Toccoa GA, Stephens County & Northeast Georgia

City of Toccoa Code Article II. Property Maintenance
Sec. 13-51. Compliance.

No person shall own, occupy, offer for sale, or allow to remain unoccupied any residential, commercial, or industrial building, structure, or premises or portion thereof, which does not comply with the requirements of this Code. The city shall cause periodic inspections to be made of all premises to secure compliance with these requirements.

In instances where the owner of property fails to maintain property consistent with the requirements of this ordinance the City may (where public safety, public health or the aesthetic interests of surrounding properties are affected) in addition to other remedies provided herein and after notice and a hearing decide that it will temporarily cease doing business with a commercial establishment that fails to comply with this ordinance and/or the city may refuse to provide utility services to any property or structure that does not comply with this article.
Sec. 13-52. To be maintained in clean and sanitary condition.

All exterior property areas shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish, garbage, unused motor vehicles, appliances, mechanical devices, discarded building materials, furniture, and other debris.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-53. Accumulations of stagnant water, erosion.
All premises shall be maintained so as to prevent the accumulations of stagnant water thereon, or within any building, structure, swimming pool located thereon.
All premises shall be graded and maintained so as to prevent soil erosion which may damage the buildings, structures, or premises.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-54. Excessive weeds and grass, trees, and shrubs.
All exterior property areas shall be kept free of excessive weeds and grass.
Small tracts of land, whether improved or unimproved, within the city, shall be kept cut, clipped or controlled through necessary means as frequently as needed to insure that weeds, rank grass and noxious growths do not exceed a height of 12 inches.
Small tracts are defined as building lawns, sidewalk neutral strips, walkways, gardens, decorative landscaped areas, and unimproved lots of two acres or less.
Grass areas abutting and within 50 feet of city streets shall be kept mowed to a height not exceeding six inches.
Large tracts, larger than two acres, shall be cut, clipped or controlled through necessary means to a height not exceeding 18 inches.
Large tracts adjacent to improved residential property shall be kept clipped to the same standards as small tracts within 100 feet of such improved residential property.
Any tract maintained in a natural state or as a wilderness area may be exempt from cutting except for the requirements of the provisions hereinabove.
All trees and shrubs shall be maintained so as not to imperil public health or safety, or caused damage to any structure, premises, or utility services.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-55. Extermination of insects, rodents and other pests.

Every owner of a building, structure, or premises shall be responsible for the extermination of insects, rodents, vermin or other pests in all exterior areas of the premises, except that the occupant shall be responsible for such extermination in the exterior areas of the premises of a single-family dwelling. Whenever infestation exists in the shared or public parts of the premises of other than a singe-family dwelling, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner.

Sec. 13-56. Exterior surfaces.
Generally. Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in a workmanlike state and repair and shall be kept in such condition as to exclude rodents and other vermin.
Foundations. The foundation elements shall adequately support the building at all points.
Walls; wood surfaces. Every exterior wall shall be free of holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or timbers, and any other condition which might admit rain, or dampness to the interior portions of the walls or to the occupied spaces of the building. All exterior wood surfaces, other than decay resistant wood, but not limited to walls, shall be made impervious to adverse effects of weather by periodic application of paint or a similar protective coating and shall be maintained in a good state of repair. All new exterior wood surfaces, other than decay resistant wood, shall be protected from the elements and decay by painting or other protective covering or treatment. All exterior surfaces shall be kept free of defects including scaling, peeling and loose paint.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-57. Stairs, porches, walks, and parking areas.
Stairs and other exit facilities shall be adequate for safety as provided in the building code and shall comply with the following paragraphs of this section.
Every outside stair, every porch, every walkway, every driveway, and every appurtenance attached thereto, shall be so constructed as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the loads to which it is subjected as required by the building code, and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-58. Windows, doors and hatchways generally.

Every window, exterior door and basement hatchway shall be substantially tight and shall be kept in sound condition and repair.
Every window sash shall be fully supplied with glass window panes or an approved substitute.
Every window sash shall be in good condition and fit reasonably tight within its frame.
Every exterior door shall be equipped with hinges and door latch and shall be maintained in good condition.
Every exterior door, when closed, shall fit well within its frame.
Every window, door and frame shall be constructed and maintained in such relation to the adjacent wall construction as to exclude rain as completely as possible, and to substantially exclude wind from entering the structure.
Every basement hatchway shall be so constructed and maintained as to prevent the entrance of rodents, rain and surface drainage water into the structure.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Sec. 13-59. Maintenance of accessory structures.

All accessory structures, including detached building and fences, shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
(Ord. No. 98-003, 3-23-98)

Toccoa Beautification Code