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Advisory board discusses polishing zoning matrix to attract agribusiness
Summary
Members of the Oconee County Agriculture Advisory Board discussed clarifying the AD and ARD zoning matrix to better signal support for poultry and other agribusiness uses, and considered outreach to local farmers to inform potential revisions.
Members of the Oconee County Agriculture Advisory Board discussed whether the county’s agricultural (AD) and agricultural residential (ARD) zoning matrix should be made more explicit about allowable agribusiness activities — particularly poultry-related operations and agritourism — to make the county more attractive to agricultural businesses.
“Poultry is big in Oconee County,” a board member said, urging the matrix to list poultry‑industry support services explicitly. James, a staff member, told the board the AD and ARD districts are intentionally broad but that the zoning matrix can be amended to list additional support services or to create standalone uses if the board and the planning commission agree.
Board members proposed hosting local farmers to advise what specific language or uses would be most useful, and they discussed tradeoffs: agricultural zoning can help protect farms from development pressure but changing classifications or adding restrictions can draw public resistance in areas currently zoned control‑free.
The planning staff offered to draft options for the board and to take any consensus language to the planning commission for consideration. No formal vote or ordinance change was taken at the meeting; board members agreed to pursue farmer input and coordinate with planning staff on suggested matrix amendments.
