Introduction
Cobb County has released Installment Two of the new Unified Development Code (UDC). The UDC will replace the Zoning Ordinance in Chapter 134 of the County Code of Ordinances, and will be the set of regulations that governs how land can be used and developed in the County. Installment Two is available for download from the Documents and Work Products page.
Installment Two contains Article 3: Districts, and Article 4: Uses, along with associated definitions and rules of measurement in Article 9.
Article 3: Districts, includes the updated lineup of the County's zoning districts. Zoning districts describe where in the County different types of development can happen, and regulate the "look" of development in different areas. The County has prioritized the following in the update of the zoning districts:
Installment Two contains Article 3: Districts, and Article 4: Uses, along with associated definitions and rules of measurement in Article 9.
Article 3: Districts, includes the updated lineup of the County's zoning districts. Zoning districts describe where in the County different types of development can happen, and regulate the "look" of development in different areas. The County has prioritized the following in the update of the zoning districts:
- No substantive changes have been made to the single-family residential districts. Any changes that have been made are to eliminate contradictions and clarify ambiguous provisions.
- Three new mixed-use district options have been added to the list of districts to which land can be rezoned. These districts can be applied by the Commissioners to land in the activity centers identified on the County's Future Land Use Map, and support walkable, mixed-use development (including residential, commercial, and office uses) at neighborhood, community, and regional scales.
- The layout and organization of the districts have been updated to make the UDC easier to use. Districts are now located in one place in the document, and include rich graphics and tables so regulations are easy to understand.
Article 4: Uses, shows which uses are allowed in which districts, and what regulations apply specifically to any particular use.
- Uses have been consolidated in one article, and separate use tables have been created for principal, accessory, and temporary uses to allow for quick reference to use-specific standards.
- Repetitive standards have been removed to reduce duplication and improve clarity. Existing use definitions have been updated and uses that did not previously have a definition now do.
The release of Installment Two of the new UDC is a key milestone in the update of Cobb County’s Zoning Ordinance. Public input will guide and assist County staff and the consultant team in revising this draft and making sure it facilitates efficient, healthy, and compatible development that meets the community’s needs. This questionnaire provides a set of questions to assist you in thinking about the new UDC. Your input is important, and we appreciate your taking time to respond. You are encouraged to be frank and open.
You do not need to answer every question. Any suggestions, even those unrelated to a question, will be helpful, so do not hesitate to share your thoughts. Please visit the project website for more information about the project, including public events, project work products, and additional opportunities to provide feedback, both in-person and online. If you have further questions, please contact the project team via the website's comment portal.