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CURRENT RANGE PLANNING & ZONING
The City of Gainesville zoning regulations are contained within the Gainesville Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), while the current zoning districts are indicated on the Official Zoning Map which is kept electronically in a Geographic Information System. Aside from including regulations governing zoning, the ULDC also sets forth standards related to land subdivision, historic preservation, land development, building and construction, and related activities. The ULDC promotes responsible growth, provides for economically sound and stable land development, promotes the health and safety of the community, and regulates land use. And, it is the responsibility of the Department of Planning and Development to work with the Gainesville-Hall County Building Inspections Department and the Gainesville City Marshal’s Office to enforce the provisions contained in the ULDC. Zoning verification for a specific property confirms the zoning classification assigned to that property, such as Residential-I (R-I) or General Business (G-B), which are further defined in the Unified Land Development Code and shown on the Official Zoning Map. Zoning verification generally is required to obtain a building permit, sign permit or business license. To obtain a zoning verification, you will need to bring the site address or tax parcel number with you to the Planning Department offices and sign in with the receptionist. You may also review the zoning classification of specific property using the Geographic Information System (GIS), and review a list of applicable design standards and permitted uses for the zoning classification in the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Zoning certification letters may be obtained from the Department of Planning. A written request for a zoning certification letter shall be submitted to Kip Padgett, Director of Planning and Development, (or the planner with whom you have been speaking) via U.S. Mail or fax. Such a letter confirms the current zoning classification and generally provides more detailed information regarding zoning history and compliance with the Unified Land Development Code. When requesting a zoning certification letter, you will need to provide a site address or tax parcel number for the property in question. An "as-built" boundary survey/plat will be required for any confirmations relative to existing and/or nonconforming conditions related to zoning. Staff requires a minimum of three (3) business days to fulfill the request. Please ensure that you allot additional processing time for more detailed requests. There is a fee of $25, made payable to City of Gainesville. Another function of the Department of Planning and Development is to review and approve for recording boundary survey/plats for simple subdivision or combination of properties, in accordance with the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Large-scale subdivisions or those subdivisions involving the construction of a road require the review of a preliminary and final plat as part of the Civil Plan Review process. To record a boundary survey/plat to either combine properties or to subdivide a tract of land located within the City, a minimum of three (3) copies with the land surveyor’s original signature must be reviewed and stamped by the Gainesville Public Utilities Department (PUD) confirming water and sewer availability, or by the Hall County Environmental Health Department for septic tank (and/or well water) properties. Approval by the Gainesville Public Works Department also may be required. After PUD or Environmental Health Department stamp the plat, the copies shall be submitted to the Principal Planner for review. Once approved, the planner will contact you to pick up the stamped copies. You can then take one of the stamped copies to the Deed and Records Room for recording. Please note that the Planning and Development Department will retain two of the stamped copies for permanent record-keeping. Staff requires a minimum of three (3) business days to fulfill the request. Please ensure that you allot additional processing time for more detailed requests. There is a fee of $25, made payable to City of Gainesville. Once you have properly recorded the plat, you can contact the Hall County Addressing Department to obtain any new site addresses if need be; or obtain any applicable permits. The civil plan review process helps ensure compliance with various codes, ordinances, and requirements; including the Unified Land Development Code, grading requirements, hillside requirements, subdivision regulations, overlay zone standards, water and wastewater design standards, soil erosion and sedimentation control provisions, etc. Civil plan review includes plans associated with the preparation of land for construction, on-site/off-site improvements, water and sewer line installation, and other similar improvements. A land disturbance/development permit (LDP) must be obtained from the Planning and Development Department prior to any land disturbance activity, whether clearing and grubbing; grading; and construction of such improvements as streets, parking lots, stormwater detention facilities, sidewalks, or other similar permanently affixed structures. The review process involves various city, county and state agencies; and generally takes two to three weeks for preliminary review. The number of departmental comments and the time it takes for the engineer, land surveyor or other professional to address the comments determines the timeframe in which a LDP is issued. For more information about the LDP permitting process and guidelines for the preparation of civil plans (and preliminary and final plats for subdivisions), you can review Article 9-13 of the Unified Land Development Code. Below is a listing of the procedural requirements and fee schedule, and checklists the Planning Department uses to review development projects. |
Current range (or present or short-range) planning encompasses zoning and civil plan review, addressing such items in today’s time frame. Zoning is the public regulation of the use of land. It involves the adoption of ordinances that divide a community into various districts or zones. Each district allows certain uses of land within that zone, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. Typical zoning regulations address building height, bulk, lot area, setbacks, parking, signage, and density. |
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