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now, pass
changes later
In their well-intentioned effort to craft appropriate rules, Columbus County commissioners have let constant changes to the proposed subdivision ordinance corner them into inaction.
Commissioners appointed a blue-ribbon panel as their Planning Board. Members worked more than two years to come up with reasonable rules for dividing property for residential uses. As a detailed study showed several years ago, a near-total lack of planning is one of Columbus County’s biggest problems.
After months of agonizing over how to apply the rules to families who wish to subdivide land among heirs, commissioners have since thrown out altogether the original distinction between “minor” and “family” subdivisions. Some have laughably complained that the proposal would “hurt” families that had more than eight children.
Also, commissioners appear to be working too hard to accommodate the theoretical concerns of a small number of vocal professionals who have long profited from the fact there are no rules.
State law already exempts parcels greater than 10 acres with no new streets from subdivision rules. That, plus a basic provision to let families leave smaller parcels to their children, should cover nearly all legitimate concerns about “the little guys.”
Commissioners will never craft a perfect set of rules. This county is already years – some say decades – behind its neighbors in regulating growth. The subdivision ordinance is intended as a first step in a long process that will eventually also address mobile homes and land-use planning and finally zoning.
The county’s leaders should not let the subdivision rules become the endless monster that discourages the Planning Board, wears down staff and halts fledgling steps toward getting its house in order.
We say pass the ordinance now. Commissioners should retain the right to hear appeals and special cases. If exemptions are needed, grant them. If exemptions become too common, change the ordinance.
We urge commissioners not to let special interests and a fear of the unknown stop them from doing the right thing.