The City of Easley Council voted to repeal the city's zoning ordinance and replace it with a new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), approving Ordinance 20 25 11 by a 5-2 margin at the council meeting.

The UDO replaces the existing zoning ordinance and land development regulations with a consolidated document intended to guide development and permitting. The ordinance passed after a brief exchange during second reading; council members raised procedural concerns about timing and review of the amended document.

Why it matters: The UDO sets the rules for development, permitting, and land use inside Easley city limits. Adopting a single, consolidated development code is intended to streamline approvals and clarify roles for administrators and developers, but changes to local land-use rules can affect where and how the city grows.

Councilman Alexander questioned whether the public and the city attorney had adequate time to review the version before the vote, saying the document had been posted only a few hours earlier and that the resolution “was not reviewed by the city attorney.” He said, “My vote's not a reflection on [the Planning Commission's] hard work ... I will be voting no.”

City planner Hori Corey Holy Cross responded to administrative questions on the record, saying, “I would be the zoning administrator,” when asked who would fill that role under the new ordinance. The planner also noted the Planning Commission had made unilateral changes to the document during its review.

Council discussion focused on procedural and administrative clarifications rather than substantive changes to specific zoning districts during the meeting. The council called the question and adopted Ordinance 20 25 11 as amended; the recorded outcome was five in favor and two opposed. The transcript identifies Councilman Alexander as one of the two opposing votes; the second opposing vote was not named in the recorded exchange.

The ordinance was discussed in the council's earlier work session, and council members referenced that review during the meeting. The council did not record additional amendments during the final vote on second reading.

What happens next: With second-reading approval, the ordinance will replace the prior zoning and land development regulations as the city's regulatory framework per the terms in the adopted document. The transcript did not specify an effective date or implementation schedule.