Richland County panel approves small rezoning, continues work on zoning and short-term rental rules

The Richland County Land & Resources Committee on March 1 approved a rezoning request for a 6.66-acre parcel and continued deliberations on broader zoning ordinance changes, including short‑term rental language and enforcement procedures, while addressing a pending staffing change in the zoning office.

The committee approved the Bueller rezoning request to change a vacant 6.66‑acre parcel from a legal nonconforming classification to ag‑residential to allow a future home site. Committee members voted to approve the petition after committee discussion and confirmation that a certified survey map had been recorded in October 2008.

Committee members said the broader zoning‑ordinance rewrite and the short‑term rental (STR) license language still include typographical and policy items to be corrected. Staff reported multiple instances where the packet posted on the county website was missing documents; members asked staff to follow up with IT to restore the full packet before the next meeting. Committee members agreed to continue reviewing the STR language and the overall zoning ordinance and to return the draft for further review next month rather than forwarding it immediately to executive/finance.

The committee also discussed operational issues in the zoning office after a staff member (identified in the meeting as Elektra) accepted another job and will stop attending in‑person work on Fridays. Committee members instructed staff to review the application and hiring process to ensure job postings clearly state whether the position can be performed remotely, to confirm legal work‑authorization requirements are captured in applications, and to evaluate whether remote work is feasible for the zoning administrator role. Staff said interviews are underway and that applicants have varied backgrounds.

Members clarified the department’s permitting terminology. The committee uses a “land use permit” or “certificate of compliance” (a placard issued after site verification) for nonresidential structures such as sheds; a separate building/occupancy permit is required when human habitation is involved. Members asked staff to consider whether the certificate of compliance term should be renamed “land use placard” or similar to reduce public confusion.

On enforcement, the committee discussed difficulties in policing seasonal camper placements and other temporary uses when violations are discovered after the March 1 cutoff for seasonal placement. Members said sanitary concerns often motivate enforcement and suggested addressing enforcement details in the sanitary ordinance rather than only in the zoning code.

The committee did not take a final vote on the STR ordinance changes; staff will circulate a corrected draft and the committee will review it before sending it to executive/finance.

Details and next steps: the Bueller rezoning was approved by voice vote; the Bach & P petition was tabled because the applicants lacked a certified survey map; the short‑term rental and zoning ordinance edits will be revised and recirculated; staff will follow up with IT to restore the full meeting packet online and will prepare clear language about remote work for future job postings.

The committee returned the zoning items for further review and asked staff to bring corrected drafts and clarifications to the next meeting.