In unincorporated Knox County, open storage of garbage, building materials, rubbish, brush, tires, automotive parts, junk, or debris in a residential area is prohibited under the county's dirty lot ordinance, enforced by Knox County Code Administration. Inside Knoxville and Farragut, the city or town's own codes apply.
Knox County Code Administration enforces the 'dirty lot' ordinance in the unincorporated county. Per the county's Dirty Lot Fact Sheet, open storage of garbage, building materials, rubbish, brush, tires, automotive parts, junk, or debris is prohibited in a residential area, and overgrown grass over 12 inches is a separate violation. A Code Enforcement Officer inspects a complained-of property; if it is in violation, the property is posted and the owner is given a notice of violation and notified by certified mail. Property inside the City of Knoxville or Town of Farragut is handled by that municipality's neighborhood codes enforcement instead.
Ten days after notice the lot is re-inspected. If the owner does not comply, cleanup is turned over to Engineering and Public Works and the incurred cleanup cost is billed to the property owner.
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