Columbus, Georgia

MEMORANDUM



DATE: April 26, 2002



TO: Mayor, Council and City Manager



FROM: Clifton C. Fay, City Attorney



SUBJECT: Referrals

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In response to a question concerning the Savannah Tree Ordinance,

please find attached a possible amendment to the Columbus draft tree ordinance

prepared by Mr. Milton Jones which contains an exception to tree planting

requirements for areas used principally for motor vehicle, boat or mobile home

sales, storage or display lots. A copy of pages 19 and 20 of the Savannah Tree

Ordinance are also attached for your convenience.



In addition, please find attached for your information a copy of the

new "Georgia Fair Lending Act." Subsection 7-6A-11 provides as follows: "No

municipality or county shall enact any ordinance or law that regulates the

terms of home loans or that makes the eligibility of any person or entity to do

business with the municipality or county dependent upon the terms of home loans

originated or serviced by such person or entity." Thus a county government

cannot regulate as to terms of home loans or condition eligibility of persons

or entities doing business with the county upon the terms of home loans

originated or serviced by such persons or entities. The law provides for civil

and criminal penalties for persons violating the provisions of the Act. The

Act becomes effective on October 1, 2002.























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