§ 134-209. RDR recreational outdoor golf driving range district.

Commencing July 1, 1997, no new applications for rezoning to the RDR district will be accepted by the board of commissioners. The regulations for the RDR recreational outdoor golf driving range district are as follows:

(1)

Purpose and intent. The RDR is established to provide locations for outdoor recreational golf driving ranges. The RDR district may be located within any category except industrial as defined and shown on the Cobb County Comprehensive Plan: A Policy Guide, adopted on November 27, 1990, as amended from time to time. When located within or adjacent to residential properties, the permitted facility within an RDR district should have minimal effect on the neighborhood by utilizing as much natural open space as possible, and installing and allowing for adequate buffering for the facility and parking areas, as well as consideration for public safety, as required by this district. It is not the intention of this district to promote ancillary retail sales as the primary use of the property.

(2)

Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

a.

Ancillary retail sales means the sale of food, beverages, golfing apparel and accessories, and those items traditionally sold within a golf pro shop or clubhouse.

b.

Buffer. A buffer serves as a visual or physical barrier which is created by the use of plant or natural existing materials alone or in combination with berms, decorative fencing or walls.

c.

Clubhouse means a structure providing ancillary uses and sales. Such structure shall be in proportion to the overall golf facilities, not exceeding 1,600 square feet, with annual gross revenue from golf ball rental exceeding annual gross revenue from ancillary sales. The owner or operator shall maintain accurate accounting records, which shall be available for inspection by county officials.

d.

Double-ended tee outdoor golf driving range means an outdoor golf driving range which is designed to have tees located at two opposite ends of a property hitting toward the required landing areas.

e.

Landing area means the area located in front of the tee box required by this section to be designated and designed as a location for golf balls hit from permitted tees to travel and land safely.

f.

Pro shop means an ancillary structure or area provided for sale or supply of equipment associated with the primary permitted or accessory use.

g.

Single-ended tee outdoor golf driving range means an outdoor golf driving range which is designed to have tees located at one end of a property only hitting toward the required landing area.

h.

Tee box means a collective area where all tees are to be located.

i.

Tees means a singular area from which golf balls are to be hit toward the landing area.

(3)

Permitted uses. Permitted uses are as follows:

Designated recycling collection locations.

Outdoor golf driving ranges.

Parking for vehicles.

Pro shops and clubhouses.

(4)

Lot size and setback requirements; tees and landing area.

a.

Minimum lot size is eight acres.

b.

Minimum landing area depth is 925 lineal feet, inclusive of rear yard setback, from the front edge of the tee box through the driving fairway at its shortest distance.

c.

Minimum landing area width is 300 feet across tees and landing areas, excluding any required buffers and setbacks. See diagram 1 for required location of tees.

DIAGRAM 1. REQUIRED LOCATION OF TEES FOR RDR DISTRICT

RDR District

d.

Minimum tee number is 15 tees.

e.

Tees must be located behind the pro shop or clubhouse, or in a location approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee, provided minimum landing area and driving range width and setback requirements are met.

f.

Minimum public road frontage is 100 feet on any dedicated public road right-of-way classified as a major collector or arterial as defined by the county department of transportation's major thoroughfare plan, as amended from time to time. The site must be accessed from this dedicated public road right-of-way.

g.

Minimum building, driving range and landing area setback is 35 feet from any future or public road right-of-way and 25 feet from property lines, as shown and applied in diagram 1. If the landing area depth is adjacent and parallel to any public road right-of-way (dedicated or nondedicated), the minimum setback from the adjacent parallel road right-of-way shall be 50 feet.

h.

Minimum tee spacing is ten feet from tee to tee.

i.

Safety netting of not less than 32 feet in height shall be placed along the perimeter of the landing area excluding only the front tee area. Netting shall be maintained and replaced in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. Any safety netting required in this district shall be placed inside any buffers required for this district. See diagram 2 for location of buffers and netting.

DIAGRAM 2. LOCATION OF BUFFERS AND SAFETY NETTING FOR RDR DISTRICT

RDR District

(5)

Landscape buffer and screening requirements. Required buffers may be included within required setbacks; however, in such case that the required buffer is greater than the required setback, the required buffer shall be adhered to. Additionally, necessary private utilities and access drives may be allowed through, over or across a landscaped buffer. Any such uses which are proposed through, over or across a designated undisturbed buffer must be approved pursuant to an original site plan or site plan modification as set forth under section 134-126.

a.

Objectives. Undisturbed, planted landscape buffers and berms shall be implemented in connection with a permitted project and shall address the following objectives:

1.

Screening to enhance aesthetic appeal;

2.

Control or direction of vehicular and pedestrian movement;

3.

Reduction of glare;

4.

Buffering of noise; and

5.

Establishment of privacy.

b.

Standards. Buffers and berms shall be required when an RDR district is located within or adjacent to a residential district; a minimum 25-foot buffer is required.

1.

Buffers. Landscape buffers are subject to review and approval by the county arborist or county landscape architect in accordance with the following standards:

i.

Plantings are to be a mix of evergreen trees and shrubs.

ii.

Species are to be ecologically compatible to the site and appropriate for the design situation.

iii.

Unless public safety concerns dictate otherwise, a buffer shall provide a 100 percent visual barrier to a height of six feet within two years of planting.

iv.

Minimum height of plant materials at installation is five feet for trees and two feet for shrubs.

v.

Fencing or walls are to be a minimum of six feet in height as approved by the county landscape architect or county arborist.

vi.

Trees included in buffer plantings may be counted toward site density calculations as required by chapter 50, article VI, pertaining to tree preservation and replacement, subject to review and approval of county arborist.

vii.

Buffers shall be regularly maintained by the property owner to ensure that the objectives and standards set out in this subsection are met.

viii.

When topography and existing conditions allow, the required 25-foot buffer should be an undisturbed buffer.

ix.

Any appeals from a determination by the county landscape architect or county arborist shall be to the board of zoning appeals.

2.

Berms. Berms are subject to review and approval by the county landscape architect or county arborist in accordance with the following standards:

i.

Berms shall be utilized when consistent with surrounding property features.

ii.

Berms shall be stabilized.

iii.

Where possible, berms shall be constructed to be consistent with natural drainage patterns.

iv.

Berms shall be regularly maintained by the property owner.

(6)

Floodplain and wetlands preservation requirements. Any development must also meet state and federal requirements relating to areas subject to the provisions of section 134-283, regarding mountain and river corridor protection act areas, and section 134-284, regarding metropolitan river protection act areas.

(7)

Building and structure requirements.

a.

Maximum building height is 35 feet.

b.

When located within or adjacent to a residential district, any structure erected within the RDR district shall have a pitched roof conceptually consistent with diagram 3. Additionally, the pitched roof shall be constructed with asphaltic shingles or material consistent in appearance with asphaltic shingles. The pitched roof shall be subject to the requirements of the county Georgia Span Tables for Joists and Rafters 1978, as amended from time to time. The pitched roof shall also be subject to approval by the community development department. Any structure located within or adjacent to a residential district shall also be architecturally compatible with the adjacent properties. The architectural design shall be approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee.

_____

DIAGRAM 3. PITCHED ROOF CONCEPTUAL FOR RDR DISTRICT

Pitched Roof Conceptual

(8)

Parking requirements.

a.

All required parking spaces shall be paved and striped in accordance with county standard 114, Parking Specifications, as amended from time to time.

b.

One and one-half spaces shall be required per one tee.

c.

Additionally, one space shall be provided per 200 gross square feet of the pro shop or clubhouse.

d.

Required parking may be located in the front yard setback; however, no front yard parking areas shall be established closer than 20 feet to a public right-of-way.

e.

All parking areas within the RDR district shall have a landscape plan approved by the county landscape architect or county arborist. Within or adjacent to a residential district, the emphasis for the landscape plan shall be to screen parking areas from the public right-of-way.

(9)

Lighting requirements. Any golf driving range permitted within the RDR district which proposes a lighted facility must have a county department of transportation approved lighting plan in accordance with the minimum conditions set out in this subsection. These are minimum requirements, based on the county street lighting ordinance. The county department of transportation may require additional information or conditions prior to final approval. A lighting plan is required, drawn to scale, showing the location of all proposed lights and nearby county roads and adjacent properties, and including the following:

a.

Arrangement of all poles, with dimensions;

b.

Height of all poles;

c.

Number of luminaries per pole;

d.

Mounting heights of luminaries;

e.

Wattage of proposed lights;

f.

Mounting angle of fixtures;

g.

Lamp source to be used; and

h.

A picture of the light to be utilized, which must be attached to the final plans. Care must be exercised to control any stray light that might trespass upon adjacent properties and roadways.

(10)

Special exception uses. Those uses which with the proper scrutiny and conditions may or may not be appropriately located within the RDR district.

a.

Authorization. The division manager of zoning or his designee shall issue a certificate of special exception to an applicant when the conditions relating to the special exception uses listed in this section are met.

b.

Double-ended tee outdoor golf driving ranges. A double-ended tee outdoor golf driving range may be permitted with the following minimum requirements. For purposes of this subsection, double-ended means that tees are located at two opposite ends of the property in accordance with diagram 4.

1.

Minimum lot size is ten acres.

2.

Minimum landing area depth is 1,125 lineal feet through the driving fairway at its shortest distance; provided all provisions of subsections (4)d, e, f and g, (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (11) and (12) of this section are met. The minimum landing area depth may be increased at the discretion of the division manager of zoning or his designee based upon the topographic characteristics of the property.

3.

Minimum landing area width is 300 feet across tees, excluding any required buffers and setbacks. See diagram 4 for location of tees.

4.

Rear tee boxes shall be located at the furthest edge of the landing area but at a minimum of 1,100 feet.

5.

Access to rear end tees and location of required safety netting shall be in accordance with diagram 4.

6.

Only one clubhouse or pro shop shall be allowed in a double-ended tee outdoor golf driving range. The maximum square footage of the clubhouse may be enlarged up to a maximum of 3,000 square feet, to be approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee.

DIAGRAM 4. REQUIRED LOCATION OF DOUBLE-ENDED TEES FOR RDR DISTRICT

Diagram 4

c.

Other uses. See section 134-271 for special exception uses and requirements for all districts. The uses listed in section 134-271 shall be special exception uses in the RDR district.

(11)

Use limitations.

a.

Maximum size of a golf pro shop or clubhouse is 1,600 square feet.

b.

No loudspeakers are permitted.

c.

If a proposed driving range is to be located on property with two public roads, the clubhouse, if any, and tees must be located behind the road by which the facility is accessed as set forth in subsection (4)f of this section.

d.

Hours of operation for proposed driving ranges are to begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and cease no later than 9:30 p.m.

e.

Any structure or range use in conjunction with this district shall be subject to the site plan presented at the time of rezoning.

f.

The location of any fencing shall be approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee.

g.

When abutting a boundary to residentially zoned property the facility shall not be lighted. Across a road or right-of-way shall not be construed to be abutting for the purpose of this subsection.

h.

Should a driving range operation cease to be conducted on property zoned RDR for a period of six consecutive months, the property shall revert to its immediate previous zoning district providing such district shall be then in existence. However, should that district no longer be in existence or phased out, the property shall be brought in for rezoning to an appropriate district prior to any development on the property.

Required buffers may be included within required setbacks; however, in such case that the required buffer is greater than the required setback, the required buffer shall be adhered to. Additionally, necessary private utilities and access drives may be allowed through, over or across a landscaped buffer. Any such uses which are proposed through, over or across a designated undisturbed buffer must be approved pursuant to an original site plan or site plan modification as set forth under section 134-126.

(12)

Accessory structures and accessory uses. Any accessory building or structure in excess of 1,000 square feet of gross space shall be located to the rear of the primary structure and at least 100 feet from any property line. Any accessory building or structure which exceeds 1,000 square feet of gross space must have the approval of the division manager of zoning or his designee as to the location, architectural design and size prior to commencing construction. The division manager of zoning or his designee shall consider the following criteria for determining the appropriateness of the architectural design and size of the accessory building or structure: compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, style of exterior (the exterior is to be compatible in style with the primary structure), use of the proposed accessory structure, impact on adjacent properties, and requirements as deemed appropriate by plan review as set forth in this subsection. All accessory buildings, structures and uses in excess of 1,000 gross square feet shall be required to submit for plan review through the community development department or receive approval from the director of the community development department or his designee. Permitted accessory structures and uses are as follows:

a.

Buildings not in excess of 600 square feet used to house equipment solely for the maintenance and operation of the driving range. The location for any accessory buildings shall be approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee.

b.

Ancillary retail sales within the pro shop or clubhouse with annual gross revenue from golf ball rental exceeding annual gross revenue from ancillary sales. For purposes of this subsection, ancillary retail sales shall mean the sale of food, beverages, golfing apparel and accessories, and those items traditionally sold within a pro shop or clubhouse. The owner or operator shall maintain accurate accounting records which shall be available for inspection by county officials.

c.

Professional teaching and lessons.

d.

Golf club and ball rental.

e.

Chipping greens and putting greens with the location to be approved by the division manager of zoning or his designee in accordance with subsection (4)e of this section.

(Ord. of 12-26-72; Ord. of 12-11-90, § 3-28-7.17; Ord. of 8-13-91; Ord. of 6-9-92; Ord. of 7-11-95; Ord. of 6-24-97 (eff. 7-1-97))