With about 270 unpermitted short-term vacation rentals still operating in Chattanooga, officials will begin hearing cases Nov. 15 under a new legal process that will allow them to levy fines of up to $500 per day.
In June, the Chattanooga City Council appointed attorney Mike Mallen to serve as the city’s administrative hearing officer, a job officials expect will play an important role in bolstering the city’s ability to enforce its new short-term vacation rental rules. In City Court, fines are at max $50 per day, but the administrative hearing officer allows Chattanooga to enforce heavier penalties if necessary. The new officer will also oversee rules about litter and excessive noise.
Because Mallen is dealing with some temporary family health issues, city officials intend to bring on Jim Exum, an attorney with Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, to serve as the city’s second administrative hearing officer, said Chris Anderson, the senior adviser for legislative initiatives. Exum already serves as the administrative hearing officer for Soddy-Daisy, Red Bank and Collegedale.
“We were setting up a restaurant from scratch, and then a franchise walked in with everything already figured out,” Anderson told members of the City Council during a meeting Tuesday, referring to Exum.