The Town of Cohutta elects a Mayor and four Council Members. Terms for mayor and council are four years with elections held every two years. To be eligible for office in Cohutta one must have lived in the town limits for a period of at least 12 months prior to the date of the election and continue to reside in the town limits and be eligible to vote in town elections during the entirety of their term. For a complete list of qualifications, please view Article II of the Town Charter which is available on the "Town Government" page of this website.
Upcoming Elections
Details of any upcoming Elections will be posted here!
Political Signs
COHUTTA SIGN ORDINANCE CAN BE FOUND IN CHAPTER NINE OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE. BELOW YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION PERTINENT TO POLITICAL SIGNS.
Political signs and Special event signs are generally allowed in all zoning districts, subject to the following:
(a)Political signs or special events which are solely intended to influence participation in a particular election or at a particular event or which promote a particular candidate during the pendency of an election season may be placed upon a lot or parcel as of the date of qualification of such candidate or the 30 days prior to an event. Such signs become surplus 24 hours after the event or election in question.
(b)Political signs or signs conveying a particular public point of view which are intended to convey a general political message not specifically related to a particular election may be placed and maintained upon any lot or parcel for as long as the owner thereof desires to express such message; however, such signs remain subject to the size limitations set forth herein.
(c) Political signs or signs conveying a particular public point of view shall not exceed six square feet in area in the residential zones and 16 square feet in the C-1, C-2, and M-1 zones. This does not apply to banners.
(d) Political or Special Event signs for the same business or organization shall not be placed on a property more often than three times per calendar year, nor within 30 days of when the last temporary sign was placed upon the property.
Prohibited signs and activities regarding signage. The following types of signs and activities shall be prohibited:
(a)No sign shall be erected or maintained where, by reason of its position, illumination, size, shape or color, it may obstruct the view of oncoming vehicles or impair, obscure, interfere with the view of, or be confused with any authorized traffic control sign, signal, or device.
(b)No sign, including an electronic message board, shall flash in any manner, except to the extent an electronic message changes messages.
(c)No sign shall contain any imitation of any official governmental traffic control sign, signal, or emergency vehicle device.
(d)No part of any sign shall be located in, over, or project into a public right-of-way, except after notice, public hearing and granted Town Council variance.
(e)No sign shall be erected, located, or maintained in such a manner as to interfere with safe and free ingress and egress of any door, fire escape, emergency exit, driveway, street, or roadway.
(f)No sign shall interfere with governmental utilities, such as water lines, mains and hydrants, electricity, and communications equipment or lines, nor interfere with natural or manmade storm water drainage facilities, if any.
(g)No sign shall be painted on or attached to any tree, utility pole, utility post, retaining wall, rock, vehicle or other natural or similar manmade feature except after notice, public hearing and granted Town Council variance.
(h)No sign shall be erected upon any lot or parcel without the express permission of the owner to do so.
(i)No internally illuminated freestanding sign shall be erected within 200 feet of any dwelling located in a residential area except after notice, public hearing and granted Town Council variance.
(j)No sign shall be erected which advertises or promotes any unlawful activity or product except to the extent the sign primarily seeks a change in the law.
(k)No electronic message board shall be erected in residential districts except after notice, public hearing and granted Town Council variance.
(l)Abandoned signs are prohibited.
(m)Signs within 300 feet of any officially designated historical site or monument, except signs pertaining to that particular site or monument, are prohibited. 139
(n)Pennants or streamers are prohibited.
(o)Sound or smoke emitting signs are prohibited.
(p) Signs which contain words, pictures, or statements which are obscene, as defined by the Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 16-12-80;
(q) Billboards are prohibited. 9--4 Exempt signs.
The following types of signs shall be exempt from the restrictions imposed by this article:
(a)Official signs.
(b)Property address signs no larger than 2 square feet without notice, public hearing and variance.
(c)Holiday decorations in season.
(d)Signs upon private property which prohibit trespassing, hunting, and/or fishing; which provide warnings to employees; or which prohibit smoking.
(e)Subdivision entrance signs.
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