Cobb County commissioners questioned a proposed ordinance that would require people camping on private property to carry written proof of the owner's permission. The measure would apply countywide, including unincorporated East Cobb.

The Cobb County Police Department pitched the code amendment at the Board of Commissioners' work session the week of Sept. 22, first reported by the Marietta Daily Journal. The proposal would also ban camping, storing personal belongings and building cooking fires on public property without written county permission. Anyone on either type of property would have to show the paperwork to police on request.

The board took no action. Two public hearings are scheduled before a vote.

Deputy Chief Damon Ballard of the Cobb County Police Department's Special Investigations and Response division told commissioners that neighbors near encampments are the main source of complaints. People living in camps often claim they have the property owner's permission, but tracking down owners of undeveloped lots, sometimes held by shell companies, makes those claims hard to verify, Ballard said. Written proof would give officers a way to confirm permission quickly.

The proposal is identical to one the police department brought forward in fall 2025. That version was withdrawn before commissioners voted and never became law, according to the county's website.

Several commissioners pushed back.

Commission Chair Lisa Cupid said the measure places too much responsibility on homeless individuals while letting property owners off the hook.

"Something seems legally amiss about us inserting ourselves in this manner," Cupid said.

County Attorney Debra Blair said her office is concerned the requirement may not be enforceable as currently drafted.

Commissioner Erick Allen suggested the county instead push property owners to post "no trespassing" signs, giving police grounds to act without burdening people sleeping on the land. Ballard acknowledged that approach is allowed but said many owners do not bother posting signs.

Commissioner Monique Sheffield raised a different concern: the written-permission framework could let property owners authorize encampments with a simple signature, bypassing local board approvals that would otherwise be required.

According to Cobb County's 2026 homeless count, 137 people were living outside in the county and nearly 300 more were staying in short-term shelters. The Marietta City Council passed a similar measure in March 2025 allowing police to charge people on private property without the owner's permission.

Residents can attend either public hearing to comment. The first is Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 9 a.m.; the second is Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., immediately followed by a vote. Both hearings will be held at 100 Cherokee St. in Marietta, in the Board of Commissioners meeting room.