Public Conduct in Decatur, GA (2026)
5 verified public conduct rules for Decatur, Georgia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Aggressive Panhandling
Decatur, Georgia's aggressive panhandling ordinance bans coercive solicitation tactics like blocking, following or touching a target, and separately bars all solicitation within 20 feet of an ATM or bank entrance, within 20 feet of outdoor dining, in groups of two or more, and in any public place after dark, under Code § 70-30.
Decatur GA Aggressive Panhandling Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsDecatur Code of Ordinances § 70-30
(a)Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: After dark means any time from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise. ... (b)Prohibited acts. It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city to violate any of the following subsections of this section:(1)No person shall engage in aggressive panhandling in a...
Skateboarding Rules
Decatur, Georgia bans skateboards, roller skates, in-line skates and coasters on the streets, sidewalks and municipal parking lots of a defined downtown "pedestrian preference area," including East Court Square, Church Street and Clairemont Avenue. Riders may still use the multi-modal path or a street set aside as a play street.
Decatur GA Skateboard & Skate Rules Downtown
Some RestrictionsDecatur Code of Ordinances § 98-12(b)
No person shall operate or cause to be operated a coaster, roller skates, skateboard, in-line skates or similar device in or upon any public street within the pedestrian preference area, any public sidewalk, path, streetscape, or driveway adjacent to any public street within the pedestrian preference area, or any municipally owned parking lot adjacent to any public street within the pedestrian ...
Loitering Rules
Decatur, Georgia makes loitering or prowling a municipal offense whenever someone is present at a place, time or in a manner unusual for law-abiding people under circumstances warranting justifiable alarm, mirroring the state loitering statute, under Code § 70-19.
Decatur GA Loitering and Prowling Law
Some RestrictionsDecatur Code of Ordinances § 70-19
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city to commit the offense of loitering or prowling.(b)A person commits the offense of loitering or prowling when one is in a place, at a time, or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property...
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions
Decatur, Georgia's Clean Air Ordinance bars smoking in all public places, places of employment and public parks, and extends the ban outdoors to within 20 feet of any entrance or ventilation intake and within 20 feet of a restaurant's exterior seating or service area, under Code § 54-32.
Decatur GA Outdoor and Public Smoking Ban
Significant RestrictionsDecatur Code of Ordinances § 54-32
(a)Except as otherwise provided in this article, smoking is prohibited in all public places within the city, all places of employment within the city, and all public parks. All ashtrays and similar smoking paraphernalia shall be removed from any place where smoking is prohibited.(b)Except as otherwise provided in this article, smoking is prohibited:(1)Within 20 feet of any outside entrance, ope...
Public Alcohol Use
The City of Decatur, Georgia bans drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, park, or in a parked or moving car, with two narrow carve-outs: a city-commission special permit and a defined open-container hours exception inside the restaurant districts near the downtown square.
Decatur, GA Public Alcohol Consumption Ban
Significant RestrictionsDecatur Code of Ordinances §§ 6-22, 6-25
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to drink any alcoholic beverages or any other intoxicating beverage at any public place within the city, or for any person to have in such person's possession any unsealed or opened container with such intoxicating beverage in it at any public place within the city, except as provided under the terms and conditions of special permits issued by the city com...
Looking for DeKalb County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Decatur city rules.
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