PREFACE

This Code constitutes recodification of the general and permanent ordinances of Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Source materials used in the preparation of the Code were the 1994 Code, as amended through September 22, 2015, and ordinances adopted by the board of commissioners. The source of each section is included in the history note appearing in parentheses at the end thereof. The absence of such a note indicates that the section is new and was adopted for the first time with the adoption of the Code. By use of the comparative tables appearing in the back of this Code, the reader can locate any section of the 1994 Code, as amended, and any subsequent ordinance included herein.

The chapters of the Code have been conveniently arranged in alphabetical order, and the various sections within each chapter have been catchlined to facilitate usage. Notes which tie related sections of the Code together and which refer to relevant state law have been included. A table listing the state law citations and setting forth their location within the Code is included at the back of this Code.

Chapter and Section Numbering System

The chapter and section numbering system used in this Code is the same system used in many state and local government codes. Each section number consists of two parts separated by a dash. The figure before the dash refers to the chapter number, and the figure after the dash refers to the position of the section within the chapter. Thus, the second section of chapter 1 is numbered 1-2, and the first section of chapter 6 is 6-1. Under this system, each section is identified with its chapter, and at the same time new sections can be inserted in their proper place by using the decimal system for amendments. For example, if new material consisting of one section that would logically come between sections 6-1 and 6-2 is desired to be added, such new section would be numbered 6-1.5. New articles and new divisions may be included in the same way or, in the case of articles, may be placed at the end of the chapter embracing the subject, and, in the case of divisions, may be placed at the end of the article embracing the subject. The next successive number shall be assigned to the new article or division. New chapters may be included by using one of the reserved chapter numbers. Care should be taken that the alphabetical arrangement of chapters is maintained when including new chapters.

Page Numbering System

The page numbering system used in this Code is a prefix system. The letters to the left of the colon are an abbreviation which represents a certain portion of the volume. The number to the right of the colon represents the number of the page in that portion. In the case of a chapter of the Code, the number to the left of the colon indicates the number of the chapter. In the case of an appendix to the Code, the letter immediately to the left of the colon indicates the letter of the appendix. The following are typical parts of codes of ordinances, which may or may not appear in this Code at this time, and their corresponding prefixes:

RELATED LAWS	RL:1
RELATED LAWS COMPARATIVE TABLE	RLCT:1
CODE	CD1:1
CODE APPENDIX	CDA:1
CODE COMPARATIVE TABLES	CCT:1
STATE LAW REFERENCE TABLE	SLT:1
RELATED LAWS INDEX	RLi:1
CODE INDEX	CDi:1

 

Indexes

The indexes have been prepared with the greatest of care. Each particular item has been placed under several headings, some of which are couched in lay phraseology, others in legal terminology, and still others in language generally used by local government officials and employees. There are numerous cross references within the indexes themselves which stand as guideposts to direct the user to the particular item in which the user is interested.

Looseleaf Supplements

A special feature of this publication is the looseleaf system of binding and supplemental servicing of the publication. With this system, the publication will be kept up to date. Subsequent amendatory legislation will be properly edited, and the affected page or pages will be reprinted. These new pages will be distributed to holders of copies of the publication, with instructions for the manner of inserting the new pages and deleting the obsolete pages.

Keeping this publication up to date at all times will depend largely upon the holder of the publication. As revised pages are received, it will then become the responsibility of the holder to have the amendments inserted according to the attached instructions. It is strongly recommended by the publisher that all such amendments be inserted immediately upon receipt to avoid misplacing them and, in addition, that all deleted pages be saved and filed for historical reference purposes.

Acknowledgments

This publication was under the direct supervision of Roger D. Merriam, Senior Code Attorney, and Ramona Connors, Editor, of the Municipal Code Corporation, Tallahassee, Florida. Credit is gratefully given to the other members of the publisher's staff for their sincere interest and able assistance throughout the project.

The publisher is most grateful to the county attorney's office for their cooperation and assistance during the progress of the work on this publication. It is hoped that their efforts and those of the publisher have resulted in a Code of Ordinances which will make the active law of the county readily accessible to all citizens and which will be a valuable tool in the day-to-day administration of the county's affairs.

GWINNETT COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA

ORDINANCE ENTITLED: AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AND ENACTING A NEW CODE FOR GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES NOT INCLUDED THEREIN; PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF; PROVIDING FOR THE MANNER OF AMENDING SUCH CODE; AND PROVIDING WHEN SUCH CODE AND THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE.

READING AND ADOPTION: December 20, 2016

At the regular meeting of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners held in the Justice and Administration Center, Auditorium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia.

_____

Name	Present	Vote
Charlotte J. Nash, Chairman	Yes	Aye
Jace Brooks, District 1	Yes	Aye
Lynette Howard, District 2	Yes	Aye
Tommy Hunter, District 3	Yes	Aye
John Heard, District 4	Yes	Aye

 

_____

On motion of Commissioner Howard , which carried 5-0 , the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners hereby adopts and enacts a new Code for Gwinnett County, Georgia; providing for the repeal of certain ordinances not included therein; providing a penalty for the violation thereof; providing for the manner of amending such Code; and providing when such Code and this Ordinance shall become effective.

WHEREAS , the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances was last codified in 1994, and

WHEREAS , since the 1994 codification of the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances, the Board of Commissioners has adopted numerous ordinances and ordinance amendments and numerous changes have been made to State Law; and

WHEREAS , county staff, working with staff of the Municipal Code Corporation, has reviewed the 1994 Code of Ordinances and updated the Code to ensure that the ordinances adopted by the Board of Commissioners are included within the Code and that the Code of Ordinances reflects changes in State Law in certain areas; and

WHEREAS , the Board of Commissioners finds that it is in the best interest of the County, its employees, and its citizens that the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances be recodified to ensure that the Code contains the most recently adopted ordinances and is updated in accordance with state law; and

WHEREAS , the Board of Commissioners finds the adoption of the Code of Ordinances as recodified and presented herein is in the best interest of the County and its citizens;

WHEREAS , the Board of Commissioners finds that it is in the best interests of the County and its citizens to review the Code of Ordinances of Gwinnett County every five (5) years to ensure that the codification of the Code of Ordinances remains current and to recodify if necessary.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF GWINNETT COUNTY DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1 . The Code entitled "Code of Ordinances, Gwinnett County, Georgia," published by Municipal Code Corporation, consisting of chapters I through 106, each inclusive, is adopted as the Code of Ordinances of Gwinnett County.

Section 2 . All ordinances of a general and permanent nature enacted on or before September 22, 2015, and not included in the Code or recognized and continued in force by reference therein, are hereby repealed.

Section 3 . The repeal provided for in section 2 hereof shall not be construed to revive any ordinance or part thereof that has been repealed by a subsequent ordinance that is repealed by this ordinance.

Section 4 . Unless another penalty is expressly provided, every person convicted of a violation of any provision of the Code or any ordinance, rule or regulation adopted or issued in pursuance thereof shall be punished by not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.00, or imprisonment for not more than 60 days. Each act of violation and each day upon which any such violation shall continue or occur shall constitute a separate offense. The penalty provided by this section, unless another penalty is expressly provided, shall apply to the amendment of any Code section, whether or not such penalty is reenacted in the amendatory ordinance. In addition to the penalty prescribed above, the county may pursue other remedies such as abatement of nuisances, injunctive relief and revocation of licenses or permits.

Section 5 . Additions or amendments to the Code when passed in such form as to indicate an intention to make the same a part of the Code shall be deemed to be incorporated in the Code, so that reference to the Code includes the additions and amendments.

Section 6 . Ordinances adopted after September 22, 2015, and not included in this Code or recognized and continued in force by reference therein that amend or refer to ordinances that have been codified in the Code shall be construed as if they amend or refer to like provisions of this Code.

Section 7 . Staff should review the codification of the Gwinnett County Code of Ordinances at least every five (5) years to ensure that it is current and complete and to recodify the Code of Ordinances as necessary.

     GWINNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

By:  /s/      
Charlotte J. Nash, Chairman

Date Signed:       

ATTEST:

By: /s/           (Seal)
Diane Kemp, County Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

By: /s/
Theresa Cox, Senior Assistant County Attorney