What's New in DPD

January 2025

Message from the Director

As the New Year begins, the Signs and Zoning Enforcement team—comprised of Inspectors and Senior Inspectors who venture into the field each day—are preparing for annual sign license renewals and following up on reported sign and zoning violations throughout Memphis and Shelby County. In their work, these Inspectors identify violations to the Unified Development Code and issue courtesy citations to offer property owners and business owners the chance to correct violations before any case concerning these violations must be heard in Environmental Court.

In the field, these Inspectors often encounter very common violations, and to aid the public in preventing and correcting these violations before they are documented, they have compiled a list for your convenience.

Top 10 Most Common Sign & Zoning Code Violations

Window graphics (shall not exceed 25% of surface area, including doors)
Yard signs, banner signs, feathered flags, on and off premises
Parking lot vendors (including food and car wash)
Prohibited home occupations (including pool parties, event center operations, room & board houses in single-family residential zoning)
Prohibited auto repair services in a residential zone (including the sale of vehicles not registered to an occupant of the property)
Commercial vehicle parked or stored in a residential zone, such as tow trucks, 18-wheelers, etc.
Fencing over 4 ft tall in the front yard of a residence (permit required)
Required dumpster enclosures on commercial and residential properties
Certificate of Occupancy for businesses not acquired prior to occupying building (includes landscaping requirements not met)
Dog kennels (more than 4 dogs) and roosters in a residential zone (roosters allowed in Conservation Agriculture zoning)

If you have additional questions concerning related sign and zoning code violations and upcoming sign license renewals, call the Downtown Service Center at (901) 636-7384 or call the Senior Inspectors at (901) 636-7275.

Citizen Portal Changes Coming in December

Division of Planning and Development is excited to announce the upcoming launch of its revamped Citizen Portal that went live in December 2024. This new Citizen Portal is designed to streamline the permit application process by providing more guidance and instruction at each phase of the process.

Key Features of the New Citizen Portal Include:

Step-by-Step Guidance: The portal provides instructions on what documentation and approvals are needed for each type of permit.
Application Tracking: Applicants can monitor the status of their permits in real time.
Mobile-Friendly Access: The portal is mobile-friendly, allowing for use on-the-go.
Document Upload Enhancement: Applicants can now drag and drop documents for uploading. In addition, they can review and acknowledge markups online.

The updated Citizen Portal is part of Division of Planning and Development’s ongoing efforts to improve digital services and make government processes more accessible to the public. For more information, visit www.develop901.com.

Grease Trap Applications Now on Develop 901 Citizen Portal

Starting January 1, 2025, Memphis Environmental Engineering will offer two Food Establishment Grease Trap applications online via the Develop901 Citizen Portal:

Food Establishment Grease Trap Application – Mobile Food Truck
Food Establishment Grease Trap Application - Building

The Fats, Oils, and Grease Program (FOG) currently oversees more than 3,000 food establishments through inspections and regulations to protect the sanitary sewer system

Visit the Develop901 Citizen Portal to easily apply for your permit without needing to visit in-person.

The Building Beat: New Episode!

A new episode of our division podcast, The Building Beat, is available now! This month’s episode features Senior Elevator Inspector Grant Pazderka and Elevator Inspector Josh Norman, both sharing their expertise on elevator safety, the need for annual elevator inspections, and the significance of displaying elevator operating certificates.

Episodes are released the first Monday of each month and are available wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music.

We're planning our slate of new episodes for this year, and we'd like your feedback! What topics are you interested in hearing about on The Building Beat? Send us an email at buildingbeat@memphistn.gov with your ideas and suggestions, or submit your thoughts to this form.

Develop 901 Citizen Portal Training Academy

Need some assistance in more effectively using the Develop 901 Citizen Portal? Want to train your team on the most relevant sections of the Portal? The Citizen Portal Training Academy features recorded training videos and printable quick reference guides for your convenience, allowing for portal training on your time and within your schedule.

The Citizen Portal Training Academy is accessible from the Develop 901 website.

Lead Hazard Reduction Program

If you or someone you know lives in a home built before 1978 and also has a child or children (6 years or younger) who spend time in the home, then contact the SCDH Lead Hazard Control Program about a free lead inspection at (901) 222-LEAD. Eligible residents may receive free lead paint removal services. For more information about the program, visit this site.

Applications are now accepted online via the website Neighborly. Use this site to register and create a new account before beginning an application.

Program Manager Anita Tate was interviewed for a recent FOX13 investigation concerning the hazardous effects of lead found in older homes and how this phenomenon affects children’s growth and development. The interview and article can be found here.

Staff Announcements

Permit Technician Caleb Kelley passed his Permit Technician certification exam on October 16, 2024, three months after joining the Division. Congratulations to Caleb!

Permit Technician Jasmine Johnson welcomed baby boy Mosiah in October. Congratulations to Jasmine on her new addition to the family!

Last month, Nabanita Nara joined the Land Use and Development Services department as a new Planner II. She previously worked as a Planning Intern with the City of Memphis Housing and Community Development from 2022 through 2023 and has been a Planner for the Town of Collierville since her graduation. She has a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of Memphis.

Travian Smith joined the Land Use and Development Services department last month as a new Planner I. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University. He was working as a Community Planner for the New York City Council before accepting the Planner I position.