Alpharetta, GA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Alpharetta Code §§ 26-138(11), 26-139
- Article
- Ch. 26, Art. VI, Unfit Buildings
- Cleanliness standard
- Free of dirt, trash, vermin conditions
- Remedy option
- Chemical treatment resistant to infestation
- Repeat violation period
- Separate offense every 10 days
Summary
Alpharetta's unfit-buildings nuisance article makes it a code violation to let a building or its premises accumulate junk, debris or overgrown weeds that draw rodents, vermin or insects. Owners must keep dwelling exteriors sanitary and treat surfaces resistant to infestation when appropriate.
(11)Those whose outside and/or inside premises are not clean, clear and free of any attractive nuisance or accumulation of dirt, junk, filth, rubbish, garbage, debris, combustible materials, excessive growth of weeds or grass, or similar conditions conducive to rodent, vermin or insect infestation or the spread of fire or disease and more particularly described in section 26-139. ... Cleanliness referred to on the interior of dwelling units shall mean keeping the walls, floors and ceilings sanitary and free from accumulation of dirt or trash. Cleanliness referred to on the exterior of dwelling units shall mean keeping the walls and roofs sanitary and free from accumulation of dirt and trash. Where appropriate, this may require a coating on exterior surfaces or chemical treatment to make them resistant to vermin and insect infestation.
Full Breakdown
Section 26-138 of the Alpharetta Code lists eleven conditions that render a building, structure, enclosure, place or premises a nuisance under Article VI, Unfit Buildings. Item (11) covers premises, inside or outside, that are not clean, clear and free of any attractive nuisance or accumulation of dirt, junk, filth, rubbish, garbage, debris, combustible materials, excessive growth of weeds or grass, or similar conditions conducive to rodent, vermin or insect infestation or the spread of fire or disease, with the section cross-referencing section 26-139 for the specific duty this creates.
Section 26-139(b) then defines what cleanliness means in practice: interior walls, floors and ceilings must be sanitary and free of accumulated dirt or trash, and exterior walls and roofs must likewise be free of accumulated dirt and trash, adding that a coating on exterior surfaces or chemical treatment to resist vermin and insect infestation may be required where appropriate. The enforcement officer can inspect any building, dwelling unit, or the premises around it under section 26-141, and noncompliance with sections 26-137 through 26-139 is deemed a nuisance that the city may abate under section 26-140.
Before abatement, the owner receives written notice describing the rodent-conducive conditions and the remedial steps needed, and unresolved cases proceed to the municipal court for a nuisance determination.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance with the unfit-buildings nuisance provisions is punishable under the article's abatement and offense procedures: failure to appear after a municipal court summons is a separate offense under section 1-8, and each ten-day period a rodent-conducive condition persists after a court-ordered abatement deadline constitutes an additional separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Alpharetta cite me for conditions that attract rodents?
What counts as keeping my property sanitary under this rule?
How does the city enforce a rodent-nuisance complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alpharetta
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