Gwinnett County and its cities are responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic by adjusting hours and services to curtail the spread of the virus while providing essential services to the public.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has compiled this list of important information on some of those changes.
Keep in mind that the situation is fluid and some information — particularly dates for closures — may be too.
Here’s what has changed and how residents can still interact with their governments.
Gwinnett County:
Gwinnett County Government is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Most walk-in business at the county has been limited, and people are asked to call 770-822-8000 or go online before trying to access county services in person, including at the courthouse. Most of the courts have closed to general business and some services provided by other departments and agencies have been reduced or modified to comply with social distancing requirements. For more information about what has changed, go online to gwinnettcounty.com.
Water customers are still being billed for service. They’re encouraged to pay online or by phone. The Department of Water Resources has customer service representatives who will be available by phone. There is also drive-through service at the department’s main office. For more information, go online to gwinnetth2o.com.
All trash and recycling must be placed in a container. No large items, yard debris or bagged trash outside a container will be removed.
Permits and inspections will continue. For information on how to apply or get an inspection, see https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/planninganddevelopment.
The deadline for occupation tax certificates has been extended to July 1 and alcohol excise taxes are due Sept. 10.
Property taxes for mobile homes are due April 1. Other Gwinnett County property taxes are usually billed and due in the second half of the year. For property tax questions, see https://gwinnetttaxcommissioner.publicaccessnow.com/PropertyTax.aspx.
Auburn:
City Hall is not open to the public, but employees are maintaining normal office hours. Residents can call 770-963-4002 with any questions, or can email individual people. Additional contact information can be found at https://www.cityofauburn-ga.org/.
The city has suspended cutoffs for water service, but is still billing residents.
All trash and recycling must be placed in a container. No large items, yard debris or bagged trash outside a container will be removed.
Auburn’s Community Development Department will continue to see developers and business owners by appointment only as officials continue to process building permits and business licenses.
Municipal court has been postponed. Auburn collected taxes at the beginning of the year, and is continuing to collect delinquent taxes by mail.
Berkeley Lake:
City Hall is closed to walk-ins, but open to the public by appointment. Office hours are 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Monday to Thursday. To make an appointment, call 770-368-9484 or email admin@berkeley-lake.com.
Berkeley Lake doesn’t provide its own water, gas or other utility services. Residents will continue to be billed by the county.
All trash and recycling must be placed in a container. No large items, yard debris or bagged trash outside a container will be removed.
Permits and inspections will be handled by appointment only. A resident who needs a permit or inspection should call City Hall.
Business license deadlines have been delayed for 30 days.
No municipal court cases are currently scheduled. Property taxes are due in conjunction with Gwinnett County’s, in the fall.
Braselton:
City Hall is closed to the public, but employees are still in the building and are available by phone or email. Call 706-654-3915 or email City Manager Jennifer Scott at jscott@braselton.net. The city also has a drive-through in the Planning & Public Utility building that is staffed with employees from all the building front desks. People there are available to take payments or answer questions.
The city is continuing to bill for water and other services. Residents can pay by mail, online, take payments to the drive-through window or use the city’s drop box. All employees are still available by phone or email for questions.
Braselton does not provide trash service; residents get their own. Different haulers may have different rules. Many have said they will only pick up bagged trash in containers.
The city is still performing inspections and processing permits. Residents who need either can drop off their application during regular business hours or call in for an inspection.
Business license renewals aren’t due until November. The city is still processing applications and issuing new licenses.
Municipal court is closed until April 21. All cases scheduled before that date have been rescheduled.
Braselton doesn’t have a city property tax.
Buford:
City Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for customer service calls and drive-through service. Other administrative services can be done online or by appointment. City Hall is otherwise closed to the public.
Residents continue to be billed for water and other services. For any issues, contact the city’s customer service line at 678-889-4600 or the main line at 770-945-6761. Residents can pay via drive-through, via an outside drop box, online, via mail, phone or payment draft.
Household garbage pickup is continuing as normal, but leaf, limb and curbside service has been suspended. Residents are asked to refrain from placing those items for pick up until further notice.
Inspections and permits are continuing by phone, online and by appointment. Business license renewals were extended to May 29. New business applications are available online and by appointment.
Municipal courts are closed. Property taxes are due in November and bills are expected to go out in September.
Dacula:
City Hall is closed to walk-in customers, but there will be a staff member at the reception desk between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to provide assistance. Residents can call 770-963-7351 to reach the city.
There will be no change to trash service, and utilities can be paid via mail or over the phone.
Permit applications and building plans will be accepted digitally whenever possible, but if an appointment is necessary, the applicant can call the city to arrange it. Permit holders can call in inspection requests as needed, and specific instructions have been sent to all current permit holders.
Business license applications can be mailed or dropped off by appointment. Appointments can be made with the on-duty receptionist.
Dacula Municipal Court has been canceled for the month of April.
The county collects local property taxes.
Duluth:
City Hall is closed to the public, but government employees are available via phone and email. Residents can call 770-476-3434 and send general inquiries to covid@duluthga.net. If you know who or which department you need to reach, you can contact them directly.
Trash services are operating normally.
Permit applications must be submitted to permits@duluthga.net. Permit forms are available at duluthga.net. Plans can be uploaded through the city website. Once a full application is received, city staff will send the applicant the permit number, comments and applicable fees. Fees can be paid via mail or online.
Inspections will be done through photo, video, Skype or FaceTime whenever feasible in order to limit potential virus exposure. If inspections are done in person, inspectors will try to maintain a six-foot distance from others. Inspections can be requested by calling 770-497-5333.
Business licenses and any related paperwork and payments can be mailed to 3167 Main St., Duluth, Georgia 30096; they can also be put in the City Hall drop box, faxed or emailed. Alcohol licenses can be emailed to alcohol@duluthga.net and faxed to 770-623-2780. New business license applications and occupational tax documents can be emailed to occtax@duluthga.net and faxed to 770-623-278. Renewals for existing licenses were due on Jan. 30 with a grace period of 90 days.
Duluth Municipal Court is suspended. Property taxes will be mailed in September as scheduled.
Grayson:
City Hall is closed to walk-ins, but people can call 770-963-8017 to make an appointment for essential business. The staff’s hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Grayson doesn’t bill residents for any services directly, and so is not make any changes.
All trash and recycling must be placed in a container. No large items, yard debris or bagged trash outside a container will be removed.
Permits and inspections are happening by appointment only. So are business licenses. The city is currently waiving late fees or penalties on business licenses.
Grayson does not have a municipal court. City property taxes are billed by Gwinnett County and are not due until October.
Lawrenceville:
City Hall is closed to walk-in traffic, but drive through service and phone lines are still open. Calls can be made from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. An appointment can be scheduled for anything that can’t be done over the phone or fax.
Residents are being billed as usual for utilities including gas and sanitation. Bills can be paid online, by phone and at the City Hall drive-through. There are no changes to trash service currently.
Permit applications are being accepted via email at planning@lawrencevillega.org and via the City Hall drop box. Inspections are still being conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with social distancing precautions taken.
To pick up a permit, you must call City Hall at 770-963-2414 and request an invoice to be mailed. The invoice can be paid at the drive-through and the approved permit will be sent via email or regular mail. Inspections can be scheduled by calling Tony Weber at 678-407-6584.
New business license applications can be dropped off at the City Hall drive-through. Those seeking a new business license will have to apply for a tenant name change before applying for the license. Those renewing a license can pay through the City Hall drive-through. Anyone with questions should call 678-407-6400.
The Lawrenceville Municipal Court is closed until April 6.
Lawrenceville residents pay property taxes to Gwinnett County, and they are typically due in October.
Lilburn:
City Hall is closed to the public, but limited essential service will be provided by appointment only. Employees are still working and will respond to requests via email, telephone, or online submittal. Some questions can be answered at cityoflilburn.com and many necessary forms are also available online.
Water is billed through Gwinnett County, and any questions about payment should be directed to Gwinnett water resources.
Advanced Disposal, Lilburn’s trash collector, will no longer pick up bulk items or bags left outside a trash can.
The city is continuing to process new business license applications. Business license renewals have been extended until June 30. The original due date was March 31, but no late fees will be applied if taxes are paid before July 1. Land disturbance, site development, building and trades permits will continue to be issued and site and building inspections will continue. Contact the Planning Department at 770-279-3710 to schedule an inspection.
Municipal court has canceled sessions through April 13. Property taxes are billed through Gwinnett County in the second half of the year.
Loganville:
City Hall is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., though most services are by appointment only. Residents can call 770-466-1165 or email info@loganville-ga.gov. Changes to services are being announced on the City of Loganville Government page on Facebook and at www.loganville-ga.gov.
The city is still billing customers for water/sewer and trash services, though they are waiving late fees and will not be cutting off service to water customers. Residents are encouraged to pay online if possible through the “Payments” header on the city’s website (www.loganville-ga.gov). There is also a drop-box in the parking lot of City Hall at 4303 Lawrenceville Road in Loganville. To dispute a bill, residents can call City Hall at 770-466-1165 or email info@loganville-ga.gov. Please be patient. The city is rotating staff, so it may take more then 24 hours to respond.
Loganville has temporarily stopped city-provided yard waste pickup. Trash pickup is contracted and restrictions may change; now, the only items that will be picked up are bagged trash and recycling inside provided containers. There will be no bulk pickup.
The planning department is still providing regular permit and inspection services, though they are slower than normal. Building permits can be submitted electronically. Meetings will only be allowed by appointment. To get a permit or inspection, call City Hall at 770-466-1165 or email planning@loganville-ga.gov to contact someone from the department.
Businesses concerned about their licenses can call 770-466-1165 or email info@loganville-ga.gov. Someone will get back to them as quickly as possible.
Municipal courts are not open. Property taxes are not due until November.
Norcross:
City Hall is closed, but residents can still reach the city by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Residents should call 770-448-2122 to be directed to the right person. Some services, including bill pay, can also be done online or through the drive-through window.
Power customers are being billed as usual, and bills can be paid online, over the phone or via the city hall drive-through. Norcross Power will not shut off electricity due to unpaid bills until April 15, and late fees and interest will be waived while the city is under a state of emergency.
As of March 23, Advanced Disposal, Norcross’s trash collector, will no longer pick up bulk items or bags left outside a trash can.
Inspections should be arranged via phone (687-421-2067) or email (communitydevelopment@norcrossga.net). Permits can be applied for via norcrossga.net or by calling 678-421-2067.
The deadline for business license renewals has been extended from March 31 to May 29. Applications can be made via email at gga@norcrossga.net, dropped at the drive-through or made via phone at 770-448-2122.
The Municipal Court is closed. All tax deadlines have been moved to June 30.
Peachtree Corners:
City Hall is closed to the public, but staff is available by appointment via phone and email. The main line for City Hall is 678-691-1200.
As of March 30, bulk items, yard waste and anything outside of trash cans will not be collected by Waste Management, the city’s trash collector.
Anyone submitting permit applications or building plans should submit plans though the city’s website, peachtreecornersga.gov. Appointments should be made to pick up certificates, approved plans and permits; those appointments can be made by contacting Elaine Cribbs at 470-550-1729 or ecribbs@peachtreecornersga.gov.
Most building inspections can be done online, but if an in-person inspection or meeting is needed, you should make an appointment by contacting Mark Mitchell at 678-691-1207 or mmitchell@peachtreecornersga.gov.
Business licenses should be renewed by mail or online. Questions can be sent to businesslicenses@peachtreecornersga.gov or you can call 678-691-1208 to speak with the business license officer.
The city’s municipal court only meets once a month, and April’s session has been canceled. Peachtree Corners residents do not pay city property tax or use any city utilities.
Rest Haven:
A representative from the city did not respond to messages seeking details about any changes.
Snellville:
City Hall is closed to the public, but residents can call 770-985-3500 to reach the city government. Questions can be emailed to info@snellville.org. If you know who or what department you need to reach, specific contact information can be found at snellville.org.
Trash is being collected as usual, but the city recycling center is closed until further notice. Bulk items will not be picked up.
Those needing a building inspection or to apply for a permit should call the Snellville Planning and Development Department at 770-985-3514 to set up an appointment. Permits and inspections are being handled on a “case-by-case basis.”
Business license renewal deadlines have been extended until April 30. The municipal court has been suspended, and the city’s property tax bills will be sent on Aug. 15, on schedule .
Sugar Hill:
City Hall is closed to the public but residents can call 770-945-6716 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to reach the city. A staff directory is also available at cityofsugarhill.com.
Gas utility payments can be made by calling 855-748-1345 or online at ipn.paymentus.com/cp/shga. Convenience fees for phone and online payments have been waived. Payments can also be dropped off at the Eagle Theatre box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at the City Hall drop box any time.
Trash collection remains on schedule, but bulk items, yard waste and bags outside trash cans will not be collected.
Permit applications, alcohol license applications and new utility service applications are being taken on an appointment-only basis. Appointments can be made by calling 770-945-6176. Those needing inspections should call 770-945-6734.
Municipal court is suspended, and property taxes are collected by the county.
Suwanee:
City Hall is closed to the public, but residents can call the main phone line at 770-945-8996.
Water bills can be mailed, dropped off or paid online. Customers in search of more information can call 770-904-2791. Trash is being collected as usual.
“All aspects” of the building inspection process will be handed via email and phone. Inspections will be scheduled for a time when nobody but the inspector is present. Locations where someone has been self-quarantining will not be inspected until the quarantine has expired.
Business license renewal deadlines have been extended to May 29.
Municipal court is suspended through the end of the month. Property taxes will be mailed as scheduled in October.
