Gainesville › Unified Land Development Code

Article 20 — Administration and Enforcement, Chapter 20-1 — ADMINISTRATION

current as of 2025-12-16verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗6 sections · full chapter

§ 20-1-1

Fees

From time to time, the governing body may adopt fees for the issuance of permits, the submission of applications, the provision of inspections, and such other activities and authorizations as regulated by this Code.

§ 20-1-2

Right to Inspect

No person shall refuse entry or access to any authorized representative or agent of the city, inspections personnel of the city or county, the state soil and water conservation commission, the Hall County Soil and Water Conservation District, or the state environmental protection division who requests entry for the purposes of inspection, and who presents appropriate credentials, nor shall any person obstruct, hamper or interfere with any such representative while in the process of carrying out his official duties.

§ 20-1-3

Director of Community and Economic Development

The Director of Community and Economic development or their designee shall have all the necessary powers explicitly provided or reasonably implied in connection with the administration of this Code, including but not limited to those enumerated in this section.

Where such provisions indicate the Director of Community and Economic Development has the authority to review and approve a given application or activity, said authority shall also include the denial of such application or activity.

(a)Schedules. To adopt schedules of dates, times and places as appropriate and necessary for the processing of applications established by this Code.

(b)Administrative procedures and forms. To prepare administrative procedures, guidelines, application forms, to tend to other administrative details not inconsistent with the provisions of this Code, and to implement the provisions of this Code.

(c)Approval of preliminary and final plats. To review and approve preliminary plats and final plats as also specifically provided in Section 11-1-2.

(d)Land development plans. To review and approve or deny land development plans and issue or refuse to issue land development permits in accordance with Chapter 11-6.

(e)Home occupations. To review and approve home occupations as specifically provided in Section 9-10-9.

(f)Special temporary outdoor events. To review and authorize, and to issue permits for special temporary outdoor events as provided in Section 9-11-3.

(g)Nonconforming situations. To compel an applicant to completely correct or reduce the noncompliance of nonconforming situations, pursuant to authority and subject to the limitations of Chapter 10-4.

(h)Modify and extend application requirements. To waive certain requirements, and to require additional information be submitted, for applications submitted pursuant to Article 18 and Article 19.

(i)Public notices. To provide notices or require the notice of applications submitted pursuant to Article 18 and Article 19.

(j)Recommendations on applications. To provide recommendations on annexation, rezoning and special use applications to the planning and appeals board and governing body, as may be appropriate, and as authorized in Article 18. Also, the director may provide findings or recommendations regarding zoning variances to the planning and appeals board.

(k)Certificates of appropriateness. To review, approve, and issue certificates of appropriateness for minor work projects and to provide findings and if appropriate recommendations to the historic preservation whether to issue certificates of appropriateness for major work projects pursuant to Article 19.

(l)Permits for tree removal. To issue permits when required for the removal of certain trees as specified in Section 13-5-7.

(m)Secretary, Planning and Appeals Board. To serve as secretary to the Planning and Appeals Board, as provided in Section 17-1-9, or to appoint a planning commission clerk or other designee to serve in such capacity.

(n)Inspections and investigations. To conduct such investigations as he or she may reasonably deem necessary to assure or compel compliance with the requirements and provisions of this Code, even if such responsibilities are delegated to code enforcement officers or other administrative or enforcement officers of the city.

(o)Enter property. To enter at reasonable times upon any property for purposes of investigation, inspection and enforcement.

(p)Enforcement. To enforce any and all provisions of this Code.

(q)Delegation. To delegate the functions and responsibilities of the director's position to other personnel in the community and economic development department.

(r)Interpretation. To interpret the provisions of this Code, as provided in Section 2-1-1.

Also, when the administrative or enforcement responsibilities of this article are in question, the Director of Community and Economic Development shall make such interpretation.

(s)Maintain official zoning maps and overlay district maps. To maintain and update the official zoning map of the city as provided in Section 1-4-2.

(t)Determine zoning boundaries. To determine the location of the boundary of zoning districts and overlay zones when the exact location cannot be determined, as provided in Section 1-4-3.

(u)Administrative variances. To review and approve applications for administrative variances, as provided under Chapter 20-3 and as specifically provided in any other chapters or sections of this code not specifically referenced in said chapter.

§ 20-1-4

Director of Public Works

The Director of Public Works shall have all the necessary powers explicitly provided in connection with the administration of this Code, as they pertain to functions assigned to said director, including but not limited to those enumerated in this section. Where such provisions indicate the Director of Public Works has the authority to review and approve a given application or activity, said authority shall also include the denial of such application or activity.

(a)Inspection. To periodically inspect the sites of land-disturbing activities for which permits have been issued to determine if the activities are being conducted in accordance with all applicable provisions of this Code.

(b)Delegation. To delegate the functions and responsibilities to other personnel in the public works department.

(c)Land development plans. To review land development plans and review streets and non-water resources related public improvements and recommendations for acceptance of public improvements by the Governing Body as provided in Article 11.

(d)Promulgation of additional technical standards. To promulgate additional technical standards and construction specifications for land development improvements not already specified by this Code, including but not limited to streets, driveways, curb cuts related to flow of traffic, and parking lots, as specifically provided in Section 11-1-2.

(e)Traffic impact analyses. To administer the provisions of Chapter 18-4 regarding the technical review of traffic impact analyses, and to promulgate and require the use of additional technical specifications for conducting traffic impact analyses, as provided in Section 18-4-12.

(f)Enforcement. To enforce those provisions of this Code that relate to the primary activities of the Director of Public Works.

(g)Airport zones. To direct a property owner to that a tree or structure that violates airport overlay zone requirements be removed or modified to the extent necessary to comply with the applicable height limit, as provided in Section 7-1-5; and to review and recommend variances with regard to airport overlay zone requirements as provided in Section 7-1-11.

(h)Administrative variances. To review and approve applications for administrative variances, pursuant to Chapter 20-3, but only as explicitly permitted in this Code.

§ 20-1-5

Director of Water Resources

The Director of Water Resources shall have all the necessary powers explicitly provided in connection with the administration of this Code, as they pertain to functions assigned to said director, including but not limited to those enumerated in this section. Where such provisions indicate the Director of Water Resources has the authority to review and approve a given application or activity, said authority shall also include the denial of such application or activity.

(a)Approval of water, wastewater and stormwater management facilities. To review and approve the design of water, wastewater and stormwater management facilities for subdivisions and land developments.

(b)Inspection. To periodically inspect the sites of water, wastewater and stormwater management facilities for which permits have been issued to determine if the activities are being conducted in accordance with all applicable provisions of this Code.

(c)Delegation. To delegate the functions and responsibilities to other personnel in the Department of Water Resources.

(d)Promulgation of additional technical standards. The Director of Water Resources is authorized to promulgate additional technical standards and construction specifications for land development improvements not already specified by this Code, including but not limited to water and sanitary sewer systems and stormwater management facilities.

(e)Enforcement. To enforce those provisions of this Code that relate to the primary activities of the Director of Water Resources.

(f)Flood hazard area regulations. To fulfill the functions and duties assigned under Chapter 12-2 relative to flood plain management regulations.

§ 20-1-6

Building Official

The Building Official shall have all the necessary powers explicitly provided in connection with the administration of this Code, as they pertain to functions assigned to the Building Official, including but not limited to the following:

(a)Building permits and certificates of occupancy. To review, approve, and issue building permits and certificates of occupancy, and to administer all provisions of Article 16.

(b)Delegation. To delegate the functions and responsibilities to one or more building inspectors.

(c)Enforcement. To enforce those provisions of this Code that relate to the primary activities of the Building Official.