Coweta County, GA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Coweta County, GA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Minimum lot size
- 12,000 sq ft (VC district)
- Minimum ADU size
- 600 sq ft heated floor area
- Maximum ADU size
- 50% of principal home's floor area
- Extra parking required
- 1 additional space per ADU
- Ownership rule
- Must be owned by principal dwelling's owner
- Governing section
- Zoning Ord. § 134.3(1)(b)
Summary
In Coweta County's Village Center district, one accessory dwelling unit is allowed by right on any single-family detached lot larger than 12,000 square feet. Zoning and Development Ordinance Sec. 134.3(1)(b) sets the unit's size, ownership, and parking standards and excludes it from density calculations, but the by-right allowance applies only inside the Village Center zoning district, not countywide.
b.Accessory dwelling units, subject to the following standards:i.One accessory unit is allowed by right for any single-family, detached dwelling with a lot size greater than 12,000 square feet.ii.Accessory units are not counted as units for density purposes.iii.Accessory units shall be owned by the owner of the principal dwelling.iv.Accessory units shall contain no less than 600 square feet in heated floor area, and no more than 50 percent of the floor area of the principal dwelling.v.Accessory units may be in a separate structure, attached to the principal structure, or located above a garage.vi.If in a separate structure or located above a garage, the building containing the accessory unit shall have a height no greater than the height of the principal dwelling.vii.Accessory units shall provide at least one additional parking space.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40).
Full Breakdown
Coweta County created a Village Center zoning overlay (Article 13 of the Zoning and Development Ordinance, adopted by Ord. No. 043-07 and amended by Ord. No. 003-20) to encourage a walkable mix of housing types around the county's village centers. 3(1)(b) authorizes an accessory dwelling unit as an accessory use on the same lot as a primary single-family detached home, provided the principal lot exceeds 12,000 square feet. 5 dwelling-unit-per-acre cap. Ownership is restricted: the accessory unit must be owned by the same person who owns the principal dwelling, meaning it cannot be sold or held in separate title.
Size is bounded on both ends: a minimum of 600 square feet of heated floor area, and a maximum of 50 percent of the principal dwelling's floor area, so a 2,000-square-foot house tops the accessory unit out at 1,000 square feet. The unit may be freestanding, attached to the house, or built above a detached garage. If it is detached or sits over a garage, its roofline cannot exceed the height of the principal dwelling. Each accessory unit must provide at least one additional off-street parking space beyond what the principal home requires, and its exterior materials, roof pitch, and window style must match the principal dwelling's architecture.
Property owners outside the mapped Village Center district (the county's conventional RC, RD, R-2, and manufactured-home districts under Article 23) are not covered by this by-right allowance and would instead need to pursue a variance or rezoning through the community development department.
Violations & Fines
Building an accessory unit that exceeds 50 percent of the principal home's floor area, sits under 600 square feet, or is placed on a lot of 12,000 square feet or less without approval is a zoning violation subject to a stop-work order and denial of a certificate of occupancy from the Coweta County Community Development Department. Renting the unit under separate ownership from the principal dwelling also violates Sec. 134.3(1)(b)'s ownership condition and can trigger code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build an accessory dwelling unit anywhere in Coweta County?
How big can a Coweta County Village Center ADU be?
Does an ADU count toward the lot's density limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coweta County
How Coweta County compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Coweta County to another location·View the Georgia accessory structures overview
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