Alpharetta takes building plans online only. Book inspections at 678-297-6080, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Zoning: 678-297-6070. Upcoming hearings inside.
Last checked 2026-10-03. Sources: the City of Alpharetta’s Construction & Inspections, Planning & Zoning and Public Hearings pages, and the city’s meeting portal.
Building permits, inspections, zoning and code enforcement in Alpharetta all run through the city’s Community Development Department at City Hall, 2 Park Plaza. Fulton County does not issue permits inside city limits.
Who to call
- Zoning questions, public hearing applications: Planning & Zoning, 678-297-6070
- Inspection requests: Inspections, 678-297-6080, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on the day you want the inspection
- Building code questions: Building Official James Brooker, 678-297-6082
- Tree removal permits: City Arborist, 678-297-6229
- Work in the street right of way: Public Works engineering, 678-297-6240
- Apply: the city’s online permitting portal
Building permits
The Construction & Inspections division reviews plans and issues residential and commercial building permits; heating and air-conditioning, electrical, plumbing and low-voltage permits (security and voice or data systems); swimming pool permits; temporary use permits for construction trailers, Christmas tree lots and tent sales; and certificates of occupancy.
Plans are accepted electronically only. Sign in or create an account on the permitting portal to start an application and track its status.
Trade contractors (electrical, low-voltage, plumbing and mechanical) apply online too; the city posts instructions for online permitting (PDF) on its trade permits page. Sign permits are also online only, under the city sign ordinance; see the sign permits page.
Inspections
The city takes inspection requests by phone only, at 678-297-6080 between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. on the same day you want the inspection. It does not accept requests at any other time. You talk directly to an inspector; a morning or afternoon slot can be arranged depending on workload, but it is not guaranteed.
Tree removal
You need a city tree removal permit before taking down any living tree on a single-family lot, and before removing any tree, dead or alive, from commercial property. Common areas in subdivisions, such as pools, clubhouses and entrances, count as commercial. Replacement planting can be required, and an arborist’s assessment is required for a specimen-size tree. For a dead tree on a home lot, the city recommends emailing the City Arborist with photos first. Details are on the residential tree removal page.
Zoning
Check how a property is zoned on the city’s zoning map. Zoning rules are in the city’s Unified Development Code, part of the Code of Ordinances. Planning & Zoning answers questions about zoning, special uses, buffers and land use, issues zoning certification letters and administers impact fees.
Rezonings, conditional uses and variances go through a public hearing. The city’s Public Hearing Application and Filing Procedures (PDF) sets out the steps. Most cases start with a Community Zoning Information Meeting at City Hall, then go to the Planning Commission and the City Council.
Who decides what
| Board | What it hears | Regular schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Planning Commission | Rezonings, land use plan changes, code amendments; recommends to council | 6:30 p.m., first Thursday |
| Board of Zoning Appeals | Variances and exceptions of 20% to 50%, appeals of staff decisions | 5:30 p.m., third Thursday (not always) |
| Design Review Board | Exterior design and signs downtown and along key corridors | 9 a.m., third Friday |
| City Council | Final vote on rezonings and conditional uses | 6:30 p.m. Mondays, per the meeting portal |
All meet in the council chambers at City Hall, 2 Park Plaza.
Coming up
From the city’s meeting portal and public hearing cases:
- Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6 p.m.: Community Zoning Information Meeting, City Hall. Cases include a proposed small-animal hospital at 41 Marietta St. and a request to split 350 Wills Lane into three home lots.
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m.: Board of Zoning Appeals. On the list: an appeal over commercial access on Karen Drive and a side setback variance at 275 Dania Drive.
- Friday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m.: Design Review Board.
- Monday, Oct. 19, and Monday, Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m.: City Council meetings and public hearings. The Oct. 26 agenda is set to include code changes on parking business and recreational vehicles in residential districts.
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m.: Planning Commission.
Agendas are posted on the city’s meeting portal before each meeting. Dates can change; the portal is the official record.
To see what private developers are proposing, the city keeps a development projects map.
Code enforcement
Code Enforcement handles property upkeep, trash and debris, and junk or inoperable vehicles, and patrols the city. Unresolved cases go to the Code Enforcement Board. Report a problem through the city’s SeeClickFix portal or call the code enforcement supervisor at 678-297-6087.
What this means for you
- Plan for an online application; paper plans are not accepted.
- Book inspections in the one-hour morning window.
- Ask before you cut down a tree.
- Watch the hearing list if a project is proposed near you: the Community Zoning Information Meeting is the earliest point to ask questions.
Related: public notices and who to call at City Hall.