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   Clay County Planning & Zoning

Planning & Zoning's Role

The Clay County Planning & Zoning Commission was established on March 19, 2002. The purpose of establishing a Zoning Ordinance was to set forth standards and permissible uses designated to conserve and protect the natural, economic and scenic resources of the county; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to promote health, aesthetics, convenience, order, prosperity and general welfare; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to promote desirable living conditions and stability of neighborhoods; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, public and private sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements by regulating the uses of the land.

Zoning regulations were created for the following purposes: to define certain words used therein; to create zone boundaries; to regulate the location of trades, professions, businesses, and industries; to regulate the density in distribution of population; to provide for the gradual elimination of nonconforming uses of land, buildings, and structures; to define and limit the powers and duties of the planning commission; to provide a method for administration, amendment, and enforcement; to provide for the imposition of penalties for violations; repeal conflicting ordinances and resolutions; and for other purposes. The Clay County Zoning Ordinance governs the use of all land and development within the unincorporated areas of Clay County, Georgia. The Complete Zoning ordinance can be found on this web site under the document tab above.

Planning & Zoning Commission

Clay County has an appointed Planning Commission made up of five volunteers. These individuals shall follow the Zoning Ordinance when considering all applications to the commission. They, in turn, will be the appropriate recommendations to the Clay County Board of Commissioners who has the final decision on all matters pertaining to zoning.

The Planning and Zoning Commission members are:

Code Enforcement

Clay County believes that there is a need to establish minimum standards governing the use, occupancy, condition and maintenance of property, dwellings, buildings, and structures. If left completely unregulated, the failure to properly maintain property can become a threat to public safety and a detriment to property values.

Code enforcement and compliance is primarily the responsibility of the Clay County County Enforcer and the Clay County Sheriff's Office. These officers are charged with enforcing the various county ordinances related to property maintenance such as junk cars, litter and trash, outdoor storage. Besides finding the problems themselves, the officers follow up on problems identified and referred by the public.

While many of the code enforcement issues may seem small, they have a tendency to grow and multiply when not dealt with. When that happens, they become a neighborhood issue and can give the impression that nobody cares about the neighborhood or the condition of the properties. The next thing you know, property values are being affected, criminal activity begins to appear or increase and the quality of life declines.

When problems are identified, the person(s) responsible are issued a Code Enforcement Warning Notice describing the specific violation(s), the corrective action required and a time limit for completion. In most cases, the responsible parties correct the problems as requested. When problems are not corrected, citations requiring an appearance in magistrate court are issued. For most violations, the ordinances specify that each day a violation exists constitutes a separate offense. This means that the failure to take corrective action in a timely manner may result in multiple citations to court.

Reporting Violations

To report a violation you may send an email to codeenforcer@claycountyga.org or call 229.768.3238.

Mr. Mitch Ellis
Clay County Certified Code Enforcer

Common Problems or Violations

• Junk vehicles
• Trash, litter and debris
• Outdoor storage
• Un-permitted construction
• Improper Licensing or Permitting