Recent Government News & Public Notices

ISO Awards Fayette County a Grade 3 for Residential and Commercial Property Building Code Effectiveness

The Fayette County Building Permits and Inspections Department recently went through an ISO (Insurance Services Office, Inc.) analysis of the County’s building codes and enforcement of these codes through inspections conducted by the Building Permits and Inspections Department in the following categories: residential property, commercial and industrial property. ISO is an insurer-supported organization with the mission of providing advisory and rating information to insurers. Insurance Agencies use the ISO Rating System as one element in consideration of establishing premiums for property insurance policies.

The last ISO analysis of the Building department was conducted in 2000. Fayette County improved its overall score in both categories from a 5 to a 3 (with a grading range of 1 being the best and 10 the worst) since the last survey. Fayette County is one of seven communities with a grade of 3 for residential and one of nine communities with a grade of 3 for commercial in the State of Georgia. No communities in Georgia have received a higher grade than 3. Nationally, out of 8,392 communities, only 140 scored better than Fayette County in the residential category, and out of 6,451 communities, only 160 scored better than Fayette County in the commercial category.

Pete Frisina, Division Director of Community Development, said: “The improvement in the County’s grade is credited to the staff of the Building Permits and Inspections staff under the direction of Joe Scarborough which included the adoption of additional codes, the high level of certifications attained by the Building Permits and Inspections staff, and the creation of a dedicated Plan Reviewer position.”

Outdoor Burning Ban to Go into Effect May 1

The Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services would like to remind all residents and developers that the outdoor burning ban will go into effect beginning May 1. No outdoor burning will be allowed until the ban is lifted on October 1. Until May 1, residents should call the automated burn permit line at 770-305-5468 to obtain a permit to burn. Developers wishing to burn debris from land clearing before May 1 should contact the department at 770-305-5414.

Fayette County Fire Marshal, Commander David Scarbrough, says of the ban, “Fayette County is located in the outdoor burning ban catchment area of the metro Atlanta area that is determined by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The ban must be enforced by our department and helps ensure air quality and significantly reduces the potential for brush fires during the summer months.”

Brush fires from unattended and unsafe outdoor burning has caused significant damage to landscaping, outdoor buildings and in some cases automobiles and homes. All residents wishing to conduct outdoor burning until the ban goes into effect should call the automated burn permit line and listen carefully to the outdoor burning regulations and especially to the safety items mentioned on the burn permit line. The department has the authority to issue a citation to any resident who fails to follow the rules of outdoor burning, violates the burn ban and general safety precautions.

For more information about the ban and safe outdoor burning, please click here.

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) To End March 31

Fayette County’s one-percent local sales tax passed by a referendum in 2004 will come to an end on March 31. Approval of the tax was passed by the voters in November of 2004 and has been collected to raise funds for transportation improvements. Collection of the tax, specified to be for a five year period, began on April 1, 2005 and will end on March 31, 2010.

Sales tax in Georgia, including locally approved sales tax, is collected by the Georgia Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Unit. It is then distributed back to counties and cities by the Revenue Department for specified uses. Retailers and other vendors who collect and submit sales tax payments to the State should be notified by the Revenue Department about the termination of the one-percent tax in Fayette County.

Voters defeated efforts to extend the one-percent sales tax in a referendum in November, 2009. However, Fayette County continues to have in place a one-percent general revenue sales tax which was approved by referendum in 1981 which has no required end. Also, in 2008, voters approved a one-percent special purpose local option sales tax for education purposes which will be collected for a five year period that began April 1, 2009.

Retailers/Vendors can contact the Georgia Department of Revenue by clicking on https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ . Click on “Business Taxes”, then “Sales Tax”. The phone number is 1-877-423-6711.

During a March 30, 2010 Public Meeting, Fayette County presented an update on the on-going Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP), including a summary of recommended transportation projects. The complete draft list is now posted on-line for public review and comment. Please forward comments to the Public Works Department at 770-320-6010 or fayetteforward@fayettecountyga.gov. Learn More

Keep Fayette First!

The Board of Commissioners proclaimed April 1 as “Census 2010 Day in Fayette County” and, encouraged its citizens to “Keep Fayette First” amongst counties in Census mail response rates as it did in 1990 and 2000.

After a week of returns Fayette has a mail participation rate of 50 percent, which is higher than the national rate (46%) and the state rate (41%). Return here for updates.

View press release and proclamation click here.

Visit the Census Bureau website for the mail participation interactive map and more. Click on this Link: http://2010.census.gov/2010census

IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR CENSUS FORM Click here to see a list of locations in Fayette County where you can get forms and assistance. Also, you can call 1-866-872-6868 (English) or 1-866-928-2010 (Spanish) for assistance.

Fayette County Commission Chairman Jack R. Smith presented the Fayette County Complete Count Committee with a proclamation recognizing April 1 as Census 2010 Day in Fayette County. Noting that Fayette County was the top county in the state in mail return rates in the 1990 and 2000 Census, the proclamation encourages all citizens to “Keep Fayette First” by completing and returning the questionnaire without delay.

(Click here for full proclamation and more census information.)

Fayette County Complete Count Committee members (from left) Phyllis Blake, NAACP; Ruby Edwards, Caribbean Association of Georgia; Tom Williams, Fayette County Planning and Zoning; and, Pete Frisina, Director of Community Development. Jack R. Smith, Chairman, Fayette County Board of Commissioners

Fayette County Earth Day :Save the Date: April 17, 2010

When: Saturday, April 17, 2010. 10AM ‐ 3PM 
Where: Shamrock Park, Tyrone GA.  

Green Market Vendors Wanted
Eco‐Friendly Services Educational Exhibitors Wanted 
Sponsors Wanted to show their support for the  environment and our community. 

More Information  *

COUNTY TAX APPEAL INFORMATION – IMPORTANT Deadline Approaching

As of January 1 of every year, it is the responsibility of the Fayette County Board of Assessors to fairly and uniformly establish a value of “real” and “personal” property throughout the entire County, at what is known as “fair market value” -- the value one would be able to sell the property for. This appraisal process ensures that all property owners pay only their proportionate share of tax. In May of each year, the Office of the Assessors mails a “Notice of Value” to all taxpayers whose value has increased from the previous year. This document is commonly known as an “Assessment Notice”. If the notice a taxpayer receives declares a value for property that is higher than the taxpayer believes is valid, the taxpayer can file a written appeal of that value within 45 days of the date of the Assessment notice from the County. Georgia law sets out a specific process that occurs whenever a taxpayer files an appeal.

Additionally, and as a prerequisite to filing an appeal, there is a . . .More Information

Updated List of Subdivisions and Streets Authorized for Golf Carts

Current Lists

Authorization Request for Motorized Carts

Road Closings:

There are no road closings at this time.

More News Archives:

August 2010 - News

July 2010 Community News

July 2010 - News

June 2010 Community News

June 2010 - News

May 2010- Community News

May 2010- News

April 2010

March 2010

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