The city’s Planning and Development Department protects Oakwood's heritage while developing a safe, well-designed city for the future. We plan for current and future land uses, enforce up-to-date regulations and policies and conduct effective site plan reviews to ensure careful growth and development within our municipality. Our goal is to protect and enhance the quality of life for all Oakwood citizens by managing overall growth, including protecting and providing adequate green space for everyone to enjoy.
Planning activities are performed through implementation of the Zoning Ordinance, which includes code enforcement, along with shaping growth and redevelopment to meet the city's Comprehensive Plan. The department prepares and presents recommendations that ensure compliance with the Development Code and Comprehensive Plan in partnership with the City Council, various boards, authorities and the Oakwood Planning Commission.
Planning Director Larry Sparks, Administrative
Secretary Teresa Sexton and Building
Inspector/Code Enforcement Joe Hayes
Staff members work with developers and citizens to help ensure that new projects conform to the city's Development Code and reflect the character of a thriving community where citizens live, work, play and learn. The Planning and Development staff provide services to the internal departments and the development community regarding annexations, rezonings, variances, conditional uses, plan review and other compliance activities involved in the development process.
This department also provides permits, such as the land disturbance/development permit (LDP), required for any land disturbance activity such as clearing and grubbing, grading and construction of streets, parking lots and structures. The review process involves various city, county and state agencies and usually takes two to three weeks for preliminary review. The time required for each permit depends on the amount of staff time, engineering, surveying and other professional time used on each LDP.
The civil plan review process helps ensure compliance with various codes, ordinances, and requirements (including the Oakwood Development Code), grading requirements, subdivision regulations, overlay zone standards, water and wastewater design standards, soil erosion and sedimentation control provisions, and other legal guidelines. The review includes plans associated with the preparation of land for construction, on-site/off-site improvements, water and sewer line installation and other similar improvements.
Building permits are required for all new construction as well as most additions, alterations, and renovations to existing structures. The fee is determined by square footage of the structure to be built.
For more information and guidelines about the LDP and building permitting process, contact Administrative Secretary Teresa Sexton.
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Larry Sparks |
Named Oakwood’s Planning Director in 2005, Larry Sparks has more than 36 years of experience in municipal and regional planning. Prior to working with Oakwood, Sparks held positions as Director of Planning for the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center and Regional Planner for the Georgia Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission in Gainesville.
As Planning Director for the City of Oakwood, Sparks serves as staff support to a five-member planning and zoning board. He processes annexation and rezoning requests, oversees site plan reviews, presents recommendations and reports to the planning and zoning board and City Council, and prepares grant applications.
Sparks initiated the Affiliate Downtown Designation with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and serves as a member of the Hall County Housing Team and the Hall County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Technical Coordinating Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the American Planning Association, Georgia Planning Association, Georgia Downtown Development Association and Georgia Association of Zoning Administrators.
An avid outdoorsman, Sparks and his wife, Donnah, have a daughter, Brooke, and a son, Russell. |