Important Legislation

During her first term in office, Anne Fauver has sponsored or supported several important pieces of legislation.   Here are some of the most significant:

Ethics Ordinance
One of the first major pieces of legislation that Councilmember Fauver worked on was a complete overhaul of the City Ethics code. The Ethics ordinance now prohibits City employees and their families from receiving gratuities, gifts, honorarium or other income from those doing business with the City. It also forbids City employees and their families from having a personal interest in any entity doing business with the City.

Most importantly, the new Ethics Code established and funded an Ethics Officer to receive and investigate complaints regarding violations of the Ethics Code. The Ethics Officer works with and presents cases to the Board of Ethics. Both the Ethics Officer and the Board are independent. Moreover, the Ethics Code established an anonymous tip line to allow individuals to report violations without fear of reprisal. For more information about the Ethics Code, contact Ethics Officer Ginny Looney at 404-330-6826.

Dog Park
Councilmember Fauver sponsored an ordinance establishing the Off-Leash Dog Park in Piedmont Park. Councilmember Fauver joined a large group of City residents and non-residents alike in seeking an enclosed space where our four-legged friends, like Ms. Fauver's miniature schnauzer, can run free and socialize off-leash. The dog park has been a huge success and has helped to reduce substantially the number of incidents of confrontations with dogs off-leash in other areas of the park and the amount of maintenance required in the rest of the Park to clean up after dogs. The dog park has received financial support from those who use the area by providing an opportunity for patrons to make monetary contributions right in the park. The area is maintained by those who use it and has proved itself a wonderful, self-sustaining opportunity for dogs and their owners to meet and socialize. For more information about the off-leash dog park at Piedmont Park, contact the park at 404-875-PARK.

No Parking on Sidewalks
Councilmember Fauver sponsored legislation making it illegal to park, stop or leave any vehicle on any City sidewalk or other pedestrian route adjacent to the public right-of-way. The Ordinance established fines for such illegal parking. The police have used this provision of the Code very effectively to assist in making the City a more pedestrian friendly community. If you see a vehicle illegally parked on the sidewalk, call 911 and report the pedestrian impediment. While the violation will not be a high priority for police response, a police officer in the area may be able to respond in time to ticket the violator.

Illegal Signs in the Right-of-Way
Councilmember Fauver sponsored and the Council passed an ordinance designed to rid the City of the annoying and unsightly signs frequently plastered on utility poles and in public rights-of-way. Ms. Fauver introduced the legislation in direct response to constituent and Neighborhood Planning Unit F's former Chairman Aaron Gross. While Mr. Gross did not survive to see its passage and implementation on September 1, 2004, Councilmember Fauver is hopeful that the legislation serves as a fitting tribute to a community activist who understood that such "street spam" is a blight on all neighborhoods.

The ordinance requires that the City remove all illegally posted signs and serve citations on the business advertised on the signs. For more information about the ordinance or to report illegal signs in your neighborhood, call 404-330-6333.

Alcoholic Beverages Code Revisions
In the summer of 2003, Councilmember Fauver was asked and agreed to co-chair a group referred to as the "Alcohol Technical Advisory Group (ATAG)."    ATAG was tasked with revising the City Alcoholic Beverages Code. The many revisions that the group suggested have been introduced as ordinances and can be found on the Atlanta City Council website.

Councilmember Fauver sought to balance the interests and concerns of neighborhoods surrounding popular entertainment areas in the City with those of neighborhoods seeking to develop such entertainment opportunities.   Another priority was to make the process of receiving an alcoholic beverages license simpler, more equitable and more attractive for business owners. The ordinances Councilmember Fauver has introduced have received support from many groups with varying interests. Among other things, the ordinances seek to regulate parking required of establishments holding alcoholic beverages licenses and to re-evaluate the distances that such businesses are required to be from various other types of establishments (such as residences, churches, schools and other alcohol licensed establishments).