Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hoschton, Georgia

Hoschton’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Hoschton city limits

  • Hoschton city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Hoschton Zoning Ordinance, adopted January 4, 2016, amended through November 19, 2024). Districts A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, MFR, OR, PUD, INST, C-1, C-2, C-3, M-1 and MU are established in Section 2.01.

  “city of hoschton, georgia zoning ordinance adopted by the city of hoschton mayor and city council january 4, 2016”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Hoschton city limits

  • Official zoning map is adopted under Article II of the Hoschton Zoning Ordinance (Section 2.02); the map itself was not opened.

  “the following zoning districts are hereby established”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the A, R-1 and R-2 districts inside Hoschton city limits (minimum heated floor area per dwelling unit)

  • Column order in Table 4.2 is A, R-1, R-2; table note 1 (added by amendment 4/3/17) applies.
  • Section 3.09 bars new dwellings that fail the district minimum floor area.

  minimum heated floor area (A): >= 900 square feet · minimum heated floor area (R-1): >= 1400 square feet · minimum heated floor area (R-2): >= 1400 square feet

  “minimum heated floor area per dwelling unit (square 900 1,400 1,400 feet) (note 1) (added via amendment, 4/3/17)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Detached single-family dwelling in the A (Agricultural) district inside Hoschton city limits

  • Table 4.2 Dimensional Requirements for residential and agricultural districts.
  • Lot width minimum for all uses is 150 feet in A.

  minimum lot size, detached single-family dwelling (A district): >= 65340 square feet (about 1.5 acres)

  “minimum lot size, detached single-family dwelling 65,340 43,560 21,780 (square feet)”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Detached single-family dwelling in the R-1 (single-family low density residential) district inside Hoschton city limits

    “minimum lot size, detached single-family dwelling 65,340 43,560 21,780 (square feet)”

  • Specified — Detached single-family dwelling in the R-2 (single-family suburban residential) district inside Hoschton city limits

    “minimum lot size, detached single-family dwelling 65,340 43,560 21,780 (square feet)”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal building in the A (Agricultural) district inside Hoschton city limits

  • Table 4.2 principal building setbacks; side setback carries Table note 2, added by amendment 12/03/18 (note text not opened).
  • Accessory buildings: minimum 5 feet from side or rear property line (Section 6.10) in R districts; A is excepted from some accessory size limits.

  front yard setback: >= 50 feet · side yard setback: >= 20 feet (table note 2) · rear yard setback: >= 40 feet

  “principal building setbacks (minimum) front (feet) 50 40 35 side (feet) (note 2) (added via amendment, 12/03/18) 20 20 15 rear (feet) 40 30 20”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — Principal building in the R-1 (single-family low density residential) district inside Hoschton city limits

    “principal building setbacks (minimum) front (feet) 50 40 35 side (feet) (note 2) (added via amendment, 12/03/18) 20 20 15 rear (feet) 40 30 20”

  • Specified — Principal building in the R-2 (single-family suburban residential) district inside Hoschton city limits

    “principal building setbacks (minimum) front (feet) 50 40 35 side (feet) (note 2) (added via amendment, 12/03/18) 20 20 15 rear (feet) 40 30 20”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential A, R-1 and R-2 districts inside Hoschton city limits (maximum building coverage, percent of lot)

  • Column order in Table 4.2 is A, R-1, R-2.

  maximum building coverage (A): <= 15 percent · maximum building coverage (R-1): <= 25 percent · maximum building coverage (R-2): <= 35 percent

  “maximum building coverage (percent) 15 25 35”

• Building heightSpecified

  Principal buildings in the A, R-1 and R-2 districts inside Hoschton city limits

  • Column order in Table 4.2 is A, R-1, R-2; stories limit is 2 in each.

  maximum height (A): <= 40 feet · maximum height (R-1): <= 35 feet · maximum height (R-2): <= 35 feet · maximum stories (A, R-1, R-2): <= 2 stories

  “maximum height (feet) 40 35 35 maximum height (number of stories) 2 2 2”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupancy or parking of recreational vehicles on private land inside Hoschton city limits outside designated RV parks and campgrounds

  • Occupancy or parking is prohibited except as authorized in Section 6.100.
  • Permitted for seven consecutive days or less in any 180-day period.
  • Longer or more frequent use requires special use approval by mayor and council.
  • The RV must be parked in a side or rear yard only.

  maximum consecutive days: <= 7 days (per 180-day period)

  “the use of a recreational vehicles in an area other than a designated recreational vehicle park or campground is permitted for seven consecutive days or less during any 180-day period.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary camping with recreational vehicles on private land inside Hoschton city limits

  • Same rule as RV occupancy: camping outside designated RV parks and campgrounds is limited to seven consecutive days or less in any 180-day period, unless approved by mayor and council as special use.
  • Tent or other camping rules were not located in the zoning ordinance.

  maximum consecutive days: <= 7 days (per 180-day period, unless special use approval)

  “the use of a recreational vehicles in an area other than a designated recreational vehicle park or campground is permitted for seven consecutive days or less during any 180-day period.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes on individual lots in the A (Agricultural) district inside Hoschton city limits; R-1 and R-2 are limited to site-built homes

  • Agricultural district allows single-family site-built homes and manufactured homes on individual lots.
  • Section 6.95 requires wheels and towing devices removed and a permanent foundation, with enclosed or masonry skirting if elevated, tie-downs, and landing requirements.
  • R-1 and R-2 detached uses are site built only.

  “residential land uses are allowed but they are limited to single-family, site-built homes and manufactured homes on individual lots.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments inside Hoschton city limits

  • Owner occupancy: either the accessory apartment or the principal dwelling unit must be owner-occupied.
  • Health department must certify that water, sewer and/or septic facilities are adequate for both dwellings.
  • Architectural finish must be substantially similar to principal dwelling; entrance from rear or side yard.

  “either the accessory apartment or the principal dwelling unit shall be owner-occupied.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fees and water-sewer connection fees for land inside Hoschton city limits

  • Building permit fee schedule is linked on the building page as adopted 5.14.26; water-sewer connection fees are adopted 12-17-2024. Fee amounts were not opened.

  “building permit fees -adopted 5.14.26 water-sewer connection fees (adopted 12-17-2024)”

Rules another office applies inside Hoschton

Hoschton 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 septicCounty

  Septic tank use on lots inside Hoschton city limits; administered by the Jackson County health department (Northeast Georgia Health District, Jackson County Environmental Health)

  • The city code names the Jackson County health department for septic approval. Hoschton city straddles Jackson and Barrow counties; the Barrow County portion is handled by Barrow County Environmental Health (not opened).
  • Health department certification is also required for accessory apartments (see accessory_dwelling claim).

  “the lot area and width meet the current standards and requirements of the jackson county health department for septic tank use”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Hoschton or Jackson County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit or inspection exemption inside Hoschton city limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for work inside Hoschton city limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Hoschton city limits
• Septic inspection — Septic system inspection inside Hoschton city limits
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid or non-septic sanitation systems inside Hoschton city 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.