Zoning Overview
Learn more about the Zoning Department and what we do with the links below:
- What is zoning ?
- What is the difference between planning and zoning ?
- History of zoning
- Purpose and intent of zoning
- Regulation development through adopted ordinances
- Boards served
- Property Parcel Identification
- Zoning Districts and Development Regulations
- Basic zoning applications
- Fayette County Zoning Department
- Administrative Zoning - no hearing required
- Public Hearings
Fayette County Zoning Department
The Zoning Department appreciates the opportunity to serve the citizens of Fayette County and provide continual technical support to three Boards. With an emphasis on customer service, the Zoning Department strives to provide courteous service to all applicants, including same day review of all residential building permits; batterboard and final site inspections within three (3) workdays for all new construction; and prompt and accurate response to each and every zoning inquiry.
The Zoning Department is a one-stop resource center for many people including consultants, architects, landscape architects, surveyors, engineers, planners, real estate agents, investors, property owners, corporation representatives, contractors, builders, developers, inspectors, lawyers, reporters, business owners, other County staff, elected and appointed officials, appointed citizen boards, and the general public.
All those seeking information about developing property, dividing lots, allowed uses, and regulations which apply to certain areas require the Zoning Department's daily attention to technical and often complex situations, in addition to application processing and approval of site plans and plats, issuance of permits, and public hearing and staff report deadlines for three (3) boards.
The Zoning Department regulates development in the unincorporated areas of Fayette County by administering the following ordinances adopted by the Board of County Commissioners: Zoning Ordinance, Development Regulations, Subdivision Regulations, Sign Ordinance, and County Code including the Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance.
In administering these ordinances, the Zoning Department continually processes several types of applications including the following:
ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING (only when more than half of an existing lot of record is zoned differently than the remaining portion of the lot)
ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE (minor variance to building location/setback requirements only under certain circumstances)
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE (issuance and annual renewals for all establishments pouring /serving or conducting package sales of alcoholic beverages)
BATTERBOARD INSPECTION (site inspection or surveyor's certification of structure setbacks)
BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW (for all single family residences and their accessory structures)
CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE (assist Marshal's office with complaints and ordinance interpretation)
COURT (attend Court proceedings regarding violations and litigation regarding application denials)
FINAL INSPECTION (site inspection for all nonresidential uses prior to occupancy, for checking parking, handicap signage, and landscaping per the approved site plan and landscape plan)
FINAL SUBDIVISION PLAT (required for all lot splits resulting in lots under 5 acres in size)
LANDSCAPE PLAN (required planting along right of ways, buffers, and in parking islands for all non-residential uses, changes of use, and conditional uses)
PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOPS (regular meetings regarding staff research, discussion and group consensus on special topics and proposed ordinance revisions)
POST PROPERTIES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS (post signs on properties involved in public hearings)
PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES (staff transcription of recorded public hearings for all Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals public hearings, and Planning Commission workshops)
REVISED SITE PLAN (review/approve minor revisions to previously approved site plan)
SIGN PERMIT (zoning dept. review, approval, and issuance of sign permits for all types of signs)
SITE PLAN (review and approval of site layout and architecture for new non-residential uses, change of use, and conditional uses)
TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO BOARDS (attend public hearings for 3 boards and provide information and technical support to Boards as needed)
TEMPORARY TRAILER PERMIT (review, approval, and issuance of permits for temporary construction trailers, classroom trailers, office trailers, etc.)
ZONING COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (issued for site plan approval for nonresidential uses/structures, including Conditional Uses)
ZONING INQUIRY/VERIFICATION LETTERS (issue letters to property owners, real estate brokers, contract purchasers, or financial institutions confirming zoning, allowed uses, compliance with ordinances, et cetera.)
ZONING VERIFICATION FOR BUSINESS LICENSES (verify zoning district and business location and whether type of business is allowed in the zoning district)
Applications Heard by Planning Commission Only:
PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLATS (when new road right of way(s) is proposed for lot splits)
Applications Heard by Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners:
REVISION TO FINAL RECORDED PLATS (adding density or changing the use of a lot in an existing platted subdivision)
REVISED DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR A PUD (includes adding density/uses, layout revisions)
REZONING (request to change the zoning district for property to allow certain uses or lot sizes)
TOWER SPECIAL USE (communication tower over 250 feet in highway corridor and over 180 feet in non-hwy corridor areas)
Applications Heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals:
APPEAL TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE INTERPRETATION (challenge to Zoning Administrator's interpretation of a regulation)
EXPANSION OF NONCONFORMING USE (when a grandfathered use or structure wants to expand)
VARIANCE (when certain minimum development regulations are waived due to a true hardship)