COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County government is discussing new regulations that focus on behavior commonly associated with homelessness.
They include making it illegal to occupy cars, vehicles, boats, aircraft or public and private roads and land without written permission.
The proposal mentions camping and building fires among potential offenses, if approved by the county commission.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The amendment up for review would change current rules to prevent people from going onto the land or property of someone else, or entering their vehicles, boats or aircrafts, after being told doing so is forbidden.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Metro Atlanta ex-mayor indicted for false statements, documents for election run
- DeKalb County weighing nearly $78 million contract with AMR for emergency services
- Atlanta Community Food Bank to use $5 million in reserves for SNAP benefits pause
Anyone found camping or otherwise occupying private property would be required to provide written proof that they are allowed to remain where they are.
The provision also adds a ban on “throwing bottles, paper, cans, glass, sticks, stones, missiles or other debris” on both public and private property in Cobb County.
Building fires and camping in other public places would also be blocked, if the public space is not designated for camping or cooking.
The provision uses the examples of county owned streets, public squares, public parks and other public property for the provision. The amendment proposes requiring written permission from a public safety official.
During a work session Tuesday, Cobb County Deputy Police Chief Ben Cohen told the commission that part of the reason for the inclusion of written permission was because “we have a lot of unhoused people that are just plopping themselves on private property.”
“And then when if we can’t find the owners of the private property, we have no recourse of citing them or having them removed,” he said.
Commissioners had questions on the broad language used, with Commission Chair Lisa Cupid asking if additional changes should be made to clarify that it would be based on not just presence in an particular area but also in intent or usage.
Cupid cited public parking areas and sidewalks that abut private property.
“How do you define if somebody is unlawfully present when there are these implicit actions by the property owner to invite someone to their property?” she said. “And I just think it’s more based on how someone is using it versus just being physically present.”
Discussion on the topic and its specifics continued for several minutes, with officials saying they would go back to the language and clarify further.
A Cobb County spokesman told Channel 2 Action News, citing the work session, that county officials were trying to mirror similar codes passed in other parts of the county, such as Marietta. The amendments would likely be revised again before public hearings or a vote, he said.
Cobb County residents and other stakeholders will be able to participate in two public meetings held by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners.
Those meetings are scheduled for Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. and Nov. 20 at 6 p.m.
Following the second public hearing, county commissioners will vote to approve or reject the amendment to the “Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions” section of the Cobb County Municipal Code.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
