Planning & Development - Frequently Asked Questions
When are plans accepted by the City?
Site plans are only accepted on Fridays between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00
pm. Building and other architectural plans are accepted during regular business
hours (8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday).
How long does it take to get a building permit?
Residential permits including additions, accessory buildings, basement finishes
and the like are relatively simple and take about 10 minutes to process.
Non-residential and multi-family permits, however, take about 3-5 days to review
and process. Building permits will not be issued (other than single family
residential) without an approved site plan, LDP and site inspection for
stabilization.
How do I find out about rezonings, variances, special use permits,
conditional use permits or annexations in progress within the city?
You may contact the Planning Department at 770-476-1790 or go to the
Current
Zoning Cases link on our Department's website.
How do I find out about construction activity near my house?
By phoning the Planning Department at 770-476-1790, or by linking to
the Construction Activity page on the Department's website.
When do I need to obtain a sign permit, whether temporary or permanent?
Anytime a new sign is being installed outside the building.
How much signage am I allowed?
Each lot is entitled to one monument sign per road frontage. Each single tenant
building is entitled to one wall sign per facade not to exceed two square feet
per linear foot of the facade. Signs at the rear wall are prohibited. Each
multi-tenant building is entitled to one sign on the front facade for each
tenant not exceeding two square feet per linear foot of the storefront.
Are banners, balloons, pennants, and flags allowed?
Yes, with an approved Special Event sign permit. Air and gas filled balloons are
prohibited as of 3/22/04.
Are portable signs allowed?
No, they are prohibited as of 3/22/04.
What is the maximum height and face of a sign in a commercial district?
Maximum height is 12 feet from grade level and the maximum sign face is 50
square feet.
Are pole and/or pylon signs allowed?
Monument signs are required, consisting of the same or similar material as the
building facade (e.g. brick, stone, wood, or stucco)
How many temporary sign permits are allowed in one year?
Once per calendar quarter that is valid for 14 consecutive days.
What are the special sign requirements for "Grand Openings" or new
businesses?
Within six months of opening a new business, one 30-day temporary sign permit
may be requested. This is a one time only permit for new businesses that are
just getting established in our City.
Can apartments advertise vacancies?
Yes, provided only one sign per entrance is used and the sign shall not exceed 4
square feet. No permit required.
Are employment signs, lottery signs and emission signs allowed?
These types of signs are considered temporary, and follow the requirements of
temporary signs.
Are weekend directional signs, garage sale, political signs, yard sale
or house for sale signs allowed?
Temporary signs are permitted, one per parcel of land, no larger than 6 square
feet and 3 feet in height. No permit is required.
Who inspects water, sewer, and fire codes?
Gwinnett County, 770-822-8000 (main information line).
Who do I call for a water or sewer emergency?
Gwinnett County Dept. of Water Resources, 678-376-7000.
Who should I contact to set up new water service or transfer water
service within Gwinnett County?
Gwinnett County Dept. of Water Resources, 678-376-7000.
Who should I contact about septic tank issues?
It is the responsibility of an individual home or business owner to
maintain, repair, or replace all components of a septic system.
Click
here for more information on septic system maintenance, or contact the
Gwinnett County Environment Health Dept. (770-963-5132). Additional
information for homeowners regarding septic tank issues can be found the
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
website.
Where do I pay property and occupational taxes?
If your address is within the City Limits of Duluth, pay those fees at Duluth
City Hall, 3578 West Lawrenceville Street, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tax
Office is located on the 2nd Floor.
When is a building permit required?
Many citizens contact our Department inquiring about when a building permit is
required or not. The "rule of thumb" is that a building permit is required if
you are modifying or adding to an existing structure, or if you are building a
new structure and with a construction value greater than $300. Examples of when
a permit is required are:
- Accessory playhouses, sheds, garages, storage buildings, etc. larger than 32 square feet
- Decks
- Room additions
- Retaining walls or other type walls more than 4 vertical feet
- Residential pools with more than 24 inches of water
- Monument signs
Building permits are not be required for the following:
- Fences
- Driveways, patios or other flat concrete surfaces
- Shingle replacement, or other roof covering materials
- Basketball goals
- Items listed above below the size requirement listed above
A homeowner is allowed to run electrical, HVAC and plumbing lines as the
homeowner without a trade license. However, a permit
must be secured and must be installed as per the Duluth Building Code.
Inspections will be done by the City. If the homeowner chooses to hire a
sub-contractor to do the work, make sure he/she has valid business and master
trade licenses and that he/she secures the proper permit from the City! If you
have any questions, you may call the permit office at 770-476-1790 or you may
view the Duluth Building Code online.
What is needed to build an addition to an existing residence or to finish a
basement?
For additions, you will need a survey of the property showing the
existing structure(s) and the proposed addition. This survey must show
dimensions of the proposed addition, and also the distance from said addition to
the nearest property lines (each side and rear). A building permit application
must also be completed/submitted. To finish a basement, you only need to
complete a building permit application.
How do I contact my homeowner's association?
HOA's are not required to register
with the City, but they are requested to do so for informational purposes. Click
here for a listing of homeowner's association contacts.
To whom do I report street light outages?
Call our office at 770-476-1790 with
the address of the light or pole number. Please include your name and telephone
number if you are prompted to leave a voice mail.
How do I get speed humps installed in my subdivision?
You must obtain a petition
from City Hall and get 75% of the residents on the street(s) to sign in favor of
the petition. The petition will be presented to the Planning Commission, and
then again to the City Council for final action. A traffic study will be done to
determine if speeds warrant the installation of speed humps. Each residence will
be billed $12.00 per year for maintenance of the speed humps, if installed.