Planning and Zoning

This zoning regulation is consistent with the county Comprehensive Development Plan and is designed for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and welfare of the present and future inhabitants of the county, including, a month others, such specific purposes as:

• Developing both urban and non-urban areas;
• Lessening congestion in the streets or roads;
• Reducing the waste of excessive amounts of roads;
• Securing safety from fire and other dangers;
• Lessening or avoiding the hazards to persons and damage to property resulting from the accumulation of run-off of storm or flood waters;
• Providing adequate light and air;
• Preventing excessive concentration of population and excessive and wasteful scattering of population settlement;
• Promoting such distribution of population such as classification of land uses, and such distribution of land development as will assure adequate provisions for transportation, water flow-age, water supply, drainage, sanitation, recreation, soil fertility, food supply, and other public requirements;
• Protecting the tax base;
• Protecting property against blight and depreciation;
• Securing economy in governmental expenditures;
• Fostering the state’s agriculture, recreation, and other industries;
• Encouraging the most appropriate use of land in the county;
• Preserving, protecting and enhancing historic building, places, and districts

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is made up of 7 members.  The Chairman of the Commission calls for a meeting when there needs to be any action taken by the Commission.

Board of Zoning Adjustment

The Board has 5 members, plus one alternate.  One member must be a member of the Planning Commission.  This quasi-judicial body’s powers include hearing and deciding appeals, map interpretations and granting variances from the Zoning Regulations.  They meet when a Variance Application has been submitted to the Zoning Administrator for the consideration.

Penalties

The owner or agent of a building or premises in or upon which a violation of any provisions of the Comprehensive Plan has been committed, (building, moving or destroying any structure without the proper permit), shall be guilty of a Class III misdemeanor. Each and every day that such violation continues after notification shall constitute a separate offence.

Nothing herein contained shall prevent the County from taking such other lawful action as is necessary to prevent or remedy any violation.

If you have any questions or need to obtain a Zoning Application, please contact the County Clerks office or call Ron Melbye, County Zoning Administrator at (402) 432-0777.