South Fulton stiffens penalties for littering including jail time

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - Don’t mess with the city of South Fulton. That’s the message the city council is hoping to send to litterbugs after approve increased penalties.

The fine for littering in the city has jumped from $200 to $500 and a judge now had the option to sentence someone to 60 days in jail. This after the city council voted Tuesday to amend the city code.

"Residents deserve much better than having their properties covered in litter or piles of debris left by illegal dumpers," said South Fulton District 2 Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs, who sponsored the amendment. "This should serve as a sign the city takes illegal dumping seriously and will do whatever it takes to stop those who so disrespectfully and wrongfully infringe upon the rights of others."

A judge can now also order violators to clean the public right of way as punishment and even have their names published.

"We could not do this without the input of our community," Gumbs said. "Our residents are quick to let us know when they see excessive trash or illegal dumping in our city. We are committed to acting on that information to address these issues."

The city in 2020 created the Clean City Crew, a three-member team, which identifies hot spots for illegal dumping and regularly cleans litter from rights of way.