The provisions of this ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the City Administrator or other official designated by the Woodbine City Council. The Planning Commission may, at its discretion, provide for other enforcement mechanisms that may be advantageous to the city.

A.

Certificate of Zoning Compliance and Building Permit Required. It shall be unlawful to begin the excavation or filling of any lot for the construction of any building, including accessory buildings, until the City Administrator or other official designated by the City Council has issued a Certificate of Zoning Compliance and the Camden County [City] Building Inspector has issued a Building Permit for such work.

B.

Issuance of Certificate of Zoning Compliance.

(1)

The applicant shall submit to the City Administrator, or other official designated by the City Council, a dimensioned sketch or scale plan indicating the shape, size and location of all buildings to be erected, and of any buildings already on the lot.

(2)

Applicant shall also state the existing and intended use of all such buildings and structures.

(3)

If the proposed work, as set forth in the application, conforms to the provisions of this ordinance, the City Administrator or other official designated by the City Council shall issue a Certificate of Zoning Compliance upon payment of the required fee.

(4)

If the Certificate of Zoning Compliance is refused, the City Administrator or other official designated by the City Council shall give the applicant a written explanation of the reasons for the refusal.

(5)

Certificate of Zoning Compliance must be renewed if construction has not begun within six (6) months of the initial date of issue.

C.

Issuance of Building Permit.

(1)

The applicant shall submit to the Camden County [City] Building Inspector a Certificate of Zoning Compliance for the proposal. The applicant shall also submit copies of the information required by Sections 8.2B(1) and (2).

(2)

If the proposed work, as set forth in the application, conforms to the provisions of all applicable building codes and regulations as may be required in addition to the provisions of this ordinance, the Camden County [City] Building Inspector shall issue the Building Permit upon payment of the required fee.

(3)

If the Building Permit is refused, the Camden County [City] Building Inspector shall give the applicant a written explanation of the reasons for the refusal.

(4)

Building Permits must be renewed if construction has not begun within six (6) months of the initial date of issue.

A.

Certificate of Occupancy Required. No land or building hereafter erected or altered in its use shall be used until a Certificate of Occupancy has been granted.

B.

Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.

(1)

Upon completion of any work for which a Building Permit and a Certificate of Zoning Compliance have been granted, application shall be made to the Camden County [City] Building Inspector for a Certificate of Occupancy.

(2)

Within three (3) days of application, the Camden County [City] Building Inspector shall make a final inspection of the property and shall issue the Certificate of Occupancy if the work conforms to the necessary regulations.

(3)

If the certificate is refused, the Camden County [City] Building Inspector must state such refusal in writing, with the cause.

The Woodbine Planning Commission is authorized to issue temporary permits for the following uses, subject to the applicable conditions for each individual temporary use and provided it is determined such uses will cause no traffic congestion, and will not adversely affect surrounding areas. Any temporary use not allowed for in this ordinance shall be requested from the City Council.

(1)

Carnival or circus, in approved open areas, for a period not to exceed three (3) weeks, and subject to approval by the City Council.

(2)

Religious meeting in a tent or other temporary structure, in an approved open area, for a period not to exceed forty (40) days.

(3)

Open lot sale of Christmas trees, in an approved area, for a period not to exceed forty-five (45) days.

(4)

Contractor's office and equipment sheds, for a period of twelve (12) months, provided that such an office is placed on the property to which it is appurtenant.

A.

The uses listed under the various land use districts (Article Five) as "Special Permit Uses" are so classified because they more intensely dominate the area in which they are located than do other uses permitted in the district. However, the nature of such uses makes it desirable that they be permitted to locate therein. The following procedure is established to integrate properly the special permit uses with other land uses located in the district.

B.

Application and Review Process.

(1)

When applying for a Certificate of Zoning Compliance. The applicant will be informed by the City that the proposed use is a Special Permit Use. The matter will then be referred to the Woodbine Planning Commission.

(2)

An application shall be filed with the Woodbine Planning Commission no later than two weeks prior to its next regularly-scheduled meeting. Said application shall show the location or intended use of the site, the names of all the property owners and existing land uses within three hundred (300) feet and any other material or information pertinent to the request which the Woodbine Planning Commission may require.

(3)

The Planning Commission shall hold one or more public hearings thereon.

(4)

The Planning Commission shall, within forty-five (45) days of the date of application, prepare its report as to the effect of such proposed building or use upon the character of the neighborhood, traffic conditions, public utilities, and other matters related to the general welfare. It will then authorize or deny the issuance of a permit for the use of land or buildings as requested.

C.

Application Review Criteria. Special permit uses shall be permitted only upon authorization by the Woodbine Planning Commission, provided that such uses shall be found to comply with the following requirements and other applicable requirements as set forth in this ordinance.

(1)

The use shall be so designed, located and proposed to be operated so that the public health, safety, welfare and convenience will be protected.

(2)

The use will not cause substantial injury to the value of other property in the neighborhood where it is to be located.

(3)

The use will be compatible with adjoining development and the proposed character of the land use district where it is to be located.

(4)

Adequate landscaping and screening shall be provided as required.

(5)

Adequate off-street parking and loading shall be provided, and ingress and egress shall be so designed as to cause minimum interference with traffic on abutting streets.

(6)

The use shall conform with all applicable regulations governing the district where located and all supplementary regulations and other requirements of this ordinance.

(7)

All procedures, standards, rules and regulations shall be complied with as established by the Division of Children and Youth of the State Department of Family and Children Services for the licensing of Day Care Centers and Kindergartens.

A.

The Woodbine Planning Commission may authorize a variance from the requirements of this ordinance where it can be shown that owing to special and unusual circumstances related to a specific lot, strict application of the ordinance would cause an undue or unnecessary hardship. No variance shall be granted to allow the use of property for a purpose not authorized with the one in which the proposed use would be located. In granting a variance, the Planning Commission may attach conditions which it finds necessary to protect the best interests of the surrounding property or vicinity and otherwise achieve the purposes of this ordinance.

B.

Conditions Governing the Granting of a Variance. A variance may be granted by the Woodbine Planning Commission only in the event that all of the following circumstances exist:

(1)

Exceptional or extraordinary circumstances apply to the property which do not apply to other properties in the same zone or vicinity and result from lot size or shape, topography or other circumstances over which the owners of the property, since enactment of this ordinance, have had no control.

(2)

The variance is necessary to provide the applicant the same basic property rights that other property owners in the same zone or vicinity possess.

(3)

The variance would not be materially detrimental to the purposes of this ordinance, or to property in the same zone or vicinity in which the property is located, or otherwise conflict with the objectives of any city plan or policy.

(4)

The variance requested is the minimum variance which would alleviate the hardship.

C.

Procedure for Taking Action on a Variance Application. Variances shall be reviewed and authorized or rejected under the following procedure:

(1)

A property owner may initiate a request for a variance by filing an application with the Woodbine Planning Commission. All applications must be filed a minimum of two weeks prior to the Planning Commission meeting where the request will be heard.

(2)

The Planning Commission shall hold one or more public hearings thereon.

(3)

The Planning Commission shall render its decision on the application and forward copy of their decision to the Woodbine City Council for final approval or disapproval at their next meeting.

(4)

Applicant shall be notified within five days of the final decision.

D.

Time Limit on Permit for Variance. Authorization of a variance shall be void after one year unless substantial construction has taken place. However, the Planning Commission may extend authorization for an additional period not to exceed one year, upon request.

In case any building or structure is demolished, erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, or repaired, converted or maintained, or any structure or land is used in violation of any provision of this ordinance or any amendment hereto hereafter enacted, or in the event of the violation by any person or persons of the provisions of this ordinance or any such amendment, such violation shall be held to be a municipal offense, the charge for such violation hereof to be brought in and determined by the Municipal Court of Woodbine, Georgia, and the offender, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00) or imprisoned for not more than ninety (90) days, either or both; and each day that any structure or land is used in violation of this ordinance shall constitute a separate offense.

If any building or structure is erected, constructed, reconstructed, repaired, converted, or maintained or any building, structure, or land is used in violation of this ordinance, the City Government, the Camden County [City] Building Inspector or other City Resident who would be damaged by such violation, in addition to other remedies, may institute injunction, mandamus, or other appropriate action to prevent the use of the building, structures or land.