The provisions of this ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the enforcement officer who is given the authority to perform these functions. The enforcement officer's duties shall include receiving applications, inspecting premises, issuing building permits and certificates of occupancy for uses and structures that meet the requirements of this ordinance and other duties that are authorized by the city council.

14.2-1.

Building permit. A building permit, to indicate and ensure compliance with all provisions of this ordinance, shall be required for any proposed use of lands or buildings before any improvements or grading of lands or any alteration or construction of buildings commences.

14.2-2.

Development permit. A development permit shall be required for a planned center in any commercial or industrial district, subdivision or manufactured home park, before any improvements or grading of the land commences. Such development permit shall not be in lieu of building permits required for any structures within such developments.

14.2-3.

Manufactured home location permit. See article 9.

All applications for development and building permits shall be made to the enforcement officer and shall be accompanied by two copies of a dimensioned sketch plan.

14.3-1.

Sketch plan requirements. The required sketch plan shall include the following information:

a.

Name. Name(s) of the proposed development. Names, address(es), and phone number of the owner(s) and the designer(s) of the site plan and his seal.

b.

Date. Date, north arrow, and graphic scale.

c.

Survey boundaries. Surveyed boundaries of the entire tract and their relationship to adjoining properties, public rights-of-way, and easements.

d.

Location map. A general location map at a scale of one inch equals 2,000 feet indicating existing zoning on or adjacent to the site, adjoining roads, and the adjacent areas are required.

e.

Building locations. Location of all proposed buildings, their shape, size, and setback in appropriate scale.

f.

Parking and loading. All required parking and loading facilities for nonresidential uses.

g.

Right-of-way. Show the location, with lengths and widths, and the name or purpose of all rights-of-way of streets, roads, alleys, railroads, public crosswalks, and applicable easements.

h.

Buffers. Show the location and design of the proposed buffer and landscaping for the proposed development.

i.

Environmentally sensitive areas. Location of major river corridors, wetlands, the boundary and elevation of the 100-year floodplain as determined by the past history of flooding or the best available data.

j.

Proposed improvements. The names, where appropriate, and locations and dimensions of proposed streets, alleys, sidewalks, easements, buildings, parking and loading, dumpsters, recreation areas and facilities, yards and other open spaces.

k.

Adjacent developments. All other information concerning the lot or adjoining lots as may be essential to determine whether the proposed development meets the provisions of this ordinance shall be included in the sketch plan.

If the proposed excavation, filling or construction as set forth in the application are in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance, then the enforcement officer of the City of Ellijay shall issue a building permit upon payment of the required fee. If a building permit is refused, the enforcement officer shall state such refusal in writing with cause. The enforcement officer shall not issue any permit if the land or building as proposed to be used, constructed or altered would be in violation to any provisions of this ordinance or any codes and laws of the City of Ellijay, or the state, or federal government, except as provided herein.

The permit shall become invalid if the work authorized by the permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of one year.

It is the intention of this article that all questions arising in connection with the administration and enforcement of this ordinance shall be presented to the board of appeals only on appeals from the decision of such official.

A certificate of occupancy issued by the enforcement officer is required in advance of the occupancy or use of:

14.7-1.

Any building, structure, land, or premises.

14.7-2.

Any building or structure hereafter erected or moved.

14.7-3.

Any building hereafter altered, so as to affect the front, side, or rear yards thereof, or its height.

14.7-4.

Any building, structure, or premises in which there is a change of occupancy or use.

Within five days after the application for a certificate of occupancy and payment of any required fees, the enforcement officer shall sign and issue a certificate of occupancy if the proposed use of land or building, as stated on the certificate of occupancy and signed by the owner or his appointed agent, is found to conform to the applicable provisions of this ordinance, and if the building, as finally constructed, complies with the plans submitted for the building permit.

A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued unless the proposed use of a building or land conforms to the applicable provisions of this ordinance, or unless the building, as finally constructed, complies with the plans upon which the building permit was issued. The enforcement officer shall state in writing the reasons for denying such certificate of occupancy.

Records of application for all building permits, occupancy certificates with said permits, and occupancy certificates and denials shall be kept on file in the office of the enforcement officer and copies shall be furnished on request to any person having a proprietary or tenancy interest in the building or land involved.