For the purposes of this ordinance, the City of Cordele is hereby divided into the following districts, designated as follows:

310.1 Incorporation of the zoning map. The boundaries of the above described districts are hereby established as shown on the map, entitled "The Official Zoning Map for the City of Cordele, Georgia," adopted on 31 December 1995, by the City Commission of Cordele, Georgia, and certified by the Cordele City Clerk. This map shall be the official zoning map of the City of Cordele and is hereby made a part of this zoning ordinance as if fully set forth herein. Said map is the final authority as to the current zoning status of land within the City of Cordele and is a public record that shall be kept on file in the office of the Chief Codes Official.

310.2 Map Amendment. If, in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, changes are made in the district boundaries or other information portrayed in the Official Zoning Map, such changes shall be made on the Official Zoning Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the City Commission, together with a numerical entry on the Official Zoning Map referring to the application on file which states the date of the official action and a brief description of the nature of the changes. No amendment to this Ordinance which involves matter portrayed on the Official Zoning Map shall become effective until after such change and entry shall have been made on said map.

Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of any of the aforesaid districts as shown on the zoning map, the following rules shall apply:

320.1  Boundaries following property lines. Unless otherwise indicated, the district boundaries are indicated as approximately following property lines, land lot lines, center lines of streets, highways, alleys, or railroads, shorelines of streams, reservoirs, or other bodies of water, or civil boundaries, and they shall be construed to follow such lines.

320.2  Boundaries parallel to centerlines of streets. Where district boundaries are approximately parallel to the center lines of streets, highways, or railroads, or rights-of-way of the same, or the centerlines of streams, reservoirs, or other bodies of water, or said lines extended, such district boundaries shall be construed as being parallel thereto and at such distance therefrom as indicated on the Official Zoning Map. If no distance is given, such dimensions shall be determined by the use of the scale shown on the Official Zoning Map.

320.3  Boundaries dividing lots. Where a district boundary line as appearing on the Official Zoning Map divides a lot that is in single ownership at the time of the enactment of this ordinance or any amendment thereto, the zoning district classification of the larger portion may be extended to the remainder by the Board of Zoning Appeals without recourse to the zoning ordinance amendment procedure set forth in this Ordinance.

320.4  Abandoned, vacated roads. Where a public road, street, or alley is vacated or abandoned by official action of the City Commission, the regulations applicable to the property to which it is reverted shall apply to such vacated or abandoned road, street or alley.

320.5  Determination of boundary by board of zoning appeals. In a case where the exact location of a boundary cannot be determined by the above-described methods, the Board of Zoning Appeals shall, upon application, determine the location of the boundary.

320.6  Comprehensiveness of zoning districts. The purpose of these regulations and the accompanying map is to place all portions of Cordele, Georgia, into zoning districts. Should any area appear, either by reference to the maps or by interpretation, to be inadvertently or otherwise omitted from a zoning district classification, such area or areas are hereby placed in an R-12 (Residential - Single Family, Low Density District) and are subject to all the regulations pertaining thereto until such time as the Planning Commission and the City Commission can determine its proper zoning district classification.

Property that is to be annexed into the City shall be zoned by the City in accordance with the following procedures.

330.1  Initiation of zoning procedures. The City of Cordele may begin the required procedures for rezoning of property to be annexed to the City as required in Article XI, Section 1130 of this Ordinance at any time on or after the date the notice of the proposed annexation is provided to the County Commission of Crisp County as required under O.C.G.A. Section 36-36-6.

330.2  Notice of hearing. The City shall cause to be published within a newspaper of general circulation within the territorial boundaries of the Crisp County wherein the property to be annexed is located a notice of the hearing as required in Article XI, Section 1130.5(a), and shall place a sign on the property complying with Article XI, Section 1130.5(b) of this Ordinance.

330.3  Hearing required. The hearing process required under Article XI, Section 1130.6 et seq. for zoning amendments shall be conducted prior to the annexation of the subject property.

330.4  Effective date. The zoning classification approved by the City shall become effective on the later of:

(a)

The date the zoning is approved by the City, or

(b)

The date the annexation becomes effective pursuant to O.C.G.A. Sec. 36-36-2.

330.5  Fees. A fee schedule will be established by the City Commission for the costs associated with the annexation.