Complaint Process and Resolution

The Process:

The code enforcement process begins when the County Marshal receives an online formal complaint, observes a violation, or other county departments make a complaint, initiating the process. All complaints are investigated and verified by the County Marshal. If a violation is found, the Marshal will take further action toward obtaining voluntary compliance.

Warning Notices:

A written warning may be left at the violation site, hand-delivered, or mailed to a violator or property owner when code violations are verified. The warning explains the type of violation(s) that exist and specifies a certain number of days for the violation to be corrected to comply with Franklin County codes. Failure to correct violations within the specified time may result in the violator(s) being issued a civil citation to appear in Magistrate Court for each violation.

Residents should call the County Marshal at (706) 491-4126  with any questions. 

*It is important to note that the goal of the Franklin County Marshal's Office is to gain voluntary compliance from occupant(s) and/or property owner(s) to bring and maintain their property within county ordinance requirements through cooperation and partnership before pursuing Enforcement Action.

The property will be re-inspected to determine if the violation(s) have been corrected. 

Enforcement Action:

If a resident and/or property owner does not meet compliance, a civil citation to appear in Franklin County Magistrate Court will be issued. A Magistrate Court judge may impose a fine of up to $1,000 and/or 30 days in jail for failure to correct code violations.