Fr Co BOC Holds Called Session Tonight to Discuss More UDC Hearings

The Franklin Board of Commissioners will hold a called meeting tonight at 6p to consider a timeframe and procedures for additional Public Hearing(s), and the ultimate adoption of the Franklin County Unified Development Code.

After over an hour of comments from concerned citizens last week, the Franklin County Planning Commission voted to table making any recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on whether to approve the new Unified Development Code.

The Planning Commission heard from dozens of citizens, mostly farmers, whose comments generally had to do with fear of losing all or part of their farms to residential rezoning or having their properties rezoned agricultural general.

Some who spoke said they felt like the UDC with its rezoning changes was happening too fast and the code itself, some 417 pages long, was too much to absorb so quickly.

After hearing from citizens, Board member Susan Russell suggested the Board take more time to review the UDC.

Another Board member Erika Hewitt recommended a town hall meeting where the UDC could be reviewed in more depth.

Planning and Zoning Director Scott DeLozier also indicated that last week’s public hearing was just the first step in what will be a long road of hearings and revisions as the County works towards a final draft.

Tonight’s meeting takes place at 6p at the Franklin County Justice Center and is also available on Zoom.

For Zoom information, contact Franklin County Clerk Kayla Finger at the Board of Commission office in Carnesville.