Bartow County, GA Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)

Bartow County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 1 names animal grooming and similar pet related businesses on lots less than five acres among the occupations the county will not permit as a home business, and adds that kennels require a minimum of 15 acres and require conditional use approval. The provision sits inside the same home-occupation article that also bans automotive repair, junk yards and manufacturing, reflecting the county's general view that commercial animal-related uses generate enough traffic, noise, and odor concerns to need more land and closer oversight than a typical residential home occupation.

A groomer working from a residence on a lot of five acres or more still has to satisfy the ordinance's general home-occupation limits under Sec. A through Sec. G, including the 30-percent-of-dwelling cap, the ban on external signage or product display, and the two-vehicle parking limit, and cannot let noise, odor or animal waste become detectable at the lot line under the nuisance clause in Sec. E. Anyone wanting to operate a boarding kennel, as opposed to grooming, must clear the 15-acre minimum and go through the county's conditional use permit process under Article XVI before opening, which involves a Planning Commission review and public hearing.