Land Use & Zoning

Decatur is divided into land use districts that establish in a general way how land in the city should be used and into zoning districts that regulate the density, intensity, and type of development that can occur on a specific property. The city is divided into the following land use categories:

RL: Low Density Residential
RM: Medium Density Residential
I: Institutional
C: Commercial & High Density Residential

The land uses categories established on the comprehensive land use map are implemented by the zoning districts within each category. The zoning districts that are permitted within each land use category are:

Amendments to the comprehensive land use map or the zoning map may be initiated by the City Commission, Planning Commission, or a property owner. Requests for a change to the comprehensive land use map and/or the zoning map must be considered by the City Commission with recommendation from the Planning Commission at public hearings. 

Change in Land Use Designation

• The Comprehensive Land Use Plan may be amended regardless of the zoning district in which the subject property is located.
• To request a change to a property’s land use, contact the Planning and Zoning Division for a pre-application conference with the zoning administrator and complete the Land Use Plan amendment application.

Change in Zoning

• The zoning map may be amended without an amendment to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan if the proposed amendment would permit a use that is allowed in the existing land use category of that property.
• If a proposed amendment to the zoning map would permit a use that is not authorized within the land use category of the subject property, then the applicant must obtain an appropriate amendment to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan at the same time as applying for a zoning map amendment.
• To request a change to a property’s zoning, contact the Planning and Zoning Division for a pre-application conference with the zoning administrator and complete the zoning map amendment application.

Conditional Use Permit

• Conditional uses within each zoning district, indicated with a "C" on the Allowed Use Table, are uses that may be appropriate in a particular zoning district, but because of the increased potential for incompatibility with adjacent uses, require individual review and approval by the City Commission with a recommendation from the Planning Commission.
• A conditional use may be approved with conditions in order to mitigate impacts on nearby properties, and such conditions will be required of the current and all subsequent owners.  No major amendments can occur to the conditional use permit without approval by the City Commission. 
• To request a change to a property’s zoning, contact the Planning and Zoning Division for a pre-application conference with the zoning administrator and complete the conditional use permit application.