PUBLIC HEARING - LAND USE
TA-26-2 – Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments: Consideration of the following County-initiated amendments to the Zoning Ordinance: modify sections that refer to the fifteen (15) foot marsh buffer by removing the 15 foot buffer requirement, removing language regarding uses allowed within the buffer, and retaining reference to buffer requirements required by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; modify all residential zoning district sections and other sections where applicable to remove the sixty (60) percent site coverage maximum in residential zoning districts on the Mainland; modify all commercial zoning district sections and other sections where applicable to remove the eighty-five (85) percent site coverage maximum on the Mainland; modify Sec. 8.7 “Development Plan Approval” to exempt from the development plan approval requirements for additions to or new accessory buildings on existing commercial developments; and remove references to Level 1 traffic impact analysis or study and replace with traffic impact study where applicable. Note: This item is presented for first reading only. No Board action will be taken at this time.
(S. Leif) (5-0)
BACKGROUND: The Zoning Ordinance that went into effect on July 1, 2026, is proposed to be amended as a County-initiated amendment, sponsored by Chairman Wayne Neal.
A public hearing notice was published in The Brunswick News on July 23, 2026.
The amendments are as follows:
1. Remove the 15 foot County required buffer from marshes: Subsections 3.1.5.c, 3.4.3.H, and 3.4.3.I have been proposed to be amended to remove the County requirement. The State of Georgia Environmental Protection Division has a 25 foot buffer from marshes, and variances can be granted by the EPD if properties meet specific requirements. The County's 15 foot buffer requirement in the Zoning Ordinance would come into affect if variances from the EPD's buffer were granted. With the County buffer requirement removed, only State of Georgia requirements and other setbacks from property lines would apply.
2. Remove the site coverage maximum on the Mainland and retaining the site coverage maximum on Islands: Amend Article 6 under the Dimensional Standards tables in the zoning districts to clarify that the site coverage maximum only applies to the Islands. On both the Mainland and Islands, the residential site coverage max is 60%. The commercial site coverage on the Mainland is 85% and the Islands is 75%. The amendment removes the 60% residential site coverage max on the Mainland. It also removes the 85% commercial site coverage max on the Mainland.
3. Clarify Traffic Impact Study requirements: Sections 8.3.2.c.f and 8.7.2.B.10 of the Zoning Ordinance included a reference to Level 1 Traffic Impact Studies, which is not defined in the code. The amendment removes reference to "Level 1". Traffic Studies are required to be submitted by applicants when requested by the County Engineer, as referenced in Section 8.1.4.
4. Exempting commercial additions from the Development Plan Approval process: Section 8.7.1.B is amended to add that for commercial sites only, additions to a building or accessory building additions are exempt from Development Plan Approval as long as parking spaces and drainage plan requirements are met.
Mainland Planning Commission Action:
The Mainland Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 11, 2026, and voted 5-0 (Commissioners Hall and Nevill absent) in favor of recommending to the Board of Commissioners approval of modified amendments as follows:
In agreement with modifying sections that refer to the 15 foot marsh buffer by removing the 15 foot buffer requirement, removing language regarding uses allowed within the buffer and retaining references to buffer requirements required by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, modify all residential zoning districts sections and other sections where applicable to remove the 60% site coverage maximum in residential zoning districts on all of Glynn County properties, not just the mainland, so mainland and islands, modify all commercial zoning districts sections and other sections were applicable to remove the 85% site coverage maximum on the mainland and the islands, modify Section 8.7 development plan approval to exempt from the development plan approval requirements additions to or new accessory buildings on existing commercial developments and modify references to Level 1 traffic impact analysis or study and replace with the verbiage “Level 1 traffic impact analysis or study also known as a Trip Generation Memo produced by a traffic engineer and only when the traffic engineer makes a recommendation in said memo for the next level of a traffic study which could include traffic counts or other requirements shall that be required in the development process and rezoning process.”
Islands Planning Commission Action:
The Islands Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 18, 2026, and voted 5-0 (Commissioners Douglass and Nash absent) in favor of recommending to the Board of Commissioners approval of the modified amendments as follows:
That we count artificial turf and gravel as 50% of their total square foot towards site coverage; we exempt accessibility and emergency resilient equipment like generators and handicap lifts from the site coverage calculations.
ACTION BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - FIRST READING
Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance, Section 8.3.4, this is the first of two readings to be conducted by the Board of Commissioners, both with Public Hearings. No action is required on the First Reading. A second public hearing is scheduled to be held on September 17, 2026, for the Second Reading and a possible vote.