Clay County holds public hearing on draft Land Development Ordinance; planners propose changes to ADUs, setbacks, enforcement

Clay County planning staff opened a public hearing and outlined a near‑final draft of the county’s Land Development Ordinance (LDO), describing substantive edits across eight chapters and soliciting comment from commissioners, staff and the public.

The draft combines earlier standalone rules (for example, a 2018 renewable‑energy ordinance) into the LDO, updates floodplain and shoreland language to conform with state rules, and proposes a range of changes affecting development standards, subdivisions, administration and enforcement.

Why it matters The ordinance would govern where and how development occurs in most of Clay County, including rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), feedlots, sign placement, parking, lot standards in highway commercial districts, and subdivision approval procedures. Several changes could alter how applicants prepare permits and how staff and the Planning Commission evaluate proposals.

Key proposals and specifics - Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): The draft defines an ADU as "a separate complete housekeeping unit with a kitchen, sleeping area, and full bathroom facilities located on the same lot as a single‑family dwelling." Staff said minimum ADU standards would include a 150‑square‑foot minimum size, a requirement that the ADU be on a permanent foundation, and a cap that an ADU not exceed 75% of the principal dwelling. Septic and placement rules would also apply.

- Lot‑setback averaging: Staff proposed removing the existing lot‑setback averaging provision (a method that lets new buildings be set at an average of neighboring setbacks). The planner said averaging…