The following documents are required for a preliminary site plan review for projects in all zoning districts other than R-12 and R-24:

• A summary of the proposed project
• The legal description and plat of the property
• Scale drawing(s) of the existing condition
• A site survey
• Scale drawing(s) of the proposed site plan
• Authorization to inspect the premises
• Authorization by the property owner if the applicant is not the owner of the property

The following documents are required for zoning review for projects in all zoning districts other than R-12 and R-24:

• A summary of the proposed project
• The legal description and plat of the property
• Scale drawing(s) of the existing condition
• A site survey
• Scale drawing(s) of the proposed site plan
• Authorization to inspect the premises
• Authorization by the property owner if the applicant is not the owner of the property
• Photos of the existing site including the structure to be modified
• Rendering of the project including dimensions of all sides of the building
• Photos of the structure as seen from the street
• Justifications for relevant review and approval criteria

• The current sanitation fee does not cover the costs of the current sanitation program which is being subsidized out of the general fund.
• Staffing is not sufficient to cover current sanitation services and greenspace tasks.
• The fleet and equipment have aged out or are approaching the end of their useful life.
• The county is considering increasing tipping fees which the current sanitation fees will not cover.
• The current service contributes to low employee morale, difficulty with retention, and physical issues for staff. Sanitation staff has shared incidents that include:
  • attacks by unleashed pets,
  • exposure to vermin and roaches from unbagged waste,
  • chronic pain developed from lifting and walking, and
  • antagonistic and potentially demeaning interactions with residents.

• Most of the vehicle fleet has aged past its useful lifespan of seven (7) years. To provide proper service and fulfill sanitation and green space activities, the city will need to have a best-practice vehicle replacement program.  
• To continue in-house sanitation services, two new garbage trucks are needed = $400k.
• A new dump truck is needed for general public works needs including sanitation = $100K.
• To maintain leaf collection,
  • two new leaf trucks are needed = $200k
  • two new leaf vacuums are needed = $220k

If DeKalb County DOES NOT increase the tipping fee on a county level, the city’s sanitation fee is listed below for each scenario:

• Scenario 1 – $714 per year ($59.50/month) + property tax increase of +.25 mil
• Scenario 2 – $680 per year ($56.70/month) + general fund increases to $143k or roughly .5 mill
• Scenario 3 – $425 per year ($35/month) + property tax increase of +.25 mil

If DeKalb County increases the tipping fee on a county level, the city’s sanitation fee is listed below for each scenario:

• Scenario 1 – $829 per year + property tax increase of +.25 mil
• Scenario 2 – $795 per year + general funds increases to $143k or roughly .5 mill
• Scenario 3 – $425 per year ($35/month) + property tax increase of +.25 mil

In Scenario 1, the sanitation fee will be $714 per year with a property tax increase of .25 mill. With this option, seven vehicles/equipment will be replaced and four new non-managerial floating positions will be added. If the tipping fee increases at a county level, the sanitation fee will increase to $829 per year.

With Scenario 2, services switch to once-a-week curbside solid waste collection, seven vehicles/equipment will be replaced, and 96-gallon cans for residents will be provided. The sanitation fee will increase to $680 per year. General funds will increase by $143.4k or roughly .5 mills and the greenspace team will be fully staffed by floating workers and the addition of one full-time staff. If tipping fees increase, the sanitation fee will increase to $795 per year.

In Scenario 3, the solid waste collection will be outsourced. All sanitation staff will have the option to work for the sanitation contractor and no one will lose their job. The city will retain the yard waste and leaf collection program. Unneeded equipment and trucks will be sold and Greenspace Department will be fully scoped. The sanitation fee for this scenario will be $425 per year with a potential property tax increase of .25 mill.

The potential property tax increase per household is:

• +.25 mill = $11/$100k per year
• +.5 mill = $22/$100k per year

• No. Unfortunately, the city’s current sanitation fee is not sufficient to cover its staffing needs nor generate enough capital to replace its aging fleet.
• To cover all the current services provided by the sanitation and greenspace teams, four additional full-time staff would need to be added.

• Yes. Sanitation and greenspace staff will be cross-trained for both functions.
• Tasks include sanitation, greenspace and events work.

No. 96-gallon trash cans that are compatible with new garbage trucks would be provided by the city if the city keeps the sanitation service in-house and moves to curbside solid waste collection (Scenario 2). Trash bins will be issued by the contractor in Scenario 3.

• DeKalb County has indicated that it plans to phase in changes to tipping fees over the coming years though no specific timetable has been provided to municipalities within the county.  
• The proposed tipping fee increase will result in an approximately $15 sanitation fee increase per residence or household per year.

Current sanitation staff will have the option to work for the sanitation contractor and will not lose their jobs.

The aging fleet still needs to be replaced and some full-time staff need to be retained to meet the demands of yard waste, leaf collection and events.

The city’s greenspace has increased and so have the activities required to maintain it.

The city would release a request for proposal (RFP) or bid package to find the best service for the city.

• Submit the Notice of Candidacy and Affidavit when qualifying. 
• The signing of this form must be witnessed by a notary which can be done at City Hall.

• The Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions (Form DOI) must be submitted when qualifying unless the qualifying candidate is an incumbent.
• A DOI must be turned in before accepting campaign contributions.
• Except for the qualifying fee, personal funds used by a candidate are considered a campaign contribution.  

• A background check form (Criminal History Record Information Consent/Inquiry Form) is submitted when qualifying.    
• A photocopy of the candidate's driver’s license will be submitted along with the form. A copy can be made of the license at City Hall. 
• The signing of this form must be witnessed by a notary which can be done at City Hall.

PLEASE NOTE: Forming a campaign committee is optional. Therefore, the Registration Form for a Candidate's Campaign Committee (Form RC) is submitted when qualifying only if applicable. 

• A candidate can designate someone to file reports and/or collect contributions and spend contributions. 
• One person may serve in both roles and that person can be the candidate. The name and address of the committee, its chairperson, treasurer and the candidate must be registered before receiving any contributions. 
• No candidate may have more than one committee. 
• No contributions may be accepted any time there is a vacancy in either the position of chairperson or treasurer. 

• The Affidavit of a Candidate’s Intent Not to Exceed $2,500 in Contributions and/or Expenditures is also known as an Affidavit of Exemption.
• Candidates may fill out a new form pledging not to exceed $5,000 if they foresee exceeding $2,500. 
• A candidate can fill out a Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report (CCDR) after the fact if they unintentionally go over limits. 
• Candidates cannot collect more than $2,800 in contributions from any one person, including in-kind donations such as food. 
• The signature on this form needs to be witnessed by a notary and is filed when qualifying, if applicable. 

• A Personal Financial Disclosure Statement (PFD) is submitted within 15 days of qualifying. 
• This form covers the period of the preceding calendar year. 

Per Section 2.11 of the city's charter, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• Must have been a resident of the city for a continuous 12 months prior to the date of qualification for election of mayor or commissioner,
• Must continue to reside in the city during the period of service,
• Must be registered and qualified to vote in municipal elections of the city, and
• Shall not have been convicted of a felony at the time of qualification or during their period of service.

Per State Law O.C.G.A. §45-2-1, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• Must be a citizen of this state and at least 21 years of age,
• Must not be the holder of any public money due the state of Georgia or any county that has refused to account for and pay over the same to the proper officer,
• Must not have been convicted of a felony offense involving moral turpitude under the laws of this or any other state unless restored to his/her rights of citizenship by a pardon from the State Board of Pardons and Paroles,
• Must not hold any office of profit or trust under the government of the United States other than that of postmaster and officers and enlisted men of Armed Forces Reserve;
• Must not be of unsound mind or unfit to discharge the duties of the office from advanced age or bodily infirmity, and
• Must be an inhabitant of the state, county, district or circuit for the period required by the Constitution and laws of this state.

• The Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report (CCDR) is filled out only if the contributions and/or expenditures exceed $2,500.
• Itemize all contributions and expenditures more than $100 and aggregate totals of all contributions and expenditures $100 or less.
• This form is due by December 31.
• The signature on this form must be witnessed by a notary.

• The Choosing Option of Separate Accounting (COOSA) form should be submitted only when applicable.
• A candidate who wishes to accept contributions for more than one election at a time shall separately account for such campaign contributions and shall file an "Option to Choose Separate Accounting" form prior to accepting contributions for any election other than the candidate's next upcoming election.
• A candidate is only required to file one Form COOSA which shall be utilized for all subsequent elections to the same office, regardless of whether an election occurs in a new election cycle.
• Ask the City Clerk via email for a COOSA form if you determine you need one.

• The Two Business Days Report of Contributions Received (TBD) (PDF) form should be submitted only when applicable.
• A TBD is used to report contributions, including loans, of $1,000 or more, during the period of time between October 25 and the date of the election.
• The contribution(s) must be reported within two business days of receipt to the location where the original disclosure report was filed and must be reported on the next regularly scheduled Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports (CCDR).

• All campaigns must file a Campaign Contribution Disclosure Final Report and Termination Statement (PDF) within ten days of the dissolution of a campaign or campaign committee which shall, among other things, identify the person responsible for maintaining campaign records as required by the Campaign Finance Act.
• The termination statement shall be submitted with a final Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report which identifies a zero balance and zero debt

Four projects are proposed or in development for city/Downtown Development Authority (DDA)-owned properties:

Project 1:
Town Green Market Development: In January of 2023, the DDA unanimously approved the development contract (PDF) for a 24,000-square-foot mixed-use commercial development being built by the development team of Fabric Developers, LLC and Healey Weatherholtz Properties. The development, now called The Dale, consists of two adjacent two-story buildings fronting the Town Green next to the open-air market pavilion along North Avondale Road. In addition to at least two restaurants, the new buildings will include a rooftop bar and event space on the second level overlooking the park, retail opportunities fronting North Avondale Road, and second-floor space devoted to a variety of tenants including co-working or office space. Restroom facilities will be available to the public during the Town Green's operating hours. Construction is on track to begin in the last quarter of 2023 or early 2024.

Project 2:
Townhome Community: Proposed by Fabric Developers, this residential townhome community is comprised of approximately 10 live/work units located along Lake Street and Franklin Street across from the Town Green. Unit size is projected to be between 2,500 to 3,000 square feet. This project is contingent on the development of a public/private parking deck. When the townhomes are built, they will provide active use along the park edge and camouflage the deck.

Project 3:
Boutique Hotel: This development at the corner of North Avondale Road and Lake Street includes a 90-room, full-service, boutique hotel with ground-floor retail and a public roof-top restaurant and/or bar. The project is in the early concept phase as the potential developer completes due diligence to understand the design and financing alternatives for the project.

Project 4:Parking Deck: A 185-space public/private parking deck that will support the developments mentioned above, local businesses and visitors to the Town Green is proposed at the intersection of Lake and Franklin Streets in the rear of the proposed hotel property. Most of the parking spaces in this four-story deck will be reserved for public use to meet the demands of visitors to the park and the adjacent restaurants. A limited number of spaces will be dedicated to the live-work units and the hotel.

These projects are consistent with the community-designed Downtown Master Plan that guides smart investments and development.

The advantages of these developments to the city are multi-faceted.

Thee projects are:

• Place makers: high-quality projects built to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike that activate and energize the downtown
• Revenue generators: projects that will diversify the city's tax base so that single-family residential properties will carry less of the city's tax burden

The Town Green Market Development:

• Sets the tone for architectural quality in the downtown
• Attracts the kinds of restaurants and retail that will activate the Town Green and the remainder of the downtown

The Townhome Community:

• Activates the park with people and businesses day and night
• Diversifies housing and office options available in the City
• Adds to the customer base to support desired retail

The Boutique Hotel:

• Creates a built-in, captured customer base to support retail and drive spending in our business district
• Provides multiple sources of revenue through property and hotel taxes

The Public/Private Parking Deck:

• Provides long-term parking solutions for the downtown
• Is pivotal to enabling these public-private partnerships to move forward

In July of 2023, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with developer Apsilon Hotels for the hotel and parking garage project. This four-month, non-binding agreement outlines the basic understanding of the proposed development and documentation necessary for the DDA to sign a binding development contract. During the MOU period, the DDA is committed not to seek or work with other potential suitors while working through the design and development details needed for both parties to sign a development contract. Both the DDA and the development team are still in an early conceptual phase, and the MOU does not guarantee that the project will prove to be viable.

The development team is talking to multiple hotel groups which are confidential at this point. Each hotel group has a boutique brand within its portfolio.

The development contracts would include approval of the specific brand, and although consistent with other boutique hotels, this one would be given an Avondale-specific name which has yet to be determined. The advantage of being associated with a particular brand is that it ties into a national reservation system making the development much more viable and secure.

The development contract (PDF) for Project 1, the Town Green commercial development, was signed in January of 2023 with the development team of Fabric Developers, LLC and Healey Weatherholtz Properties. Construction is on track to begin in the last quarter of 2023 or early 2024.

Concept plans for Project 2, the Town Homes, are developed. Since the construction of these units is dependent upon and would follow the construction of a parking deck, a development contract has not been written or signed.

In July of 2023, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) entered a memorandum of understanding with developer Apsilon Hotels for Project 3, the hotel.

The city and the DDA are working with the development teams to determine the most cost-effective way to design, finance and stage the development of the parking deck.

These development proposals are still undergoing due diligence. We are unified in our excitement about these projects and remain cautiously optimistic.

Each of the proposed projects will be subject to Recommended Storefront Design Guidelines and Prohibited Use Restrictions set forth by the Board of Mayor and Commissioners (BOMC) consistent with the Downtown Master Plan.

These projects are subject to design and architectural guidelines and restrictions critical to creating a sense of place. Using quality materials and tailoring a design for a specific community rather than pulling a generic "Everywhere USA" plan off the shelf is expensive. Getting the type and quality of development the city desires has a cost - but it will pay huge dividends for generations.

Fortunately, previous city and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) leaders have provided the tools to invest in this placemaking initiative. The sale of a DDA-owned building often referred to as the Department of Juvenile Justice building created investable funds for the DDA. The Tax Allocation District (TAD) created years ago is anticipated to yield additional tax revenues from the downtown area to invest back into the city. Briefly speaking, in a TAD, county property taxes generated above a baseline level, which has now been exceeded, stay IN the city, and can be used on infrastructure investment back in the district.

The single most difficult financial hurdle is the parking deck. The cost of the parking deck is currently estimated to be between $5 and $6 million - a significant sum. No developer could or would absorb that cost, as the deck is mostly a public amenity. The city and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are currently exploring different avenues to fund the parking deck using a variety of different tools.

The developer will pay market value for the land to build the live-work units, and there are no public loans for this project. The parking for those units will be absorbed into the parking deck.

The financing of the hotel is being studied now. It is unclear whether there will be any public investment needed to catalyze the capitalization of this project. A cost/benefit analysis of the hotel will factor in the timeline to recoup any investment and the anticipated increase in revenue long-term from real estate taxes, a hotel tax, and other fees. This analysis will be part of the decision on whether to move forward with the project or not.

Step 1: An Inter-Governmental Agreement (PDF) (IGA) adopted on May 11, 2022, between the Board of Mayor and Commissioners (BOMC) and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) provides the DDA control of all the parcels mentioned above allowing the DDA to use its status as a development authority to engage with the developers. This agreement will outline the requirements set forth by the BOMC/DDA for these properties. It will include covenants for design guidelines, desired and prohibited uses of the properties, stipulations for the flow of funds, and ultimate ownership of key components of the parcels.

Step 2: Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between the DDA and the respective developers are not binding but enable the development teams to confidently move forward with the design and financing of their projects. The MOUs will again be subject to discussion and a vote in a public meeting.

Step 3: The DDA will contract with each of the development teams to execute these projects. These development contracts will form the basis of governance for the development projects' financing, design, construction, occupancy, and use.

Here is the development timetable with steps taken by the Board of Mayor and Commissioners (BOMC) and Downtown Development Authority (DDA):

• May 2022: the BOMC and DDA entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (PDF)
• January 2023: DDA entered into a development agreement (PDF) with Fabric Developers, LLC and Healey Weatherholtz Properties for the Project 1 commercial development. Construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2023 or early in 2024.
• July 2023: DDA entered into a memorandum of understanding with Apsilon Hotels for Project 3: the hotel.
• The DDA will continue to discuss, develop and consider memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and contracts with the development teams in subsequent DDA meetings.

• The current sanitation fee does not cover the costs of the current sanitation program. (The sanitation fee covers operating costs but not the total capital costs, including replacing equipment and vehicles.)
• To cover the current sanitation services and other public works tasks, including pruning, planting, roadwork, sidewalk work, tree work, stormwater work, event support, facilities management and odd jobs, four to five new positions would need to be added to Public Works.
• The sanitation fleet and equipment have aged out or are approaching the end of their useful life. (At least two garbage vehicles would need to be replaced at the estimated cost of $400,000.)
• If the city were to continue performing the sanitation services, the fees to individual households would need to increase by $115 per household to support the services and equipment replacement.

To determine the most cost-effective and efficient way to manage the city's solid waste disposal, the city issued an RFP to analyze if contracting with an outside vendor would provide cost savings while maintaining high-level quality service for the city.

The city intends to retain ten positions in its Public Works department. Current staff who are not retained will have the guaranteed option to work for the sanitation contractor provided they pass a drug test. The sanitation contractor has pledged to offer compensation packages starting at $17 per hour.

The proposed changes fit well within the adopted budget. Here's the breakdown.  

Total amount of funding available for non-sanitation public works personnel in the 2024 General Fund = $681,402 

Proposed 2024 Public Works Personnel Costs

 $743,629 = Total costs to retain ten positions 

    - $  40,000 = Personnel costs allocated to Stormwater Fund to retain yard waste services

    - $150,000 = Personnel costs allocated to Sanitation fund

 $120,000 = estimated costs of potential landscaping contract 

TOTAL:   $673,629 (within the 2024 operating budget) 

   - $  23,000 (additional potential savings if eliminate facilities' janitorial services

          $650,629 (total impact on the General Fund) (See Note 1)

Note 1: The total costs come to $30,773 under budget.

Moving to the new service structure will give homeowners an annual savings of approximately $220. Here's a breakdown of the costs to households:

Solid waste pickup will change to once a week. Recycling pickup will remain once a week and will accept the same materials: aluminum, flattened cardboard, paper products, and plastic containers labeled 1 to 5 or 7. Unfortunately, none of the contractors could provide an option for plastic film recycling in the proposals.

The contractor will provide bulk pickups, and the costs for residents will actually decrease. Currently, it costs $50 for a bulk pickup request, and the contractor is proposing a fee of $16.12. 

Yes, residents who cannot bring their trash receptacles to the curb for pickup may apply to maintain back door pickup with the contracted vendor.

Yes, but all of the proposals required bagging yard waste.

Outsourcing the landscaping services will enable the city’s greenspaces to be serviced with more expertise, consistency and horticultural skill. Outsourcing landscape maintenance will improve the quality and consistency of maintenance visits.

Public Works personnel will focus on other public works tasks, including planting, pruning, roadwork, sidewalk work, tree work, stormwater work, event support, facilities management and odd jobs.

Local businesses will continue to have the choice to opt-in to commercial solid waste disposal as part of their annual business license renewal. The contractor has proposed multiple commercial options and will perform the solid waste pickup for the businesses. Businesses may contract for a three-day or five-day pickup, which will remain very close to the current price for one-day or four-day service. An option for recycling services will also be available through Arrow.

If approved, changes would go into effect in mid-May.

The contractor will issue a 95-gallon solid waste receptacle to each household along with a recycling receptacle. Households that find they cannot fit all their waste in one trash receptacle will be able to pay the contractor for additional receptacles to meet their needs.

A tipping fee is assessed for organizations dumping solid waste into the county landfill. The current tipping fee for the city is $33 per ton. Though the county discussed increasing the tipping fees last year, the county commission has agreed not to change the fees for the three municipalities using the landfill.

The city must pay for the full costs of labor, equipment and facility needs while the contractor is able to defray the same costs over multiple accounts.

• Demolition - Commercial
• Tenant Finish

• Dumpster
• Sign
• PV System - Commercial
• Cell Tower

• New Commercial
• New Multi-Family

• Commercial Fire Marshal Permit
• Fire Protection
• Fire Suppression - Kitchen Hood

• Driveway
• Fence
• Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) greater than 1 acre
• Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) less than 1 acre
• PV System - Residential
• Tree recompense for removal of trees

• Carport - Patio Cover
• Demolition - Residential
• Pool
• Residential Addition
• Residential Remodel
• Retaining Wall
• Deck

• Driveway
• Tree Removal
• Tree Recompense
• Residential PV Systems

• Attached Single Family
• Detached Garage
• Detached Single Family

• Certificate of Appropriateness (HPC)
• Final Plat
• Lot Consolidation
• Lot Subdivision
• Re-zoning
• Variance

Stormwater is precipitation that cannot soak into impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops during rainfall events. Because it cannot soak into the ground, it "runs off" the land into neighboring waterways. Stormwater runoff often contains pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality. Stormwater pollution from point sources and nonpoint sources is a challenging water quality problem. Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by a discreter number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Rainwater runs off streets, lawns, farms, as well as construction and industrial sites. It then picks up fertilizers, dirt, sediment, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on the way to streams, rivers, and lakes. Stormwater runoff is the most common cause of water pollution.

Stormwater management is the process of changing land use practices in the built landscape to maintain the quality, quantity, and rate of runoff as close to the predevelopment condition as possible. This includes preventing runoff at the source by minimizing the number of hard surfaces; providing areas to detain water and slow its progress toward the streams; amending soils to absorb more water; constructing filtration areas with vegetation to filter water as it moves across the land; and practicing good housekeeping both day-to-day and on construction sites to prevent sediment and other pollutants from washing into streams.

In areas that do not have man-made impermeable surfaces, precipitation normally takes a long time to reach a stream. A small amount of waterfalls on the stream surface, but most of the water reaches the stream only after it has soaked into the ground and moved through the soil. When impermeable surfaces are added to a watershed, the water reaches the stream very quickly and in much larger quantities than the stream is used to. In addition, urban areas are normally serviced by a system of pipes and catch basins which are designed to get water off the land as quickly as possible and convey it to the stream. This excessive volume of water is more than the channel can handle and erosion of the channel results. When the channel erosion occurs, it caused cloudy (turbid) water that negatively affects the organisms in the stream and the downstream users of the water, in addition to destroying habitat. It is, therefore, important to prevent runoff at the source wherever possible.

The public has an important role to play as well. The program's success depends on the support and involvement of citizens. Become an informed participant in voluntary conservation and preservation initiatives and learn how you can help.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines an illicit discharge as any discharge to the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except for discharges allowed under an National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or waters used for firefighting operations. Since the City of Avondale Estates holds an MS4 permit, we're required to have an illicit discharge detection and elimination program.

Examples include the dumping of motor fluids, household hazardous wastes, grass clippings, leaf litter, industrial waste, restaurant waste, or any other non-stormwater waste. An illicit connection is the discharge of pollutants or non-stormwater material into a stormwater system via a pipe or other direct connection.

Examples are makeshift pipes or hoses that lead to a storm drain or body of water; stains, unusual odors, structural damage to streets or gutters; and abnormal vegetative growth in nearby lakes and streams.

As a resident of Avondale Estates, a business person, or a general user of our facilities, you are encouraged to report any problems you see or experience with stormwater facilities and infrastructure. Please contact Kristin Moretz via email or at 404-823-2427.

A building permit is needed under the following conditions:

• Construction, enlargement, alteration, repairment, relocating structures, demolition, and occupancy changes
• When the work to be done exceeds $300
• Roof or structural work
• Work that affects zoning (such as lot coverage changes) 
• Expansion of lot coverage.
• Stump grinding
• Driveway replacement or improvements
• Work in the historical district
• Work that impedes or is in the public right of way

Visit the Community Core portal and register as either:

Contractor

• Select "Contractor", enter your email, and follow the emailed prompts. You have 24 hours to complete the registration process before the emailed link becomes invalid. 
• During registration, prepare to upload your business license, state trade license, and the contractor affidavit for Avondale Estates when prompted.
• Once the documents are uploaded and submitted, they will be reviewed by city staff within 10 business days. 
• Note: If you are registered with Community Core in another jurisdiction, you will still need to register with Avondale Estates. Use the same email and password that is used for other jurisdictions and then you can toggle between accounts.

Community Member (resident, architects, permit expediters, etc)

• Select  "Community Member", enter your email, and follow the emailed prompts. You have 24 hours to complete the registration process before the emailed link becomes invalid. 
• Note: If you are registered with Community Core in another jurisdiction, you will still need to register with Avondale Estates. Use the same email and password that is used for other jurisdictions and then you can toggle between accounts.
  

Once you have registered in Community Core, select APPLY FOR A PERMIT. Then select the permit type and permit category. Complete the permit application and upload your plans. Then select Submit Application.

• If you are applying for a residential building permit and do not wish to receive a building code plan review by SafeBuilt, please fill out the Plan Review Waiver.
• If you are applying for a residential building permit and plan to be the general contractor, please fill out the Homeowner as Contractor Affidavit. Sub-contractors will still be required to register separately and apply for their own sub-permits.

Staff will then review all permit applications for zoning compliance and stormwater management. If any revisions are required, the applicant must submit revised plans to address the comments.

Once the plans are approved by staff, fees will be assessed.

1. Log into Community Core
2. On the left side of the screen, select Fees
3. In the upper right corner, select Actions
4. Select Enter Payment
5. Select Continue
6. Enter the balance. You can also select full balance
7. Follow the prompts to enter credit card information

1. Log into Community Core
2. Navigate to the permit for inspection
3. Select the Inspections tab
4. Select Request Inspections in the top right corner
5. Select the type of inspection to be performed and the requested date.

Inspections requested before 3 pm Monday through Friday can be scheduled for the following business day. Ensure the inspector has access to the property. We cannot guarantee a time of day for when the inspector will arrive.

Yes, the Tree Removal Form must be completed before removing any tree(s). Visit the city's Tree Ordinance page for more information.

A Certificate of Occupancy/Completion may be requested through the Community Core portal once the following conditions have been met:

• All permitting fees are paid in full
• All inspections have passed

As-built approval and inspection Certificate of Occupancy (COs) & Certificate of Completion (CCs) may be requested through the Community Core portal once all the following conditions have been met:

• All permitting fees are paid in full
• All inspections have passed
• No holds, stop-work orders or citations have been issued
• As-built approval and inspections have passed and Post-development survey has been approved for new Residential and Commercial Build-Out

A Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) is required when the project requires ANY of the following:

1) Grading any land.

2) Building a new structure (including accessory structures) or any addition to an existing structure.

3) Any activity that adds one thousand (1,000) or more square feet of impervious surface to any lot.

4) The addition of any amount of impervious surface to a lot where existing structures exceed the maximum lot coverage for the subject lot under the current zoning code.

5) Land disturbance of more than five thousand (5,000) square feet of land.

The application for an LDP should include the following documentation and submitted via Community Core:

1) Site plan and survey of the lot involved

2) Existing and proposed conditions

3) Demolition plan, if applicable

4) Drainage, erosion control and grading plan including location of stormwater pipes, and downspouts

5) Phased erosion control plans (initial, intermediate, and final)

6) Utility plan (with sanitary sewer profiles)

7) Tree removal and replacement plan

8) Construction drawings

9) Post-construction stormwater management plan which demonstrates compliance with best management practices and demonstrates that the first 1.2 inches of water received on the lot during a stormwater event will [be] retained or treated onsite

10) Hydrologic model proving the first 1.2 inches of stormwater will be retained or treated onsite.

Stormwater must be addressed ANYTIME a Land Disturbance Permit is required. See above for more details.