Commissioner proposes adding livestock auction as conditional use in C‑2 zoning; item to return for formal action

Commissioner Thomas asked the board on June 2 to consider amending the county’s commercial (C‑2) zoning to allow livestock services — including auction facilities — as a conditional use.

Thomas said a property owner on Floyd Gray Road (in the Medark area) is interested in operating a livestock auction; the parcel was formerly zoned agricultural and is currently zoned C‑2. He noted related commercial uses are already allowed in C‑2 (fruit/vegetable markets, garden and planting services), while manufacturing, processing and packaging of food products are conditional uses under the existing code. Thomas argued that if slaughtering or processing could be permitted as a conditional use, sales brought to an auction should likewise be considered for conditional use review.

He said, “If this passes, it just says that we, will give the planning department the capacity to approve livestock services as an acceptable use under C 2.” Thomas emphasized that any future applicant would still need to complete a site plan, meet conditional‑use standards and could be rejected if C‑2 were inappropriate on a particular property.

Other commissioners signaled no objection to bringing the change forward for formal consideration. Thomas said he would place the proposal on a future agenda so the board could “beat it up” in committee and during public review. No zoning amendment was adopted at the meeting; the discussion was a preliminary directive to staff to prepare an agenda item for formal consideration.