Planning & Zoning

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Zoning Overview

Learn more about the Zoning Department and what we do with the links below:

What is zoning ?

State law gives Fayette County the authority to plan and control the use of private property through zoning. Zoning regulates where uses and development may locate.

Planning and Zoning are corresponding terms. Planning is a process that sets the growth pattern in the form of a Land Use Plan. Zoning is a system where different land uses are categorized into zones, each having its own set of standards and requirements. Zoning seeks to protect health, safety, and welfare of the general public, and is the mechanism that carries out the Land Use Plan.

Every piece of property in unincorporated Fayette County is zoned. The Fayette County Zoning Ordinance contains 17 residential zoning districts, and 6 nonresidential zoning districts.

Rezoning is the process by which a property owner requests to change the zoning and the use of their property. In Fayette County this process involves public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners.

The application for rezoning is made through the Zoning Department and involves submitting an application, survey, legal description of the property to be rezoned, a letter of intent, a Concept Plan which indicates proposed buildings, uses, parking, landscaping, and the application fee.

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After the application is accepted it is sent to various county departments and agencies for their comments. The Zoning Administrator prepares a staff report and makes a recommendation based on these comments and county policies.

The request is then brought before the Fayette County Planning Commission in a public hearing. Based on information provided by the applicant, input from the public, and the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator, the Planning Commission makes a recommendation.

The request is then brought before the Fayette County Board of Commissioners who either approve or deny the request for rezoning. This decision is based on information provided by the applicant, public input, and the recommendations of the Planning Commission and the Zoning Administrator.

By Ordinance, each rezoning request is evaluated by the following standards:

  • Whether the zoning proposal conforms with the Land Use Plan and policies;
  • Whether the zoning proposal will affect nearby properties and uses negatively;
  • Whether the zoning proposal will result in a use which will or could cause an excessive or burdensome use of existing or planned streets, utilities, or schools; and,
  • Whether there are other existing or changing conditions affecting the use and development of the property which give grounds for either approval or denial of the rezoning request.

Depending on the outcome of the request and the specific zoning and use of the property, further county regulations come into effect (such as subdivision plats, site plan approval for nonresidential uses, and various development permits). The rezoning process is only one of the many applications relating to development regulation at the Fayette County Zoning Department.

 

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What is the difference between planning and zoning ?

What is planning ?

Planning is a process of setting the future growth pattern, usually in the form of a land use plan. The land use plan is a result of comprehensive studies of the area to determine growth projections and anticipate public need. The Planning Department's challenge is to plan for future growth by providing a plan or vision for preserving the rural characteristics of the county that drew people here originally, while meeting the demands and development pressures of a county that is part of a growing metropolitan area.

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The Planning Department generates and periodically updates the following two (2) long-range plans which provide a framework for future development in Fayette County:

  • The Fayette County Land Use Plan (1993 - 2000),adopted in 1985, provides policies for the pattern, intensity and phasing of land use and development in Fayette County in a manner consistent with community goals and objectives. The land use plan assigns a land use category to all areas within the County. The land use categories are general (commercial, industrial, agricultural, conservation/open space and residential) and stipulate the type of future land use projected for that particular area. Residential land uses are classified according to allowable density (number of dwelling units per acre) based on infrastructure and drainage basins.

    The purpose of the Land Use Plan is to assist in identifying and avoiding potential conflicts between land uses, transportation, housing, utilities, environmental protection, economic productivity and other interests that may need to be considered and coordinated at the Federal, State, regional and local level. The Land Use Plan is required to be updated at least every five (5) years, as mandated by the State.
  • The Fayette County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan (1991 - 2020), adopted in 1991, is a policy guide whose purpose is to guide planning and decision making and provide general policies in terms of future development. This plan encourages development patterns based on the extension of infrastructure and drainage basin locations, and provides standards and criteria which measure proposed development with the wishes and desires of the community. This plan attempts to meet the challenge to preserve the existing quality of life in the County, while still accommodating the necessary and inevitable forces of change. The Comprehensive Plan is required to be updated at least every ten (10) years, as mandated by the State.

    In addition to providing census/demographic information and special project studies, the Planning Department occasionally assists municipalities with studies on an as needed basis. The Planning Department is responsible for maintaining and updating the Fayette County Map, the Fayette County Land Use Plan Map, and the Fayette County Thoroughfare Plan Map. It is anticipated within the next two (2) years that the Planning Department will have Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping capabilities which will assist many county departments.

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What is zoning ?

Zoning is the primary means of trying to ensure that land uses are compatible with each other. Zoning is a system by which the different land use classifications of the Land Use Plan are categorized into zones. Each of these zones has its own set of standards and requirements. As a police power, zoning is the mechanism by which the land use plan can be carried out.

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