PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
3 OCTOBER 2023
Chair Connie Howell opened the meeting asking Commissioner Terry Jones to offer a prayer and lead the pledge. The minutes of 6 September 2023 were moved for approval by Tommy Pope and seconded by Commissioner Erin Curry and were approved unanimously. Officer elections were initiated and Commissioner Erin Curry moved that the current officers remain in place and with Bill Myers offering the second the motion was approved unanimously. Officers are Connie Howell, Chairman; Tommy Pope, Vice Chairman; and Commissioner Annelle Guthrie, Secretary.
Old Business – Commissioner Erin Curry mentioned the upcoming Developers Meeting sponsored by Pulaski Mayor J.J. Brindley, and recommended some of the Planning Commission attend.
The discussion then centered around what constitutes a subdivision in the county, and the county’s responsibility for accepting a road constructed by builders which may not at the time meet county/state specifications. Kristen Pfeiffer expressed her concern for new home owners or people moving into homes from other counties where the home may require considerable expense to upgrade that home’s connection to a county road. Several locations were mentioned in the county where builders had built a subdivision and an” internal” road within the subdivision. However, that subdivision road was not up to county’s specifications and would not then be treated as such. That shortfall could then prevent mail from being delivered house to house; no school bus could use the road, nor would such a road be maintained at county expense with that expense falling on the home owner. Considerable attention was paid to those individuals who might want to share their land with their children and the discussion expressively avoided any mention of zoning that would affect that type use of one’s own land. The Chair asked for solutions and enforcement ideas when a subdivision is being created and internal roads are involved, which require the developer to follow Subdivision Regulations. Scott Stewart said the first step in a disagreement over use of county roads for a subdivision would be to discuss with the county attorney with the County Executive (CE) Graham Stowe saying could result in a lawsuit, as the next step. In addition to the subdivision definition which includes connecting to an internal road and that road connecting to the county/state road, the size of the acreage per house was also mentioned. This particular discussion followed questions on those developers who buy parcels of land and will then sell lots. Other areas mentioned were perhaps a requirement for acreage equal to minimum size requirement for a septic system, but some suggested the field lines for a septic system would make that requirement less useful. An action item was to be addressed by Tommy Pope in determining what surrounding counties, one in particular, might have in their subdivision planning.
The Chair called for announcements and mentioned the next Planning Commission Meeting would be 7 November 2023. A motion to adjourn was made by John Haislip, seconded by Scott Stewart and was approved unanimously.
ATTENDEES: Members of the Commission – Chair Connie Howell, Vice Chair Tommy Pope, Malcolm Moore, Bill Myers, Kristen Pfeiffer, Scott Stewart, John Haislip, (absent Tamieka Russell) Commissioner Members – Terry Jones, Erin Curry, Annelle Guthrie, Other Commissioners attending: Gayle Jones, David Adams, Other: County Executive Graham Stowe
