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By Lisa Majors-Duff
Presenting the results of the Smart Growth Task Force's first
assignment to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners last week
(Sept. 16), Chairman Mark Jamison pointed out the text of the
draft subdivision ordinance is "for discussion purposes only."
"This still needs a lot of work," said Jamison, who
outlined in an attached memo his ideas for who should be called
upon to provide input and in what areas.
In addition to receiving and incorporating suggestions from commissioners,
the county attorney and manager, building inspections, tax assessing
and mapping, the register of deeds, health department, emergency
management, N.C. Department of Transportation and the Tuckaseigee
Water and Sewer Authority, task force members plan to take the
draft ordinance to the people through a series of community meetings.
After establishing that the proposed subdivision ordinance is
intended to guide and regulate land divisions to preserve the
public health, safety and welfare, the draft document outlines
five additional reasons for the regulations. The ordinance is
meant to establish procedures and standards for the subdivision
of land; to provide orderly growth and conditions for adequate
streets, water, sewer and other infrastructure needs; and to establish
a system for design, layout and use of land. Administratively,
the document is meant to ensure proper real estate records and
provide the county with information regarding land development.
The draft ordinance goes on to establish two classifications of
subdivisions: major subdivisions are those with 11 or more lots,
while minor subdivision have from two to 10 lots. Nine examples
of land divisions not to be regulated are explained, include those
solely among family members. Additionally, modifications for hardship
cases, those caused by the natural characteristics of the land,
may be considered.
After more than seven pages of administrative review and approval
procedures, the draft ordinance outlines in two sections design
standards. Addressed first are road standards, which require public
roads within subdivisions to be built to DOT standards and private
roads to follow detailed construction standards to include grades,
widths, shoulder, curves and surface materials.
Included in the section on development and design standards are
the following topics of regulations: erosion control, cut and
fill slopes, stormwater drainage, shoulder stabilization, road
name approval, subdivision names and signs, lot design, water
supply and sewer systems, utility easements, stream setbacks,
coordination and continuation of roads, access to adjacent properties,
open spaces, dedication of land for public facilities and conservation
subdivisions.
When Smart Growth Task Force members were asked to develop a subdivision
ordinance, commissioners said the finalized document would be
incorporated into a long-term planning document.
A subdivision ordinance was adopted by the Jackson County Board
of Commissioners in January 1996. Its enforcement was indefinitely
postponed six months later.
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