The official Zoning Map, Lamar County, Georgia is hereby designated to be Section 2301 of these regulations. Any reference to the "Official Map" in these regulations refers to the Official Zoning Map, Lamar County, Georgia.

(Ord. No. 2010-16, 11-16-10; Ord. No. 2017-01, §§ 1, 2, 3-21-17; Ord. No. 2017-06, §§ 1, 2, 10-17-17; Ord. No. 2017-07, 12-19-17; Ord. No. 2018-01, 3-20-18; Ord. No. 2018-02, 3-20-18; Ord. No. 2018-04, 9-18-18; Ord. No. 2018-05, 9-18-18; Ord. No. 2018-06, 10-16-18; Ord. No. 2018-07, 11-20-18; Ord. No. 2018-09, 2-19-19; Ord. No. 2018-10, 12-18-18; Ord. No. 2018-11, 12-18-18; Ord. No. 2020-01, 6-4-20; Ord. No. 2020-04, 7-21-20; Ord. No. 2020-05, 7-21-20; Ord. No. 2020-10, 10-20-20; Ord. No. 2022-08 meeting, § 1, 8-16-22; Ord. No. 2022-09 meeting, § 1, 9-20-22; Ord. No. 2022-10 meeting, § 1, 9-20-22)

(a)

The official map is signed by the Chairman of the Lamar County Board of Commissioners, and bears the seal of the county or that of a notary public under the following words: "This certifies that this is the Official Zoning Map, Lamar County, Georgia referred to in Article 23 of the Zoning Ordinance of Lamar County, Georgia," together with the date of adoption of the ordinance.

(b)

The official map may be altered only if the proposed alterations are in conformance with the Lamar County Land Use Plan, (this does not necessarily mean a one-to-one correspondence) and sound comprehensive planning principles. Any alteration of the official map is an amendment to the ordinance. The procedure by which amendments are proposed and approved is contained in section 410. Any amendment involving changes in zoning district boundaries must be entered on the official map as soon as the amendment has been approved by the Lamar County Board of Commissioners. The entry must be as follows: "On (date) by official action of the Lamar County Board of Commissioners of Lamar County, Georgia, the following change (or changes) were made in the Official Zoning Map, Lamar County, Georgia: (Brief description of change)." It must be signed by the Chairman of the Lamar County Board of Commissioners. No amendment to portions of these regulations that are illustrated on the official zoning map becomes effective until after the change has been entered as described above on the official map.

(c)

Alterations to the official map may be made only by the procedures contained in sections 410 and 2302 of these regulations. Any unauthorized alteration of the official map by any person is a violation of these regulations.

(d)

The official map shall be on display in the office of the administrative officer, and is the final authority as to the current status of zoning district boundaries.

(e)

If the official map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost, or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of changes and additions, the Lamar County Board of Commissioners may adopt a new official map which will replace the previous official map. The new official map is identified as such in the same manner as described above in this section. When the new official map is adopted, a notation must be made on the previous official map that it is no longer valid, indicating the date that the new official map was adopted, as a reference aid. The previous official map should be preserved, if it has not been lost or destroyed, for possible future reference.

(Ord. No. 2010-16, 11-16-10)

(a)

When additional land is annexed to Lamar County, the Lamar County Board of Commissioners will receive a "request for annexation" as provided by O.C.G.A. ch. 36, "Annexation of Territory". The applicant for annexation will also apply for an amendment to these regulations assigning a zoning designation under these regulations for the subject property should it be annexed.

(b)

All applications for annexation/zoning amendments must first be reviewed by the planning commission. The planning commission will study the proposed annexation/amendment and determine if it meets the requirements of these regulations, as well as other applicable ordinances of Lamar County. At this time, the administrative officer may review the proposed annexation/amendment and make written recommendations to the planning commission.

(c)

Approving a zoning district designation for annexed property and adding the subject property to the official map involves amendment to the Lamar County Zoning Ordinance and alteration of the official map. The procedures contained in sections 410 and 2302 must be followed in handling such an amendment request.

(d)

The administrative officer must post a sign at least two (2) feet by three (3) feet in size in a conspicuous place on the property at least fifteen (15) days, but not more than forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the scheduled public hearing. The sign must set forth the fact that it is a "public hearing." It must show the present zoning classification, the proposed zoning classification, date, time, and place of the scheduled public hearing. A notice of the hearing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Lamar County at least fifteen (15) days, but not more than forty-five (45) days before the hearing. Contents of the notice shall include the following: location of the property, present zoning classification, the proposed zoning classification, and the date, time, and place of the public hearing, and it must inform the public that additional information may be obtained from the administrative officer. (Note: This public hearing will be conducted by the Lamar County Board of Commissioners.)

(e)

All applications for amendment must first be reviewed by the planning commission. The planning commission will study the proposed amendment and determine if it meets the requirements of these regulations, as well as other applicable ordinances of Lamar County. At this time, the administrative officer may review the proposed amendment and make written recommendations to the planning commission.

(f)

The policies and procedures set forth in section 410 of these regulations must be followed in conduct of the public hearing on the amendment.

(g)

The planning commission will formulate its recommendations to the Lamar County Board of Commissioners on the amendment and the annexation request, recording them in the minutes for that meeting. The planning commission will send the written record of comments received at the meeting on the amendment request along with its recommendations on the proposed amendment and annexation in writing to the Lamar County Board of Commissioners within thirty (30) days of the close of the public hearing, stating reasons for its recommendations. If the planning commission fails to send its recommendations to the Lamar County Board of Commissioners within thirty (30) days of the close of the public hearing, the Lamar County Board of Commissioners will assume that the planning commission approves.

(h)

After reviewing the record of the public hearing and considering recommendations from the planning commission, the Lamar County Board of Commissioners will then make an official decision on the proposed amendment. The decision may or may not concur with the recommendations of the planning commission. This decision will be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.

(i)

If the application for amendment to set a zoning designation for the subject property is not approved by the Lamar County Board of Commissioners, then no action on the application for annexation will be taken, since the zoning designation of property proposed to be annexed must first be set according to minimum required policies and procedures before property may be annexed. The applicant may then reapply for another zoning district amendment for an alternative zoning designation if he so desires.

(j)

If the Lamar County Board of Commissioners approves the amendment for zoning designation of the subject property, they will then make a decision on the annexation request. The decision may or may not concur with the recommendations of the planning commission. This decision will be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting.

(k)

If the Lamar County Board of Commissioners denies the annexation request, the approval of the amendment for zoning designation of the subject property becomes void. A minimum period of twelve (12) months must pass before the same amendment/annexation proposal is again submitted for consideration.

(l)

If the annexation request is approved, the official map will be changed. Procedures specified in section 2302 must be followed in doing this.

(m)

Decisions of the Lamar County Board of Commissioners may be appealed on points of law to the Lamar County Superior Court. Findings of fact, however, may not be appealed.

(Ord. No. 2010-16, 11-16-10)

Where uncertainty exists with respect to the exact location of the boundary of a zoning district shown on the official map, the following guidelines will be used in establishing the exact location of the boundary:

(a)

Where a zoning district boundary line as appearing on the official map divides a single lot that was a single lot at the time of the enactment of these regulations, the requirements for the zoning district in which the greater portion of the lot lies must be extended to the balance of the lot.

(b)

Where a zoning district boundary is indicated as approximately following the corporate limit line of the city, the corporate limit line is the boundary.

(c)

Where a zoning district boundary is indicated as approximately following a property line or such line extended, the line or lines extended is/are the boundary.

(d)

Where a zoning district boundary is indicated as approximately following the center line of a stream bed, such a center line is the boundary.

(e)

Where a zoning district boundary is indicated as approximately parallel to the center line of the street, road, railroad, or the right-of-way of such a facility, the zoning district boundary is parallel to the line and at a distance from it as indicated by scale on the official map.

(Ord. No. 2010-16, 11-16-10)

(a)

The Lamar County Land Use Plan was prepared by the planning commission and adopted by the Lamar County Board of Commissioners. It should provide the best possible indication of desirable land use patterns that will meet projected future demand for land uses of various types. The Lamar County Land Use Plan supplies a body of information on which decisions on future development may be made that are guided by sound planning principles. The plan does not legally regulate land uses. It contains a land use map, which shows suitable areas for various types of land uses. Actual land uses may not necessarily conform to the land use map.

(b)

The zoning districts contained on the official map carry standards which must be met by all new development and construction in the county. The arrangements of zoning districts are based on land use information contained in the Lamar County Land Use Plan. Establishment and amendment of zoning district boundaries must be in conformance with the Lamar County Land Use Plan. (This does not necessarily mean a one-to-one correspondence.) This assures that such amendments to the official map are based on defensible findings of fact as well as sound comprehensive planning principles.

(Ord. No. 2010-16, 11-16-10)