Cherokee County Is Rewriting Its Zoning Code. Here's What You Should Say.

Cherokee County is in the middle of rewriting every rule that governs what gets built here, where it gets built, and who it gets built for. The process is called ReCode Cherokee, and it is one of the most consequential civic opportunities our community has had in decades.

The county's zoning ordinance was originally adopted in 1992 and the development regulations in 1998. That code has been patched and amended so many times it has become nearly impossible for ordinary residents to navigate — the county's own planning department acknowledges this on the ReCode Cherokee project page. The new Unified Development Code will replace it entirely, and it will shape growth in Cherokee County for the next 30 years.

That means right now, before the new code is finalized, your voice actually matters. Planners are explicitly asking for community input, and what residents say in this window will influence what the final document looks like.

There are two ways to participate:

Attend today's community workshop (yes, today) from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Salacoa Room at 1130 Bluffs Parkway in Canton. Show up anytime during that window. You do not need to stay the whole time. Read the county's full event announcement here.

Take the online survey, which is open through June 30. Access the survey directly here.

Below is a breakdown of the issues most worth raising, and what to actually say about them.

Attainable Housing and Workforce Housing

Cherokee County's median home price is currently around $460,000 to $486,000, depending on the source and month. The median rent has topped $2,400. Teachers, nurses, service workers, and young families are being priced out of the county where they work.

The county briefly considered a Workforce Housing Overlay District late last year — a floating zoning designation that would have created for-sale housing reserved for households earning at or below 80% of area median income. The Cherokee Tribune-Ledger reported that commissioners tabled the vote in December 2025 without acting on it. The Unified Development Code is the right place to get this done properly.

Here is what to say:

The new code should include a Workforce Housing or Attainable Housing designation with clear, objective standards — not approval processes that leave everything to commissioner discretion. The proposed 10-acre size cap from last year's draft is too restrictive and should be reconsidered so that more sites qualify. Rental housing, not just for-sale homes, should be eligible for these designations. Renters need attainable options too.

Missing Middle Housing and ADUs

Cherokee County's residential zoning is overwhelmingly single-family. There is almost no room in the code for the housing types that serve people who are not buying a four-bedroom house: duplexes, triplexes, cottage clusters, and townhomes. These are sometimes called "missing middle" housing, and a 2024 Cherokee County housing forum featuring local developers and the Cherokee Association of Realtors highlighted their importance — noting that while 80% of American households are not couples with children, the vast majority of housing stock is designed for exactly that demographic.

Accessory dwelling units — also called ADUs, in-law suites, or backyard cottages — are a practical tool for both affordability and multigenerational living. Right now in Cherokee County, ADUs require case-by-case review and are not permitted by right in most residential zones.

Here is what to say:

The new code should allow ADUs by right in all residential zoning districts, with clear and simple standards rather than discretionary review. Minimum lot size requirements for ADUs should be reduced. The code should also open the door to duplex and small-scale multifamily housing in more residential zones, so that neighborhoods can grow thoughtfully without large-scale development being the only option.

Data Centers

This one deserves particular attention, because the county is not being fully transparent about it.

The Cherokee Office of Economic Development has a dedicated data center recruitment page on its website, advertising seven identified sites in Cherokee County to prospective data center developers, and listing available water, electricity, gas, and fiber as selling points. The county is actively marketing itself to this industry. Meanwhile, Cherokee County's zoning code — written in 1992 — has no specific standards whatsoever for data centers. That gap is not an accident, and it is not neutral. It means a data center could be approved under a general industrial zoning designation with minimal community input and no specific requirements for noise, water use, environmental protection, or distance from homes.

The broader Georgia context matters here. Georgia Public Broadcasting reported in October 2025 that there are 26 data centers under construction within 60 miles of Atlanta and 52 more planned, and that a wave of counties across the state have had to scramble to write ordinances because their existing codes had nothing to address these facilities. Counties that waited until a project was already in the pipeline had far less leverage than those that wrote rules in advance.

Cherokee County should not wait.

Here is what to say:

The new code should define data centers as a distinct land use, separate from general industrial. Any data center above a certain size should require a special use permit so the community has a meaningful voice in individual projects. The code should include noise limits (generators and cooling systems are notoriously loud in residential areas), buffer requirements from homes and schools, closed-loop water cooling requirements to protect local watersheds, and on-site clean energy requirements for large facilities. These are standards other Georgia counties have already adopted. Cherokee County should not be the exception.

Environmental Protections

The Etowah River flows through Cherokee County and is recognized by University of Georgia researchers as one of the most biodiverse river systems in the southeastern United States. It is home to the federally threatened Cherokee darter and the federally endangered Etowah darter — both species found nowhere else on earth. The county also sits atop significant groundwater recharge areas and has ridgelines and tree canopy that matter both ecologically and in terms of the quality of life that makes Cherokee County worth living in.

Today's workshop is explicitly featuring the tree ordinance and landscaping standards as agenda items, making this a particularly timely topic to show up and address.

Here is what to say:

The new code should include meaningful tree canopy preservation standards — not just replacement requirements after the fact, which allow developers to clear-cut first and plant saplings later. Impervious surface limits should be tied to watershed sensitivity, with stricter standards near the Etowah River, other streams, and designated groundwater recharge areas. Large industrial developments near waterways should face environmental review before approval. The county's natural character is not just an aesthetic preference. It is an ecological and economic asset, and the code should protect it as such.

Walkability and Pedestrian Infrastructure

Cherokee County is almost entirely car-dependent. New developments routinely open without sidewalks, trail connections, or any pedestrian infrastructure, making it dangerous or impossible for children, seniors, and people without cars to get around safely. This is a quality-of-life issue, a public health issue, and an equity issue all at once.

Here is what to say:

The new code should require sidewalk and trail connectivity as a standard condition of approval for new residential and commercial developments — not something that gets negotiated away during the approval process. Mixed-use and commercial areas should be required to meet basic walkability standards. As the county grows, the code should build in infrastructure for people, not just cars.

Transparency and Public Access to the Code Itself

The existing zoning code has been amended dozens of times over more than 30 years. That process has produced a document that very few people can actually read and use. That inaccessibility is not neutral — it benefits developers and insiders who know how to navigate it, and it shuts out ordinary residents who have just as much stake in how their county grows.

Here is what to say:

The new code should be written in plain language, with graphics and tables used to make it genuinely accessible. Any future amendment should require a plain-language summary as part of the public notice. Public comment windows for significant changes should be at least 30 days. All documents, draft versions, and meeting notes should be posted online and kept accessible. A code people can actually read is a code people can actually hold their government accountable to.

How to Submit Your Comments

You do not need to be a planning expert. You do not need to use technical language. Planners want to hear what kind of community you want to live in. Your experience as a renter, a worker, a parent, a longtime resident, or someone who is already struggling to afford to stay here is exactly the kind of input this process needs.

Attend today's workshop: 4 to 6 p.m., Salacoa Room, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. Come anytime. Full event details: https://www.cherokeecountyga.gov/Communications/media.php

Take the online survey (open through June 30): https://web.cvent.com/survey/179736f3-916b-4964-8878-ee20be0ed35e/questions

Learn more about the ReCode Cherokee project: https://www.cherokeecountyga.gov/Zoning/Unified-Development-Code/

Contact the Planning and Zoning Department directly: Margaret Stallings, Planning and Zoning Director — 678-493-6101

This process does not stay open forever. The survey closes June 30. If you have ever said you wish Cherokee County did things differently, this is the moment to say it on the record.

NGA CAN is a volunteer-led autonomous civic collective serving Cherokee, Pickens, Bartow, Forsyth, and Cobb counties. Learn more at https://www.ngacan.org