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Resident challenges citation for driveway dirt after heavy rain; county defends warning system
Summary
A resident and an acquaintance questioned a Sept. 13 code enforcement warning for dirt in a driveway that washed onto Massey Road, saying the weather and road conditions made immediate correction impractical. County officials said warnings are a formal notification system and that road repairs are prioritized by available resources.
Resident Teresa Parrish raised concerns during the Oct. 1 meeting of the Unified Government of Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County about a code enforcement warning she received for dirt washing onto Massey Road.
Joshua “JD” Abercrombie, speaking on Parrish’s behalf, said the warning followed heavy rain on Sept. 13 and contended that several driveways produced similar runoff that day. He said volunteers cleaned the driveway using basic tools and questioned whether other similar driveways had been cited on the same day. "If the person slid from that they are either speeding or they have bald tires," Abercrombie said, arguing that conditions and driver behavior contributed to any hazard.
County Manager Thomas Weaver told the commission that code enforcement issues are identified after storms and that warnings are issued to notify property owners of problems so they can be remedied. Weaver said there were about ten driveways cited that day and described warnings as part of a formal system to document and prompt corrections. Chairman Charles Coffey added that warnings are a courtesy the county may use but that citations can be issued immediately when warranted.
Commissioner Jason Frost noted the county’s motor grader had been out of service for repairs, saying that limited equipment affects how quickly crews can finish road repairs.
Why it matters: the exchange highlighted tensions between residents seeking prompt county remediation of drainage and road conditions and county officials who said they must prioritize work orders and operate with limited equipment. The county’s account that multiple properties received warnings and that grading resources were temporarily constrained frames the limits on a rapid county response.
The county did not announce any formal changes to enforcement practices during the meeting. The commission later entered executive session to discuss legal and personnel matters and then reconvened before adjourning.
