Code Enforcement Came To My Home

Location: Georgia

I own a home on approximately 5.5 acres in a rural-ish area in Georgia. I recently had a Code Enforcement officer show up because someone apparently made two complaints about my property:

1. Tall grass 2. Someone allegedly living/sleeping in a detached accessory structure/ADU on my property 

The second complaint is what concerns me most.

I was not home when they showed up. They spent about 20-30 minutes there (I could see on my cameras) doing God knows what. The officer told me they need to come back within a few days and see the inside of the detached structure to confirm that nobody is sleeping/living there.

I value my privacy and do not want to consent to an interior inspection of a private building on my property simply because an unknown person made an allegation.

I’m also confused about how the complainant supposedly determined that someone is living/sleeping inside this structure. My property is 5.5 acres, and you cannot see my home, let alone inside the structure from the public road or neighboring homes. I have not been told what evidence, if any, was submitted with the complaint but plan to ask when they return.

I’m trying to handle this correctly rather than escalate the situation emotionally.

My questions:

• Am I legally required to consent to Code Enforcement entering the interior of the structure based solely on a complaint? • If I decline consent, would the county generally need an administrative/inspection warrant or some other legal authority to enter? • Should I ask the officer, in writing, whether the inspection is voluntary or legally required before they return? • What should I ask Code Enforcement for regarding the alleged violation and the evidence supporting it? • Can I obtain the original complaint, complaint narrative, photographs/videos submitted, officer notes, and complainant information through a Georgia Open Records Act request? • If the complainant’s identity is withheld, can I require the county to identify the statutory exemption allowing them to withhold it? • Does having a gate, fencing, and/or No Trespassing signs affect Code Enforcement’s ability to enter the property without permission in the future? • What can Code Enforcement legally observe or inspect from my property without my consent versus from the public road? • Is there anything I should document now in case this becomes a pattern of complaints? • If someone repeatedly makes false or baseless code complaints about my property, at what point could that become legally actionable harassment or another civil issue? • Is there anything specific I should avoid saying or doing when the officer returns? 

I’m not trying to obstruct a legitimate investigation. I want to understand exactly what the county is legally entitled to inspect, what requires my consent, and what process they must follow if I decline consent.

I’m also interested in hearing from anyone familiar with Georgia/Henry County code enforcement or administrative inspections, especially attorneys, code officers, or people who have dealt with a similar situation.