Section 36-66-5.1 - Judicial review; procedures(a) To ensure that the general public is afforded due process in an orderly way to petition the courts for review of a local government's exercise of zoning, administrative, or quasi-judicial powers as guaranteed by Article I, Section I, Paragraphs IX and XII of the Constitution, the General Assembly, pursuant to its authority under Article VI, Section IV, Paragraph I of the Constitution, provides the following mechanism by which each of the powers described in this chapter may be reviewed by the superior court of the county wherein such property is located: (1) Zoning decisions as described in this chapter, being legislative in nature, shall be subject to direct constitutional challenge regarding the validity of maintaining the existing zoning on the subject property or the validity of conditions or an interim zoning category other than what was requested in the superior court pursuant to its original jurisdiction over declaratory judgments pursuant to Chapter 4 of Title 9 and equity jurisdiction under Title 23. Such challenges shall be by way of a de novo review by the superior court wherein such review brings up the whole record from the local government and all competent evidence shall be admissible in the trial thereof, whether adduced in a local government process or not and employing the presumption that a governmental zoning decision is valid and can be overcome substantively by a petitioner showing by clear and convincing evidence that the zoning classification is a significant detriment to the petitioner and is insubstantially related to the public health, safety, morality, or general welfare; or(2) Quasi-judicial decisions as described in this chapter and zoning decisions under subparagraph (E) of paragraph (4) of Code Section 36-66-3 shall be subject to appellate review by the superior court pursuant to its appellate jurisdiction from a lower judicatory body and shall be brought by way of a petition for such review as provided for in Title 5. Such matters shall be reviewed on the record which shall be brought to the superior court as provided in Title 5.(b) All such challenges or appeals shall be brought within 30 days of the written decision of the challenged or appealed action.(c) To ensure that the citizens of this state are not unnecessarily burdened by the review process as a mechanism of appeal, local governments shall designate by ordinance or resolution: (1) The officer of the quasi-judicial board or agency who shall have authority, without additional board or agency action, to approve or issue any form or certificate necessary to perfect the petition described in Title 5 for review of lower judicatory bodies and upon whom service of such petition may be effected or accepted on behalf of the lower judicatory board or agency, during normal business hours, at the regular offices of the local government; and(2) The elected official or his or designee who shall have authority to accept service and upon whom service of an appeal of a quasi-judicial decision may be effected or accepted on behalf of the local governing authority, during normal business hours, at the regular offices of the local government.(d) An appeal or challenge by an opponent filed pursuant to this chapter shall stay all legal proceedings in furtherance of the action appealed from or challenged, unless the local government, officer, board, or agency from which or from whom the appeal or challenge is taken certifies that, by reason of the facts stated in the certificate, a stay would cause imminent peril to life or property. In such actions, the applicant for the zoning decision or the quasi-judicial decision shall be a necessary party and shall be named as a defendant in the action and served in accordance with the requirements of Title 5 or Title 9, as appropriate.Added by 2022 Ga. Laws 881,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2022. See 2022 Ga. Laws 881, § 1.