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Council approves UDO change for Planning Commission after heated debate; amendment limiting at-large residency fails
Summary
The Jefferson County Council approved an amendment (A1) to the Unified Development Ordinance that revises Planning Commission membership and appointment rules. An amendment to allow more commissioners from incorporated areas narrowly failed in committee debate, and the council approved the revised language 4-3 on final passage.
The Jefferson County Council approved on final passage an amendment to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance that changes how Planning Commission members are appointed and where they must reside.
At issue were language and residency requirements for the nine-member commission. Councilman Seek introduced an amendment to exhibit A that would require appointments by council district plus two unincorporated at-large members; the amendment drew extended debate about whether Planning and Zoning decisions — which affect unincorporated areas — should be made by commissioners who live in municipalities.
Opponents of the amendment warned it could allow a majority of commissioners to come from incorporated areas and urged keeping more members resident in unincorporated Jefferson County. Council members cited examples from neighboring counties in which a majority of planning commissioners must live in unincorporated areas. Supporters said the proposed language would broaden the pool of qualified appointees and increase representation from across council districts.
After debate, an amendment to alter the residency language failed in committee 3-4. The council later perfected and passed Bill 25-0117 A1 on final reading by a 4-3 vote.
The adopted change retains district-based appointments and preserves two at-large seats, while the council-recorded language clarifies that the two at-large seats are drawn from the unincorporated county at large. Council members said they will consider additional UDO cleanups later in the year.
The ordinance’s final passage means the county’s appointment process and the Planning Commission’s composition have changed as recorded in the adopted exhibit; the county manager and clerk will apply the revised rules when the next commission vacancies arise.
