Failure to abide by any rules and regulations set forth in the Declaration of McGill Place or the Rules and Regulations adopted by the Board of Directors and/or the City of Atlanta will result in a fine for each occurrence and for each additional continuing occurrence, as determined by the Board of Directors. Fees listed in parentheses at the end of each line item are the minimum fees determined by the Board of Directors and are not binding…
Origins of Pet Regulations:
We love our animals but living together closely on 11 acres requires some rules -stepping in dog poop or constant barking is not an option!
- Pursuant to Section 34-205 of the Fulton County Code of Ordinances, all pets must be kept on a leash when outside individual units. (Fine $50.00 enforced by CMA)
- Pets cannot be left unattended on decks and patios. (Fines start at $100.00 per day and will be enforced by CMA.)
- Pets are allowed to defecate specifically in any common areas and all excrement must be picked-up by the owner including cleaning the soiled areas immediately. (Fine starting at $200.00 and will be enforced by CMA.)
- Reporting: Photo evidence required.
- Excessive’ barking dogs (Nuisance Animal) Elaboration: A new City of Atlanta ordinance, passed in 2022, significantly,
Section 18-11 “Nuisance Animals” of the Code of Ordinances
-reducing the permissible time for barking before it’s considered a nuisance
– changed from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. The ordinance emphasizes that the barking must be continuous or persistent, meaning it cannot be interrupted by breaks of at least 20 seconds within the 10-minute period. The new rules also state that the owner, or anyone with temporary custody or control, is responsible for preventing the animal from making excessive noise and the owner may face fines from $150.00 to $250.00 repeated offenses can potentially reach $1,000 under The Atlanta Dog Barking Ordinance Chapter 18 of the Code of Ordinances. The ordinance also applies to other animals that make loud noises, such as cats, birds, or other animals making noises common to their species. Fines will be enforced.- Nuisance Animal Fine structure thru CMA
- 1st Offense : Written citation notice of violation
- 2nd. Offense: $150.00 Fine
- 3rd Offense: $250.00 Fine
- Nuisance Animal Fine structure thru CMA
Fine structure CITY OF ATLANTA (COA) —see (f) below
- Reporting: Homeowners may report a noise disturbances complaint by dialing 311 or using ATL311.com.
- Animal control officers or law enforcement officers can witness the offense
- or receive reports about the noise from at least two unrelated adult witnesses from different addresses.
- Recorded video evidence can also be used.
- Repeated Offenses may then be reported by the homeowner as a barking complaint under the Atlanta Dog barking nuisance ordinance.
- For more information consult the City of Atlanta’s website for their animal control and code enforcement information.
COA Nuisance Animal Designation. If an animal’s barking is considered a nuisance, the owner can also be cited under the city’s nuisance animal ordinance, which also applies to cats, birds, and other animals.
Sec. 18-1. – Enforcement. The mayor may negotiate and execute contracts with the boards of public health of Fulton and DeKalb Counties to effectuate the enforcement of this chapter within their respective counties.
Sec. 18-11. – Nuisance animals. The ordinances contained in this chapter which apply to dogs shall be enforced against all dogs generally, and shall not be interpreted as being applicable to any specific breed of dog to the exclusion of any others.
(Ord. No. 2017-89(17-O-1809), § 1, 12-13-17)
(a) It shall be unlawful for the owner, or any person having temporary custody or control, of an animal or animals to allow or fail to restrain the animal(s) from barking, meowing, whining, crowing, or making other sounds common to the species, persistently or continuously for a period of ten (10) minutes or longer when every animal is not contained within an enclosure sufficient to baffle loud noises and render them reasonably unobjectionable.
(b) For the purposes of this section, persistently or continuously shall mean nonstop utterances for ten (10) consecutive minutes with individual interruptions of less than twenty (20) seconds at a time during the ten-minute utterances.
(c) The prohibitions contained in this section shall not apply to any facility operated by or under contract for the state, Fulton or DeKalb Counties, or the City of Atlanta for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals; to any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians which operates for such purpose in addition to its customary purposes; or to any facility operated, owned, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, or other nonprofit organization for the purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.
(d) This section may be enforced by animal control officers duly authorized to issue citations within the City of Atlanta or a sworn law enforcement officer with jurisdiction to enforce laws in the City of Atlanta.
(e) Each separate occasion is considered a separate violation. The owner or person having temporary custody or control of the animal(s) may be charged with a violation of this section when either the animal control officer or sworn law enforcement has received, from at least two unrelated adult witnesses from different addresses, or from one adult witness with a recorded video showing the alleged violation, a sworn affidavit attesting to the committing of a nuisance pursuant to this section, or the animal control officer or law enforcement officer has witnessed the commission of such offense. Affidavit(s) attesting to the nuisance must come from residents or business owners/operators within a 1,000-foot radius of the property where the violation occurred.
(f) Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to the following penalties:
- For a first violation, the penalty shall be a fine in the amount of $150.00
- For a second violation, the penalty shall be a fine in the amount of $250.00.
- For a third violation, the penalty shall be a fine in the amount of $350.00. (4) For a fourth violation, the penalty shall be a fine in the amount of $500.00 (5) For all subsequent violations, the penalty shall be a fine in the amount of $1,000.00.
(g) This section shall be applicable in the City of Atlanta, generally, in addition to section 18-129 of article IV of this chapter, applicable to the portion of the city within Fulton County, and any similar provision of article III of this Chapter, applicable to the portion of the city within DeKalb County.
(Ord. No. 2018-57(18-O-1663), § 1, 11-14-18; Ord. No. 2022-31(22-O-1696), § 1, 9-28-22)
TO APPEAL a barking complaint citation in Atlanta.
To appeal a dog barking complaint Atlanta, Georgia. you can start by contacting the Code Enforcement Division of the City of Atlanta, or the Atlanta Humane Society, or the Georgia Department of Agriculture (gov,) If the barking is considered a nuisance under the city ordinance (barking more than 10 minutes continuously, or more than 20 minutes intermittently), you may receive a written notice notice from the Code Enforcement Division. You can then appeal the notice to the city, or consider mediation with your neighbor.
Breakdown of the process
- You have received a citation or written notice detailing the alleged violation and penalty.
- Familiarize yourself with Atlanta’s animal ordinance, specifically regarding excessive barking.
- Contact Code Enforcement at 404-687-3700. You can also contact 311 for assistance.
- Prepare your appeal: Gather any evidence or documentation you believe supports your case, such as photos, videos,or witness statements.
- Consider Meditation: Before escalating the issue, consider speaking with your neighbor to resolve the issue amicably and exploring ways to address the barking.
- Submit the appeal: File a written appeal with the City of Atlanta within the 30-day timeframe. The appeal should clearly state the reason for your disagreement with the decision and should include any supporting documentation.
- Attend the hearing: The City Council will hold a hearing to review your appeal. You may be required to present your case and respond to questions from the council.
- If the City Council’s decision is unfavorable: You may appeal to Fulton County Superior Court within 30 days of the City Council’s final decision.