Opinion ID: 76171
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Georgia's Zoning Procedures Law

Text: 20 Artistic argues the Amending Ordinance constitutes a zoning ordinance requiring a proper hearing pursuant to the Georgia Zoning Procedures Law. Georgia's Zoning Procedures Law requires a local government to hold hearings when it proposes to take action that will result in a zoning decision. Ga.Code Ann. § 36-66-4 (2000). The Georgia Supreme Court has said the requirements of the Zoning Procedures Law apply to the entire process of enacting or amending a zoning ordinance. Little v. City of Lawrenceville, 272 Ga. 340, 528 S.E.2d 515, 517 (2000). 21 However, not every ordinance regulating the use of land constitutes a zoning ordinance. For instance, in Fairfax MK, Inc. v. City of Clarkston, 274 Ga. 520, 555 S.E.2d 722 (2001), the court decided that a Gasoline Service Station Ordinance was not a zoning ordinance even though the ordinance required a minimum distance of 500 feet between a gas station and a school or other place of public assembly. The court came to this conclusion because the definition of zoning ordinance under the Georgia Zoning Law 13 encompasses only regulation of uses and development by means of zones or districts. Id. at 724. Furthermore, the court stated: 22 The regulation of certain types of businesses due to their inherent character is not general and comprehensive like zoning.... The presence of lot size requirements or space restrictions does not transform a local licensing or regulatory ordinance into one governed by a zoning procedures statute where it is clear from a reading of the ordinance as a whole that it is intended to regulate a particular occupation, rather than to regulate the general uses of land. 23 Id. (citations omitted). Under Fairfax, the Adult Ordinance is not a zoning ordinance even though it does place certain limitations on locations available to an adult business and establishes certain minimum lot sizes and road frontages. Rather than regulating general uses of land, the Adult Ordinance regulates a particular type of activity — adult entertainment. As such, the Amending Ordinance, re-adopting the Adult Ordinance, is not a zoning ordinance and is not subject to the hearing requirements established under the Zoning Procedures Law, even if it was adopted as a new ordinance rather than as a true amendment.