Planning & Development

Development Advisory Committee
The Development Advisory Committee consists of 21 members representing various interest groups appointed by the Board of Commissioners. Members serve staggered two-year terms. The committee meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The Development Advisory Committee was established for the following purposes:

• Advise the Board of Commissioners and the Department of Planning and Development on issues and matters of concern with regard to land development activities and regulations
• Assist the Department of Planning and Development in the interpretation and implementation of land development regulations
• Review newly proposed land development regulations and amendments and advise the Department of Planning and Development and the Board of Commissioners on their impact and effectiveness
• Carry out such studies or investigations regarding the land development regulatory process or requirements as the Board of Commissioners may request from time to time

Gwinnett County Planning Commission
The Gwinnett County Planning Commission consists of nine County-appointed members. The Commission Chairman appoints one member and each District Commissioner appoints two members. Members are appointed annually. The Planning Commissioners serve at the will of the Board of Commissioners and may be replaced at any time. The Gwinnett County Planning Commission was established for the following purposes:

• Research, review, and make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on zoning, the Zoning Resolution, zoning map amendments, special use permits, waivers of the development regulations, the Unified Plan, development regulations, and other policies and procedures of the Planning and Development Department
• Advise the Board of Commissioners on environmental, public health, safety, and general welfare matters, which may include infrastructure, historic, business, residential, and recreational matters, policies, and procedures
• Engage with various public and private organizations and agencies engaged in or interested in planning and development activities so as to provide leadership in identifying and implementing County objectives for planning and development
• Assist the Planning and Development Department, other County departments, boards and authorities, and the Board of Commissioners in carrying out their various functions by making recommendations to achieve the desired benefits on behalf of present and future Gwinnett County residents and businesses as a whole
• Report to the Board of Commissioners after research and review on matters referred by the Board, prior to the Board taking action

The Planning Commission holds public hearings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center auditorium. Typically, the first meeting is held to hear rezoning cases, and the second to handle Special Use Permit applications and other various case types.

Tree Advisory Committee
The Tree Advisory Committee (TAC) consists of nine members appointed by the Board of Commissioners for staggered two-year terms. The committee meets on the first Monday of each month. The TAC was established by the Board of Commissioners in October 1999 for the following purposes:

• Advise the Board of Commissioners and the Department of Planning and Development about issues and matters of concern regarding the preservation and replacement of trees
• Assist the Department of Planning and Development in the interpretation and implementation of the Buffer, Landscape, and Tree Ordinance
• Review proposed new regulations and amendments to the Buffer, Landscape, and Tree Ordinance and advise the Department of Planning and Development and the Board of Commissioners about their impact and effectiveness
• Establish educational and other programs to encourage proper management and maintenance of trees in the unincorporated areas of the county
• Conduct studies or investigations regarding trees and the land development process as requested by the Board of Commissioners from time to time

The Tree Advisory Committee played an important role in the update of the Buffer, Landscape, and Tree Ordinance that became effective on December 11, 2007. Regulations were amended to include specimen tree preservation, additional planting requirements for subdivision developments, and a requirement to provide a tree canopy calculation for all developments. The tree canopy calculation will assist in determining existing canopy coverage in anticipation of a future Buffer, Landscape, and Tree Ordinance amendment to utilize tree canopy as a mechanism for tree preservation/replacement.

To facilitate understanding of new regulations, an illustrated handbook was created to accompany the ordinance. This handbook is currently being revised to include adopted amendments to the Buffer, Landscape, and Tree Ordinance.

Zoning Board of Appeals
The Zoning Board of Appeals consists of five members who are appointed for one-year terms by the Board of Commissioners. The Zoning Board of Appeals meets on the second Tuesday of every month at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center auditorium. The Zoning Board of Appeals was established for the following purposes:

• Authorize, upon appeal in specific cases, such variances from the terms of the Zoning Resolution as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the Zoning Resolution will result in unnecessary hardship. Such variances may be granted in such individual cases of unnecessary hardship upon a finding by the Zoning Board of Appeals that:
• a. There are extraordinary and exceptional conditions pertaining to the particular property in question because of its size, shape, or topography
• b. The application of the resolution to this particular piece of property would create an unnecessary hardship
• c. Such conditions are peculiar to the particular piece of property involved
• d. Such conditions are not the result of any actions of the property owner
• e. Relief, if granted, would not cause substantial detriment to the public good nor impair the purposes or intent to this resolution
• Hear and decide appeals when it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Department of Planning and Development in the enforcement of this Zoning Resolution
• Handle and determine the appropriate actions on requests for Special Exceptions to the Zoning Resolution. The Zoning Board of Appeals, however, cannot grant a variance for a use of land, building, or structure that is prohibited by the Land Use Resolution or which would result in a greater intensity of development on a property than would otherwise be allowed if no variance were involved

The Zoning Board of Appeals meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center auditorium.

Board of Construction Adjustments and Appeals
This board consists of eight members, including representatives from the general public, heating and air conditioning, electrical, building, plumbing, architectural, civil engineering, and fire protection engineering trades. These members are appointed by the Board of Commissioners and serve staggered two-year terms.

The Board of Construction Adjustments and Appeals reviews appeals made by individuals concerning the interpretation and administration of the Accessibility Code, the Building Code, the Electrical Code, the Gas Code, the Life Safety Code, the Mechanical Code, the Plumbing Code, and the Residential Code as adopted by the state of Georgia.

In addition, this board reviews proposed changes to these codes, approves third-party inspectors, and makes relevant recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.

Board meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month.

Licensing and Revenue Board of Appeals

The Licensing Revenue Board of Appeals was established pursuant to the County Alcoholic Beverage Ordinance. The Alcoholic Beverage Appeal Board and the Municipal-Gwinnett Business License Tax Rate Review and Appeal Committee have been combined to form this Board. The Board consists of five members, appointed as follows:

• Planning and Development Director, or designee
• Director of Board of Health, or designee
• A member of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau Board to be named by the GCVB
• A resident of Gwinnett County appointed by the Board of Commissioners
• A resident of Gwinnett County to be named by the Grand Jury

The Licensing and Revenue Board of Appeals members serve two-year terms, with the exception of the Planning & Development Director and the Director of the Board of Health.

Responsibilities of this Board include:

• To provide an appeal process for business owners who have been denied an occupation tax certificate, had their occupation tax certificate suspended or revoked, deems the tax to be unlawful, discriminatory or inequitable or to any person who has been denied an employee work permit
• To provide an appeal process for cases dealing with the denial of an alcohol license or a permit to service alcohol, or the suspension or revocation of an alcohol license
• To provide an appeal process for business owners who have been denied an adult entertainment license, had their adult entertainment license suspended or revoked, or have been denied an adult entertainment work permit
• To provide an appeal process for business owners who have been denied a massage/spa establishment license, had their massage/spa establishments license suspended or revoked, or have been denied a massage/spa work permit