Franklin County BOC Passes New Zoning Map, Putting UDC into Effect

The Franklin County Unified Development Code and new Zoning Map are now part of the County’s zoning ordinances.

The Board of Commissioners passed the UDC in June but it could not go into effect until the new zoning map was also approved.

At their meeting Monday, the Board voted unanimously to pass the new zoning map, which was the final piece of the revamped County zoning code.

After over a year of work, the new zoning map allows for most residential and industrial/commercial development to be centered around the county’s five municipalities and along the I-85 corridor.

Before the vote, Commissioner Elizabeth Busby asked Planning & Zoning Director Matt Haley for an explanation of the difference between Ag Intensive and Ag General and whether properties with those zonings would risk losing a property to residential development.

Haley clarified what he called some confusion but said any property zoned AI or AG is protected from residential development.

“I think part of the confusion is that there is verbiage in both of those that say that these are to ‘protect.’ Therefore, the Intensive Agriculture district t is intended to protect such operations from residential subdivision traffic development and residential uses are restricted to those dwellings related to farm owners, families, and the operations…,'” Haley said. “Flip the page and you go to Agriculture General. ‘It’s intended to accommodate agricultural uses of tracts of 10 acres or more devoted primarily to forestry, crop production, or livestock raising.’ So again, agriculture. It does say in here the Intensive Agriculture district t is intended to protect such operations from residential subdivision traffic development and residential uses are restricted to those dwellings related to farm owners, families, and the operations.”

Many farmers in Franklin County were also concerned about their farm’s new zoning being switched from AI to AG.  Haley said any farm property that has been changed can be switched back either in person or by filling out a form online.

He said property owners need to bring their property tax bill or a copy of their plat with them when they come to request a zoning change.

Haley told the Board he will have an online form available on the Franklin County website by next Monday.

Citizens who want their property changed back to the original zoning designation have until the end of November to do so.

After hearing from Haley, Commissioner Eddie Wester motioned to approve the new zoning map. That was seconded by Commissioner Busby and it passed unanimously.