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Richland County Council approves two-month extension of Olympia temporary moratorium
Summary
Richland County Council voted to extend a temporary moratorium in the Olympia neighborhood for two months to avoid a regulatory gap while an overlay ordinance proceeds through readings.
Richland County Council voted on Oct. 7 to extend a temporary moratorium in the Olympia neighborhood for two months, a move staff said would prevent permits or approvals that could undercut a pending Olympia overlay ordinance.
County Administrator Jada Brown told council the extension would prevent a gap between the current moratorium and the expected adoption of the overlay ordinance, which staff scheduled to reach third reading at the Nov. 4 council meeting. "If council were to adopt the overlay ordinance on November 4 and make it immediately effective, the proposed moratorium extension ... would be unnecessary because there would not be a gap," Brown said.
The extension was presented as an ordinance amendment and will follow the normal three-reading process; staff said it would act as a first reading if council approves tonight. Brown said staff would use existing public-notice routines and media outlets if the extension becomes necessary. "We would also use our media outlets, to do that also," Brown said.
Council discussion was brief. Councilmember Bridal said he supports the overlay ordinance but would vote against the moratorium extension for consistency with a prior vote. After a roll-call, the motion to extend the moratorium passed.
Why it matters: Council staff said the extension avoids the potential issuance of demolition, new-construction, rezoning or rehabilitation permits in the Olympia neighborhood during any gap between the end of the existing moratorium and the overlay ordinance's adoption. The extension preserves council’s options while the overlay proceeds through required readings and public hearings.
Next steps: The extension will proceed through the ordinance-reading process. If the overlay ordinance receives third reading and takes immediate effect on Nov. 4, staff said the extension will no longer be necessary and would dissolve.
Votes: The motion to approve the two-month extension passed on a roll call. Recorded votes in the transcript were: Branham: no; Pugh: yes; Little: yes; Livingston: no; Terracia: yes; (Weaver/We Darren): yes; Aline: yes; Mackie: yes; English: yes; Newton: yes. Motion approved.
