Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. Who does the business inspections for the house? They should at least be able to tell you that and then you can contact that person/group. The department responsible for the inspections has to know what they are looking for. If they still give you the run around, perhaps a call to a civil(?) law firm can point you in the right direction.
I do sincerely wish you luck. I'd like to hear how it turns out.
ETA: Please carry a camera with you to record reactions of your neighbors when you ask them the question. Also, what qualifies as a "neighbor"? An entire city block?