Good Ground, Deep Roots

In the case of an emergency, dial 9-1-1. For questions or reports related to brush burning and controlled fires, please call the Georgia Forestry Commission Agent for Oglethorpe County, at 706-743-5703.Or apply for a permit online. O.C.G.A. § 12-6-80 through 93

To report violations which relate to trash or dumping, please contact the Oglethorpe County BOC at 706-743-5270 or to the Georgia EPD. This includes reports relating to litter, scrap tires, accumulation of household garbage, and illegal landfills. O.C.G.A. § 12-8-1 through 41

In the case of an emergency, dial 9-1-1 For questions or reports related to the spread of rabies and other infectious diseases, please call the Oglethorpe County Health Department at 706-743-8181. O.C.G.A. § 31-19-1 through 10 For reports related to dangerous dogs, please call 9-1-1. According to Georgia’s Responsible Dog Ownership Law, "Dangerous dog" means any dog that: 1. Causes a substantial puncture of a person's skin by teeth without causing serious injury; a. provided, however, that a nip, scratch, or abrasion shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph; 2. Aggressively attacks in a manner that causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog posed an imminent threat of serious injury to such person or another person although no such injury occurs; a. provided, however, that the acts of barking, growling, or showing of teeth by a dog shall not be sufficient to classify a dog as dangerous under this subparagraph; or 3. While off the owner's property, kills a pet animal; a. provided, however, that this subparagraph shall not apply where the death of such pet animal is caused by a dog that is working or training as a hunting dog, herding dog, or predator control dog. "Vicious dog" means a dog that inflicts serious injury on a person or causes serious injury to a person resulting from reasonable attempts to escape from the dog's attack. "Serious injury" means any physical injury that: 1. creates a substantial risk of death; 2. results in death, broken or dislocated bones, lacerations requiring multiple sutures, or disfiguring avulsions; 3. requires plastic surgery or admission to a hospital; or 4. results in protracted impairment of health, including transmission of an infection or contagious disease, or impairment of the function of any bodily organ. O.C.G.A. § 4-8-20 through 33

To apply for a land disturbing activity (LDA) permit or a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, please call Georgia EPD Northeast District (Athens) at 706-369-6376. O.C.G.A. § 12-7-1 through 22

Problems are addressed in a confidential, friendly and understanding way. Upon receiving a report, a code enforcement officer will evaluate the situation, possibly take pictures, and determine whether a violation has occurred. If a violation exists, the officer will notify the property owner to explain the problem and suggest possible solutions. The property owner is then given reasonable time to take care of the violation. Then, a follow up inspection is performed to verify that the violation has been corrected. While most property owners comply after the first notification, those who don't may face enforcement action via the issuance of a citation and the case is sent to the Magistrate Court of Oglethorpe County. The Magistrate Court will hear testimony from the property owner and the Code Enforcement Officer and the Judge will rule on the case.