DIVISION OF
PUBLIC SERVICES
LEADERSHIP TEAM DIRECTOR CAJEN RHODES DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARCUS HEARD OFFICE MANAGER MELISSA JACKSON OPERATIONS MANAGER JERMAINE TAYLOR CLEARWATER SOLUTIONS PROJECT MANAGER MELVIN JACKSON
OVERVIEW OF SERVICES
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES: Public Services is responsible for the coordination of departments and activities affecting construction and maintenance of public and private utilities and infrastructure. Public Services is responsible for the following services:
Public Works Parks and Recreation Solid Waste Water and Wastewater Stormwater Engineering Transportation
PUBLIC WORKS Public Works has a team of 20 members Oversees maintenance of approximately 100 miles of city owned right of way Maintains 53 miles of medians monthly including trash pickup Repair potholes throughout the city Removal of dead animals in the right of way only, removal on private property must be performed by a private animal removal specialist Contacts the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to make repairs to state owned right of ways Picks up trash at the city owned parks throughout the city Liaison to GA Power and Coweta Fayette EMC concerning their street light repairs and maintenance Oversees and repairs city owned sidewalks for ADA compliance
PARKS & RECREATION Parks & Recreation oversees 5 park locations City Center Park Patriot Park Church Street Park The Ridge Nature Area Dickson Springs Park Parks & Recreation has two dedicated employees Assigned to City Center Park during spring and summer operations Special Event Support
CITY CENTER PARK The park has been open since July 2021 and has amenities such as the Great Lawn, Spray Park (seasonal), Tiny Tot, Dog Park for large and small dogs, Play Structure for 5– 12-year-old children and 2–5-year-old children (currently closed due to dangerous condition), 4 pavilions The park has hosted many city events over the past 5 years such as Parades, Mainstreet Events and Bus Barn Events
PATRIOT PARK The park has been open since 2006 and was designed to be both a recreational park as well as a memorial to remember those, especially from this community, who made the ultimate sacrifice in military service to their country The park has a walking trail that consist of a ½ mile loop around the park.
CHURCH STREET PARK The park has undergone a transition in the past four years with new playground equipment and new parking area Staff has been working to construct a bathroom facility and has future plans to upgrade the basketball courts
DICKSON SPRINGS PARK This park is a hidden jewel located off Helen Sams Parkway. The Park consists of a small hiking trail that takes you down to 2 city owned fishing lakes
THE RIDGE NATURE AREA The nature area consists of 235 acres of a natural environment used for walking, conservation and training The nature area hosts the largest population of eastern box turtles in the Southeast, where they continue to be studied in their natural habitat The City has contracted with Southern Conservation Trust to oversee the operation and maintenance of the nature area
https://www.sctlandtrust.org/the-ridge-nature-area
SANITATION The City contracts with GFL Environmental for Solid Waste services for our residential properties Our Public Works team performs Trash pickup throughout the city and is one issue that takes up a lot of our time. We are working to come up with a robust trash removal program. Current Fees
$17.50 Trash Services $4.00 Bulk pick- up $21.50 per household
September 1st
$18.03 Trash Services $4.00 Bulk pick- up $22.03 per household
WATER AND WASTEWATER o o o o
Water System- 1 water plant which treats water from 3 deep drilled wells, 122 miles of water main, 2,400 fire hydrants Sewer System-1 wastewater plant which can treat 5 MGD, 140 miles of sewer mains, 33 lift stations- Sewer jurisdiction set by extent of City Limits Stormwater System-approximately 140 miles of city owned pipe, 2 city owned lakes Clearwater Solutions was hired to operate the water and sewer system in January 2021
Fats Oils and Grease Program (FOG) o One of the biggest causes for sanitary sewer overflows in Fayetteville is residents pouring fats, oil and grease down the sink or into the sewer system o Even when hot water and detergents breaks down the FOG in a sink, it cools in the sewer lines and hardens which can cause and overflow o Most of our residential area SSO’s are from FOG
STORMWATER Stormwater Responsibility City/Private (HOA) The City is responsible for all stormwater infrastructure located within the R/W or on City owned property or City conveyed easements HOA’s (or private property owner) is responsible for stormwater infrastructure outside of the R/W or not City owned Infrastructure includes catch basins, pipe drainage easements, and detention ponds
STORMWATER Stormwater Utility Fees The stormwater fees of $7.81 per residential dwelling is used to maintain the city owned and maintained infrastructure The fees pays for federal and state mandated items which includes stream/creek water sampling, public outreach projects, stormwater infrastructure inspection program (inspects 1/5th of the city owned infrastructure Detention pond inspections-30 ponds per year Capital Projects-Flooding elimination project, stormwater quality projects Insurance Services Office (ISO) Community Rating System (Currently 7) rating system of 1 to 10 5% reduction in flood insurance in non SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area) 15% reduction in flood insurance in SFHA
ENGINEERING/TRANSPORTATION The City Engineer is staffed by a third-party engineering firm who oversees the city’s compliance with plan review and compliance for engineering issues Transportation City staff is working on several projects throughout the city City Center Parkway Highway 85 Median Project High Priority Trail Project Multi-use path design and construction Traffic analysis
NEED ASSISTANCE? Contact the Public Services Department at (770) 460-4660 for: Pothole Repair Street Paving & Maintenance Dead Animal Removal (Public Right-of-Way Only) Traffic Sign Maintenance & Replacement Sidewalk Repair & Maintenance Right-of-Way Litter & Debris Removal Streetlight & Power Outage Reporting GA Power: 1(888) 660-5890 Coweta-Fayette EMC: (770) 502-0226 Solid Waste Assistance: (770) 460-4237
Contact Us
Public Services 328 First Manassas Mile Fayetteville, Georgia 30214 (770) 460-4660 crhodes@fayetteville-ga.gov www.Fayetteville-Ga.gov
SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 406
GEORGIA PROPERTY OWNERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS ACT Georgia Senate Bill 406, known as the “Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act,” • Establishes significant new requirements and protections for property owners and homeowners living in communities governed by owners’ associations. • The legislation increases state oversight of property owners’ associations • Gives the Georgia Secretary of State new responsibilities relating to registration, complaints, enforcement, and administrative review.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 1. Mandatory State Registration of Owners’
Associations
• Beginning January 1, 2027, owners’ associations must maintain an active registration with the Georgia Secretary of State in order to exercise certain enforcement powers. • An association must be registered to: o Collect fines or fees; o File or record liens against property; or o Initiate foreclosure proceedings. • The registration requirement applies broadly to qualifying private associations governing residential communities, including homeowners’ associations, condominium developments, common-interest communities, and similar groups of property owners.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 2. Increased State Oversight • SB 406 significantly expands the role of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may, under specified circumstances: o Deny, suspend, or revoke an association’s registration; o Limit fines or fees imposed or collected by an association; and o Prohibit an individual from serving on an association’s board. • This represents a substantial shift toward statelevel oversight of activities that traditionally have been administered primarily through private community associations.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 3. New Rights and Protections for Property Owners • The legislation establishes additional statutory protections for property owners dealing with owners’ associations. • Protections include procedures governing association enforcement actions, assessments, liens, foreclosure, records, and disputes. • The law also creates administrative processes through which property owners may challenge actions or failures to act by an owners’ association.
MAJOR PROVISIONS Owners’ Rights Under the Act •
To inspect and obtain copies of owners’ association records upon written demand in compliance with applicable law and the governing documents.
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To obtain a copy of the owners’ association’s certificate of insurance for all insurance obtained for the benefit of the owner and that may apply to a potential claim or submitted claim.
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To have notice of meetings, which shall be consistent with applicable law and the governing documents, and to attend meetings of the owners’ association, which shall be called at least annually.
MAJOR PROVISIONS Owners’ Rights Under the Act •
To have access to common areas, amenities and common elements subject to the terms of the governing documents.
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To have ingress, egress and access to the owners’ individual property.
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To be provided adequate due process with foreclosure actions initiated by the owners’ association.
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To amend governing documents with thresholds set by applicable law and the governing documents.
MAJOR PROVISIONS Owners’ Rights Under the Act •
To expect good faith performance and disclosure of conflicting interests of the owners’ association’s board of directors.
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To challenge discriminatory practices by the owners’ association.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 4. Administrative Complaint Hearing Process • SB 406 establishes a formal administrative process for resolving disputes between property owners and owners’ associations. o Submit complaints to the Secretary of State concerning an association’s actions or inactions. o Hearings may be conducted, where affected parties may have opportunities to challenge decisions. o Depending upon the amount in controversy, judicial review may proceed through Magistrate Court or Superior Court. o Homeowner has180 days of an action or
MAJOR PROVISIONS 4. Administrative Complaint Hearing Process • Homeowner has180 days of an action or inaction by an owners’ association to bring a claim. • The hearing officer will be responsible for investigations of the issues raised in the complaint who can order a hearing. • At the conclusion of an investigation the hearing officer then will issue findings and conclusions. • Parties will then have 15 days to satisfy the conclusions rendered by the hearing officer. • If the parties fail to satisfy the conclusions within the prescribed 15 days, then the hearing officer, complainant, or respondent may bring an action to enforce the claim.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 4. Administrative Complaint Hearing Process • Under this new administrative procedure it is expressly established that it shall be unlawful to knowingly make written or oral false or misleading material statements or omit material facts in connection with any hearing under this new law. • Filing a complaint will also automatically stay an association’s collection or attempted collection from the complainant of any fines or fees that are the subject of or related to the complaint. • This stay expires upon the hearing officer’s conclusions but may be extended 15 days after conclusions. The non-prevailing party must pay a $100 administrative service fee by order of the Secretary.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 4. Administrative Complaint Hearing Process • Appeals from hearing officer decisions may be taken by adversely affected person: o to the magistrate court (if within its jurisdictional amount) o or to the superior court of the county where the largest portion of the owners’ development is located. • Appeals require serving the Secretary of State within 20 days with a de novo petition stating the order appealed, grounds for reversal/modification, and demanding a certified transcript. • Upon receipt of the petition for review, the Secretary must then deliver a certified transcript within ten days (at appellant’s cost). The complaint is then entered on
MAJOR PROVISIONS 5. Changes Affecting Liens and Foreclosure • The legislation modifies the circumstances and procedures under which an owners’ association may pursue liens and foreclosure against property. • These changes are intended to provide additional procedural safeguards for property owners while establishing clearer requirements for associations seeking to enforce assessments and other obligations. • Certain foreclosure-related and governing-document provisions became effective July 1, 2026, while the broader registration and enforcement provisions take effect January 1, 2027.
MAJOR PROVISIONS 5. Changes Affecting Liens and Foreclosure Record Retention •
The Act requires owners’ associations to retain records “relating to any assessments, fines, fees, liens, and foreclosures” for at least ten years.
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The Secretary of State may request the production of such records, along with records relating to governing documents and finances, for “reasonable examinations” in the “public interest or for the protection of the public.
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Additionally, as described below, property owners have the right to inspect the owners’ association’s documents upon request.
MAJOR PROVISIONS Permitted and Restricted Payments •
The Act requires that owners’ associations apply payments from owners in the following order: 1. regular assessments and dues 2. special assessments 3. specific assessments 4. additional fees and fines.
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Furthermore, owners’ associations are prohibited from refusing payments from owners for assessments and from assessing or collecting accelerated assessments against owners.
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The foreclosure notice period before the owners’ association may foreclose a lien was extended from thirty days to sixty days.
MAJOR PROVISIONS Implementation Timeline Date
Key Change
July 1, 2026
Certain amendments concerning governingdocument voting and foreclosure procedures become effective.
January 1, 2027
Major property-owner protections and owners’ association registration requirements become effective.
October 2026 – anticipated
Secretary of State anticipates publishing proposed rules and regulations for public comment.
January 1, 2027
Secretary of State complaint and enforcement provisions become operative.
MAJOR PROVISIONS NOTE: Before an owners’ association governed under the Georgia Property Owners’ Association Act can collect attorney’s fees, the owners’ association must provide the owner written notice of outstanding fines and fees, allow the owner thirty days to pay the fees, and provide an itemized list of attorney’s fees claimed. These notice requirements took effect on July 1, 2026.