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APC begins first reading to remove septic-site survey requirement from zoning ordinance
Summary
The commission held a first reading to repeal zoning ordinance Article 9, Section 9-40-3(b) and (c), which required septic site surveys; staff said the Board of Health and installers already handle septic siting and that removing the requirement reduces redundant costs for property owners.
The Decatur County Area Plan Commission conducted a first reading on APC petition 2025-7, a proposal to repeal parts of the county zoning ordinance that require septic sites to be shown on recorded surveys.
Staff explained the current ordinance, originally adopted in an earlier era, required two septic sites or explicit mapping on surveys; the amendment would remove both primary and secondary septic-site survey requirements from the zoning code. Staff said most counties in the state require only a single tested septic site and that modern onsite sewage systems make siting more flexible. The Board of Health was described in the record as not supporting the survey requirement; staff said septic installers and the health department already maintain the technical site maps needed for permits.
Commissioners treated the item as a first reading; no final vote was taken. Staff said the change is intended to reduce unnecessary costs to property owners and avoid redundant work for surveyors, returning septic permitting and siting to the Board of Health process rather than the zoning ordinance. The commission will hold a second reading next month and, if adopted, forward the repeal to the county commissioners.
