Title 1 — Administration, Chapter 100 — General Provisions.

The Unified Development Ordinance is enacted by the Board of Commissioners in order to promote the public health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and general welfare of the present and future inhabitants and residents of Paulding County, Georgia. It is intended to achieve the following purposes:

preservation of Paulding County in accordance with the adopted Paulding County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and with long-term objectives, principles, and standards deemed beneficial to the interest and welfare of the people,

both private and public property by establishing business growth-oriented e-commerce land uses and updated service delivery strategies to meet the needs and desires of the unincorporated Paulding County communities,

flood, and other dangers,

with a view to fostering a balanced tax base of business and residential interests,

to provide for regulations that protect and enhance these aesthetic considerations,

protection, transportation, water, sewage, flood protection, schools, parks, recreational facilities, and other public facilities and services,

against overcrowding of land, undue density of population in relation to the community facilities existing or available, obstruction of light and air, and loss of life or health from fire, flood, wind, subsidence or other dangerous conditions that could be mitigated by proper construction standards,

expands the tax base,

natural and physical resources of the County, including forested areas, watersheds, streams, viewsheds, and archaeological sites and the protection of water quality as the County grows,

the County,

subdivision regulations for the protection of the environment and the security of buyers and users of developed property in Paulding County,

drainage, utilities and other public improvements,

and equal protection for the citizens and property owners of Paulding County,

interest of all the citizens of Paulding County,

within the County,

other purposes.

This Ordinance shall apply to all unincorporated areas of Paulding County, Georgia.

The provisions of this Unified Development Ordinance shall apply throughout the unincorporated area of the County. The County may enter into agreements with cities within the County, or other municipalities, to carry out the purpose of this Unified Development Ordinance. These agreements may include, but are not limited to, enforcement of provisions, resolution of disputes, and cooperative monitoring and management of the separate storm sewer system and management programs. Except as hereinafter provided, as of the date of adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance the following shall apply:

Any person proposing to rezone property, secure permits, undertake any land disturbance activity, construct, demolish, expand or modify a structure or a building for occupancy, develop or subdivide land within unincorporated areas of Paulding County, Georgia, or undertake any other development permission or activity shall pay a fee, unless waived, and make application to the appropriate Paulding County department and shall comply with all regulations set forth in this UDO.

Unless legally obtained vested rights or allowance pursuant to Court order, no building, structure, premises or land shall be used or occupied and no building or part thereof shall be erected, remodeled, extended, enlarged, constructed, or altered in a manner except in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the district in which it is or is to be located.

Unless properly varied as provided for herein, no lot shall be reduced in size so that minimum lot width or depth, size of yards, lot area per family or any other requirement of this ordinance is not maintained. This limitation shall not apply when a portion of a lot has been lawfully acquired for public purpose or for unbuildable lots used exclusively for subdivision identification signage or subdivision entrance landscape features or stormwater facilities.

Nothing in this UDO shall be deemed to require a change in the plans, construction, or designated use of any building or structure or land disturbance for which development or building permits were lawfully applied for or approved, prior to the effective date of this UDO or amendment thereto, provided:

required in or under any other statute, ordinance or resolution, these standards shall prevail, unless otherwise specified in this UDO or otherwise restricted or preempted by State or Federal law. Whenever the provisions of any other statute, ordinance, or resolution impose more restrictive standards than are required herein, the requirements of such regulations shall prevail, unless otherwise specified in this UDO.

project have been lawfully established as a condition of approval for a rezoning, variance, permit, or other formal action by the Board of Commissioners, the Zoning Board of Appeals, or any other authorized body, the requirements of such conditions shall control.

accompanying zoning approval(s) or special use(s), variances or permits issued under previous ordinances or resolutions. Modification or repeal of such past conditions of approval may be accomplished as authorized and provided by this UDO. All Special Use Permits, variances, exceptions, modifications and waivers heretofore granted by the Director, Zoning Board of Appeals, or Board of Commissioners shall remain in full force and effect, and all terms, conditions and obligations heretofore imposed by the Zoning Board of Appeals or Board of Commissioners shall remain in effect.

implementation guide for the County to coordinate and direct physical and economic development, related public investment, and to provide reasonable regulations for the development of private property in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare. This UDO is designed to implement all provisions of that Plan for the development and use of land.

Commissioners of Paulding County, Georgia.

subdivision or other activity for which a valid and complete application for a Development Permit has been received prior to the adoption of this UDO may, at the developer's option, proceed to completion and building permits may be issued as though this UDO had not been adopted, provided that the Development Permit is or can be issued within 90 calendar days of the date of adoption and all time frames associated with said permit are observed.

prior to the adoption of this UDO may, at the developer's option, proceed to completion and building permits may be issued as though this UDO had not been adopted, provided all time frames associated with said permit are observed.

activity for which a Grading Only Permit shall have been issued prior to adoption of this UDO shall be brought into conformance with this UDO. Subsequently the Grading Only Permit must conform to this UDO.

permit lawfully issued prior to the adoption of this UDO.

Except as may be required by Federal or State law, nothing in this UDO shall be deemed to require a change in the plans, construction, or designated use of any building or structure for which building permits were lawfully applied for or approved, prior to the effective date of this UDO or amendment thereto, provided:

Commissioners of Paulding County. Such amendments shall be effective as of their date of adoption unless otherwise stated in the adopting ordinance.

permit lawfully issued prior to the adoption of said amendment.

Amendments”.

in order to review and revise, as necessary, the provisions set forth herein.

shall be administered, interpreted, and enforced by the Community Development Director of Paulding County, Georgia.

and Life Safety Codes, Property Maintenance Ordinance, Building Technical Codes, Environmental Health, Transportation, Water and Sewer regulations, shall be administered by the Directors or their designee of the Departments responsible for such ordinances or regulations, as established by the Board of Commissioners.

duties necessary to administer the UDO, including all duties otherwise delegated to the Divisions of the Department. In addition, the Director shall have the following authority:

Said non-substantive changes being necessary to preserve the original meaning and intent of the UDO, shall not require Board of Commissioners approval. For example, the Community Development Director may:

have the following powers and duties under the UDO.

Title 1: Chapter 100

from time-to-time by the Board of Commissioners.

required application fee shall cause the application to be returned to the applicant without acceptance for review or consideration by the County.

of the permit. Nonpayment as a result of submission of refused credit card online or by a check having insufficient funds on account, or for any other reason, shall cause the permit to be voided and re-issuance subject to penalty as provided by law or as may be established by the Board of Commissioners.

collected for permits and inspections for those properties which fail an inspection of the Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance at the fault of the developer and/or Building Technical Codes at the fault of the builder. Said schedule of fees for re-inspections as established from time-to-time by the Board of Commissioners. (Ord. 24-05, 04/09/24)

construction, the developer shall provide the Community Development Department such fees as may be established from time-to-time by the Board of Commissioners.

provide to the Community Development Department such recording fees and proof of recording of the final plat and tender of performance and/or maintenance bonds as shall be required by this UDO or established from time-to-time by the Board of Commissioners. (Ord. 24-05, 04/09/24)