Pottawatomie County commissioners voted 2-1 Monday to approve changes to the county’s Unified Development Regulations.
One of the biggest changes to the regulations is the removal of a one year waiting period for Planning Commissioners following a second term. Commissioner Dee McKee was opposed.
County Planner Stephan Metzger says in the past 20 years, only about half of the planning commissioners finished out their first two terms before seeing some overturn.
In addition, the application of regulations was changed to significantly limit the amount of uses that are entirely exempt from county regulations. The usages that remain are for agricultural uses, railroads and signage for local, state and federal governments. Commissioners Greg Riat and Pat Weixelman both voted in favor of the changes.
The regulations guide land use decisions, covering everything from whether or not livestock are permitted to the minimum size of buildings before a permit is required, to land development.
A hangup exists currently with how conditional use permits are authorized. Currently they don’t go to the commission for final approval, but rather to the planning commission, something the commission may be interested in amending in the future. Metzger says it’s not ideal right now, but something that could soon be addressed.
Commission Chair Riat supported the changes, which among other things will limit the amount of uses entirely exempt from county regulations.
The updated regulation changes can be found in the Sept. 20 packet (shared below), on pages 28 through 39.
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