Cherokee County, GA Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- 25%+ floor-area increase or use conversion
- Min space size
- 608 sq ft, 35x45 ft
- Vertical clearance
- 14.5 ft (8 ft for funeral homes)
- Retail/warehouse tier
- 1 space per 2,000-10,000 sq ft
- Funeral home tier
- 1 space per 2,500-4,000 sq ft
- Waiver available
- Board of appeals, Article 15
Summary
Any Cherokee County building that expands its floor area by 25 percent or more must add off-street loading space under Zoning Ordinance § 12.5, sized by a use table in Table 12.2, and every loading space must measure at least 608 square feet, 35 feet wide, 45 feet deep, with 14.5 feet of vertical clearance.
4.Design standards.1.Minimum size. For the purposed of these regulations, a loading space is a space within the main building or on the same lot, providing for the standing, loading or unloading of trucks, having minimum area of 608 square feet, minimum width of 35 feet, a minimum depth of 45 feet and a vertical clearance of at least 14.5 feet.b.Loading space for funeral homes. Loading spaces for a funeral home may be reduced in size to 10 by 25 feet and vertical clearance reduced to eight feet for all but one space when multiple spaces are provided.c.Drainage and maintenance. Off-street loading facilities shall be drained to eliminate standing water and prevent damage to abutting property and/or public streets and alleys, and surfaced with erosion-resistant material in accordance with applicable town specifications. Off-street loading areas shall be maintained in a clean, orderly and dust-free condition at the expense of the owner or lessee and not used for the sale, repair, dismantling or servicing of any vehicles, equipment, materials or supplies.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39 | Zoning: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
2. That table scales the requirement to floor area: a retail store, restaurant, wholesale house, warehouse, or manufacturing or industrial establishment needs one loading space between 2,000 and 10,000 square feet, climbing to two spaces up to 20,000 square feet, three up to 40,000, four up to 60,000, and one additional space for every 50,000 square feet beyond that. Apartment buildings, motels, offices, hospitals, and similar institutions need one space between 5,000 and 10,000 square feet, two up to 100,000, three up to 200,000, and one more for every additional 100,000.
A funeral home or mortuary needs one space between 2,500 and 4,000 square feet and two between 4,000 and 6,000, adding one more for every 10,000 beyond that. 5 feet of vertical clearance, though a funeral home's space can shrink to 10 by 25 feet with 8 feet of clearance for all but one space when several are provided. Loading areas must drain to eliminate standing water, stay clean and dust-free at the owner's or lessee's expense, and can never be used for vehicle sale, repair, or servicing.
Where a building's uses are mixed, the county calculates the loading requirement as if the whole building were devoted to whichever use demands the most spaces. The board of appeals can waive or reduce the requirement under Article 15 where community loading facilities exist or the floor area is under 10,000 square feet.
Violations & Fines
Using a required loading space to sell, repair, dismantle, or service vehicles, equipment, or materials violates § 12.5(4)(c), and failing to provide the number of spaces Table 12.2 requires when floor area grows 25 percent or more can hold up a certificate of occupancy for the addition. Zoning Ordinance § 19.1 backs the loading requirements with the county's general enforcement authority: a fine of up to $1,000.00 or 60 days in jail, with each day of continued violation a separate offense, and § 19.2 lets the administrator issue a stop-work order until the space is provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does my building have to add a loading space in Cherokee County?
How big does an off-street loading space have to be?
Can I get out of providing a loading space?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
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