🔔 Phishing Scam Alert – Fake Permit Fee Emails 🔔

Chatham County Planning has been alerted to a phishing scam involving emails sent by individuals pretending to be County staff and requesting payment for permit fees. These messages are not legitimate.

To protect yourself:

• The only valid way to pay permit fees other than paying in person at our office is through the official OpenGov permitting portal. If you are unsure, you can verify any payment request by logging into your OpenGov account at the website https://chathamcountync.portal.opengov.com/ or contacting Planning staff directly.

• Do not send payment, click links, or open attachments from any suspicious or unexpected emails.

• If you receive one of these fraudulent messages, please report it to Planning staff and do NOT provide payment.

If you need to confirm whether communication is legitimate, please contact the Planning Department at 919‑542‑8204 or visit us at 80‑A East Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

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Planning Department Staff's E-mail Addresses can be found on the Staff Directory Page

Planning Portal

Planning has a new online permit portal that can be accessed by clicking Online Permit Portal. Currently, not all permit options are available. The following are available to be applied for below. Thank you for your patience. 

• Agricultural Exemption
• Residential Zoning Compliance
• Commercial Zoning Compliance
• Flood Plain Determinations
• Alcohol Beverage Zoning Compliance

 PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEETINGS CALENDAR:                                      

2026 Subdivision Calendar
2026 Zoning Calendar

If the applicant is providing a presentation for the public hearing refer to the Rules for Zoning Public Hearings and Major Subdivision Applications.

Sign up for E-Notifications at this link: E-Notifications

UDO Latest News 

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners (BOC) adopted the UDO on November 18, 2024, with an effective date of July 1, 2025. On December 11, 2024, North Carolina Senate Bill 382 became law (Session Law 2024-57). Part of this law prohibits local governments from initiating, enacting, or enforcing a zoning map or zoning regulation that down‑zones property without the express written consent of the affected property owner(s). The law defines “down-zoning” as creating any kind of nonconformity in a non-residential zoning district, decreasing development density, or reducing permitted uses.

Due to concerns expressed by local governments and communities across the state, members of the North Carolina Legislature have introduced bills in the 2025-2026 Session that would repeal the “down-zoning law” in its entirety or exempt certain counties from the law’s provisions.

The UDO implements Plan Chatham policies to preserve rural character and agricultural areas, promote a compact growth pattern, and increase access to open space. In some instances, consistent with the community’s vision set out in Plan Chatham, the new UDO regulations create nonconformities, decrease development density, or reduce permitted uses. If the State law remains as adopted, Chatham County must revise certain provisions of the UDO. At this time, current land use regulations for Chatham County are still in effect and not the UDO. 

For more information, please contact recodechathamUDO@chathamcountync.gov or (919) 542-8204.

Interactive Development Map

The Interactive Development Viewer is available to provide information about development projects around the County. To find out more information, please follow this link to the viewer.  If you need assistance with using the map, please contact Chance Mullis at chance.mullis@chathamcountync.gov. If you have questions about the zoning or subdivision project, please review our staff directory to get in touch with the appropriate staff member. 

NEW:  NEW RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ZONING DETERMINATION APPLICATIONS

Online Calendar                    

INTRODUCTION:  The mission of the Planning Department is to manage the land development and permitting processes of
Chatham County in an efficient and effective 
manner by advising boards, assisting applicants
for developments, and enforcing land use and
related regulations, with the goal of saving the  
county from unnecessary expenses in the future
to correct development problems and to protect
the citizens' investment in property. 

MAJOR SERVICES: This office primarily provides:  

• Long-range land use planning;
• Oversight of current planning;
• Administration and enforcement of land use ordinances and regulations (zoning, subdivision, watershed, floodplain management, junkyard, communications towers, off-premise signs, and mobile home regulations)

OFFICE: 80-A East Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Located between the BP Station and Hardees in the Dunlap Building

OFFICE HOURS: 8 am-5 pm on Monday-Friday, except for holidays

MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. Box 54, Pittsboro, NC 27312

PHONE: 919-542-8204

DIRECTOR: Jason Sullivan

PLANNING CALENDAR:

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