Commissioners approve zoning-code revisions on conceptual plans, buffers and tree spacing

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners on May 20 approved second readings for several zoning-code amendments and resolutions intended to clarify plat and site-plan review, buffer and screening rules, landscape requirements, and to establish streetlight districts for new subdivisions.

County officials said the ordinance and code changes are technical updates designed to clarify when conceptual plans must be reviewed by the Planning Commission and when the Planning Services director may approve them; to allow planted berms as an alternative to natural buffer strips; to change tree-spacing requirements; and to require streetlight districts when requested by developers.

Under the conceptual-plan revision (Ordinance No. 25-02, Chapter 74), staff explained that properties undergoing rezoning will still require conceptual-plan review by the Planning Commission, but certain modifications that do not change access, increase density or alter interior street/lot layouts may be approved administratively by the planning director. For developments that are already constructed under existing zoning, the Planning Services director (or designee) will be the reviewing authority to confirm compliance with code rather than requiring another Planning Commission review.

The buffer and screening amendment (Ordinance No. 25-03, Chapter 90) includes several substantive changes: it allows driveways to cross buffers to create interconnected drives between adjacent properties; it permits planted berms as an accepted buffer treatment; it reduces a previously required 50-foot natural buffer around some residential developments adjacent to roads to a 25-foot buffer if that buffer is platted as a separate lot owned by a homeowners association so it can be protected; it allows buffer waivers or reductions adjacent to county-owned property, Board of Education property or in areas already protected by floodplain or wetland regulations.

The landscape amendment (Ordinance No. 25-04, Chapter 90) alters required spacing for trees — moving shade-tree spacing from 40 feet on center to 45 feet, and ornamental-tree spacing from 20 feet to 25 feet — requires review of plantings within 120 feet of intersections by traffic engineering, and adds a requirement that developers, not only builders, must commit to installing street trees in non-building areas on an agreed timeline so trees are not omitted years later.

The board also approved second readings to establish streetlight districts for Whispering Pines (sections noted in the packet) and Jackson Heights Phase 2 after the required public hearings. Commissioners said the streetlight districts were requested by developers and follow the county’s district-formation procedures.

Planning staff and commissioners said the changes are intended to reduce unintended loss of buffers over time, provide predictability for developers and homeowners associations, and move some routine approvals from commission hearings to administrative review where the changes do not affect neighboring access or density.

All of the ordinance and resolution second readings on the consent/debate calendar carried by voice vote.