Rockdale County adopts new rules for gas stations, vape shops and small-box retailers; short-term rental changes deferred

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners on April 8 adopted multiple changes to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), adding new definitions and development standards for gasoline service stations, small-box discount retailers and vape stores. The board also deferred action on a proposed short‑term rental ordinance for further study.

The changes are intended to limit the concentration of certain commercial uses in parts of the county and to start a broader rewrite of the UDO, planning staff told the board. The gasoline-station amendment was amended on the floor to require a four‑mile minimum distance between proposed gas stations; the motion passed with two votes in favor and one abstention.

County planning staff said the set of text amendments grew out of a citizen-led planning and zoning committee and are intended as 'low-hanging fruit' to address repeatedly raised concerns. Director Gardner of Planning and Development summarized the gasoline-station standards, saying the amendment adds a definition, requires minimum street frontage and lot-size thresholds, sets setbacks for pumps and canopies, restricts aboveground storage and sets distance buffers from residences and certain public‑assembly uses. Gardner told the board these standards also include a 500‑foot buffer from churches, hospitals and schools and (as amended by the board) a four‑mile separation between gas stations measured in a straight line from nearest property lines.

The board also added small-box discount retailers and vape stores to the UDO's definitions and supplemental regulations. Planning staff said vape stores will be designated as nonconforming uses — existing shops may remain while they continue to operate, but new vape stores would be restricted and any that cease operating for a period would lose the right to restart under the same classification.

Short‑term rentals drew more discussion. A commissioner urged caution with a proposed limit that would allow rentals for 14 consecutive days or 30 days total per year, saying that limit could make short‑term rentals unsustainable as a business and that more research and a registration or permitting approach might be preferable. Planning staff recommended deferring the short‑term rental amendment so staff can consult with the sheriff’s office, refine regulations, and consider models used by neighboring counties; the board voted to defer the item to a future meeting.

Background: Planning staff said the amendment series follows the county’s first moratorium on certain retail and service categories and is part of a larger UDO rewrite slated to address development rules countywide. The board indicated further UDO text amendments will be brought forward as staff and the consultant identify issues.

The board’s action was procedural: the gasoline-station amendment and related UDO text changes were approved on second reading and adopted (gasoline-station amendment as amended to include the four‑mile separation). The short‑term rental amendment was deferred to a future meeting for additional work and stakeholder input.

What’s next: Planning staff will continue UDO work with a consultant and bring additional text amendments and implementation details, including possible registration and safety requirements for short‑term rentals, back to the board for consideration.