Waynesville council adopts three land‑use text amendments on street trees, stormwater exemptions and wireless rules

The Waynesville Town Council voted to adopt three text amendments to the town’s land‑development standards that staff said will clear up ambiguities and align local rules with state and federal requirements.

The adopted amendments cover (1) a payment‑in‑lieu option for required street trees when road projects prevent on‑site planting; (2) a clarified stormwater ordinance exemption to make clear that single‑family and two‑family dwellings on an individual lot that are not part of a larger subdivision are exempt; and (3) changes to wireless communications rules to remove provisions that conflict with federal law and to require proof of FAA/FCC regulatory compliance before issuing permits.

Why it matters: The amendments aim to avoid construction delays, ensure consistent permitting, and reduce legal exposure. The street‑tree change allows developers affected by road projects (including town projects, not only NCDOT) to pay into a town account to fund…