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Operation Fixing Broken Windows

How to Report Maintenance and Quality of Life Issues

Gwinnett recently started Operation Fixing Broken Windows, a campaign to maintain or improve the quality of life in the county by stepping up the awareness and enforcement of the county's codes and ordinances regarding property maintenance, sign placement, building codes, and other regulations intended to keep Gwinnett a pleasant place to live.

The effort was inspired by the book Fixing Broken Windows, by George Kelling. Dr. Kelling's theory says that ignoring relatively small problems, like a broken window, leads ignoring more significant problems. Eventually, this cycle leads to deterioration of our neighborhoods and communities.

Part of the county's effort includes the stepped-up enforcement of existing county regulations. In the past, these regulations have been ignored, or have not been vigorously enforced. County residents can help by alerting the proper agency when they notice code violations, so that they can be investigated, and citations issued, when necessary. You can learn more about the program by visiting the county's Operation Fixing Broken Windows website.

The following table lists some of the more common issues, and the appropriate agency to call to report the problem.

Description of Problem / Issue	Agency to Call
Vehicles parked on the grass on the front yard of private property	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Vehicles parked on the sidewalk	Police Services, 770-513-5000
Noise Ordinance violations	Police Services, 770-513-5000
Graffiti	Gwinnett Solid Waste, 770-822-7141
Dead animals on roadway, or in private property	Animal Control, 770-339-3200
Grass taller than 12 inches, hazardous trees, or stumps on private property	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Signs without a permit, in the county right of way, or on utility poles	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Rat or mosquito infestations	Environmental Health, 770-963-5132
Illegal dumping of trash or garbage	Police Services, 770-513-5000
Junked or inoperative vehicles on private property, or in the street	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Too many people living in the same house	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Outdoor storage of appliances, materials, or trash.	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Basketball goal in a street or right of way.	Police Services, 770-513-5000
Businesses established without a permit, or in an area not zoned for business	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Livestock (including chickens, goats, and cattle) in a residential area	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Inadequate exterior maintenance of a structure, including broken windows, peeling paint, unrepaired structural damage	Code Compliance, 678-518-6050 or 6032
Damage to street signs, stop signs, or other traffic signs	Transportation, 770-822-7400

Note: This table is taken from the Code Violations Enforcement Responsibilities Table of Gwinnett County, which takes precedence over this summary.

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