Cobb County officials receive update on Unified Development Code; commissioners flag questions about planned-development allowances

Jeffrey Green, a principal with Clarion Associates, told the Cobb County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 25 that the county is in the drafting phase of a new Unified Development Code, or UDC, that will combine zoning, subdivision and design standards into one document.

The UDC is intended to consolidate the county’s development regulations and present them in three installments for public review. "UDC simply stands for unified development code," Green said, adding that the project began in 2022 and the consultants have delivered an initial installment covering development review and approval procedures.

The UDC project team told commissioners the document will be delivered in three parts: (1) administrative procedures and review processes, (2) zoning districts and use regulations, and (3) development standards such as parking, landscaping and lighting. The consultants said the approach is designed to make the code more readable, reduce repetitive text and provide clearer tables, flow charts and cross‑references.

Why it matters: the UDC will replace separate chapters that now govern rezoning, subdivision and site approvals and is intended to be the primary regulatory framework for land development in Cobb County. Changes in procedure, the introduction of planned development districts, and any new allowances will require applications, public notice and formal…