Building permits and zoning in Sandy Springs

Last checked Oct. 5, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Sandy Springs Building and Construction and Planning and Zoning pages.

Building permits, inspections and zoning in Sandy Springs are handled by the city’s Community Development Department at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way. Nearly everything happens online, through the city’s permitting portal, Build Sandy Springs.

Who to call

• Permits, inspections, zoning questions: City of Sandy Springs, 770-730-5600 (24 hours)
• Permitting counter: City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, by appointment
• Apply, pay, book inspections: Build Sandy Springs portal
• Official pages: Building and Construction, Planning and Zoning

When you need a permit

The city’s residential building permits page says a permit is required whenever you build, alter, enlarge or repair a building or an accessory structure. That includes:

• Additions, interior remodels that change the floor plan, and rebuilding after a fire or storm
• Decks and covered porches, and deck or patio replacements
• Generators and some outdoor play equipment
• Garages, sheds, pool houses, outdoor kitchens, sport courts and treehouses
• Flat roof replacements
• New or replacement fences and gates, residential and commercial, on the city’s fence permits page

You generally do not need a permit for cosmetic work like painting or carpet, or for a detached structure smaller than 120 square feet, though the structure still has to meet the Development Code. Licensed contractors can pull permits, and so can owners working on their own permanent home. After a fire or storm, emergency stabilization can start before the permit is issued, but you must apply within 48 hours or by the next business day, whichever comes first.

Trees: A tree removal permit is required to take down any hardwood or pine 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height, any dogwood or redbud 10 inches or more, or any tree in the Chattahoochee River Corridor or a stream buffer, according to the city’s yard and tree page. City arborists enforce the rules but do not remove trees.

The river: The Chattahoochee River Corridor covers property within 2,000 feet of the river banks, and its rules can affect what you build.

How the process works

The city’s permitting process page lays out the steps:

1. Apply online through Build Sandy Springs, or meet staff at City Hall by appointment.
2. Pay the first fee assessment before review starts. The portal calculates fees. The city publishes its Building and Development Fee Schedule (PDF). You can pay online by card, with a 5% processing fee, or in person by cash or check at City Hall. The city says it will never ask for payment by wire transfer or bank draft.
3. Plan review by teams that can include building, land development, zoning, the city arborist, the fire marshal and transportation. Each resubmission takes about 3 to 10 business days, and a $200 fee applies on the third resubmission.
4. Permit card: up to five business days after approval. The stamped drawings, the permit card and the city’s noise ordinance must stay on site in a permit box.
5. Inspections, requested through the portal: a preconstruction meeting, then foundation, rough and final inspections, depending on the job.
6. Plan modifications after the permit is issued cost $200 and go through review again.
7. Certificate of occupancy or completion at the end, on the city’s certificate page.

New building permits also carry impact fees for transportation, parks and public safety, in effect since March 1, 2008. You can ask for an estimate before you apply.

Smaller accessory structures and simple decks may qualify for the city’s EasyBuild program, with 90-minute consultations on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Developers can book a weekly Developer Meeting on Thursdays.

Zoning

Look up the zoning on any parcel with the city’s Community Development GIS map. The rules are in the Sandy Springs Development Code. The city sorts neighborhoods into four character area groups: Protected Neighborhood, Urban Neighborhood, Corridor and Node, and Perimeter. A zoning certification letter confirms a property’s zoning and lists past zoning cases.

Rezonings, use permits and variances start with a community meeting near the site before the petition is filed, and a second at City Hall after, the city says. Active cases are on the Land Use Petitions Under Consideration page and the Zoning Cases Map.

Who decides, and when they meet

• Planning Commission: advisory board that holds hearings on rezonings and use permits and makes recommendations to the council. Reed Haggard is chair.
• Board of Appeals: hears variance requests. Sherri Allen is chair.
• Mayor and City Council: make the final decision on petitions.

Upcoming meetings, all at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, according to the city’s public meetings portal:

Agendas are posted on the portal before each meeting.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a building permit in Sandy Springs? Apply through Build Sandy Springs, the city’s online permitting portal, or book an appointment with a permit technician at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way. Licensed contractors and owners working on their own permanent home can apply.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Sandy Springs? Detached structures smaller than 120 square feet do not need a building permit, the city says, though they still have to meet the Development Code.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Sandy Springs? Yes for any hardwood or pine 18 inches in diameter at breast height or larger, any dogwood or redbud 10 inches or larger, and any tree in the Chattahoochee River Corridor or a stream buffer.

How do I find my property’s zoning in Sandy Springs? Search your address on the city’s Community Development GIS map, which shows zoning districts and character areas. The city also issues zoning certification letters.

When does the Sandy Springs Planning Commission meet? The next meetings are 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, according to the city’s public meetings portal.

What this means for you

• Pull the permit before the work starts; payment is by card online or cash or check in person, never wire.
• Check tree sizes before you cut. The 18-inch and 10-inch rules catch a lot of yards.
• Near the river? The corridor rules reach 2,000 feet back from the banks.

Related: property taxes and who to call at City Hall.