Gwinnett County, GA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Improved and unimproved property
- Collection-day exception
- 24 hours before pickup
- Governing section
- Sec. 14-293
- Max fine
- $1,000/day
Summary
Owners of vacant and occupied lots alike in unincorporated Gwinnett County must keep exterior property free of garbage, rubbish, litter, and trash under the county's sanitation standard.
Exterior property and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition. The owner and occupant shall be responsible for keeping the exterior property in a clean and sanitary condition and preventing the accumulation of stagnant water. The exterior property and premises shall be kept free of garbage, rubbish, litter, and trash.
Exception:
Rubbish, garbage, trash or other similar items placed outside for collection by an authorized waste hauler not more than 24 hours prior to the designated collection date for that property.
(Ord. No. GCID 2023-0497, Exh. A, 6-6-2023)
Secs. 14-294—14-317. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-293 requires that exterior property and premises, a term the Property Maintenance Ordinance defines to include unimproved as well as improved land, be kept in a clean, safe, sanitary condition. Owners and occupants must prevent the accumulation of garbage, rubbish, litter, trash, and stagnant water. The only carve-out is properly bagged waste set out for collection within 24 hours of pickup. This debris duty is distinct from the separate 12-inch weed-height cap in Sec. 14-286, which governs vegetation rather than trash.
Violations & Fines
Letting garbage, rubbish, or trash accumulate on a vacant or occupied lot violates Sec. 14-293 and is enforced by the planning and development department, with fines up to $1,000 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gwinnett County require vacant lots to be kept free of trash?
Is the vacant-lot rule the same as the weed-height ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gwinnett County
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