An ordinance of Whitfield County, Georgia, the City of Dalton, Georgia, and the City of Varnell, Georgia, regulating the location, height, bulk, and size of buildings and other structures; the density of population; the uses of land, buildings and structures for business, industry, agriculture, conservation, recreation, residence, public activities and other purposes; defining certain terms used herein; creating districts for said purposes and establishing the boundaries thereof; providing for a method of administration, amendment, and enforcement and for the imposition of penalties for violation; repealing conflicting ordinances; and other matters.

(Ord. No. 23-12, § 1, 6-19-2023)

This ordinance shall be known as, referred to as, and cited as the Unified Zoning Ordinance of Whitfield County, Georgia.

(Ord. No. 23-12, § 1, 6-19-2023)

The purpose of this ordinance is to establish minimum standards for the use of land and improvements thereon within Whitfield County, Georgia and the participating municipalities. This ordinance shall serve as a tool to promote health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity, and/or the general welfare of the present and future residents of Whitfield County; to lessen congestion in the roads; to secure safety from fire, panic, and other dangers; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to provide adequate transportation, water, sewerage, parks and open spaces and other public requirements; to protect properties against blight and depreciation; to encourage the most appropriate use of land, building and other structures throughout the county; to protect and conserve irreplaceable natural resources; to secure economy in government expenditures; to minimize visual blight and enhance scenic characteristics and for other purposes, all in accordance with the joint comprehensive plan of Whitfield County. The governing authority does hereby ordain and enact into law the following articles, sections and maps of the Unified Zoning Ordinance of Whitfield County, Georgia.

(Ord. No. 23-12, § 1, 6-19-2023)

In the construction of this ordinance, the rules contained in this article shall be observed and applied, except when the context clearly indicates otherwise:

1-4-1

Words used in the present tense include the future tense.

1-4-2

Words used in the singular number include the plural number and words used in the plural include the singular.

1-4-3

The word "shall" or "must" are mandatory and not discretionary.

1-4-4

The word "may" is permissive.

1-4-5

The word "structure" includes the word "building."

1-4-6

The word "erected" includes the word "constructed," "moved," "located," or "relocated."

1-4-7

The word "lot" includes the word "plot" or "parcel."

1-4-8

The word "map" or "zoning map" means the zoning map of Whitfield County, Georgia.

1-4-9

The word "person" includes the words "individual," "firms," "partnerships," "corporations," "associations," "governmental bodies," and all other similar legal entities.

1-4-10

The words "used" or "occupied" include the words "arranged or designed here to be used or occupied" here.

1-4-11

The word "and" indicates that all of the conditions, requirements, or factors so connected must be met or fulfilled, while the word "or" indicates that at least one condition, requirement, or factor so connected must be met.

1-4-12

The term "such as" is intended to introduce one or more examples in illustration of a requirement or point, and is intended to mean "including, but not limited to, the following."

1-4-13

The masculine gender includes the feminine and vice-versa.

1-4-14

All measured quantities shall be to the nearest integral unit of measure, and if a fraction is one-half or greater, the next highest integral unit shall be used, except when computing density, in which case next lowest whole unit shall be used.

1-4-15

Where requirements are set based upon numbers of days, days are computed based upon the calendar, except that when the final date falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case the day due shall continue until the next regular working day.

(Ord. No. 23-12, § 1, 6-19-2023)