Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Sparks, Georgia

Town of Sparks’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building construction and structures inside Sparks town limits (the city's building permit under section 8-14).

  • Permits expire if work is not commenced within six months or not completed within eighteen months, unless extended.
  • Accessory structures with a building value under $10,000 need a scaled drawing instead of a survey.
  • Permit exemptions other than the survey exemption were not located.

  “building permits shall expire and become null and void if work authorized by such building permit is not commenced, having called for and received a satisfactory inspection within six months from the date of issuance of the permit”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Required — Locating a manufactured home inside Sparks town limits.

    “a permit shall be required to locate a manufactured home in the jurisdiction.”

• Building code adoptedPartial

  Structures inside Sparks town limits.

  • The code requires structures to meet International Building Code requirements, but the ordinance or resolution that formally adopts the IBC and its edition was not located.
  • Georgia state minimum codes may also apply; not verified.

  “structures shall meet international building code requirements and be permanently affixed.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of buildings and structures inside Sparks town limits.

  • For one- or two-family dwellings, approval of all final inspections may serve as the certificate of occupancy.
  • A certificate of occupancy is not issued unless the use conforms to the code and substantially complies with the building permit plans.

  “a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued unless the proposed use of a building or land conforms to the applicable provisions of this code and substantially complies with the plans submitted for obtaining a building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside the incorporated limits of Sparks town, GA (the code calls the jurisdiction the incorporated areas of the City of Sparks).

  • The code is titled Land Development Code, City of Sparks, Cook County, GA, and states it is adopted under the Georgia Planning Act of 1989.
  • The code identifies Cook County, GA, which matches the county of the same-named place, so it is the correct jurisdiction.
  • The copy is hosted by the South Georgia Regional Commission, not the town; the town's current adopted version and any amendments after 2016 were not verified.

  “this land development code is enacted pursuant to the georgia planning act of 1989”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Sparks town limits, including AG (agricultural), R-1 (single-family residential), R-2 (multi-family residential) and the other districts in Table 4-1.

  • Districts and their purposes are set out in Chapter 3 of the 2016 code; the full list of districts was not read in full.
  • Planned development districts are approved by City Council through a planned development ordinance.

  “3-2.1 ag (agricultural) 1. purpose the purpose of the ag district is to provide and protect an environment suitable for productive agriculture”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots inside Sparks town limits that are not served by public sewer (footnote (a) to Table 4-1).

  • If served by on-site septic and public water: one-half acre (21,780 sq ft) per unit, per department of health.
  • If served by on-site septic and an on-site well: one acre (43,560 sq ft) per unit, per department of health.
  • Footnote (a) is applied per the Table 4-1 row for the district; the district rows were not fully resolved.

  minimum lot size, septic and public water: 21780 sq ft (not served by public sewer; per department of health) · minimum lot size, septic and on-site well: 43560 sq ft (one acre per unit, per department of health)

  “if served by on-site septic and on-site well, minimum lot size shall be one acre or 43,560 square feet per unit, per department of health.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — AG (agricultural) district inside Sparks town limits: residential density cap.

    “residential densities are restricted to a maximum of one dwelling unit per 10,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Accessory uses and structures (including accessory dwelling units) inside Sparks town limits.

  • Not permitted in any required front yard.
  • Corner lots: side setback is ten feet.

  rear setback, accessory: >= 5 ft (minimum) · side setback, accessory: >= 8 ft (minimum; ten feet on corner lots) · separation from principal building: >= 5 ft (minimum, and must meet fire code)

  “on corner lots the side setback shall be ten feet. 5-1.3 there shall not be less than five feet separation between an accessory structure and the principal building, but the separation must be in compliance with minimum fire code.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Accessory uses and structures in residential districts inside Sparks town limits.

  • Accessory footprint may not exceed 50 percent of the principal structure footprint or 35 percent of the maximum permitted building area of the lot.

  accessory height limit: <= height of principal structure (residential districts) · accessory footprint limit: <= 50 percent of principal footprint (also 35 percent of maximum permitted building area)

  “in a residential district the height of an accessory use and structure shall not exceed the height of the principal structure and the footprint of an accessory use and structure shall not exceed 50 percent of the footprint of the principal structure and 35 percent of the maximum permitted building area of the entire lot.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes located on land inside Sparks town limits.

  • Must bear a HUD code label and be installed under O.C.G.A. 8-2-160 et seq.
  • Only for residential purposes; a manufactured home may not be placed or held for storage or repair anywhere in the city.
  • A permit and certificate of occupancy are required (section 5-28.3).

  “no manufactured home or mobile home may be placed or held for storage or repair purposes at any location within the city. manufactured homes may be placed within the city for residential purposes only.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on residential lots inside Sparks town limits.

  • May be in the same building as the primary dwelling or in a separate building.
  • Must have at least one parking space in addition to the parking required for the primary dwelling.
  • Accessory setback, height and footprint limits in section 5-1 apply.
  • Districts where accessory dwellings are allowed were not confirmed.

  “an accessory dwelling unit may be in the same building or in a separate building from the primary dwelling unit.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  New subdivision lots inside Sparks town where public sanitary sewer or public water is within 1,000 feet of the subdivision property.

  • Applies to subdivisions being platted; the excerpt does not state that an existing lot must connect to public water or sewer.
  • Each dwelling must have an individual connection to the main water and sewer lines.
  • Where lots cannot be economically connected to sewer, septic is allowed with Cook County Health Department written approval.

  distance to public water or sewer that triggers connection requirement: <= 1000 ft (subdivision lots)

  “where public sanitary sewer and/or public water is available within one thousand (1,000) feet of any portion of the subdivider’s property, the subdivider shall provide every lot of the subdivision with public sewer and water in accordance with city specifications.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Constructing or reconstructing a curb cut or driveway on a city-maintained public road in Sparks town.

  • Driveway permit applies only on city-maintained public roads.

  “any person seeking to construct or reconstruct any curb cut or driveway on any city maintained public road in the city of sparks shall submit a permit application to the city engineer”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Subdivision plats and new subdivision lots inside Sparks town limits.

  • Lots must have a minimum elevation two feet above maximum flood stage in the area; no fill may be placed in a designated flood hazard zone to meet it.
  • Floodplain rules for building outside subdivisions were not located.

  minimum lot elevation above flood stage: >= 2 ft (within 10 ft of any structure; subdivision lots)

  “the surveyor must also certify whether the property is located in a special flood hazard zone as recognized by the city of sparks, and indicate the informational source and zone of the property.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Driveway permit application fee for a curb cut or driveway on a city-maintained road inside Sparks town limits.

  • Fee is a nonrefundable application fee set by City Council; the amount is not in the code text reviewed.
  • Building permit fee schedule not located.

  “nonrefundable application fee as established by the city council”

• Permit processPartial

  Building and driveway permit steps inside Sparks town limits.

  • Building permit application requires surveys, drainage and access information, and the location of on-site well and septic or water and sewer mains.
  • Driveway permits are filed with the city engineer.
  • Full building permit application forms and fee schedule were not located.

  “shall submit a permit application to the city engineer accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee as established by the city council”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Sparks

Town of Sparks does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-site septic systems on lots inside Sparks town limits: Cook County Health Department approves septic systems; the city code sets lot-size and subdivision rules.

  • Applies where lots cannot be connected to the public sewer system.
  • Lot sizes for septic are set per department of health (table 4-1 footnote (a)).

  “where lots cannot be economically connected with s sewerage system, they must contain adequate area for the installation of approved septic tank and disposal fields and must be approved in writing by the cook county health department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems on lots inside Sparks town limits that cannot connect to public sewer.

  • Written approval by the Cook County Health Department is required before the septic tank and disposal field are installed.
  • Health department permit application process was not opened.

  “where lots cannot be economically connected with s sewerage system, they must contain adequate area for the installation of approved septic tank and disposal fields and must be approved in writing by the cook county health department.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Sparks or Cook County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from contractor or permit requirements inside Sparks town limits.
• Inspections — Site-built building inspections inside Sparks town limits.
• Lot coverage — Building lot coverage (percent of lot) inside Sparks town limits.
• Living in an RV — Use of a recreational vehicle as living quarters on private land inside Sparks town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Sparks town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.