Selected city ordinances of interest to Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent neighbors
Residents’ Maintenance Responsibilities
The area of your property maintenance includes from the center of your street to the back of your lot. Leaves and refuse must not be blown onto the street. If you live on a corner lot, please be a drain warrior and prevent items from getting into our water system!
Tree Lawns
The occupants or owners of property abutting a street, sidewalk or lane shall maintain and keep the portion of the street, sidewalk or lane on which such property abuts clean and free of litter, debris and overgrown vegetation. The occupants or owners of property in which a tree lawn is present shall be responsible for edging and mowing grass, mulching, picking up litter, removing dead vegetation, keeping the area of tree lawns clean, and maintaining the height of plantings to 36 inches or less. The planting or maintenance of trees or shrubs on the right-of-way must adhere to section 8-12005.
Hardscapes, benches, and other items should not placed in treelawns. View the City of Savannah’s Tree Lawn Compliance and Policy Guide.
Sidewalks
The owner of any lot or tract of land within the corporate limits of the City of Savannah shall be primarily liable to any person injured by reason of any defect in or obstruction on the sidewalk bordering his property whenever the defect or obstruction is caused by the owner or person in possession, or wherever the defect is not caused by the owner or person in possession, but such defect has been previously brought to the attention of the owner, his agent or the person in possession of said property, or where such defect remains unrepaired for such a period of time as would make the City liable; and whenever the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah are sued in such cases they shall vouch into court the owner of such property, and said owner shall be liable to the City for the amount of judgment obtained in such suit against the City.
Parking
Semi-Trucks and Motor Homes
No motor vehicle exceeding 20 feet in length and/or 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, or any trailer coach, motor home, trailer, semitrailer, truck tractor, or part of such a vehicle shall be parked on or stored upon the street adjacent to any lot zoned residential. Parallel parking on the street must be in the direction of moving traffic. Parking is not permitted on tree lawns, driveway aprons, or sidewalks.
Vehicle Parking
Residents’ vehicles must be parked:
- On established driveways
- Enclosed in accessory buildings
- Parallel and within 5 feet of an established driveway on the side closest to the side property line provided such parking allows a minimum setback of 3 feet.
- In a side or rear yard that is screened from the view of public right of way or neighboring properties.
- Facing with the flow of traffic.
*When parking in driveways, please park as close to the house as possible to preserve lines of sight and keep sidewalks clear.
Residential Parking Ordinance Brochure
Abandoned and Derelict Vehicles Brochure
Dogs/Pets
Disposal of dog excrement; proper equipment; offense
It shall be unlawful for any person who possesses, harbors or is in charge of any dog not to immediately remove excrement deposited by any dog upon the common thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, trees, lawns, playground areas, parks, squares, and upon other public premises and the failure to remove said excrement shall be deemed a public nuisance and is prohibited. See more: Sec. 9-5023
Animal not to run at large or be kept in a public place
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any livestock or domestic fowl to permit the same to run at large within the City of Savannah or to keep the same in any manner in any street or public place. This section shall not be read to pertain to animals subject to the city’s Tour Service for Hire Ordinance. See more: Sec. 9-5003
Sign Ordinance
Restricted Sign Types
- Banner, pennant, streamer, flag, balloon or other inflatable object, pinwheel, rotating flood light, and similar attention-getting device.
- A business (not a residence) is allowed to have one sandwich board-style sign at its location, but it must be no farther than 18 inches from the building in which the business is located.
- A sign erected or located on any street or public right-of-way, curb, curbstone, hydrant, lamppost, trees, barricade, temporary walk, telephone, or telegraph electric light pole, other utility pole, public fence, or on a fixture or a fine alarm or police call box except publicly erected directory and information signs.
Temporary Signs (plastic, corrugated plastic, etc.)
- No sign shall be erected or located on any street or right-of-way, curb, hydrant, lamppost, tree, rock or other natural feature, barricade, temporary walk, utility pole, public fence, fire alarm or police call box.
- No sign may be tacked, nailed, posted, pasted, glued or otherwise attached to trees, poles, stakes, fences or other objects.
- No sign shall be erected that:
a. Obstructs the sight distance at an intersection or along a street right-of-way in the area known as the Visibility Triangle. The visibility triangle is
formed by following the right-of-way lines of two (2) intersecting right-of-way lines for a distance of 40 feet from their point of intersection, and
connecting these points with an imaginary line, thereby making a triangle.
b. Would tend by its location, color, use of colored lights or nature to be confused with or obstruct the view of traffic signs or traffic signals or may
be construed as traffic control devices by motorists or pedestrians.
c. Uses admonitions such as “stop”, “go”, “slow”, “danger”, which might be confused with official traffic directional signs.
d. Imitates governmental signs to include traffic safety signs. - The sign shall not exceed 16 square feet.
- Signs shall not be located within a street right-of-way. Where sidewalks are in
place, such sign may be located on the back side of the sidewalk, away from the
street. - No sign shall be erected on property owned by the City of Savannah.
- Property owner permission is required prior to placing signs on private property.
- Limitations on the distribution of Handbills; defined as a written or printed notice
displayed, handed out or posted to inform people.
a. No handbills can be thrown or deposited on any vehicle.
b. No handbill can be thrown or deposited on any private property.
c. No handbill can be thrown, deposited or distributed on any private property that is posted with signage bearing the words: “No Trespassing,”
“No Vendors,” “No advertisement,” or any similar notice.
d. Handbills can be handed or distributed to an individual willing to receive them. - Improperly placed signs will be confiscated by the City’s Code Compliance
Department.- Confiscated signs will be held at the City’s Sycamore lot located on Sycamore
Street, the road directly South of Gadsen Elementary School off May Road.
Signs will be just inside the gate on the left hand side of road. - All confiscated signs will be disposed of three (3) days after the election.
- Confiscated signs will be held at the City’s Sycamore lot located on Sycamore