Ellijay Police Department

The Apple Festival is here! Expect traffic delays on Saturday and Sunday along Highway 5 near the Fairgrounds.

Officers will be stationed at key locations to help direct traffic.

Please follow all posted traffic signs and instructions. We appreciate your patience as we work to get you where you’re going as efficiently as possible.

PLANNED POWER OUTAGE. This message is for Georgia Power customers in the Ellijay area. There are two upcoming - planned - power outages. First is on Saturday May 3rd between 6AM and 6:30 AM. In layman's terms - they will turn power off for about thirty minutes as they divert it to a sub station in Ellijay so they can safely perform maintenance on the main station. That maintenance will take anywhere betweeen 6 and 12 hours to complete. Once it is completed, they will once again turn power off for about 30 minutes as they move power from the substation back to the main power station. Please be aware that Ellijay Police and/or Gilmer Sheriff's Office will be present at the SR282 and Industrial Blvd intersection directing traffic (as the traffic light will not function). Remember, if you come to a traffic signal that is not functioning, you treat it as a 4-way stop. IF there are flashing lights, the red flashing lights mean you must stop before proceeding and yellow flashing lights mean you must slow and only proceed with caution.

Legal Update: House Bill 308 – Minature on-road Vehicles

House Bill 308 was passed by the General Assembly and has been forwarded to the Governor for his signature on April 10, 2025. It is expected to become law by July 1, 2025.

For those who may not understand the life of a bill in Georgia; once a bill forwarded to the Governor, he has three options to choose from in the next 40 days; 1) sign the bill into law; 2) veto the law and send it back to the General Assembly; and 3) do nothing. If the governor chooses to do nothing, by default the bill becomes law after 40 days of receiving the bill.

HB308 provides for definitions for a new category of vehicle in the Official Code of Georgia called “Miniature on-road vehicle”. The bill also provides procedures for obtaining a Georgia Title and Registration for the vehicles in the category.

The bill defines Miniature on-road vehicles as those motorized vehicles which are;

1. designed and designed and manufactured for use upon roadways in another country;
2. have been imported into the United States with a valid certificate of title or registration from the exporting country and in compliance with all federal importation requirements
3. Has the capability to transport persons;
4. Operates between 25 miles per hour (40.2 kilometers per hour) and 65 miles per
hour (104.6 kilometers per hour);
5. Has an overall width of 80 inches (2,030 millimeters) or less;
6. Is designed to travel on four or more wheels;
7. Uses a steering wheel for steering control;
8. Contains a nonstraddle seat;
9. Has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms); and
10. Is not designed or manufactured as a golf cart, all-terrain vehicle, or multipurpose off-highway vehicle.

Not all of these vehicles may be tagged and registered. Only those manufactured “less than 25 years” prior to application for registration AND only those which have been modified and certified by an “importer registered with the US Department of Transportation” to comply with federal motor vehicle standards may be tagged or titled.

Unlike previous laws regarding MPOHVs, this bill provides for;
- the issuance of a temporary license plate to be issued by the Department of Revenue until a permanent tag may be designed, approved, and provided.
- they may be operated upon municipal or county street system (no State highways) which have a speed limit that does not exceed 35 mph.

Also, unlike MPOHVs, this bill expressly gives local governing bodies the authority to pass ordinances regarding their use.

Again, this bill is not law yet, but is expected to become law in July of 2025.

The vehile demonatrated in the photo on this post is an example of a minature on-road vehicle but is not representative of all MORVs. Most of the mini-trucks like this one are 58 inches wide and have a GVW of 1,500 lbs. The law allows for up to 80 inches in width and up to 4,000 GVW. Regardless, they must be able to travel at least 25 MPH but not more than 65 MPH.

SCAM WARNING. Please be aware … the police department will not call you and tell you that you have a warrant and demand money. We do not accept any of the pay apps. Anyone that calls you asking you to pay off a warrant in this manner is trying to scam you. Don’t fall for it.