Planning & Zoning
Staff & Contact Information
Main Phone Line: 706-795-6340
The Zoning Department has recently moved to the Commissioners Hall
Planning and Zoning Commission
Contact Information, Agendas & Minutes
This site will assist you with most of your zoning questions, however, please feel free to call or email if you have any questions.
Madison County Zoning Ordinance Codified 6/5/2023
For current year updates or changes you may refer to Amendments to Zoning Regulations/Ordinances tab.
For properties located within City Limits Please contact the appropriate City Hall. Our department does not have jurisdiction within City Limits. You can access the Cities information on the City Contacts page.
Amendments to Zoning Regulations / Ordinances
Amendments 2024
Amendments 2023
Amendments 2022
Sections 3.0-Pole Barn Def. & 12.2 Minimum Sf. Required for Bldg. Permit. Zoning Ord-6-27-22
Sections 7.2-1.11,A2-Private Cemetery . & 8.6.2.2, 8.6,2.7 RV's-Zoning Ord. 7-11-22
Section 9.7.3 Private Cemeteries-Zoning Ord Effective 7-11-22
Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.5, 9.7 Zoning Ord. Minimum Lot Sizes-Effective 7-25-22
Section 7.7.1, 7.9.1, Art. VII Use Chart-Event Halls Effective 8-29-2022
Section 3.1 & References-Grandfathered Term, Zon. Ord. 11/7/2022
Amendments 2021
Amendments 2019
Section 3.1
Section 7.3.1.3
Section 7.1.1.7
Section 7.2.1.5
Area, Yard & Height Requirements / Building Setbacks
15' (From Side Property Lines)
20' (From Rear Property Line)
60' (From Centerline of a County Road.)
70' (From Centerline of a Highway.)
For Commercial Setbacks, please call the office.
Additional Setbacks:
Wells and septic are regulated by the Madison County Health Department.
Chicken houses - 300' from any property line (400' from any home other than the owner's).
Storage buildings - the same as the above table for Area, Yard, and Height Requirements.
Swimming pools - 10' from the property line.
Signs - 70' from centerline and 5' from ROW on Federal and State roads; 60' from centerline and 5' from ROW on County roads; If the sign is not on the subject's property, the ROW is determined by the property's zoning classification.
Fences, walls, shrubbery, or other obstructions to vision - anything 2.5' to 15' above the finished grade of streets cannot be within 20' of the intersection of the rights-of-way lines of streets or railroads (8.4.3).
Future Land Use
The density parameters relate specifically to subdivision developments and do not apply to single parcel splits within rural residential areas.
General Information
Pre-owned mobile homes have new guidelines so please check with the Building and Zoning Office for details.
You do not have to have 5 acres for a mobile home, it is treated the same as a site built home. The lot size depends on the zone of the property. If it is any existing lot, you will need to be able to meet the property set backs.
Campers can only be used as a temporary residence for up to one year with an active permit for building a home.
It is required to have at least 1 acre per horse or cow.
A private drive or easement can only serve up to four lots, must be at least 30' wide, and no longer than 1500'. Driveway Ordinance requirements may apply.
Only 1 single-family dwelling will be allowed on a lot, unless otherwise permitted by zoning, such as medical hardships and accessory dwelling units.
Property can only be split 3 times for a total of 4 lots within a 3 year period, without falling into major subdivision regulations.
Any building used as a residence, an office, or a business to be located, erected, moved, added to or structurally altered by 100 square foot or more must be permitted.
If you are building any structure over 400 square foot, a building permit is required.
Commercial buildings under 5,000 square foot are not required to have building plans but are required to have a site plan.
All construction of 5,000 square foot must submit a storm water plan. If you are adding to an existing site your plan must be amended.
Mobile Home Park Information
The following information is provided for reference only, and is not the official version of the Madison County Mobile Home Park Regulations. The official version can be obtained in the Madison County Planning & Zoning Department.
Open Records Request
The County Clerk is designated as the Open Records Officer to act for Madison County.
All requests for records made under the Act directed to the County shall be made in writing to the Open Records Officer; Christina Baxter at cbaxter@madisonco.us
Plat Approval
Most plats can be approved when brought in, however, please call before coming to ensure availability. There is a $15.00 approval fee for plats. We also request that all city plats be brought in to have the Map and Parcel numbers assigned before recording; there is no fee for these plats. We also ask the plats of existing parcels (Retracement Plats) be brought in to ensure that our mapping records are correct; there is no fee for these plats.
Rezone Plats have 6 months to be recorded from Board of Commissioners approval date
If your property is located on a private drive or an easement, please check with our office to make sure it can be subdivided before you have a survey done. You cannot make any changes to a final plat of a subdivision that has been recorded, without approval from the Zoning Administrator or the Board of Commissioners. This means the lots must stay as approved and recorded, without getting further approval.
Steps for Recording Plats
Plats with new splits must be stamped and signed by the Zoning Administrator.
As of Jan. 1, 2017 plats are recorded by e-file.
Thank you to all the Surveyors that submit the plats for the approval, and to those that put the map and parcel numbers that the parcels splits are coming from.
Political Signs
Section 10.9: Permitted in A-1, A-2, AR, R-1, R-2, R-3
Political signs, nonilluminated, not to exceed eight square foot of area.
Maximum height for A-1, A-2, & AR is 20'.
Maximum height for R-1, R-2, & R-3, is 5'.
Political signs are not permitted in Business & Industrial zones.
The Largest a Political Sign can be is 8 square Foot
YOU CAN FIND THIS IN SECTION 10.18 (TABLE 1) OF THE MADISON COUNTY ZONING ORDINACE.
Poultry House Requirements
Re-Zoning Applications
For all Rezoning, Conditional Use, and Variance applications, please call 706-795-6345 to make an appointment with the Zoning Administrator. This takes approximately 30-45 minutes.
Application Fees:
$250 for Residential
$300 for Business
$400 for Industrial.
Storm Water Ordinance
Subdivision Amendments and Information
Madison County Subdivision Regulations Codified 6/5/2023
Subdivision Regulations Amendments 2023
Subdivision Regulations Amendments 2022
The following information is provided for reference only, and is not the official version of the Madison County Subdivision Regulations. The official version can be obtained in the Madison County Planning and Zoning Department.
There is a 1000 feet pipeline buffer for wells in subdivisions.
Subdivision road requirements are under Section V not Section VIII. You can contact Alan at the Road Department for county specs. (706-795-6260)
Zoning Applications
Applications for the rezoning of property, for conditional uses, and for variances are accepted and reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Department, and are brought before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Commissioners for review and approval. The Planning and Zoning Department also reviews preliminary and final plats for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Commissioners. Please see the links below for additional information.