The major responsibility of the Development Division is the regulation, plan review, and inspection of land development and building construction activity in unincorporated Gwinnett County. The Development Division responsibilities include enforcing the Unified Development Ordinance, Building Code, Sign Ordinance, and the Metropolitan River Protection Act among others.  Some of the major responsibilities of the Development Division include:

• Building Permits
• Building Inspections
• Building Plan Review
• Chattahoochee River Corridor Review
• Development Plan Review
• Fire Plan Review
• Stormwater/Water/Sewer Plan Review
• Development Inspections
• Licensing & Revenue
• Review street names and assign addresses in unincorporated Gwinnett County
• Modifications
• Specimen Tree Information
• Tall Structure Permits
• Waivers
• Zoning Variance Applications
• Unified Development Ordinance
• Telecommunications Tower and Antenna Ordinance (PDF)
• Sign Ordinance (PDF)


• Staff support for the Board of Construction Adjustments and Appeals (BCAA)
• Staff support for the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)
• Staff support for the Tree Advisory Committee (TAC)
• Staff support for the Development Advisory Committee (DAC)

The Development Division provides staff support to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The Zoning Board of Appeals consists of five members appointed by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and it reviews appeals concerning the interpretation and administration of the Zoning Resolution.

The Development Division also provides staff support to the Board of Construction Adjustments and Appeals (BCAA). The BCAA reviews appeals concerning the interpretation and administration of the Building Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Gas Code, Heating and Air Conditioning Code and the Fire Code.  In addition, the BCAA reviews and makes recommendations concerning these codes to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. The Board of Construction Adjustment and Appeals consists of eight members appointed by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.

The Development Division also provides staff support for the Tree Advisory Committee (TAC). This is a committee comprised of development representatives, homeowners and citizens that direct and advise the Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development regarding the preservation and replacement of trees, and to assist the Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development in the interpretation and implementation of the Buffer, Landscape and Tree Ordinance. The committee consists of nine (9) members appointed by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners for two (2) year terms.