Chapter 27 is recognized as the Zoning Ordinance for the County. Its purpose is included below for your information.

Sec. 27-2. General purposes.

This chapter is enacted by the board of commissioners in order to promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the residents of DeKalb County, Georgia, and to implement the DeKalb County Comprehensive Plan. To these ends, the chapter is intended to achieve the following purposes:

(a) To guide and regulate the orderly growth, development, redevelopment and preservation of DeKalb County in accordance with a well-considered comprehensive plan and with long-term objectives, principles and standards deemed beneficial to the interest and welfare of the people.

(b) To protect the established character and the social and economic well-being of both private and public property.

(c) To promote, in the public interest, the wise utilization of land.

(d) To provide for adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety from fire, flood and other dangers.

(e) To reduce or prevent congestion in the public streets.

(f) To facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious community.

(g) To encourage an aesthetically attractive environment, both built and natural, and to provide for regulations that protect and enhance these aesthetic considerations.

(h) To expedite the provision of adequate police and fire protection, safety from crime, disaster evacuation, civil defense, transportation, water, sewerage, flood protection, schools, parks, forests, playgrounds, recreational facilities, airports and other public requirements.

(i) To protect against destruction of, or encroachment upon, historic areas.

(j) To protect against overcrowding of land, overcrowding of population in relation to the community facilities existing or available, obstruction of light and air, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, and loss of life or health or property from fire, flood, or other danger.

(k) To encourage economic development activities that provides desirable employment and enlarge the tax base.

(l) To promote the preservation of the unique natural and physical resources of the county including forested areas, riverbeds, stream beds, and archaeological sites.

(m) To achieve compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations.

(n) To protect the public welfare by protecting approach slopes and other safety areas of licensed airports.

(o) To provide for and promote housing for all income groups and all citizens within the county.

(p) To implement the authority, powers and duties of the planning commission and the zoning board of appeals pursuant to state and local law, including but not limited to Ga. Const. art. IX, section II, ¶ IV and Ga. L. 1956, p. 3332, as amended.

(q) To reduce or eliminate the secondary effects of adult entertainment establishments and other establishments that create such secondary effects while protecting legitimate constitutional rights of said establishments.

(r) To provide for protection of the constitutional rights and obligations of all citizens within the county.

(Ord. No. 99-11, Pt. 1, 4-13-99)