Catoosa County, GA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail loading bay
- 10x25 ft per 3,000 sq ft floor area
- Wholesale/industrial bay
- 10x50 ft per 10,000 sq ft floor area
- Vertical clearance required
- 14 feet minimum
- Backing onto street
- Prohibited by design
- Reduction process
- Planning Commission variance (20% admin cap)
Summary
Every unincorporated Catoosa County business, trade or industrial building must set aside its own off-street loading space under UDC Section 4.05.02: retail needs one 10-by-25-foot bay per 3,000 square feet of floor area, wholesale and industrial uses need one 10-by-50-foot bay per 10,000 square feet, and every bay needs 14 feet of vertical clearance.
A.Every building or structure used for business, trade, or industry shall provide space as indicated herein for the loading and unloading of vehicles off the right-of-way of the street or public alley.1)Such space shall have access to an alley or, if there is no alley, to a street.2)Such space shall have at least 14 feet of vertical clearance.3)Such space shall be so arranged that no vehicle is required to back onto a public street, road, or highway in order to leave the premises.B.Retail business loading space requirements: One space, 10 feet by 25 feet, for each 3,000 square feet of floor area or any part thereof.C.Wholesale and industry loading space requirements: One space, 10 feet by 50 feet, for each 10,000 square feet of floor area or any part thereof.
Full Breakdown
Section 4.05.02.A requires any building used for business, trade or industry to provide loading and unloading space off the street or alley right-of-way, with three baseline conditions: the space must connect to an alley, or a street if no alley exists; it must have at least 14 feet of vertical clearance for trucks; and it must be arranged so no vehicle has to back onto a public street, road or highway to leave. Subsection B sets the retail standard at one loading space measuring 10 feet by 25 feet for every 3,000 square feet of floor area or any part of that area, while Subsection C doubles the bay size for wholesale and industrial uses at one 10-by-50-foot space per 10,000 square feet of floor area.
Bus and truck terminals under Subsection D must provide enough space to hold the maximum number of buses or trucks loading, unloading or stored at the terminal at one time, without a fixed dimensional formula. These loading standards sit alongside the off-street parking requirements of Section 4.05.01, and for any use not itemized in the parking Table 4-1, the Zoning Administrator and Building Official assign the closest comparable use classification. Any request to reduce the loading or parking count goes through the Planning Commission's variance procedure, with cuts of 20 percent or less handled administratively.
Violations & Fines
A business, trade or industrial building that opens without the loading space required under Section 4.05.02, or with a bay that lacks the 14-foot clearance or forces vehicles to back onto the public street, is a UDC violation under Section 9.07.03: a misdemeanor carrying a $50 to $1,000 fine (minimum $100) or up to 60 days, charged for each day the violation continues, plus a doubled permit fee for construction that proceeded without a permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big does a retail loading space have to be in unincorporated Catoosa County?
What about a warehouse or factory?
Is there a minimum clearance for trucks?
Can I get a smaller loading area than the code requires?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Catoosa County
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