DeKalb District 7 First Quarter Virtual Town Hall Presentation

Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson hosted a town hall on March 11, 2021, to inform DeKalb residents of the updates and changes to county service offerings during COVID-19. Presentations were made and questions were answered by the following: Peggy Allen (Director, Roads and Drainage), Tim Hardy (Director, Code Enforcement), Tracy Hutchinson (Director, Sanitation), Chris Kingsbury (Program Manager, SPLOST), Allen Mitchell (Director, Community Development), Mirtha Ramos (Chief, Police Department), Damon Scott (Director, Human Services) and Alison Weissinger (Director, Public Library)

Transcript

12. DEKALB COUNTY CODE ADMINISTRATION 1807 CANDLER ROAD DECATUR, GA 30032 OFFICE NUMBER:404-687-3700 FAX NUMBER: 404-534-1270
13. The Code Enforcement Officers are responsible for enforcing DeKalb County Codes. Code Enforcement does not enforce covenant restrictions. County Ordinance • A law passed by the County Commissioners. • Enforced by Code Enforcement officers. • Punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.00 and/ or six months in the DeKalb County jail. • May issue Notice of Violations, Stop Work Orders, or Citations to be heard at the Magistrate Court. Covenant Restrictions • A rule imposed by a developer/builder specific to a subdivision. • Enforced by active homeowner association (HOA) or other board. • Punishable per HOA or as determined by the Small Claims Court judge. • Warnings and violations issued by HOA. 13
14. Community Outreach Covid-19 Emergency Relocation of the Homeless partnership with Community Development
15. Community Outreach No Mask No Service partnership with DeKalb County Police and Fire
16. Code Compliance COVID-19 Mission Critical Staffing & Inspection Plan To comply with the next phase our emergency health Protocol. The Code Compliance Administration will reduce its frontline work staff from 32 to no more than 8 officers each day, excluding weekends. The skeleton crew will only handle critical health and safety violations as they are reported. Each team will have one scheduled day over the next week, or until further notice by the COO. This reduced work schedule will allow us to respond to critical service request while continuing the social distancing as recommended by the CDC. Some of the health and safety related violations we will inspect are as follows: • Unsafe Buildings and structures, in danger of partial, or complete collapse. • Unsafe Equipment, presents a danger to public • Rooming/Boarding homes, or assistant living locations with conditions that endanger the health & safety of elderly and special needs occupants. • Sewer leaks or contamination unsanitary conditions on private property • Water intrusion, making property uninhabitable • Building without a permit • Closing of vacant structures, that constitutes an endangerment to the public health or safety as a result of unsanitary or unsafe conditions.
17. VIRTUAL CONTACT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT ➢ The Code Enforcement Division is located at 1807 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032 ➢ Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, email and phone calls only. ➢ You may contact the office at 404.687.3700 or submit information via Fax at 404.534.1270 and email at codeenforce@dekalbcountyga.gov We are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal and state agencies to limit contact between people as a means of protecting public health.
18. MY NEIGHBOR'S GRASS IS KNEE HIGH. WHO SHOULD I CALL TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM? Owners and occupants of property shall not permit weeds or grass within one hundred fifty (150) feet of any building or structure to grow on such property to a height exceeding twelve (12) inches. Please call, email or fax complaint using the contact information listed above. WHO DO I CONTACT ABOUT REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN MY APARTMENT? Apartment repair requests should be directed to the owner or manager of the property first. Then, if the repairs are not completed within a reasonable period of time, contact Code Enforcement. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS
19. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS CAN I OPERATE AN AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS OUT OF MY HOUSE? (1.) No person shall perform a major overhaul of any vehicle or permit any other person to perform a major overhaul of any vehicle on premises in a residential zone unless: • a. The person performing the overhaul is the occupant of the premises; • b. The person performing the overhaul is the owner of the vehicle; and • c. The work is done inside a garage or enclosed structure; however, the major overhaul of such a vehicle on premises in a residential zone must be completed within three (3) days if such overhaul takes place outside of a garage or enclosed structure. (2.) No person shall perform a major overhaul of any vehicle or permit any other person to perform a major overhaul of any vehicle on any premises in a business, commercial or industrial district, unless the overhaul is performed at an approved automobile sale or repair establishment.
20. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS HOW MANY UNLICENSED VEHICLES CAN I KEEP ON MY PROPERTY? No person shall park or permit any other person to park any motor vehicle, except a motor vehicle parked in an enclosed building, on any premises in a residential district, if the vehicle: (1.) Is unregistered; (2.) Has expired registration; or (3.) Does not have a lawful license plate or lawful temporary tag, which plate or tag is currently registered to that vehicle displayed thereon. WHERE CAN I APPLY FOR A BUILDING PERMIT? The Department of Planning & Sustainability, located at 330 West Ponce De Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030. They can be reached at (404) 371-4915. Prior to your visit, it is a good idea to call the Permits Division ahead of time to explain your plans and ask about additional documentation to include with your permit application.
21. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS CAN I REMAIN ANONYMOUS WHEN I REPORT A CODE VIOLATION? Yes. However, there are some complaints that require the Officer to contact you for additional information and/or appointments. For example: If you report a lighting complaint, the Officer must come to your location to determine if the lighting is adversely affecting your property. If you are a tenant renting an apartment or a home, the Officer must contact you to schedule an appointment in order to conduct the inspection. HOW CAN I GET A COPY OF MY CASE? Prior to your visit, contact the Code Compliance Division at (404) 687-3700 to determine if your request can be completed at the time. The office must comply with the Georgia Open Records Request. HOW CAN I GET A COPY OF THE ORDINANCES? All of the Ordinances for DeKalb County can be viewed at: www.municode.com
22. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK ZONING QUESTIONS 27-7.7.3. - Building permits and certificates of occupancy required. A building permit and a certificate of occupancy shall be obtained from the director of planning prior to occupancy of any building or structure. Such permit and certificate of occupancy shall be approved by the director of planning. 27-4.2.1. - Accessory buildings, structures, and uses. Accessory buildings, structures and uses determined by the director to be normally incidental to one (1) or more permitted principal uses are hereby permitted as follows: A. Accessory structures allowed in all residential districts may include, but are not limited to: garages, storage sheds, and personal recreational facilities such as swimming pools and tennis courts. B. Accessory structures must be constructed in conjunction with or after the principal building is constructed. 27-4.2.2 (c) 4. - Basketball goals attached to the principal residential structure or erected adjacent to and abutting the driveway of the principal residential structure shall be allowed in the front yard but not within the right-of-way of a public street. No basketball goal shall be erected in such a manner that the play area for the basketball goal is located within any portion of a public right-of-way.
23. MOST FREQUENTLY ASK ZONING QUESTIONS CHAPTER 27 ARTICLE 9. – DEFINITION OF FAMILY Family: One (1) or more individual(s) related by blood, marriage, adoption, or legal guardianship, or not more than three (3) unrelated individuals, who live together in a single dwelling unit and who function as a single housekeeping unit, have established ties and familiarity with each other, jointly use common areas, interact with each other, and share meals, household activities, expenses and responsibilities. This definition shall include three (3) or fewer mentally handicapped, developmentally disabled persons, and other handicapped persons, as defined in the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., living as a housekeeping unit and otherwise meeting the definition of "family" herein. For the purposes of calculating the number of persons who live in a dwelling, family members who are related by blood or legal status shall count as one (1) person
24. Important Numbers Ambulance/Emergency Medical Service 911 Fire Service Emergency - Report A Fire 911 Police - Emergency 911 Administrative/General Info 404-294-2605 Criminal Investigations 404-294-2550 Police - General Information 404-294-2000 Center Precinct 404-294-2580 East Precinct 770-482-0300 South Precinct 404-286-7911 Alcohol License 404-371-2462 Alcohol License 404-371-2462 Animal Services-Stray Animals 404-294-2996 Animal Services-After Hours 404-294-2519 Atlanta Legal Aid (DeKalb) 404-377-0701 Bidding Purchase 404-371-2707 Birth Certificate (Vital Records) 404-294-3783 Board of Education-DeKalb 678-676-1200 Board of Health-DeKalb 404-294-3700 Business License 404-371-2462 Chamber of Commerce-DeKalb 404-378-8000 Citizen's Drainage Program 404-297-3840 Conventions & Visitors Bureau 770-492-5000 Code Enforcement 770-724-7940 Deaf Teletype 404-294-2677 DeKalb Community Relations (Police) 404-286-7955 DeKalb Housing Authority 404-270-2500 Section 8 404-270-2600 DeKalb Medical Center 404-501-1000 DeKalb Medical Center - Hillandale 404-501-8000 DeKalb Rape Crisis Center 404-377-1428 District Attorney-DeKalb 404-371-2561 Drainage Problems 404-297-3840 Driver's License (State) 678-413-8400 Drug Hotline 770-322-2540 Economic Development 404-687-2730 Elections 404-298-4020 Family & Children Service (DFACS) 404-370-5000 Fleet Maintenance 404-244-4201 Gov. Off. Of Consumer Affairs 404-656-3790 Homeland Security/Gangs 770-216-4926 Housing Authority 404-270-2574 Human & Community Affairs 770-322-2950 Human Resources 404-371-2332 Information-General 404-371-2000 Jury Management 404-371-2022 Juvenile Detention 404-244-2183 Keep DeKalb Beautiful 404-371-2654 Law Department 404-371-3011 Marriage License 404-371-2262 MARTA-Complaint Line 404-848-4800 Mental Health Emergencies 404-892-4646 Mobile Crisis Unit 404-294-0499 Motor Vehicle (TAGS) 404-298-4000 Neighborhood Watch 404-286-7955 Pistol License 404-371-2262 Planning & Development 404-371-2155 Pot Holes-DeKalb 404-297-3840 Probation 404-371-2822 Public Defender 404-371-2222 Recorder's Court 404-508-0368 Automated Assistance 404-371-3272 Records (Police Information) 404-294-2512 Recreation, Parks 404-371-2631 Roads & Drainage 404-297-3840 After Hours 404-294-2523 Sanitation 404-294-2900 Sight Obstructions (Roads) 404-294-2041 Sheriff's Department 404-298-8000 Courthouse 404-371-2391 Jail Info Line 404-298-8195 Speed Humps 770-492-5200 Street Lights 770-492-5200 Storm water Management 404-297-2570 Tactical Ops (Radar) 404-294-2278 Tax Assessor's Office 404-371-0841 Tax Commissioner 404-298-4000 Property Tax 404-298-4000 Traffic Signal Malfunction 404-297-3929 Trees Down 404-297-3840 Voter Registration 404-298-4020 Water-Billing 404-378-4475 Emergency 770-270-6243 Women's Resource Center 404-688-9436 24