Gwinnett County, GA Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Vegetation height limit
- 12 inches (Sec. 14-286)
- Cure period
- 20 days after notice
- Administrative fee
- $100.00 added to abatement cost
- Lien interest rate
- 12 percent per year
- First appeal window
- 14 days, to planning director
- Second appeal window
- 7 days, to zoning board of appeals
Summary
Gwinnett County code enforcement treats grass, weeds, and uncultivated vegetation over 12 inches tall on vacant property as a public nuisance because it harbors rodents, insects, and other pests. Under Sec. 38-29, the county can post and mail a notice, and if the owner does not cut it within 20 days, the county does the work and bills the owner plus a $100 fee.
(a)Uncontrolled growth of weeds and grass on a property is a health risk by harboring rodents, insects, and other pests; it lowers surrounding property values, and constitutes a public nuisance. ... (5)A demand that the record owner of the property remedy the violation within 20 days from the date of the notice and that if the owner fails to do so, then the county will remedy the condition and assess against the record title owner of the parcel of land all the costs thereof plus an administrative charge of $100.00.(6)A statement that, if the costs are not paid within 30 days of invoice date, a lien will be placed on the property. ... (8)A statement that the record owner of the property may, within 14 days from the date of the notice, make a written appeal to the director of planning and development showing the cited condition does not constitute a violation.
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
Section 38-29 opens by declaring that uncontrolled growth of weeds and grass on a property is a health risk because it harbors rodents, insects, and other pests, lowers surrounding property values, and constitutes a public nuisance. The underlying standard sits in Sec. 14-286: premises and exterior property must be kept free of grass, weeds, or uncultivated vegetation over 12 inches high, with exceptions for RA-200 agriculture-residence parcels larger than one acre and single-family-zoned parcels larger than three acres.
When code enforcement personnel have reason to believe a Sec. 14-286 violation exists on vacant real property, the notice must be both posted on the property and sent by certified mail or personal delivery to the owner at the address on file with the tax records. The notice has to identify the owner, the property address, the specific condition, and a demand that the owner remedy the violation within 20 days. It must also disclose the $100 administrative charge the county will add if it does the cutting itself, warn that unpaid costs trigger a lien after 30 days, and give a good-faith cost estimate.
Owners get two layers of appeal. Within 14 days of the notice, an owner can appeal in writing to the director of planning and development, who must respond in writing within seven days. If the director upholds the violation, the owner can appeal again to the zoning board of appeals within seven days of that decision, following the process in Sec. 270-90 of the unified development ordinance and paying the applicable fee. If no appeal is filed and the condition remains uncorrected 14 days after the original notice, or after an unsuccessful appeal, the county cuts the vegetation and bills the owner.
Unpaid costs plus the $100 fee become a special assessment lien on the property, carrying 12 percent annual interest from the date the county certifies the expense to the director of financial services, recorded with the clerk of superior court.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply after the 20-day cure notice lets the county remedy the condition itself and bill the property owner for the actual mowing/removal cost plus a $100.00 administrative charge. If that bill isn't paid within 30 days of the invoice date, the county records a special assessment lien against the property that accrues interest at 12 percent per year until paid in full, enforceable through the clerk of superior court's records.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds get before Gwinnett County cites me?
What happens if I ignore the notice?
Can I appeal a weeds and grass violation notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gwinnett County
Compare Gwinnett County to another location·View the Georgia public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.