Franklin County in Need of New Zoning Map, Says Planning and Zoning Director

Franklin County’s Planning and Zoning Director Scott Delozier is asking the Board of Commissioners to take a new look at how the county is zoned – particularly with regard to residential and industrial zoning.

At last week’s spring retreat, DeLoziertold Commissioners the last time the county updated its zoning map was in 2005 and at that time, most of the county had some kind of agricultural designation.

“We need to relook at the zoning map altogether, which is something that needs to happen. Back in 2005 when it was done, there was a reason for it being done and I understand the purpose but basically, they took a green paintbrush and said ‘everything is ag.’ And we’ve had to fill in the pieces as we go. There was some pre-developed subdivisions, some commercial use, some industrial use, and it all got zoned Ag Intensive,” he told the Board.

Delozier told the Board times are changing with new growth coming to Franklin County and he suggested a more accurate way to develop a new zoning map..

“We want industry and residential growth and commercial growth. We want to be able to concentrate those where we say we want it to go. Obviously, industrial growth and commercial growth we want to try to keep it along that I-85 corridor as much as we can. And then outside of the city limits or the industrial growth, that’s where we want our residential growth to go,” Delozier explained.

One issue that has been a problem, especially for poultry farmers, is having a buffer zone between chicken houses and a residential, non-farm neighbor.

Delozier suggested as part of creating the new zoning map to designate specific buffer zones between agricultural development and other kinds of development.

“We also need to look at some kind of Ag Protective or Ag buffer zone where it’s just Ag and we say, ‘this is just ag. We don’t want industry in this, we don’t want commercial in this, we don’t want subdivisions there. It’s just ag in Franklin County,” he said. “It would take some GIS mapping and working with the Tax Assessor’s office to… go through each parcel of land and say, ‘this parcel is being used as, (not what it’s zoned) commercial, or industry, and piece those parcels together.”

DeLozier said the County would have to hire an outside firm to do the GIS mapping at a cost of about $30,000 and it would take about four months to complete before a new zoning map could be developed.

Right now the County has a moratorium on applications for new industry until the end of June but Commission Chair Jason Macomson said that would be something to look at doing once the moratorium is lifted.

He also suggested the new zoning map be included in the County’s comprehensive plan.

The Board took no action last week on DeLozier’s recommendations.