Rules depend on where the lot is. An address inside the City of Savannah follows city rules. Wilmington Island, Skidaway Island and Georgetown are unincorporated and follow Chatham County. Pooler, Tybee Island and the other towns each have their own office. We check the rule for your address before work starts. The notes below are a guide, and the office that covers your lot has the final say.
Do I need a permit for a driveway or patio?
You need a permit for a driveway where it meets the street. The City of Savannah has a driveway permit application, handled by Traffic Engineering, for building or altering a driveway connection. A plain patio or walk that sits entirely on your own lot is often treated more lightly, but zoning setbacks, flood rules and historic review can still apply. Slabs that carry a building, such as a garage, carport or addition, need a building permit. Confirm with City of Savannah Development Services, or with Chatham County Building Safety and Regulatory Services outside the city.
Do I need a permit to widen my driveway?
Yes, if widening changes the opening at the street. A wider curb cut or apron is work in the public right-of-way and goes through the driveway permit. The City's application also notes that where a sidewalk crosses the driveway, a 4 foot accessible path with a cross-slope of no more than 2 percent has to be kept. Widening only the part on your own lot is a zoning question, so ask before you pour.
Who owns the driveway apron: me or the city?
The apron sits in the public right-of-way, so the land is the public's, but the upkeep is yours. The City of Savannah's driveway permit application states that maintenance of the driveway area within the right-of-way is the responsibility of the property owner. That is why you pay to replace it and why you need a permit to touch it.
Who is responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house?
We could not confirm a single written rule for this in Savannah, so we will not guess. Georgia has no statewide law that puts public sidewalk repair on the homeowner, and each city sets its own policy. Ask Savannah's 311 service who repairs the sidewalk in front of your house before you spend money on it. The part of your driveway that crosses the sidewalk line is yours to maintain under the driveway permit terms.
The city sent me a notice about the sidewalk or driveway. Can I hire my own contractor?
Read the notice first, because it should say what has to be fixed, by when and to what standard. If the city sent it about your driveway approach, you can normally hire your own contractor, who then gets the permit and builds to the city's detail. If it is about the sidewalk itself, call the number on the notice and ask whether the city does the work or you do. Do not ignore the deadline. Ask for more time in writing if you need it.
How close to the property line can I pour, and do I need a survey?
Zoning sets how close paving can come to a property line, and it differs by district, so ask the zoning office for your address. Even where paving may run right up to the line, keep it back far enough that water does not shed onto the neighbor. You need a survey whenever the line is unclear. A fence, a hedge or the edge of the old driveway is not proof of where the line is. Savannah's older neighborhoods have narrow lots and shared lanes where a few inches matter.
Do I need HOA approval?
If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA or recorded covenants, you probably do. This applies to much of Pooler, Georgetown, Richmond Hill and The Landings on Skidaway Island. Associations commonly control driveway width, finish, color and extra parking pads. Get approval in writing before signing a contract. An association's approval does not replace a city or county permit, and a permit does not replace the association's approval.
How much of my lot can I cover with concrete?
Many zoning districts limit lot coverage or the share of a lot under impervious surface, and the limit varies by district and by town. Tybee Island in particular watches how much of a lot is paved. We do not quote a percentage here because it depends on your zoning. If you are adding a large patio, a pool deck or a second driveway, ask the zoning office for the limit and what counts toward it.
When does a retaining wall need an engineer or a permit?
Building codes commonly require a permit and an engineer's design once a wall passes about 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or when it holds up a driveway, a building or a slope. We have not confirmed how each local office here applies that, so ask before building. Walls beside marsh or tidal water can fall under separate state shoreline rules. For any wall holding more than a garden bed, an engineer's drawing is cheap insurance.
How do I find underground utility lines before digging?
Contact Georgia 811 before any digging. Submit a ticket at Georgia811.com or dial 811 at least three business days ahead, and member utility companies will mark their underground utility lines. The service is free. When we do the work, we place the request. Georgia 811 covers lines owned by member utilities. Private lines such as sprinklers, low-voltage lighting, pool plumbing and septic pipes are not marked, so tell us about any you know of.
I need a wheelchair ramp and a wider walkway. What rules apply?
At a private home, a ramp is usually built to the slope and landing sizes in the building code, and a ramp attached to the house may need a building permit. Ramps at businesses and on public sidewalks have to meet the federal accessibility standards. A gentle slope, level landings at the top and bottom, edge protection and a non-slip broom finish are the basics. We have no published price for ramps, so we quote them after measuring.
My house is in a historic district. Can I change the paving?
Ask the preservation staff first. Savannah has several local historic districts, including the Downtown Historic District, where exterior changes are reviewed by the Metropolitan Planning Commission's preservation staff and the Historic District Board of Review. We have not confirmed exactly which paving work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, so call them before removing or covering anything. Old brick, stone and tabby paving is part of what makes these streets what they are, and it can be hard to get approval after the fact.
Do flood zones and street trees affect a concrete job?
Yes to both. Large parts of Savannah and the islands are in mapped flood zones, and a slab that supports a building has to meet the local flood rules for height and fill. Trees within the City right-of-way are protected under Section 4-10007 of Savannah's Landscape and Tree Ordinance, as the City's own driveway application states. Cutting the roots of a street tree to make room for a driveway is not something to do without asking the City first.
Call (912) 214-3834 with your address and we will tell you which office covers it and what to ask them.