Columbia County, GA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Section 90-131 opens Article IV's supplemental requirements by declaring they apply in all zoning districts in the unincorporated areas of the county, and section 90-133(a) is the parking rule that follows. Any time a permitted use under sections 90-50 or 90-97 is established or changed, a building is erected, or a principal building's capacity grows by adding dwelling units, guest rooms, seats, or floor area, the property must provide permanent off-street parking spaces improved with an asphalt or concrete surface. Gravel, dirt, grass, or mulch parking areas do not meet this standard.

The section also sets design rules that apply alongside the surface requirement. Parking spaces for separate uses on one lot can be combined, but spaces assigned to one use can't be reassigned to another, except where a church or assembly hall's peak parking demand (nights, Sundays) doesn't overlap an adjacent use's schedule. Required spaces must sit on the same lot or within 300 feet of the use they serve, and none may be reached by crossing an arterial street. Except for one- and two-family residential parcels, lots must be designed so no vehicle backs into a public street to reach it. Every standard space must measure at least nine feet by 18 feet, with handicapped spaces sized to ADA standards, and an off-street parking plan showing the code-required count against the count actually provided must accompany every development application.