City of Clarkesville

For more information, please call City Hall.

Yard Waste Removal
Sightseers come from far away to see the yellow and red leaves of autumn, and rightly so. But those thousands of beautiful leaves that inspire admiration and delight also create a problem when they have fallen from the trees. Once they've been raked and bagged, just what do you do with them?

Fortunately for city residents, the City of Clarkesville provides pickup of small volumes of bagged leaves and yard clippings. Limited time and personnel, however, make it impracticable for the city to collect large volumes of brush, such as the amount generated by a contract service. If you have a small volume of leaves and/or yard clippings and would like to arrange for pickup, please call City Hall.

A chipper is used for disposing of small limbs and brush.

Pet Registration
The City requires that all dogs and cats be registered annually. Registration is simple, just follow these steps:

• Once every year, have each pet vaccinated for rabies
• Bring the current rabies vaccination record to City Hall
• Purchase a $5 animal license for each pet.
• After the first year, the pet will need to be registered on or before the anniversary date of the first registration.

That's all there is to it -- and you're all set for a year! For more information, please call City Hall. Fees subject to change at any time.

Residential and Commercial Garbage Pickup
Sanitation service is provided by the city for both residential and commercial customers. Pickup times vary with the type of service.

• Residential: Pickup takes place once a week. Cost is $6.75 per month.
• Commercial: Pickup is done as required, based on the amount of garbage. The minimum charge is $10 for once-a-week pickup. Charges increase with amount of frequency of pickup. For businesses within city limits, the cost is included in the monthly water bill.

For more information about sanitation service or to inquire about a bill, please contact City Hall. Fees subject to change without notice.

Building Permits
New construction, additions and other improvements require a permit. Permits are based on the square footage of the project or structure. The fee schedule is available at City Hall. State-issued license verification is conducted for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, while building contractor licenses will be verified starting July 2007.

Contractors are required to provide proof of contract or ownership of property. A recorded plat of the property is also required for all new construction.

A new commercial and residential construction plan review will be conducted prior to the issuance of any permit. All commercial plans are required to be certified by an architect or engineer. A plan review fee is applied.

Upon project completion, a Certificate of Occupancy is required for all new and existing construction at no additional fee.

For more information about when a permit must be obtained and what is required to receive one, please contact Planning and Development Director, Steve Hashimoto at City Hall. To build, remodel, grade, etc outside city limits, please contact the Habersham County Building and Planning Department.

Occupational (Business) Licenses
The City of Clarkesville requires that any business with a location within city limits obtain an Occupational (Business) License. The licenses, whose fees range from $50 to $250, may be purchased at City Hall. They are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. For more information, please call City Hall. Restaurants must have a food service permit from the Health Department before an occupational tax certificate can be issued.

Yard Sale Guidelines
The City of Clarkesville allows yard sales within all residential zoning districts as long as the following guidelines are observed:

• Maximum of one yard sale every six months per location
• Maximum duration of two days
• The sale is operated in such a way that it is not a nuisance to neighbors, it doesn't block driveways or sidewalks, and it doesn't produce dangerous traffic conditions on the road
• A permit is obtained for the sale and any signs advertising the sale

Following these simple regulations should allow seller and buyer alike to focus on the most important aspect of the sale: the enjoyment!

Basic Information About Taxes
Tax millage rates are established annually by the City Council and are based on 100 percent of the property tax assessment for Clarkesville properties as received from the Habersham County Tax Assessors' office. Once the rate is set, tax notices can be mailed out (usually in November). The due date for paying taxes is March 1. For more information, please contact City Hall.

For an overview of what the millage rate is and how county government sets it, see The Millage Rate Explained. A similar, though not identical, process is used by the City Council.

Voter Registration
Clarkesville residents who wish to vote in city elections may register at City Hall or other locations as provided by law. For more information, please call City Hall.