October 16, 2025 • 16 mins
We sit down with Community Development Director, Joe Duffy, to unpack how Perry’s zoning code actually works, why it exists, and what it means for your street, your business idea, or your next home project. From the century-old origins of zoning to today’s land management ordinance, we walk through the guardrails that keep homes, shops, and industry compatible - and how those rules adapt as our community changes.
You’ll hear a clear explanation of the documents that guide decisions: the zoning code that sets standards block by block, and the comprehensive plan that charts the City's long-term vision. We dig into practical questions residents ask every day, how to find your property’s zoning, when historic district rules trigger design review, and how to navigate permits without wasting time or money. For bigger changes, we break down the rezoning process step by step: filing the application, staff analysis against state and local criteria, public hearings before the planning commission, and the final vote by city council. Along the way, Joe shares why proposals often evolve through feedback from City staff and the community.
Most important, we highlight how your voice shapes outcomes. Public hearings, online portals, and open meetings make it simple to review applications and weigh in with support or concerns. We also preview Perry’s 2026 comprehensive plan update, a year-long effort where residents can influence future land use, growth corridors, and neighborhood character. If you care about housing choices, small business vitality, historic preservation, or how streets feel and function, this conversation gives you the tools to engage with confidence.
If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.
Visit us at perry-ga.gov.
We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Welcome to the Inside Perry Podcast, where you
get an inside look at Perry,Georgia's local government.
We're glad you chose Perry wherepeople make the difference.
Whether you stay a few hours ora lifetime, your time in Perry
will be rewarding andunforgettable.
I'm Tabitha Clark,Communications Director for the
City of Perry.
(00:22):
So welcome back to the InsidePerry podcast.
Today we're pulling back thecurtain on planning and zoning
in Perry, what it means, why itmatters, and how it affects
everyday life in our community.
So I'm super excited for thefirst time to welcome our sort
of brand new communitydevelopment director, Joe Duffy.
So welcome, Joe.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Thank you.
It's great to be here.
SPEAKER_02 (00:45):
All right.
So we are going to get into oneof kind of the hot topics here
in the city of Perry.
Because of course, you know,with growth comes concerns
about, you know, houses andbusinesses and zonings,
rezonings.
And it is a quite a complexprocess.
Am I right?
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
It it is relatively complex.
Um, there are a lot of differentmoving pieces.
You know, in our department, wewe talk to a lot of different
folks who have a lot ofdifferent ideas about different
things they'd like to do.
They come to us usually in hopesof getting some guidance on the
best way to execute some ofthose visions.
(01:22):
So we we use uh something calledthe zoning code.
It's uh officially known as theland management ordinance.
SPEAKER_02 (01:28):
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (01:28):
It's a about a 200-page document with a number
of different chapters andsections that each apply to
certain types of creations, ifyou will, that ranges from
buildings, designs, physicalpresence across the city.
Um, really, if you want to buildanything in Perry or in pretty
much any city in America at thispoint, uh, most cities use
(01:51):
zoning to help establish theguidelines for what is allowed.
SPEAKER_02 (01:55):
It's very light reading, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
I would I would argue it's pretty dense reading.
Um not exactly a good Sundayafternoon uh treat for most
folks.
SPEAKER_02 (02:05):
Yes, it is very detailed.
Um so let's go back to the verycrux and foundation of this.
What exactly does planning andzoning mean and why should
everyday residents care aboutit?
SPEAKER_00 (02:17):
Yeah, it's a great question.
So zoning really got started inthe United States back in the
1900s, I believe in New YorkCity, as a way to protect folks
from living next to factories.
Oh, okay.
So, you know, you can understandback in the industrial age, um,
you know, we've got a anapartment building, say, with
(02:39):
lots of folks living in it,families, children, seniors,
folks of all ages and and types,next to a big building that's
spitting out a bunch of smokeand making a bunch of noise and
a bunch of racket and kind of uhnot really what we would call
today as a compatible situation.
So that's basically as a resultof that exact situation,
(03:00):
starting in New York andspreading across the country,
other cities started enactingwhat we call local zoning, which
is basically similar guidelinesto what we have today, but
basically establishing physicaldistricts on a map where certain
types of uses are allowed andcertain types of uses are not
allowed, with the goal of uhhaving a cohesive community.
SPEAKER_02 (03:23):
Right.
So you kind of answered my nextquestion of why does the city
even need zoning?
Why can't people just build whatthey want where they want?
SPEAKER_00 (03:32):
Yeah, well, I think it it kind of gets back to the
idea of just because somebodywants to do something, that goal
of theirs, you know, might befine and well, but it may also
have negative impacts on othersin the community.
So the goal of zoning is tobalance all of these competing
interests and and you know,everyone's got a different
agenda of some kind or differentgoal, we'll say.
(03:54):
And um by establishing thezoning code, we arrive at what
zoning code is through acommunity process.
So it's not like something wejust dreamed up and and and
created just uh for fun.
It's it's it results from a lotof community discussions.
The zoning code changes overtime.
It's meant to be a somewhat firmbut flexible document in that um
(04:19):
you know we're constantlytweaking it in response to
different community needs.
The city also we are actuallyrequired by state law to have
something called a comprehensiveplan, which is another document
I would argue an easier readthan the actual zoning code.
But the comprehensive plan is adocument we're required to
create that spells out exactlywhat the city's vision should be
(04:44):
for the future, and we use that,which is generally a little bit
more conceptual in nature,aspirational in many cases.
Sure.
Um, but it does it's the intentof the community vision should
should be reflected in our localzoning code.
SPEAKER_02 (04:58):
Okay, great.
So let's bring it down to anindividual level.
So if I'm a property owner inthe city of Perry, how exactly
do I find out what my propertyis zoned for?
SPEAKER_00 (05:09):
Probably the easiest way would be just to call us.
We we answer that question allthe time.
We have maps on our website aswell.
You can look at the the countywebsite.
We use a website called Q Publicoften, which does list zoning on
it for every parcel in thecounty as well as in the city.
But uh for city zoningquestions, we we would direct
you to the Department ofCommunity Development.
(05:29):
Uh we're happy to look up yourproperty and tell you exactly
what is currently allowed thereand what your options might be.
Typically try to walk folksthrough the process as early as
possible because I know we'veseen it a few times where folks
don't know what the zoning is ona property and might purchase a
property with an idea for ofsomething to do and it might not
be permitted in the city.
(05:50):
So we want to make sure that youhave those answers as early as
possible in your your process.
SPEAKER_02 (05:55):
Sure.
So as like an individualproperty owner, if I want to
build a new fence, deck,addition, things like that, do I
need zoning approval for that?
SPEAKER_00 (06:05):
So we actually don't issue fencing permits, but I
guess the the short answer toyour question is a little bit
complicated.
SPEAKER_02 (06:12):
Sure.
SPEAKER_00 (06:12):
Um and it depends on where your property is located.
Um so in the city of Perry, wedo have historic districts which
have a higher level of designreview in that they projects
that would involve a fence,let's say um really anything
visible from the street levelare required to be approved and
(06:34):
issued what's called acertificate of appropriateness
by our historic preservationcommission.
And again, on a case-by-casebasis, we're always happy to
talk through some concepts withfolks because not every parcel
in the city has the same rulesapplying to it.
So, you know, there's there'srarely a simple answer, and and
yeah, there there are differentapprovals for different areas.
SPEAKER_02 (06:55):
So the main takeaway and pro tip, if you will, is to
call community developmentbefore you build anything,
correct?
SPEAKER_00 (07:03):
Yes, please.
It's a lot a lot easier to do ituh with us helping you than than
not to.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
That's right.
You don't want to get too far inthe process, sure.
So rezoning.
So you have been here for howlong as of this recording?
Three months?
SPEAKER_00 (07:19):
Um, I think right around two and a half.
Two and a half.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (07:22):
All right.
So you know just as well aseverybody else, rezoning is the
topic, you know, or one of thetopics of um the city of Perry
growth.
So let's talk about rezoning.
So if I want to change my landand what it can be used for, how
do I request a rezoning or findout more information?
SPEAKER_00 (07:42):
So um that would also be another great item to
reach out to us in communitydevelopment about.
There is a formal applicationwhich you can also find on our
website to request a rezoning.
So let's say, for example, youhave a residential property that
you'd like to or a propertythat's zoned for residential.
Let's say it doesn't have anybuildings on it, but you'd like
(08:05):
to build an office on thatbuilding or on that land.
So you would need a rezoning torequest a change of the official
zoning map to permit acommercial use on the property.
So you'd fill out theapplication, it's pretty
straightforward.
You would explain the reasonswhy you're requesting the
rezoning, which we would compareto state guidelines on what can
(08:28):
be allowed to permit a rezoning.
There are these are actuallystate guidelines that the city
follows to make some of thesejudgments.
And ultimately the the decisionwould be reviewed first by
staff.
Staff would form arecommendation based on the
available information.
Probably have a bit of aconversation with you about you
(08:49):
know what exactly are you tryingto do, so get as many details as
we we possibly can to make aninformed recommendation.
Then that recommendation is readbefore what's called our
planning commission, which is agroup of city residents who all
come from different backgrounds,really a great uh representative
community of of the city.
(09:10):
And they will ask you to presentyour case following the staff
recommendation.
They will make either anindependent decision by taking
into account uh what staff havereported out on and what the
applicant expresses verballybefore them at a at a scheduled
meeting.
These are also public meetings.
Folks can have an opportunity tomake their case before the
(09:31):
planning commission.
And from there, the planningcommission will actually make
its own recommendation, which isjust that.
It's a recommendation becausethese meetings are actually
followed by another meeting withthe city council in which a
final determination is made.
So that's kind of a three-stepprocess between staff, planning
(09:52):
commission, and city council forrezoning.
SPEAKER_02 (09:54):
Right.
So that would be my nextquestion about do residents get
a say in the rezoning or the newdevelopments?
Because normally with theprocess, if a application is
filed on that piece of land orproperty or whatever, there's a
sign that talks about the publichearing, right?
Date, time, location, thingslike that.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
Yep, we are required by state law and we're we're
we're happy to post those signs.
Public hearings are held forrezonings.
The public are certainly invitedto provide feedback.
I'll say that the planningcommission do take into account
what is expressed in thosemeetings.
You know, they're going to beasking questions, you know,
about what is, you know, say itthere's a request for what's
(10:36):
called a variance, which wouldbe you're approved to do one
thing, but you want to dosomething slightly different
from what the guidelines say,but not an entire change of use.
A question to expect under inthat case would be what is the
hardship that the applicant mayhave that would warrant a
deviation from the localregulations.
(10:58):
The public are certainlyinclined to express uh either
support or disdain for uh anyproposed uses and planning
commission are certainly happyto hear that as our staff.
SPEAKER_02 (11:10):
Exactly.
And if you're not familiar, wealways refer back to the
website, which is ourinformational hub of all
official city information.
Uh so if you go on toparry-ga.gov, you can look under
business services and seecommunity development and then
the planning commission and theplanning and zoning pages, and
that gives you an idea of whenthose meetings are going to be
(11:33):
held.
So our key takeaways aboutzoning, it is a complex process,
and people need to understandthat the best thing to do is to
come and call or come bycommunity development and really
get, you know, what the legalobligations are first before you
start planning, you know,anything of significance on your
(11:54):
property.
So what's the one thing, what'sa common misconception, Joe,
about the planning and zoningplanning commission or or just
about the process?
SPEAKER_00 (12:04):
Well, you know, I think that one thing folks may
lose sight of is that, you know,a lot of the applications we
process for planning and zoningare they originate from private
property owners who wish to dosomething with their property.
And obviously what they wish todo can range greatly.
(12:25):
So you know, planning and zoningdoes not exist to curtail
private property owners fromfrom doing what they'd like to
do, but it it is intended toserve more as a guide and to to
establish guidelines really forwhat is permissible.
There's a degree of zoning thatcan be a little bit subjective,
(12:46):
and hopefully through thatthree-part process I mentioned,
you know, these decisions areintended to not be made quickly,
and they're not intended to beleft up to a single individual,
such as a staff person.
So they start with staff.
We kind of filter through theinformation to try to distill
what's at the the heart of theinquiry and provide that to
(13:07):
planning commission, and thenplanning commission will provide
that further in hopes of uhrefining a proposed solution uh
for the city council who willhave the final say.
So there are a lot of movingpieces to it.
If you have concerns orquestions about a particular
idea you may have, and we'recertainly happy to to consult
with you about that.
Yeah, we actually do find itkind of exciting.
(13:29):
We know looking through the bookof regulations isn't necessarily
everyone's cup of tea, but well,that's why we have you and the
staff joke.
We do our best.
We're always learning about thecode too.
So it's it's it's a meant to bea flexible document, as I
mentioned, and we're alwayslooking to improve the code.
So, you know, we're hoping tosolicit community feedback in
(13:50):
2026.
The city will be going through anew comprehensive plan update
process over the course of 12months.
And we're super excited aboutthat.
That's another one of thoseitems we're required to do by
law, but it's really just agreat thing for us to do.
You know, my personal hope isthat you know we'll we'll come
out of that process with a greatdocument that everyone in the
(14:11):
community has had a chance toimpact a little bit and and say
their their piece about you knowhow they envision Perry to grow
in the future and just kind ofhow we want the the the
community to take shape.
SPEAKER_02 (14:23):
Right.
And that's also just a great wayfor public engagement.
And we will definitely, whenthat process is solidified and
approved by council, we willdefinitely make sure that we get
out the dates for thosecommunity engagement, you know,
sessions and those listeningsessions because we really do
want to hear from the community.
And another probably point thatuh we've seen often is when an
(14:47):
application comes in, all ofthem are available to the public
through our portal that we haveon the website.
Kind of piggybacking off yourpoint earlier is sometimes the
applications that come in aregoing to change significantly as
they go through the process.
So just because you see onething doesn't mean it's gonna be
approved or or that's exactlygoing to be the end result.
(15:07):
I know sometimes y'all see thata whole bunch.
SPEAKER_00 (15:09):
Absolutely.
And and we appreciate that.
You know, sometimes someone'sidea for a property changes or
on its own as a result of uhthese various levels of review
and and different feedback loopsthat folks will get, which is
great, great to see.
You know, it I think that'sthat's an example of the the
process being successful andhelping craft a better project
(15:34):
out of something that may havestarted as a different idea.
SPEAKER_02 (15:38):
Right, exactly.
So, well, Joe, thank you so muchfor joining me today.
And for our listeners, wealways, of course, encourage you
to reach out and uh if you haveany questions, concerns, we
always like to answer those,especially the hard questions.
Uh we answer those every day.
So also make sure you take avisit onto our city website,
(15:58):
parry-ga.gov.
Visit the planning and zoningpage, attend a public hearing,
and as always, we want you tostay engaged.
So thanks so much, Joe.
It was great talking with youtoday.
SPEAKER_00 (16:09):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (16:12):
Thanks for listening to the Inside Perry Podcast,
your inside look at Perry'slocal government.
Take a look at the show notesfor more information about
today's episode.
If you like Inside Perry, weencourage you to subscribe and
share the podcast with yourfriends and family.
We look forward to seeing youaround in our amazing community
where Georgia comes together.
Welcome to the Inside Perry Podcast, where you
get an inside look at Perry,Georgia's local government.
We're glad you chose Perry wherepeople make the difference.
Whether you stay a few hours ora lifetime, your time in Perry
will be rewarding andunforgettable.
I'm Tabitha Clark,Communications Director for the
City of Perry.
(00:22):
So welcome back to the InsidePerry podcast.
Today we're pulling back thecurtain on planning and zoning
in Perry, what it means, why itmatters, and how it affects
everyday life in our community.
So I'm super excited for thefirst time to welcome our sort
of brand new communitydevelopment director, Joe Duffy.
So welcome, Joe.
SPEAKER_00 (00:44):
Thank you.
It's great to be here.
SPEAKER_02 (00:45):
All right.
So we are going to get into oneof kind of the hot topics here
in the city of Perry.
Because of course, you know,with growth comes concerns
about, you know, houses andbusinesses and zonings,
rezonings.
And it is a quite a complexprocess.
Am I right?
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
It it is relatively complex.
Um, there are a lot of differentmoving pieces.
You know, in our department, wewe talk to a lot of different
folks who have a lot ofdifferent ideas about different
things they'd like to do.
They come to us usually in hopesof getting some guidance on the
best way to execute some ofthose visions.
(01:22):
So we we use uh something calledthe zoning code.
It's uh officially known as theland management ordinance.
SPEAKER_02 (01:28):
That's right.
SPEAKER_00 (01:28):
It's a about a 200-page document with a number
of different chapters andsections that each apply to
certain types of creations, ifyou will, that ranges from
buildings, designs, physicalpresence across the city.
Um, really, if you want to buildanything in Perry or in pretty
much any city in America at thispoint, uh, most cities use
(01:51):
zoning to help establish theguidelines for what is allowed.
SPEAKER_02 (01:55):
It's very light reading, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
I would I would argue it's pretty dense reading.
Um not exactly a good Sundayafternoon uh treat for most
folks.
SPEAKER_02 (02:05):
Yes, it is very detailed.
Um so let's go back to the verycrux and foundation of this.
What exactly does planning andzoning mean and why should
everyday residents care aboutit?
SPEAKER_00 (02:17):
Yeah, it's a great question.
So zoning really got started inthe United States back in the
1900s, I believe in New YorkCity, as a way to protect folks
from living next to factories.
Oh, okay.
So, you know, you can understandback in the industrial age, um,
you know, we've got a anapartment building, say, with
(02:39):
lots of folks living in it,families, children, seniors,
folks of all ages and and types,next to a big building that's
spitting out a bunch of smokeand making a bunch of noise and
a bunch of racket and kind of uhnot really what we would call
today as a compatible situation.
So that's basically as a resultof that exact situation,
(03:00):
starting in New York andspreading across the country,
other cities started enactingwhat we call local zoning, which
is basically similar guidelinesto what we have today, but
basically establishing physicaldistricts on a map where certain
types of uses are allowed andcertain types of uses are not
allowed, with the goal of uhhaving a cohesive community.
SPEAKER_02 (03:23):
Right.
So you kind of answered my nextquestion of why does the city
even need zoning?
Why can't people just build whatthey want where they want?
SPEAKER_00 (03:32):
Yeah, well, I think it it kind of gets back to the
idea of just because somebodywants to do something, that goal
of theirs, you know, might befine and well, but it may also
have negative impacts on othersin the community.
So the goal of zoning is tobalance all of these competing
interests and and you know,everyone's got a different
agenda of some kind or differentgoal, we'll say.
(03:54):
And um by establishing thezoning code, we arrive at what
zoning code is through acommunity process.
So it's not like something wejust dreamed up and and and
created just uh for fun.
It's it's it results from a lotof community discussions.
The zoning code changes overtime.
It's meant to be a somewhat firmbut flexible document in that um
(04:19):
you know we're constantlytweaking it in response to
different community needs.
The city also we are actuallyrequired by state law to have
something called a comprehensiveplan, which is another document
I would argue an easier readthan the actual zoning code.
But the comprehensive plan is adocument we're required to
create that spells out exactlywhat the city's vision should be
(04:44):
for the future, and we use that,which is generally a little bit
more conceptual in nature,aspirational in many cases.
Sure.
Um, but it does it's the intentof the community vision should
should be reflected in our localzoning code.
SPEAKER_02 (04:58):
Okay, great.
So let's bring it down to anindividual level.
So if I'm a property owner inthe city of Perry, how exactly
do I find out what my propertyis zoned for?
SPEAKER_00 (05:09):
Probably the easiest way would be just to call us.
We we answer that question allthe time.
We have maps on our website aswell.
You can look at the the countywebsite.
We use a website called Q Publicoften, which does list zoning on
it for every parcel in thecounty as well as in the city.
But uh for city zoningquestions, we we would direct
you to the Department ofCommunity Development.
(05:29):
Uh we're happy to look up yourproperty and tell you exactly
what is currently allowed thereand what your options might be.
Typically try to walk folksthrough the process as early as
possible because I know we'veseen it a few times where folks
don't know what the zoning is ona property and might purchase a
property with an idea for ofsomething to do and it might not
be permitted in the city.
(05:50):
So we want to make sure that youhave those answers as early as
possible in your your process.
SPEAKER_02 (05:55):
Sure.
So as like an individualproperty owner, if I want to
build a new fence, deck,addition, things like that, do I
need zoning approval for that?
SPEAKER_00 (06:05):
So we actually don't issue fencing permits, but I
guess the the short answer toyour question is a little bit
complicated.
SPEAKER_02 (06:12):
Sure.
SPEAKER_00 (06:12):
Um and it depends on where your property is located.
Um so in the city of Perry, wedo have historic districts which
have a higher level of designreview in that they projects
that would involve a fence,let's say um really anything
visible from the street levelare required to be approved and
(06:34):
issued what's called acertificate of appropriateness
by our historic preservationcommission.
And again, on a case-by-casebasis, we're always happy to
talk through some concepts withfolks because not every parcel
in the city has the same rulesapplying to it.
So, you know, there's there'srarely a simple answer, and and
yeah, there there are differentapprovals for different areas.
SPEAKER_02 (06:55):
So the main takeaway and pro tip, if you will, is to
call community developmentbefore you build anything,
correct?
SPEAKER_00 (07:03):
Yes, please.
It's a lot a lot easier to do ituh with us helping you than than
not to.
SPEAKER_02 (07:09):
That's right.
You don't want to get too far inthe process, sure.
So rezoning.
So you have been here for howlong as of this recording?
Three months?
SPEAKER_00 (07:19):
Um, I think right around two and a half.
Two and a half.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (07:22):
All right.
So you know just as well aseverybody else, rezoning is the
topic, you know, or one of thetopics of um the city of Perry
growth.
So let's talk about rezoning.
So if I want to change my landand what it can be used for, how
do I request a rezoning or findout more information?
SPEAKER_00 (07:42):
So um that would also be another great item to
reach out to us in communitydevelopment about.
There is a formal applicationwhich you can also find on our
website to request a rezoning.
So let's say, for example, youhave a residential property that
you'd like to or a propertythat's zoned for residential.
Let's say it doesn't have anybuildings on it, but you'd like
(08:05):
to build an office on thatbuilding or on that land.
So you would need a rezoning torequest a change of the official
zoning map to permit acommercial use on the property.
So you'd fill out theapplication, it's pretty
straightforward.
You would explain the reasonswhy you're requesting the
rezoning, which we would compareto state guidelines on what can
(08:28):
be allowed to permit a rezoning.
There are these are actuallystate guidelines that the city
follows to make some of thesejudgments.
And ultimately the the decisionwould be reviewed first by
staff.
Staff would form arecommendation based on the
available information.
Probably have a bit of aconversation with you about you
(08:49):
know what exactly are you tryingto do, so get as many details as
we we possibly can to make aninformed recommendation.
Then that recommendation is readbefore what's called our
planning commission, which is agroup of city residents who all
come from different backgrounds,really a great uh representative
community of of the city.
(09:10):
And they will ask you to presentyour case following the staff
recommendation.
They will make either anindependent decision by taking
into account uh what staff havereported out on and what the
applicant expresses verballybefore them at a at a scheduled
meeting.
These are also public meetings.
Folks can have an opportunity tomake their case before the
(09:31):
planning commission.
And from there, the planningcommission will actually make
its own recommendation, which isjust that.
It's a recommendation becausethese meetings are actually
followed by another meeting withthe city council in which a
final determination is made.
So that's kind of a three-stepprocess between staff, planning
(09:52):
commission, and city council forrezoning.
SPEAKER_02 (09:54):
Right.
So that would be my nextquestion about do residents get
a say in the rezoning or the newdevelopments?
Because normally with theprocess, if a application is
filed on that piece of land orproperty or whatever, there's a
sign that talks about the publichearing, right?
Date, time, location, thingslike that.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
Yep, we are required by state law and we're we're
we're happy to post those signs.
Public hearings are held forrezonings.
The public are certainly invitedto provide feedback.
I'll say that the planningcommission do take into account
what is expressed in thosemeetings.
You know, they're going to beasking questions, you know,
about what is, you know, say itthere's a request for what's
(10:36):
called a variance, which wouldbe you're approved to do one
thing, but you want to dosomething slightly different
from what the guidelines say,but not an entire change of use.
A question to expect under inthat case would be what is the
hardship that the applicant mayhave that would warrant a
deviation from the localregulations.
(10:58):
The public are certainlyinclined to express uh either
support or disdain for uh anyproposed uses and planning
commission are certainly happyto hear that as our staff.
SPEAKER_02 (11:10):
Exactly.
And if you're not familiar, wealways refer back to the
website, which is ourinformational hub of all
official city information.
Uh so if you go on toparry-ga.gov, you can look under
business services and seecommunity development and then
the planning commission and theplanning and zoning pages, and
that gives you an idea of whenthose meetings are going to be
(11:33):
held.
So our key takeaways aboutzoning, it is a complex process,
and people need to understandthat the best thing to do is to
come and call or come bycommunity development and really
get, you know, what the legalobligations are first before you
start planning, you know,anything of significance on your
(11:54):
property.
So what's the one thing, what'sa common misconception, Joe,
about the planning and zoningplanning commission or or just
about the process?
SPEAKER_00 (12:04):
Well, you know, I think that one thing folks may
lose sight of is that, you know,a lot of the applications we
process for planning and zoningare they originate from private
property owners who wish to dosomething with their property.
And obviously what they wish todo can range greatly.
(12:25):
So you know, planning and zoningdoes not exist to curtail
private property owners fromfrom doing what they'd like to
do, but it it is intended toserve more as a guide and to to
establish guidelines really forwhat is permissible.
There's a degree of zoning thatcan be a little bit subjective,
(12:46):
and hopefully through thatthree-part process I mentioned,
you know, these decisions areintended to not be made quickly,
and they're not intended to beleft up to a single individual,
such as a staff person.
So they start with staff.
We kind of filter through theinformation to try to distill
what's at the the heart of theinquiry and provide that to
(13:07):
planning commission, and thenplanning commission will provide
that further in hopes of uhrefining a proposed solution uh
for the city council who willhave the final say.
So there are a lot of movingpieces to it.
If you have concerns orquestions about a particular
idea you may have, and we'recertainly happy to to consult
with you about that.
Yeah, we actually do find itkind of exciting.
(13:29):
We know looking through the bookof regulations isn't necessarily
everyone's cup of tea, but well,that's why we have you and the
staff joke.
We do our best.
We're always learning about thecode too.
So it's it's it's a meant to bea flexible document, as I
mentioned, and we're alwayslooking to improve the code.
So, you know, we're hoping tosolicit community feedback in
(13:50):
2026.
The city will be going through anew comprehensive plan update
process over the course of 12months.
And we're super excited aboutthat.
That's another one of thoseitems we're required to do by
law, but it's really just agreat thing for us to do.
You know, my personal hope isthat you know we'll we'll come
out of that process with a greatdocument that everyone in the
(14:11):
community has had a chance toimpact a little bit and and say
their their piece about you knowhow they envision Perry to grow
in the future and just kind ofhow we want the the the
community to take shape.
SPEAKER_02 (14:23):
Right.
And that's also just a great wayfor public engagement.
And we will definitely, whenthat process is solidified and
approved by council, we willdefinitely make sure that we get
out the dates for thosecommunity engagement, you know,
sessions and those listeningsessions because we really do
want to hear from the community.
And another probably point thatuh we've seen often is when an
(14:47):
application comes in, all ofthem are available to the public
through our portal that we haveon the website.
Kind of piggybacking off yourpoint earlier is sometimes the
applications that come in aregoing to change significantly as
they go through the process.
So just because you see onething doesn't mean it's gonna be
approved or or that's exactlygoing to be the end result.
(15:07):
I know sometimes y'all see thata whole bunch.
SPEAKER_00 (15:09):
Absolutely.
And and we appreciate that.
You know, sometimes someone'sidea for a property changes or
on its own as a result of uhthese various levels of review
and and different feedback loopsthat folks will get, which is
great, great to see.
You know, it I think that'sthat's an example of the the
process being successful andhelping craft a better project
(15:34):
out of something that may havestarted as a different idea.
SPEAKER_02 (15:38):
Right, exactly.
So, well, Joe, thank you so muchfor joining me today.
And for our listeners, wealways, of course, encourage you
to reach out and uh if you haveany questions, concerns, we
always like to answer those,especially the hard questions.
Uh we answer those every day.
So also make sure you take avisit onto our city website,
(15:58):
parry-ga.gov.
Visit the planning and zoningpage, attend a public hearing,
and as always, we want you tostay engaged.
So thanks so much, Joe.
It was great talking with youtoday.
SPEAKER_00 (16:09):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (16:12):
Thanks for listening to the Inside Perry Podcast,
your inside look at Perry'slocal government.
Take a look at the show notesfor more information about
today's episode.
If you like Inside Perry, weencourage you to subscribe and
share the podcast with yourfriends and family.
We look forward to seeing youaround in our amazing community
where Georgia comes together.
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