Minimum parcel size may change in ag districts

Thursday, June 9, 2022

In the name of making more land available for housing development, Putnam County may soon reduce the minimum parcel size in agricultural districts.

In a 7-0 vote Wednesday evening, the Putnam County Plan Commission moved to reduce the minimum parcel size in both Agricultural 1 and Agricultural 2 districts.

In A1, the new minimum size is proposed to be two acres and 200 feet of road frontage, down from five acres and 350 feet. Additionally, setbacks will be reduced to 30 feet (or more depending on road type) in the front and 15 feet in the rear and on sides.

In A2, the standard is proposed at one acre and 200 feet of road frontage, down from the current minimums of three acres, though 200 feet of frontage will stay the same. Setbacks will be reduced to at least 30 feet in front and 15 feet rear and back.

It should be noted that the requirements in both districts will apply only to parcels containing residential housing, while those with farm structures will be largely unchange, save some setback reductions.

Additionally, the minimum acreage could be greater if the Putnam County Health Department deems it necessary to allow for a primary and backup septic system.

The decision is not yet final, as the Plan Commission is an advisory board. The final word belongs to the Putnam County Commissioners.

There seemed to be general agreement during the meeting that the current standards — in place for 30 years — needed to be amended at some point.

However, the county is currently in the very early stages of updating both its comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance, and such matters will be addressed through these plans, which are costing the county in the neighborhood of $200,000.

“We have people we are paying a good deal of money to decide what’s best and fits with the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance going forward,” County Attorney Jim Ensley advised the Commission members.

From the audience, veteran Board of Zoning Appeals member Lora Scott also said she did not believe that moving forward at this time was the wisest move.

She noted that the numbers being considered were based on studying neighboring counties, but not on the will of local residents, nor an intensive study, as the upcoming plans and ordinances will be. The idea is for the new ordinances to be based on surveys with a wide swath of county residents to truly assess the needs and desires of the community.

“I feel like those decisions will be based on what’s going on in Putnam County,” Scott said, “and we should listen to what the people of Putnam County say based on the comprehensive plan update.”

She further noted that changing the rules for all of A1 and A2, zones that encompass the majority of the land in the county, is perhaps too broad and that the upcoming comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance may address targeted changes.

One of the chief counterarguments, though, was that 18 months — the minimum estimated time to the adoption of new zoning laws — is a long time to wait for people trying to address rural housing needs now.

“It’s going to be simplified again,” Plan Commission President Wendell Underwood said. “But what can we do to smooth the path between now and then?”

Several members of the public spoke in favor of the change, including some who deal with such matters on a daily basis, such as contractor Bill Mentgen and Greg Williams of ASA Land Surveying.

“There’s just multiple opportunities for this area to grow, and farmers to make some money off of the ends of these fields that are not tillable,” Mentgen said. “There’s a need. There’s definitely a need for what we’re trying to get done here.”

“If we do this, it’s not like the comprehensive plan is going to be thrown out the window,” Williams said. “We’ve been fighting this for five years. We’ve got some steam behind it. I’d hate to see it derailed.”

Two different citizens — John Bossnack and Stephanie Campbell — spoke in favor of the change and of how they would like to be able to build on smaller plots of land than the current plan allows.

In the end, the seven members present (of nine) seemed swayed by the idea of allowing for new housing development.

Member Jay Alcorn said that farmers like himself aren’t going to break up the land that provides their livelihood just because they can.

It was also noted more than once during the meeting that the change as outlined had the “overwhelming” support of the membership of the Putnam County Farm Bureau.

Alcorn said the new standards would make for a good trial.

“I feel like this would be a chance to try it and see what we’ve got,” Alcorn said.

This underscored a point Underwood made more than once — that the change is only temporary until the much larger new plan is adopted.

“One thing’s for sure, whatever we do, it’s not over,” Underwood said.

Kevin Scobee, who has been involved with the Plan Commission and BZA for years, said he is ready to allow for more development.

“This has just been an ongoing thing forever, and I think we need to go right ahead with it,” Scobee said.

Scobee made the motion to adopt the changes, a move seconded by Eric Hayman.

Scobee and Hayman were joined in their affirmative votes by Alcorn, Ken Heeke, Underwood, Randy Bee and Jenna Nees.

Members David Penturf and Rick Woodall were not present.

However, Woodall will have a chance to express his opinion, as he and fellow Putnam County Commissioners David Berry and Tom Helmer will have the matter on their agenda during their Tuesday, July 5 meeting.

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