Gordon County, GA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

Section 4.03.01 of the Unified Land Development Code lists the districts, building form and design standards for animal hospitals and veterinary clinics in unincorporated Gordon County. Clinics are permissible in the A-1, O-1, C-C, C-G, C-H, I-1 and I-2 zoning districts, subject to each district's site design standards and the supplemental standards of the section, and only in freestanding buildings.

Table 4.03.01(C) sets the measurable standards. Animals allowed are domestic pets, farm animals and livestock, and wild animals are prohibited. Both the building and any outdoor run must sit at least 75 feet from every property line that abuts a residential zoning district. Next to a nonresidential zoning district the minimums drop to 25 feet for the building and 50 feet for outdoor runs. Outdoor runs need drains connected to an approved sanitary facility, and odor and pest control is required. Hours of operation are limited to 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Two more rows in the same table cover buffers and boarding. The buffer must be 1.5 times the buffer requirement of Section 4.07.06 plus a fence or wall on any residentially zoned property line, and boarding requires soundproofing. Kennels and other boarding operations fall under subsection (D) of the same section, which starts the kennel definition at six adult dogs or cats on a property, so a clinic that boards animals should read both subsections together. Because the table pairs each setback with the type of neighboring district, the zoning of the lot next door decides whether the 75-foot or the 25-foot and 50-foot figures control.