In this special episode, staff members from departments across the Division of Planning and Development share their personal stories of service—why they chose public service, what brought them to Memphis and Shelby County, and what inspires them to support the division's core mission. Hear firsthand the passion and purpose behind the people working every day to prepare Memphis and Shelby County for a stronger, better future.

The staff featured in this episode include Alexis Longstreet, Brett Ragsdale, Dana Sjostrom, Isaac Bacon, John Storms, Kate Horton, Katrina Redmond, Keiaron Randle, Kendra Cobbs, Margot Payne, Mario Moton, Nidia Logan-Robinson, Pragati Srivasta, and Rita Anderson.

This episode is the last for Season 1 of The Building Beat. Season 2 will premiere in September 2026.

If you have any questions about this episode, email them to [email protected].

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with Sustainability Planner Robin Richardson to explore the 2025 Heat Watch Campaign and the massive community effort behind its large-scale heat‑mapping event. Robin explains how the project began, the local organizations and institutions that joined forces, how the initiative was funded, and the training volunteers received to collect accurate temperature data. She also breaks down what the heat map revealed about which areas of Memphis and Shelby County experience the most extreme temperatures. This collaborative project now provides valuable insights to guide future cooling strategies, inform potential community projects, and even help identify ideal locations for cooling centers during the hottest months of the year.


The resulting data from this project is available to review on the Office of Sustainability and Resilience's website: https://www.shelbycountyosr.com/heatwatch2025

Have questions for Nicholas or Robin? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode

Producer Breana Miller interviews Sustainability Planner Logan Landry about her role within the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, how her previous internship with the department made way for her current role, what types of projects she works on with her colleagues, and how data measurement and tracking are essential to providing informed recommendations and suggestions within government.

Have any questions for Logan? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews zoning consultants Arista Strungys and Chris Jennette of Camiros about their collaborative work with division staff planners for the Unified Development Code (UDC) update. They bring their collective decades of experience working with other planning departments across the country to informing recomendations on changes in written zoning guidance and explanations here in Memphis and Shelby County. Arista and Chris share how they find satisfaction in helping municipalities simplify zoning for their residents and prepare for future development and growth.

This episode is the second part in a two-part series about the Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.

Have questions for Nicholas, Arista, or Chris? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with the Division’s new Director, Brett Ragsdale, for a wide‑ranging conversation about his vision for the Division and what’s ahead for the team. Drawing on his experience as Zoning Administrator, Brett talks about the opportunities he sees in this next chapter and highlights how each department’s work supports our shared mission of people-centered, community-focused public service. Together, they offer an inside look at the Division’s priorities, upcoming initiatives, and the ongoing effort to strengthen neighborhoods across Memphis and Shelby County.

Have questions for Brett or Nicholas? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Comprehensive Planning Administrator Christina Edingbourgh and Project Manager Isaac Bacon about infusing community voice into land use planning in Memphis and the upcoming Unified Development Code update affecting Shelby County. They discuss the differences between the future land use map and the zoning map and how their work is considering the future of Memphis and Shebly County.

This episode is the first part in a two-part series about the upcoming Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.

Have questions for Nicholas, Christina, or Issac? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Memphis 3.0 website: www.memphis3point0.com

Unified Development Code (UDC) Update website: https://www.901udcupdate.com/

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Office of Sustainability & Resilience (OSR) Administrator Leigh Huffman Moyer and Shelby County Department of Housing Planning and Programs Manager Dana Sjostrom about recent improvements made to parks in Memphis and Millington that were heavily affected by the historic regional flooding in 2011.

Updating park infrastructure involved working with community and government stakeholders on engineering and design, having publich outreach for project input, and applying for and managing federal disaster recovery grant funds. But the sum of this work continues to be evident in scenic parks with amenities that are prepared for future flooding issues.

Have questions for Nicholas, Leigh, or Dana? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode. 

Land Use Planner Nicholas Wardroup interviews Preservation Planners Ayse Penzes and Margot Payne about the role of the Memphis Landmarks Commission and the purpose of locally recognized historic district designations for residents in those districts. Ayse and Margot also share how the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) approval process works and what residents can do to become more involved in their historic districts.

Have questions for Nicholas, Ayse, or Margot? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode. 

For the conclusion of this two-part series on tiny homes, Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Land Use and Development Services Manager Lucas Skinner to discuss zoning compliance and historic district guidelines as they apply to tiny homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes.

This episode complements part one in the series focused on local, state, and federal building code compliance related to modular and manufactured homes.

Have questions for Rita or Lucas? Or maybe you have a request for a multiple-part episode series? Email them to [email protected]!

Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Director Jim Hightower of the Manufactured Housing, Modular, and Licensing section within the State of Tennessee's Department of Commerce and Insurance. Jim expands upon the popular term "tiny home" and shares the distinct differences between manufactured and modular housing, along with the federal and state standards that apply. Rita and Jim share what options are available for property owners and contractors within the State of Tennessee and what code standards the different housing types.

This episode is the first in a two-part series focused on tiny homes and manufactured and modular housing in Memphis and Shelby County.

Have questions for Rita or Jim? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode. 

Deputy Building Official Mario Moton interviews Senior Plans Examiner John to discuss the goals, responsibilities, and expertise of Plan Review, a team that reviews building plans to ensure they are code compliant long before any building permits are issued. Mario and John talk about what the plan review process looks like and what it actually involves, including how applicants can make their review time even shorter!

Have questions for Mario or John? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode. 

Senior Building Inspector Tony Grashot interviews Plans Examiner Erica Rogers about the requirements for demolition permits and the differences between residential and commercial demolition projects. Tony brings his background as a commercial contractor with an ATF license to the discussion.

Have questions for Erica or Tony? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode. 

Link to Fite Rd Demolition: https://youtube.com/shorts/0hMcRB_JT8o?feature=share

Producer Breana Miller interviews Senior Signs & Zoning Inspector Antwone Smith about the signs, billboards, and zoning regulations that he and his team enforce and that they tend to educate and inform customers about while in the field. While handling anything from eight-second digital billboard advertisement frequencies to the prohibition of roosters in residential areas, Signs and Zoning Enforcement has seen and heard a lot of what's happening in the Memphis and Shelby County area.

Have questions for any Antwone? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Land Use Planner Nicholas Wardroup about his position within the division, especially related to working with the public and elected officials; his experience in transitioning from a graduate intern to his current full-time role; and his journey in learning and communicating about the ordinances and codes that guide his work.

Have questions for any Nicholas? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Chief Plumbing Inspector John Bowman about his work experience in the plumbing trade, the common types of inspections that Plumbing Inspectors handle, and what homeowners need to consider before deciding to begin any plumbing-related DIY projects.

Have questions for any John? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller calls Division staff members—some of whom are previous guests—to answer listener-submitted questions related to the Lead Hazard Control Program, the importance of verifying your contractor’s license credentials, the necessity of building permits, the zoning compliance requirements for in-home daycares, and an explanation of why we use the Develop901 Citizen Portal. The final question is answered with second-time, in-studio guest Deputy Director Nidia Logan-Robinson.

Have questions for any of the featured staff members? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode

Producer Breana Miller interviews Division Director John Zeanah about the Memphis 3.0 Plan, the comprehensive plan for the City of Memphis, and why having a comprehensive plan--and consistently updating it--is important when considering future development and growth in Memphis. John also details the significance of community input for the Memphis 3.0 Plan and what implementation of this comprehensive plan actually looks like for city residents.

Have questions for John? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

For the first episode in the Inside the Division Spotlight Series, Producer Breana Miller interviews Finance Manager Brenda Gipson about her experience working for Shelby County Government, her experience in handling finances for a joint city and county division, and how the Develop 901 Citizen Portal has become a key element of her daily duties. Brenda brings her accounting experience from private industry to her current position in government accounting and finance.

Have questions for Brenda? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Senior Elevator Inspector Grant Pazderka and Elevator Inspector Josh Norman about elevator inspections that occur throughout Memphis and Shelby County in new construction and in already occupied buildings. Grant and Josh also share their experiences in working on elevators and their continued focus on elevator safety for both riders and technicians.

Have questions for Grant or Josh? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode

Deputy Administrator Jeffrey Penzes interviews fellow Deputy Administrator Chip Saliba about his knowledge and experience in permitted land uses and local zoning provisions. Chip explains why zoning is a necessity for orderly development and how entreprenurs and developers can save themselves money and time by doing their duediligence concerning approved property uses.

Have questions for Chip or Jeffrey? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Chief Building Inspector Kevin Dulin about the importance of building inspections and how inspectors sometimes act as a final check for other trade inspections. He also discusses his years of experience as a building inspector and how his role has changed over the past few years.

Have questions for Kevin? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Assistant Fire Marshall Dr. Angelo Lamar about fire safety and prevention and how the Memphis Fire Department collaborates with DPD during the permit review process.

Have questions for Rita and Dr. Lamar? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Construction Enforcement Administrator Ron Bethea interviews Chief Electrical Inspector Bo Cates about the importance of electrical inspections, for both residential and commercial projects; the significance of growing the Electrical trade; and the necessity of confirming your contractor's licensure before beginning any new project.

Have questions for Ron or Bo? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller sits down with local architect Tony Pellicciotti to discuss the widely anticipated Sterick Building project, the signifiance of adaptive reuse for older Memphis buildings, and what it's like to work with the Division of Planning and Development to make a project come to fruition. 

Have questions for Tony? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Division Deputy Director Nidia Logan-Robinson about her work in leading the effort for the implementation of the Develop 901 Citizen Portal, the online permit system used by the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development. She also takes time to discuss the need for more young professionals to join public service career fields as well as construction and trade career fields as the need for more job candidates in these careers grows.

Have questions for Nidia? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Steve Shular, Special Assistant to the City Mayor, about the work he does with the 311 Department and local neighborhood associations to help keep Memphis beautiful and safe for its residents.

Have questions for Steve? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Housing Administrator Scott Walkup interviews Program Manager Anita Tate about the Shelby County Department of Housing's Lead Hazard Control Program, discussing the harm caused by lead paints to children and how this program is helping residents in Memphis and Shelby County with remediation to make for a safer and healthier future for many families.

Have questions for Anita or Scott? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Producer Breana Miller interviews Mechanical Inspector Arthur Hammontree about what types of projects are often inspected by the Mechanical department and how inspections help to ensure safe buildings and structures.

Have questions for Arthur? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Join us each month for new episodes of The Building Beat to find out what you can do in our corner of Tennessee.