
What happens next: Staff will verify statutory constraints, refine fee amounts to match staff cost estimates, and return with recommended language (including proposed Title 13 fee updates).
