City of Richmond Hill

Alleged unlawful tax disguised as a fire fee by the City of Richmond Hill.

The City of Richmond Hill has agreed to a potential $5 million settlement in a class action lawsuit that argued its flat-rate fire fee was an unlawful tax, not a fee for service as required by Georgia law. Eligible current and former property owners who paid the fire fee since November 7, 2018, may receive a refund if the settlement is approved by a judge. The court has not yet scheduled a hearing on the proposed settlement. From 2019-2024, the fire fee for residential properties was $185. The lawsuit argued that the fire fee functioned as a tax rather than a fee for service and therefore violated Georgia law. The city has announced an increase in the millage rate to help recover costs associated with the settlement.

• Property owners who were assessed and paid Richmond Hill fire fees starting November 7, 2018.
• The final date for eligibility has not been determined.
• Vacant or undeveloped properties may not be eligible.