Forsyth County Wants to Rezone Your Land? What County Initiated Rezoning Means
landowner guidance
In a county initiated rezoning, Forsyth County, not the landowner, files to move a parcel from one zoning code to another. The county has been using it to move land out of the older codes that predate its 2003 zoning rewrite, like R1, R1R, R2R and R3, and into the current districts. Every time we have seen it happen, the land ended up with a lower density than it started with, which means fewer buildable lots and a lower price from any builder who looks at it.
What the county is doing
Parcels zoned under the pre 2003 codes can still be developed under them, but the county no longer rezones anything into those codes and is working to retire them. On November 20, 2025, the Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on moving multiple parcels from R2R to Res2, from R1R to Res1 and from R1 to Res1. The parcel numbers are listed in our December 2025 update. Our 2025 land sales report notes that the county completed county initiated rezonings that year that reset properties under more restrictive standards.
What it does to value
These figures come from Chapter 11 of the county’s Unified Development Code, covered in detail in our guide to the residential districts.
| Older code | Homes per acre | Typical new code | Homes per acre |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2R with sewer | 1.98 | Res2 with sewer | 1.5 |
| R2R on septic | 1.71 | Res2 on septic | 1.3 |
| R1 | about 1.09 | Res1 | 1.0 |
| R3 | up to 6 | Res6 or a single family district | 4 or less |
On 30 sewered acres, the move from R2R to Res2 drops the ceiling from about 59 homes to 45, before streams, roads and lot rules take their share. Builders price land by the lot, so fewer lots means a lower price.
Why existing zoning is an asset
The clearest example in our 2025 report is 6815 Cross Roads Road. With a legacy Res6 zoning from 2006, the 35.33 acres sold in February 2025 for $3,050,000 and again in September for $11,352,000 with a development plan. As we put it in that report, a legacy zoning is worth more today than the same dirt with a good story about what it could be rezoned to. If your land has an older code, that code may be worth more than the one the county would move you to.
The other limits in play
The county has also paused new applications in ways that affect older zonings. It adopted a moratorium on sketch plat and land disturbance permit applications for certain residential properties zoned before April 13, 2017, and a separate moratorium on rezoning into the residential districts, which was in place through October 25, 2026 as of our September 2026 guide. These dates have moved more than once, so confirm the current status with Planning and Community Development, or ask us.
If you get a notice
Read it closely. Note the hearing date and the code the county proposes to move you from and to.
Know your number under both codes. Find out what the land could bring as it is zoned today and what it could bring after the change. That gap is what is at stake.
Show up or write in. You can speak at the public hearing and submit comments before the Board votes.
Get advice early. If a lot of value is at stake, talk to a zoning attorney. And talk to someone before the hearing date, not after.
We are glad to look at your parcel, tell you what the change could mean for its value, and point you to the right people. It costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is county initiated rezoning?
It is a rezoning filed by Forsyth County rather than by the landowner. The county has used it to move parcels out of older zoning codes like R1, R1R, R2R and R3 into the current districts, such as Res1, Res2 and Res6.
Does county initiated rezoning lower my land value?
It can. In every case we have watched, the land moved to a lower density code. Fewer homes per acre means fewer lots, and builders price land by the lot.
Can I object to a county initiated rezoning?
You can speak at the public hearing and submit comments before the Board of Commissioners votes. If a lot of value is at stake, talk to a zoning attorney before the hearing date.
How do I know if my land has an older zoning code?
Look up your parcel on the Forsyth County GIS zoning map or your tax record. Codes like R1, R1R, R2, R2R and R3 come from before the county's 2003 code rewrite.
Sources
Forsyth County Unified Development Code, Chapter 11, Residential Districts, via Municode: https://library.municode.com/ga/forsyth_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_APXAUNDECO_CH11REDI
Crawford Lands, Forsyth County Updates: Proposed County Initiated Rezoning and Residential Development Moratorium (December 2025): https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/forsyth-county-moratorium
Crawford Lands, Forsyth County Zoning Codes Explained: Residential Districts (September 2026): https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/forsyth-county-zoning-codes-explained-residential-districts
Crawford Lands, Forsyth County Land Sales Report 2025: https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/forsyth-county-land-sales-report-2025
Forsyth County GIS parcel and zoning maps: https://geo-forsythcoga.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/maps-and-applications-gallery
Crawford Lands, LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Georgia, license #81852. This article is general information, not legal, tax or appraisal advice. Zoning rules and county policies change; confirm anything you rely on with Forsyth County Planning and Community Development, your attorney or your CPA. Contact us.
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