Garden City, Georgia agreed to a class action settlement that creates a $1.4 million refund fund for everyone who paid its fire protection fee since October 7, 2020 — and ends the fee going forward. If you are still a Garden City Fire Protection Utility customer, you do not need to file anything; refunds of roughly 27% of what you paid follow court approval automatically.
Current Status
There is no claim form for most class members, and no action to take right now. The objection deadline passed on May 26, 2026, and the Final Approval Hearing was scheduled for June 5, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom C of the Chatham County Courthouse. As of July 28, 2026, no final approval order or payment date had been located in public sources — though the settlement website now describes the case as the Garden City Fire Fees Qualified Settlement Fund and posts a claim form for missing class members, both signs that administration is moving. Once the settlement is finally approved, current Fire Protection Utility customers are refunded without filing anything; former customers will be mailed a Claim Form that must be completed and returned.What Is This Settlement About?
The case is captioned Bobby Black v. Garden City, Georgia, filed in the Superior Court of Chatham County on behalf of people who paid the city's fire protection fee. According to local reporting on the case, the lawsuit alleged that the fee functioned as an unlawful tax under Georgia law. Garden City denies wrongdoing; its council approved a resolution to settle rather than continue litigating, citing the cost, uncertainty, and risk of prolonged litigation.The settlement has two parts. First, the city creates a $1,400,000 Aggregate Refund Fund to return a share of the fire fees collected during the class period — local reporting puts the estimated refund at approximately 27% of what each customer paid. Second, Garden City agreed to end the fire protection fee itself, which for residents may be the more valuable half of the deal.
This is one of several fire-fee class actions running against Georgia municipalities on the same theory, brought by the same class counsel — the closest sibling is the Long County fire fee settlement, which follows an identical refund structure.
Who Qualifies?
You are a class member if you were assessed and paid fire fees to Garden City, Georgia at any time from October 7, 2020 through the date of final approval and entry of the proposed judgment. Both conditions matter — being billed is not enough; the class covers those who actually paid.How Much Can You Get?
Individual refunds are calculated under the proposed Order and Judgment based on the fire fees you actually paid, so amounts vary by customer. The working estimate from local reporting is about 27 cents back for every dollar of fire fees paid during the class period. Per that same reporting, the city funds the settlement in installments, with $700,000 due by January 31, 2026 or the 45th day after entry of final approval, whichever is later.Do You Have to File Anything?
If you are still a customer of the Garden City Fire Protection Utility for the property in question: no. After court approval, your refund is issued without a claim form.If you are no longer a customer — you sold the property or moved away — a Claim Form will be sent to your current or last known address after the settlement is approved, and you must complete and return it as instructed to receive your refund. The settlement website also posts a Claim Form for Missing Class Members, so if you believe you qualify but have moved since paying the fee, that form is the way to make sure the administrator can find you.
Can You Opt Out or Object?
The notice did not provide an opt-out right, and the window to object closed on May 26, 2026. At this point class members are bound by whatever the court decides on final approval.What Happens Next?
The remaining steps are the court's final approval order and entry of judgment, which also closes the class period, followed by refunds to current customers and claim forms to former ones. A hearing being scheduled is not the same as approval being granted, and no payment date has been announced. The official settlement website posts the case documents — the notice, publication notice, preliminary approval filings, and the missing-class-member claim form — and is the place to watch for the final order.Sources and Verification
• Official Settlement Website — Garden City Fire Fees Qualified Settlement Fund• Publication Notice of Class Action Settlement, Bobby Black v. Garden City, Georgia
• Savannah Agenda — Garden City to End Fire Protection Fee, Create $1.4M Refund Fund
• Bobby Black v. Garden City, Georgia, Superior Court of Chatham County, Georgia
OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the claims administrator or a law firm.
Questions
Do I have to file a claim to get my Garden City fire fee refund?
Not if you are still a customer of the Garden City Fire Protection Utility for the property in question — refunds to current customers are issued without a claim form after court approval. If you no longer own the property or are otherwise no longer a customer, a Claim Form will be sent to your current or last known address after approval, and you must complete and return it to be paid. The settlement website also posts a Claim Form for Missing Class Members.
How much of my Garden City fire fees will I get back?
Local reporting on the settlement estimates that eligible class members will receive approximately 27% of the fire fees they paid during the class period, paid from a $1,400,000 Aggregate Refund Fund. Individual refunds are calculated under the terms of the proposed Order and Judgment, so exact amounts vary with how much each customer paid.
Is Garden City still charging the fire protection fee?
As part of resolving the lawsuit, Garden City agreed to end the fire protection fee, according to local reporting on the city council's resolution approving the settlement. The refund fund covers fees paid from October 7, 2020 through the date of final court approval.
Has the Garden City settlement been approved yet?
The Final Approval Hearing was scheduled for June 5, 2026 at the Chatham County Courthouse, and the objection deadline passed on May 26, 2026. As of July 28, 2026, no final approval order or payment date had been located in public sources. The settlement website now describes the case as the Garden City Fire Fees Qualified Settlement Fund and posts a claim form for missing class members.
What was the Garden City fire fee lawsuit about?
The case, Bobby Black v. Garden City, Georgia, was filed in the Superior Court of Chatham County on behalf of people who paid the city's fire protection fee. According to local reporting, the lawsuit alleged the fee functioned as an unlawful tax under Georgia law. Garden City settled rather than continue litigating, citing the cost and risk of prolonged litigation, and did not admit wrongdoing.
