Catoosa County, GA Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

UDC § 9.04.01(A) makes it unlawful to begin excavating, filling, constructing, moving or altering any building, or to develop more than one acre of land (or any size tract used for a mine, landfill, junkyard or recycling plant), before the Zoning Administrator issues a building/development permit. Section 9.04.01(B) ties the inspection power directly to the application: simply completing a permit application gives every county zoning entity permission to inspect or view the property at reasonable times and to run nondestructive tests, including soil borings, needed to check compliance with the UDC.

Applications must include a scaled site plan showing lot dimensions, building size and location, existing structures, dwelling unit count, adjoining setback lines, off-street parking and loading layout, and, for buildings covered by the exterior-lighting standards of § 4.07.00, a lighting plan (§ 9.04.02(A)). Planned Unit Developments face added submission requirements, including detailed landscaping and engineering plans (§ 9.04.02(B)). Once issued, a building/development permit and any special use permit become invalid if work is not commenced within six months of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for a full year, under § 9.04.03(A); PUD construction must start within one year of final approval, though a written extension request filed at least 90 days ahead can be granted (§ 9.04.03(B)).

Street addresses must also be assigned before a building permit issues, under the county's Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance at Code § 58, Article III. Violations of the permit requirement carry a doubled permit fee on top of other Article IX penalties for anyone who builds or develops without first obtaining the permit.