Thanks to Berrien County, Georgia, Zoning Administrator Teresa Willis for calling to discuss the proposed rezoning on Bradford Road.

Bradford Road Rezoning

She noted the current zoning is in the last map in the packet she previously sent:

Map: Zoning map with recently purchased tracts in yellow
PDF

Zoom in and look for the letters AU in black on the dark blue background. The entire area is zoned AU, which is for agricultural use.

She does not know what the proposed rezoning is, since the applicant has not sent further materials, and it is possible he may not do so until the day of the Planning Commission Public Hearing.

She said the housing subdivision he proposes does not necessarily require a rezoning. However, as I pointed out in the previous post, that would not really fit with the Comprehensive Plan.

She also sent an extract from the Berrien County Land Development Code with all the zoning district names.

SECTION 4. – LAND DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

4-1 – Establishment of districts.

In order that the purposes of this ordinance as defined in section 1[1-5] may be accomplished, there are hereby established within Berrien County, Georgia, land development districts identified as follows:

4-1.1 AU agricultural use. The purpose of this district is to permit agricultural uses, to encourage the maintenance of the rural countryside, to preserve forests and other undeveloped lands away from areas of population growth, and to allow residents to retain their traditional ways of life. The preferred land use in the district is agricultural, either active in the form of crops, or passive in the form of forest management or pasture lands. The minimum lot size for any residential unit is two acres. The AU district should be utilized as a land use designation where a more intensive use of the land is unlikely to occur in the near future. The requirements of the district are designed to encourage the maintenance of a rural character.

4-1.2 RR rural residential. The purpose of this district shall be to allow for residential development on lots of not less than two acres in appropriate areas designated in the comprehensive plan in unincorporated Berrien County. With health department approval, such districts may use individual water supply and sewerage disposal systems. Minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit in this district shall be a minimum of 600 square feet.

4-1.3 R1A single-family residential. The purpose of this district is to provide single family residential areas with minimum lot sizes of one acre, said areas being protected from the depreciating effects of small lot development and excessive density and from the encroachment of these uses which are incompatible to a desirable residential environment. With health department approval, such districts may use individual water supply and sewerage disposal systems. Minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit in this district shall be a minimum of 1,200 square feet.

4-1.4 MHP manufactured housing park. The purpose of this district is to provide for the development of property that is suitably located and planned for manufactured housing park use. Property developed in this district is to remain in single ownership for rental or leasing purposes only. Manufactured housing parks shall be developed only in strict accordance with the manufacturing housing park provisions of this ordinance.

4-1.5 RC rural commercial. The purpose of this district is to provide for and protect areas that can accommodate a variety of sales and services that are commonly needed by the rural community.

4-1.6 GB general business. The purpose of this district shall be to provide for and encourage the proper grouping and development of uses which include a wide variety of sales and services that will best accommodate the needs of the county and the traveling public in order to reduce highway traffic congestion, traffic hazards and blight along the public streets and highways of the county.

4-1.7 WLI wholesale-light industrial. The purpose of this district shall be to provide and protect areas for those wholesale and light industrial uses which do not create excessive noise, odor, smoke or dust, and which do not possess other objectionable characteristics which might be detrimental to surrounding neighborhoods or to the other uses permitted in the district.

[4-1.8 Reserved.]

4-1.9 HI heavy industrial. The purpose of this district shall be to provide and protect areas for those industrial uses which cannot comply with the regulations of the WLI district.

4-1.10 CA adult commercial. The purpose of this district shall be to provide a location within the community for the development of adult-oriented businesses, including adult entertainment establishments.

LDC

4-1 Establishment of Land Development Districts
PDF

How do you know where these zoning codes apply?

4-2 – Land development districts map and major thoroughfare plan.

The boundaries of each district are shown on maps entitled “Official Land Development Districts Map of Berrien County, Georgia.” The classification of streets (local and collector streets and arterials) within Berrien County, Georgia, are shown on a map entitled “Major Thoroughfare Plan, Berrien County, Georgia.” The official land development districts map and major thoroughfare plan shall be dated and certified by the chairman of the county commission and county clerk, and said maps and all explanatory matter thereon accompanies and is hereby made a part of this ordinance.

Accurate copies of the “Official Land Development Districts Map of Berrien County, Georgia” and the “Major Thoroughfare Plan, Berrien County, Georgia,” shall be on file in the office of the county code enforcement officer at all times. Said maps shall accurately show all map amendments made in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance. It shall be the duty of the county code enforcement officer to insure that the “Official Land Development Maps of Berrien County, Georgia” and the “Major Thoroughfare Plan, Berrien County, Georgia,” displayed in his office, are kept up to date and accurately show all amendments.

So apparently a single physical copy of each map is all that is required.

However, the map of Bradford Road with the black AU on blue appears to have been drawn using the same GIS system as the Berrien County Tax Assesors use. So presumably there is an online version of at least the Districts map.

Further Districts
PDF

Meanwhile, we know what the current zoning is for the subject property: AU agricultural use.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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