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On Wednesday evening, Troup took the first major step toward finishing and approving the county’s new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).

Codifying its development regulations into a single overarching ordinance is no easy task, but it’s one that many municipalities have taken on, including the City of LaGrange. The process typically takes years, with input coming in from residents and other stakeholders.

“There have been multiple public hearings and stakeholder input sessions spanning several years. Drafts have been posted to the county website as major updates were performed. The review and recommendations for the UDO came from county staff, several departments, legal counsel, meeting with the county attorneys vetting and checking the work that we are producing. Also, a consultant was secured to start the effort and drafted the base,” said Troup County Community Development Director Jenny Parmer.

“The Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission has also provided tremendous feedback throughout the process,” Parmer said.

The purpose is to establish a unified framework for zoning, subdivision and development regulations. The new UDO repeals and replaces four indices in the Troup County Code of Ordinances, including the Troup County Zoning Ordinance, Airport Zoning, Subdivisions, and Development Corridor sections.

“Right now, we are at the final phase of the final draft, and it is posted for public comment,” Parmer said.

The most recent draft of the proposed UDO is available for review at https://www.troupcountyga.gov/Departments/Planning_Zoning

Parmer said the last revisions to the UDO at the Board of Zoning Appeals on April 10 primarily focused on kennel and livestock regulation, and particularly how they apply to animal limits and floodplain areas. 

The board voted for approval, with recommendations for revisions. The first of the revisions omitted floodplain restrictions for accessory structures used to house livestock. 

“Previously, you were not allowed to have a shed or corral or a catch pen in a floodplain, so we removed that, but they will still be subject to building permits if it’s a shed or a stable,” Parmer said.

The revisions also removed limits for livestock animals on parcels over three acres.

“The limits [are still] defined for under three acres. For example, if you live on less than one acre, you can only have six hens, no roosters, horses or cows,” Parmer said. “But after three acres, there are no limits. You just have to be able to abide by the Department of Agriculture standards and also show that you can safely and humanely take care of those animals.”

The revisions also removed a provision for commercial kennels, where there was a universal maximum cap. Instead, for commercial kennels, they need to submit a management plan that shows their capacity, capacity justification, and their animal care plan that will show the staff-to-animal ratio. For hobby kennels, they are limited to 10 animals. 

The other changes clarify the language related to inspections for building permits, business licenses, special events or special use permits. Now the language explicitly states that inspections may only occur with the consent of the property owner or applicant or pursuant to a warrant if access is denied.

A change to the short-term rental regulations was made for inherited properties. The current short-term rental ordinance requires that you have to own a property for three years before applying. The change adds a provision that if someone inherits the property and the person they inherited it from owned it for three years or more, they can apply for a short-term rental.

The Hogansville watershed protection district was also removed from the UDO because Hogansville currently purchases its water from other municipalities, and the reservoir that that protection was based around is no longer used for their drinking water.

Finally, two distinct changes were made for subdivisions. The first adds a provision where families that lack enough road frontage to normally subdivide can now do so to keep the property in the family. The other change limits the minimum parcel to 50 acres on dirt roads.

A first reading was held for the potential new UDO, with a second reading and second public hearing tentatively scheduled for June 3. If approved, staff requested an effective date of Aug. 1, 2025, to allow time to make sure there are no errors and the formatting and numbering are correct.