Tuesday, May 24, 2005

SCOTTSVILLE After two years of work, the Allen County Joint Planning and Zoning Commission board has recommended a county-wide zoning proposal to the fiscal court.

Board Chairman Al Pedigo opened the groups last public meeting Monday night stressing that the input they have received over those years from residents strongly affected how the ordinance has developed.

The proposal is a single-zone arrangement that specifies all the county outside of the city limits as rural and agricultural. All land uses already in place would be permitted, and the ordinance does not preclude any uses for any property in the county, said Gary Mathis, director of the commission.

We need to make sure Ive got the names and locations of all the businesses out there to make sure Ive got them on the map, Mathis reminded the audience.

Instead of use-specific zones, any commercial or industrial operations that come to the county will have to limit the impact on neighboring property and have public meetings approving non-residential or agriculture uses, Mathis explained.

Homes and duplex apartments are not required to have variances, but there are some lot-size and set-back requirements, Mathis said. Large agricultural operations such as commercial chicken or pork production houses that are required to seek state permits are the only agricultural operations limited by the zoning regulations, he added.

You may farm wherever you can farm, Mathis said.

Ronnie Howard questioned the usefulness of the ordinance if anyone can put a business anywhere they want to.

Mathis said public hearings, required drainage plans and other limits such as fencing and landscaping that are put on industrial and commercial use were designed not to limit the businesses that could locate in the county, but to negate as much of their impact on the neighboring property as possible.

We did things this way because you all told us all along, We dont want people telling us what we can or cant do with our land, Mathis said.

Another man in the audience, James Broady, asked about the set-back required for business signs. He said the ordinance requirement conflicted with a state specification on how far away the sign on his car lot must be visible.

The board adjusted the sign set-back provision before voting unanimously to approve the ordinance.

Allen County Judge-Executive Johnny Hobdy said fiscal court will likely consider the proposed ordinance at a special meeting so it will be the only item for discussion at that meeting.

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