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Meriwether County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 7

- ZONING DISTRICT STANDARDS AND PERMITTED USES

Sec. 7.1.- District, lot and height standards.

The requirements regarding lot size, building size, and building placement on the lot for each zoning district shall be met as indicated in article 4 of this ordinance, general provisions, and table 7.1., zoning district area, yard and height requirements. Please note the districts not listed in this table have standards in separate articles of this ordinance.

Table 7.1. District Area, Yard and Height Requirements
Zoning District Minimum Lot Area * Minimum lot Width at Setback Line (ft.) ** Front Yard (ft.) from Arterial and Collector/Local Street Side Yard (ft.) Rear Yard (ft.) Max. Building Height (ft.)
A-1—Agricultural 25 acres minimum
Residential lot 2-acre fronting on paved county road
5 acres fronting or accessing county dirt or unimproved roads 		300
200
200 		115 30 50 40
RR—Rural reserve 10 acres minimum
Residential lot 2-acre fronting on paved county road
5 acres fronting or accessing county dirt or unimproved roads 		275
200
200 		115 30 50 40
LDR—Low-density residential 5 acres minimum
Residential lot 2 acres fronting on paved county road 5 acres fronting or accessing county dirt or unimproved roads 		200 115 25 40 35
RD—Rural development 2 acres minimum paved county road
5 acres minimum dirt or unimproved county road 		200 115 20 30 35
R-1—Single-family 1.5 acres minimum with public water
1.0 acre with public water and public sewer. Must be county paved road 		100 75 20
15 		30
20 		35
MFR—Multifamily residential 1.0 acre only allowed with public water and public sewer 100 75 15 20 35
Efficiency—500 sq. ft. heated floor space.
Duplex—Each unit 750 sq. ft. floor space for a total min. building size of 1,500 sq. ft.
NHC—Neighborhood commercial 1 acre 100 100 20 25 40
PUD—Planned unit development See article 13 of this ordinance for development standards
I—Industrial 1 acre 100 100 15 20 50
MHP (Mobile home park) See article 10 of this ordinance for development standards
CIPD (Commercial industrial park district) See article 14 of this ordinance for development standards
PID (Planned industrial district) See article 15 of this ordinance for development standards

 

All zoning districts will allow a minimum two-acre residential lots that access paved county roadways.

All zoning districts will allow a minimum of five-acre residential lots that front or access dirt or unimproved county roadways. This provision shall also apply to new subdivision streets accessing dirt or unimproved roads unless the road is improved to Meriwether County Road and Street Standards.

A private road or access easement must be a minimum of 30 feet in width. No more than three lots may access a single private drive or access easement.

Private drives or access easements are not eligible for acceptance into the county road system unless the roadway is constructed at owner's expense to Meriwether County Road Specifications.

Provisions of this section does not exempt properties from Meriwether County Subdivision Requirements.

Notes:

* Public road frontage requirements.

** This measurement is from the centerline of the road.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)

Sec. 7.2. - Appearance standards.

Appearance standards shall apply to all single-family detached dwellings including site-built housing, industrialized housing, and manufactured houses. Approval shall be granted upon finding that such development shall meet or exceed the appearance standards as shown in table 7.2., appearance standards for single-family detached dwellings.

Table 7.2. Appearance Standards for Single-Family Detached Dwellings
Type I Type II Type III Type IV MHP Only
Minimum dwelling width 24' 20' 18' 16'
Minimum roof pitch 5/12 4/12 4/12 4/12
Minimum heated floor area 1,375 sq. ft. 1,375 sq. ft. 1,375 sq. ft. 1,375 sq. ft
Roof materials (1) (1) (1) (1)
External siding materials (2) (2) (2) (2)
Permanent foundation Required (3) Required (3) Required (3) Not required
Utility meter Mounted on structure only Mounted on structure Mounted on structure Mounted on structure
Landing area (4) (4) (4) (4)
Towing devices (4) (5) (5) (6)

 

Notes:

(1)

The roof shall have a surface of wood shakes, asphalt composition, wood shingles, concrete, fiberglass tiles, metal tiles, slate, built-up gravel materials or other materials approved by the community development department of Meriwether County.

(2)

The exterior siding materials shall consist of wood, masonry, concrete, stucco, masonite, metal lap, vinyl lap, or other materials of like appearance approved by the community development department of Meriwether County.

(3)

Permanent foundations shall meet the requirements of adopted international building code and any other applicable building codes. For manufactured homes, a masonry curtain wall, solid except for the required ventilation and access, must be installed so that it encloses the area under the manufactured home to the ground level. Masonry curtain wall shall be constructed on a foundation requiring a minimum of six-inch trench depth, four-inch of concrete, and foundation width shall extend a minimum of two inches on each side of the wall.

(4)

For manufactured homes, a landing area is required, and its width and length must be greater than or equal to the width of the entrance doorway.

(5)

Manufactured homes are required to remove all towing devices.

(6)

Manufactured homes that cannot remove towing devices shall enclose the device with concrete masonry wall meeting Meriwether County specifications.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020)

Sec. 7.3. - Permitted uses and special uses.

(a)

Permitted uses. No principal building, structure or land use shall be permitted except in the zoning districts indicated and for the purposes permitted in table 7.3. Each use is mutually exclusive and does not encompass other uses listed in the table. The letter "X" indicates a permitted use in that zoning district. A principal use denoted by the letter "S" is permitted only if a special use permit is granted by the Meriwether County Commission. Special use permits are subject to standards for special uses stated in article 16 of this ordinance. Any blank area indicates the use is not permitted in that zoning district, for uses not included on this list where the zoning administrator is unable to determine clear placement, application shall be made to Meriwether County for an amendment to this table under provisions of this ordinance for text amendments to the zoning ordinance and in accordance with the Zoning Procedures Act as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 36-66-1 et seq. Permitted uses for the zoning districts not listed in this table are located in the articles for the district.

Table 7.3. Permitted and Special Uses
Permitted Uses Zoning Districts
A-1 RR LDR RD R-1 MFR MHP NHC I PUD
See Article 13 for permitted and special uses 		CIPD
See Article 14 for permitted and special uses 		PID
See Article 15 for permitted and special uses
Accessory uses and buildings—Subject to requirements in article 5 of this ordinance X X X X X X X X X
Advertising, display, sales and services X X
Air strips S S X X
Agribusinesses X X X X X
Agricultural, agricultural operations, or agricultural or farm products—Minimum 2 acres, 50 ft. from property line for feeding and housing structures X X X X
Agriculture equipment sales, supply and storage X X
Ambulance services X X
Amusement parks—Provided that facilities are not located closer than 2,500 feet to a residential district S X
Animal care facilities—Provided animal hospitals, clinics or shelters shall be located at least 200 feet from any property zoned for residential use X X S X X
Antique shops X
Apparel and accessory shops X
Appliance sales and services X
Art galleries X
Athletic/health clubs and facilities X
Assembly halls, civic centers X
Auto/motor vehicle race tracks—Provided facilities are not located closer than one mile to a residential district S S
Automobile and truck sales and repairs X X
Automobile and body shops X X
Bait shops X
Bakeries/pastry shops X
Banks or financial institutions, full service X X
Banks and auto-tellers X X
Banquet halls—Minimum lot size in A-1 and RR is 35 acres X X X X
Barber shops X
Baseball batting cages S X
Beauty shops X
Bed and breakfast homes—See article 5 of this ordinance for requirements S S S S S
Bed and breakfast inns—See article 5 of this ordinance for requirements S S X
Billiard halls X X
Boat storage X X
Boat sales, services and repairs X X
Books, cards and stationary stores X
Bottling plants X
Bowling alleys X X
Building materials sales, supplies and storage X X
Bus stations X X
Car washes, manual and automatic X
Cabinet shops X
Carpet cleaning stores X
Carpet and rug sales, floor coverings and storage X X
Caterers S S S S X
Cemeteries, private—Any plot of ground, building, mausoleum or other enclosure used for the burial of persons of one collateral line of descent. Private cemeteries shall not be located in floodplains. S S S S X X
Cemeteries, religious institution—A plot of ground, building, mausoleum or other enclosure owned by or adjacent to a religious institution and used for the burial of persons who are generally members of that religious institution. Cemeteries shall not be located in a floodplain. S S S S S S S S
Cemeteries, public—A plot of ground, building, mausoleum or other enclosure not located on property owned by or adjacent to a religious institution and used for the burial of persons. Cemeteries shall not be located in a floodplain. S S S X X
Child care centers, group X X
Child care facilities X
Child care homes—Child care homes shall conform to regulations in article 5 of this ordinance, home occupation regulations S S S S S S S X X
Churches S S S S S S X X
Cinemas, movie theaters X
Clinics, public or private X X
Clubs or lodges S S S S X X
Colleges, universities, junior colleges or technical schools S S S S S X X
Commercial timber production X S S X X
Concrete/stone cutting and fabrication X
Contractor equipment—Material storage X
Convenience stores with or without fuel service—Provided that all fuel pumps shall be at least 15 feet from the street right-of-way X X
Crematory X X
Curio and souvenir shops X
Drug stores, pharmacies X
Dwellings—Multifamily X
Dwellings—Single-family detached Type I X X X X X X
Dwellings—Single-family detached Type II X X X X
Dwellings—Single-family detached Type III X X X
Dwellings—Single-family detached Type IV X
Equipment rentals X
Equipment supplies—Business or industrial X X
Farming, crop production only X X S
Flea markets X X
Florist shops X
Funeral homes, mortuaries S S S X X
Furniture, home furnishings and appliances X
Garden and landscaping supplies X X X X
Gasoline stations with auto services—All fuel pumps shall be at least 15 feet from street right-of-way X X
Golf courses and clubhouses, driving ranges X
Government buildings S S S X
Grocery/general merchandise stores X
Hardware, paint and wallpaper stores X
Hobby, toy and game stores X
Home occupations—Subject to regulations of article 5 of this ordinance X X X X X X X X
Hospitals, health and medical institutions X
Hotels X
Jewelry stores X
Junkyards, salvage yards X
Kennels, dog or cat X X S X X
Laundries, commercial services X X
Laundries, pick-up and dry cleaning services X
Laundries, coin-operated X X
Libraries X
Machine shops, fabrication, welding, sales and services S X
Machinery sales, services and repairs X X
Manufacturing facilities involving the mechanical or chemical conversion of raw materials into semi-finished or finished products X
Manufacturing facilities involving only the assembly of pre-manufactured component parts S X
Meat processing—Subject to state regulations and health department approval X
Mineral or natural material excavation or extraction operations S
Mini-warehouses (self-storage facilities) X
Motels X
Museums X
Nurseries, plant; greenhouses—Provided that no structure or equipment storage shall be located closer than 100 feet to any adjoining residential property X X X X
Offices, professional X
Office supply stores X
Parking lots or garages, commercial X X
Parks and recreational facilities S S S S S S S X X
Pet and dog grooming businesses X X S X
Personal care homes, congregate X
Personal care homes, family X X X X X X
Personal care homes, group X
Personal care homes, halfway house X
Print shops X
Produce stands—Provided a minimum of four off-street parking spaces are provided and maintained X X X
Radio, TV and communication towers—Communication tower sites shall be in accordance with article 9 of this ordinance S S S S S S S S X
Railroad stations X X
Recycling centers with processing facilities X X
Recycling collection stations X X
Repair services, general merchandise X X
Repair services (heavy equipment) X
Restaurants—Drive-in X
Restaurants—Non-drive-in X
Retail stores offering common merchandise X
Roominghouses and boardinghouses S S S S S X
RV parks and campgrounds—Subject to regulations as set forth in article 10 of this ordinance S S S X
Schools, public, private or parochial (elementary and secondary) S S S S X
Sewerage treatment facilities, public or private S S S S S
Shoe shops—Sales and service X
Shopping centers X
Shooting ranges, indoor and outdoor—*See (1) and (2). S S
Solar farms—A solar generation facility for the production and sale of electrical energy to an electric utility S S
Special events—Permit is required. *See alcohol chapter sections 4-77 and 4-78 for requirements X X X X X X X X X
Storage yards, equipment X
Storage warehouses X X
Studios—Art, photography or other similar uses X
Taxidermy S S X
Tire sales and services X X
Transfer stations, for Meriwether County solid waste S
Truck terminals, freight handling X
Video sales and rentals X
Water treatment facilities X
Wholesale/warehouse/distribution facilities X
Wrecker services, temporary storage X X

 

(1)

Shooting ranges, indoor, must meet, at a minimum, all the following requirements:

a.

Shall be required to meet the most recent applicable standards established by the NRA Range Source Book published by the NRA.

b.

Shall be required to meet all applicable standards by Lead Management and OSHA Compliance for Indoor Shooting Ranges published by the National Association of Shooting Ranges (NASR) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

c.

Shall be required to have a NRA Range Technical Team Evaluation and provide a copy of the final report from the range technical team advisor prior to the certificate of occupancy and business license being issued.

d.

Liability insurance required. Each application for a license issued under this permit shall be accompanied by evidence that the applicant has obtained not less than $1,000,000.00 of liability insurance per occurrence. Such insurance policy shall remain in force and effect during the term of the license. Such insurance policy shall contain a clause requiring the insurer to immediately notify the county if for any reason coverage under the policy terminates. The proof of insurance required by this section shall be furnished to the county upon each renewal of the license. Additionally, the licensee shall furnish to the county proof of insurance when requested to do so.

e.

Certified instructors required. The owner or operator of an indoor shooting range shall have on the premises at all times during range operation an individual certified as a firearm or range instructor by the National Rifle Association or the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Council.

f.

Shall provide an operating telephone available to range participants and spectators for the purpose of contacting emergency medical services,

g.

A first aid kit containing the items recommended by a certified expert in emergency medical treatment shall be readily available at each shooting sports facility for emergency treatment or care of minor injuries.

h.

A management guide book shall be maintained that includes procedures for operations, maintenance, and lead management and recovery. The management guide book shall be kept on-site and shall be accessible at all times to those using the shooting sports facility.

(2)

Shooting ranges, outdoor, must meet, at a minimum, all the following requirements:

a.

Shall be required to meet the most recent applicable standards established by the NRA Range Source Book published by the NRA.

b.

Shall be required to meet all applicable standards established by Lead Management and OSHA Compliance for Outdoor Shooting Ranges published by the National Association of Shooting Ranges (NASR) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the EPA's Best Management Practices for Outdoor Shooting Ranges.

c.

Shall be required to have a NRA Range Technical Team Evaluation and provide a copy of the final report from the range technical team advisor prior to the certificate of occupancy and business license being issued.

d.

Liability insurance required. Each application for a license issued under this permit shall be accompanied by evidence that the applicant has obtained a general liability policy in an amount not less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. Such insurance policy shall remain in force and effect during the term of the license. Such insurance policy shall contain a clause requiring the insurer to immediately notify the county if for any reason coverage under the policy terminates. The proof of insurance required by this section shall be furnished to the county upon each renewal of the license. Additionally, the licensee shall furnish to the county proof of insurance when requested to do so.

e.

Certified instructors required. The owner or operator of an outdoor shooting range shall have on the premises at all times during range operation an individual certified as a firearm or range instructor by the National Rifle Association or the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Council.

f.

Shall provide an operating telephone available to range participants and spectators for the purpose of contacting emergency medical services.

g.

A first aid kit containing the items recommended by a certified expert in emergency medical treatment shall be readily available at each shooting sports facility for emergency treatment or care of minor Injuries.

h.

A management guide book shall be maintained that includes procedures for operations, maintenance, and lead management and recovery. The management guide book shall be kept on-site and shall be accessible at all times to those using the shooting sports facility.

i.

Prior to submitting for the special use permit, the applicant shall have the NRA Range Development Technical Team advise as to the standard of noise reduction possible and to what decibel level the proposed operation will create. The applicant shall provide NRA documentation of the evaluation, including any potential noise levels.

j.

The noise level shall not exceed 65 decibels at any point 50 feet from the nearest occupied residence, school, hotel, motel, hospital or church. If complaints are received, the zoning administrator shall use the best tools reasonably available to determine the merit of the complaint. If determined by the zoning administrator that a valid noise concern exists, approval from the board of commissioners to employ services of a noise consultant shall be requested. All related expenses shall be incurred by the applicant. The zoning administrator's office shall obtain an estimate of the expenses and the applicant shall pay the estimate in advance. Should the actual costs be less than the estimate, the applicant shall be returned the balance. In addition, the applicant will be given 30 days to modify the shooting range to reduce noise to an approved level, or all outdoor shooting range activities shall cease.

(3)

Recreational vehicle: A recreational vehicle, as defined in appendix A, section 3.1, is allowed as a "temporary use" by the owner or their designee in A1, RR, LDR, RD and R1 districts if a building permit has been issued for the construction of a permanent residence to be occupied by the owner and his immediate family upon completion.

Temporary residence will be allowed in conjunction with an active building permit and comply to the following requirements:

(a)

Must be located to the front of the new residence;

(b)

May only be occupied by the owner of the property and or their designee, while the permanent residence is being constructed;

(c)

Temporarily be attached to the sewer system of the new residence;

(d)

Temporarily have power and electrical source; and

(e)

Temporary residence must cease upon the receipt of a "CO" (certificate of occupancy) or 12 months, whichever comes earlier.

Permanent storage: In addition to other zoning districts where authorized, recreational vehicles may be stored in A1, RR, LDR, RD and R1 districts so long as the recreational vehicle is being stored, not lived in, and not connected to any permanent power, water and sewer source. As stated under this provision, recreational vehicles must be stored in the rear or side yards and shall not encroach on setback lines of the property.

(Ord. No. 2020-04, § 1(Exh. A), 8-25-2020; Ord. No. 2023-05, 11-28-2023)