Commission O.K.s Zoning Changes 3-2

The Jasper County Commission held two public hearings at its regular meeting Monday evening—one that will allow the Jasper County Community Food Bank to locate on property located on Middlebrook Pond Road and Freedonia Road, with the other revamping the whole development ordinance.

The Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) has worked with the County Commission since the beginning of the year on the new ordinances, and Monday evening P&Z Director Judy Johnson presented the highlights on the proposed new ordinance. Throughout talks, the commission and P&Z had discussed maintaining the rural atmosphere of the county.

The P&Z Commission had recommended combining R-1 and R-2 into one residential zoning classification as they were very similar. So what was presented Monday evening showed that. Most of the changes in the ordinance affected developments, not building in the agricultural zones where typically it takes five acres, and a minimum 1,200 sq.ft. house. In the residential classification, lot sizes are generally smaller than in the agricultural zoning classification, and require a minimum 1,800 sq.ft.

Commission Vice-Chair Gerald Stunkel last week expressed concern that some young people and elderly people aren’t interested in that much house or yard. He expressed concern that Jasperites were being priced out of the county.

After the public hearing Monday, when the commissioners were discussing the changes, Commissioner Stunkel made a motion to “adopt the subdivision ordinances as approved and recommended by the P&Z Board with the following changes and additions:

1. Keep the R2 designation and applying the following parameters:

A. Conservation subdivision with 1.2 acre minimum lots

B. Same buffers as R-1

C. Same setbacks and frontage as R-1, and

D. Minimum 1,300 heated square foot dwelling.

2. All R-2 developments require zoning approval from P&Z and the BOC.”

Commissioner Stunkel’s motion was seconded by District 3 Commissioner Don Jernigan, and District 1 Commissioner Sheila Jones voted with Commissioners Stunkel and Jernigan for the R-2 classification.

District 5 Commissioner Steven Ledford said he could accept it with two acre lots but was not in favor of going as small as 1.2. Commissioner Stunkel said that there are limited R-2 pockets left, so if a developer wants to pursue R-2, the property would first have to be rezoned, which requires the property go before the P&Z board as well as the commission.

Commission Chairman Bruce Henry expressed his concern, but was outvoted.

Another change the commission made was that even minor subdivisions—three lots or less—have to go through the approval process, which takes about 60 days by the time it is advertised properly and heard by P&Z and by the Commission. Mrs. Johnson and the P&Z Board had agreed to let small subdivisions be approved only by the P&Z Director, but commissioners nixed that.

Another change is that once timber is cut off a piece of property, the owner must wait a minimum of seven years before being able to develop it.

Mrs. Johnson told commissioners one issue the P&Z Board discussed is whether to keep lot sizes as they are or to require larger lot sizes. Also flag lots cannot be more than 300 feet long.

The public hearings took about 40 minutes.

During the public comment part of the meeting, James Belcher said he recalls the commission voting to help revitalize Sands Drive Park in the city, and said he is not aware of that work being done, and encouraged the commissioners to get it done, saying the children need the playground area.

Mary Patrick told commissioners to stand firm on their Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations, as the county deserves more. She said 35 percent of 911 calls come from the city, but the city doesn’t pay anything at all. She also said the county provides animal control, recreation facilities, the sheriff’s office, and wondered if the city of Monticello even provides the five services required to be cons