Grass and Weeds are considered overgrown when they exceed 18 inches in height and must be cut.  Shrubbery and other vegetation should be kept trimmed.

Property, including front, side and rear yards; any porches; areas underneath houses; and any accessory buildings must be kept free of litter, debris and garbage.

Objects such as junk materials, machinery and equipment, appliances, or other household items, building materials, and any piles of debris should not be on property.

Storage Buildings are unlawful on the front yard. Storage buildings are permitted in the rear yard and must be maintained in good condition.

Fences shall be constructed or repaired using materials specifically designed for fence construction.  Fences should not exceed 4 feet in height on front yard and 8 feet in height in the back yard.

Abandoned and Junked Cars means any wrecked or inoperable automobile, truck, or other motor vehicle which does not bear a current license plate and a current state inspection sticker.

Boats and Trailers must be parked on the side or rear of the yard.

Signs, Signals or Other Devices (posters and advertisements) shall not be erected or placed within the right-of-way of public roads, streets, highways or utility poles.  (All other exterior signs must have a permit.)

To report a violation, call DeKalb County Public Works Dept.
Enforcement:  404-417-1240

For additional information about garbage and trash collection, old appliance pick-up, tree trunks, tires, building material please call 
DeKalb County Sanitation: 404-294-2900

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Many residents expressed concern about unchecked development.

Commissioner Gale Walldorff consults with the APCA about questions concerning development in Ashford Park, but very few real controls govern residential development. A process exists to give the Association more oversight, but this issue needs to be discussed at our next General Meeting.

Many residents feel that neighbors should keep their yard clean. 

Not only is that the neighborly thing to do, but the county has codes to enforce minimum standards of property cleanliness. See the article on “Property Maintenance & Zoning” on page 5 to see what’s expected of you and your neighbors and what you can do to “encourage” your neighbors to comply.

Surrey Lane reports an issue with parking. 

Minimum street clearance: The law requires sufficient clearance on public streets for passage of a fire truck. If your Silverado pickup is parked on the street directly across from your neighbor’s Escalade, or if you just like to park three feet from the curb, chances are you’re in violation and you need to find a better way to park.

County code also requires that all vehicles be parked on paved surfaces, i.e., asphalt, concrete, or gravel. The following surfaces do not qualify and violate the code: grass, dirt, gravel tracks over a grass island, concrete tracks straddling a dirt island, etc. You get the idea. DeKalb County wants to keep the nasty drippy stuff under your car out of our soil and ground water. Your compliance is appreciated and required.

Surrey Lane and Tobey Road have had issues concerning storage sheds. 

The Code for storage sheds allows for only one shed per yard. It must be constructed 7-1/2 feet from the property line. On property smaller than an acre, a shed is limited to a maximum of 900 sq. ft of floor space. If you want to build one, you need a building permit.

Tobey Road and Georgian Terrace have had a long battle with the townhouse development on Clairmont.

The developers compromised the initial plan and slipped out of some of their initial obligations, but some alert neighbors are working to hold them to their promises. As it is, the townhomes were built smaller than the originally agreed size and they back up to Tobey, which violates a building stipulation. Several other issues are also in contention, but at least one stipulation has been met; a pathway and stairs linking Tobey Road to Georgian Hills Park got built. We’ll take our victories where we can get them.

Greenspace has become a large concern, especially with the rumors of PDK closing the short E-W runway. 

Several community groups, as well as a PDK pilots association, have come out in favor of Greenspace along Clairmont, but the county Greenspace Commission cannot discuss properties that are under consideration.

Many dogs makes their homes in Ashford Park, but some have worn out their welcome. 

Regarding “doggie business,” county code states that dog walkers must carry with them a means of removal, and must do so on private and public lands. 

If a noisy dog disturbs the peace excessively and the owner does not address it, you have to take some steps before the county will hear your complaint. The owner of the offending animal must first be notified by certified mail with return receipt requested. With that in hand, you can call Animal Control @ 404-294-2996.

How can you add Sidewalks on your street? 

Construction of sidewalks requires a consensus from affected homes and requires a tax easement to pay for construction. Many sidewalks that were approved and funded back in the ’90s are still under construction.

The setback on a new home construction was recently an issue on Tobey Road. 

Ashford Park is zoned R-75, which calls for a 30-foot minimum setback. But in an existing neighborhood, frontage setbacks are determined by an average of the neighbors on each side. In the Tobey Road case, the average was 53 feet and the developer had to reposition his site farther from the street.