Habersham: Unified Development Code update

Habersham County is updating its Unified Development Code (UDC) to ensure that development codes are aligned with the community’s vision. Updating the development code allows the county to address needs of the community and evaluate them so they can be added to the 2024 Comprehensive Plan.

Some of the project’s main goals are as follows: To simplify and reconstruct the document to make it more accessible, searchable, and user friendly; to integrate graphics that will help clarify desired design standards, to consolidate and update definitions to ensure consistent use of terms across the document; and to update dimensional standards to reflect desired land use and development patterns.

Focus areas for this UDC will include improving housing choices, supporting economic development, addressing public safety and traffic concerns, protecting sensitive natural resources and scenic views, and preserving Habersham County’s rural areas and farmlands. 

This fall, the development team will host pop-ups across the county and meet with community stakeholders, then by winter the draft will undergo staff and stakeholder reviews and first round edits, then finally by the spring of 2025 the draft will undergo public review and second round edits, the development team also will host an open house at that time.

The final UDC draft is planned to be released for public review on the project website and submitted for the Habersham County Board of Commissioners consideration in the summer of 2025.

The link to the current UDC plan:

https://library.municode.com/ga/habersham_county/codes/code of ordinances 

The link to the project website:

https://cplteam.mysocialpinpoint.com/habersham-udc