LandCode
Forsyth CountyUnified Development Code

Chapter 15 — Agricultural Districts, Article 5 — COTTAGE FOOD OPERATIONS

current as of 2026-04-02currency checked manuallyOfficialofficial source2 sections · full chapter
§ 15-5.1

Purpose and Intent.

The purpose of this Article is to establish regulations relating to cottage food operations to ensure this use does not have a noticeable and negative impact on the agricultural and rural character of the subject property and adjacent properties.

§ 15-5.2

Requirements.

(A)Only cottage food products listed on the Georgia Department of Agriculture Cottage Food License issued to the cottage food operator shall be produced within a home kitchen of the operator’s domestic residence, and only for sale directly to the consumer. Cottage food products are subject to the rules and regulations of the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
(B)The cottage food producer shall maintain a valid Forsyth County business license. Failure to hold a valid business license will invalidate the Forsyth County Cottage Food Permit.
(C)Cottage food operations are prohibited within major subdivisions.
(D)Off-street parking must be provided to accommodate all customers. The maximum number of customers on the premises shall not exceed five (5) at any given time.
TABLE 15.1
UsesA1AG-RES
Accessory apartments, attachedPP
Accessory apartments, detachedCC
Accessory uses and structures determined by the Director to be normally incidental to one or more permitted principal uses, including but not limited to barns, grain storage facilities, and sheds.P (Note 10)P
Agricultural uses including the production of field crops, fruits, nuts, and vegetablesPP
Agricultural experiment stationsCX
AgritourismC (Note 9)X
ApiariesPP
Auction facilities for agricultural productsCX
Backyard ChickensP (Note 12)P (Note 12)
Bed and breakfast innsCX
Boarding homes for agricultural workersCX
Build-to-rentXX
CampgroundsCX
CemeteriesPP
Clubs, lodges, fraternal institutions and other places of assembly for non-profit membership groups 10,000 square feet or less in aggregate sizeC (Note 3)X
Clubs, lodges, fraternal institutions and other places of assembly for non-profit membership groups more than 10,000 square feet in aggregate sizeXX
Commercial athletic fields, outdoorCX
Communication towers and antennasCC
Cottage food operationsP (Note 11)P (Note 11)
DairiesCC
Day Care CentersCX
Day Care Home, FamilyCX
Dwellings, single-family detachedPP
Explosives storageCX
Farm supply stores and feed and grain storesCX
Farm WineriesCX
Golf Courses/Country ClubsCC
Heliports and HelipadsCX
Hog farmsCX
Horse stables, commercialCX
Horse stables, non-commercialPP
Industrialized housingPX
Kennels, Animal Hospitals, Veterinary ClinicsCX
Landfills, inert wasteXX
Livestock raising, not including poultry and hogsPX
Manufactured or mobile homesPX
Major residential subdivisions involving a new public or private street and no more than seven (7) lotsPX
Major subdivisions for single family detached dwellings or manufactured homesP (Note 8)P
Methane to energy conversion facility and associated utility substation located adjacent to or contiguous with a MSW waste reclamation facilityC (Note 7)X
Minor residential subdivisions (Note 1)P (Note 8)P
Nurseries and greenhouses: wholesale and retail sale of trees, plants, and shrubsPP
Open storage yardCC
Place of worship 10,000 square feet or less in aggregate size (Note 6)C (Note 3)X
Place of worship more than 10,000 square feet in aggregate size (Note 6)C (Note 3)X
Poultry housesPX
Processing operations related to agricultureXX
Professional home officesPP
Public and semi-public buildings, structures and usesPP
Relocated residential structuresPX
Roadside stands for the sale of produce and agricultural products produced on the premisesPP
Schools, private, parochial, vocational-technical, business, etc. 10,000 square feet or less in aggregate sizeC (Note 3)X
Schools, private, parochial, vocational-technical, business, etc. more than 10,000 square feet in aggregate sizeXX
Short-term RentalCC
Special eventP (Note 4)X
Special event facilityC (Note 4)X
Uses not specified in this table(Note 2)(Note 2)

Notes TABLE 15.2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS Performance Standard A1 AG-RES Minimum lot area for zoning to the district No min. No min.

Minimum lot size 1 acre 2 acre Maximum gross density for dwellings 1 unit per acre 1 unit per two acres

Table or figure — shown as printedverify at source
Minimum lot width                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          125 feet                                                                                                                       150 feet

Minimum front setback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      50 feet                                                                                                                        50 feet

Minimum side setback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       25 feet                                                                                                                        25 feet

Minimum rear setback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       25 feet                                                                                                                        25 feet

Minimum buffer on side and rear (Note 1) 25 feet 25 feet Minimum exterior setback (Major subdivisions only) 50 feet 50 feet Minimum heated floor area per dwelling unit, square feet 700 700 Character Areas South Big Haw Creek & Chestatee Sawnee McFarland GA 400 Creek Daves Creek Lanier Vickery Creek Campground North GA 400 / Jot Em Etowah Mountain Down Maximum McFarland McFarland/ Shiloh Road Regional Node South GA 400 South GA 400/ Highway 141 Regional Node Big Creek Peachtree Parkway Community Node Haw Creek & Daves Creek Haw Creek Community Node Lanier Lake Lanier/ Mary Alice Park Community Node Vickery Creek Castleberry/ Bethelview Community Node Campground Highway 20 Neighborhood Node Highway 20 Community Node North GA 400 Hammond's Crossing Regional Node Chestatee/Jot Em Down Chestatee Neighborhood Node Etowah Matt and Silver City Neighborhood Nodes Sawnee Mountain Coal Mountain Community Node height Office Office Uses: Uses Non- Non- Non-80’ and Residential Residential Residential 50’ (Note3) 50’ Mixed 40’ 50’ 40’ Uses and 40’ 60’ 40’ Uses and 30’ 40’ 50’ 50’ Uses and 30’ 40’ 30’ 40’ 30’ 40’

Mixed Use: Mixed Use: Mixed Use: Mixed Use:

Use: 60’ 50’ 60’ 80’

70’ (Note (Note 2) (Note 2) (Note 2) (Note 2) 2)

Notes:
(1)This requirement only applies to commercial uses in these districts. The director shall make the determination of a proposed use is considered commercial. This requirement shall not apply to agritourism. A special event facility shall follow buffer requirements as indicated in 15-3.3(F).
(2)The maximum height for any use not referenced for this node shall be the maximum height allowed for the character area in which the node is located.
(3)Height maximum of 125’ for office uses is permitted within the portion of the McFarland/Shiloh Road Regional Node illustrated below:
Reading grid · rebuilt for display · verify at source (p. 204)