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Richland County committee approves multiple rezoning petitions, postpones one
Summary
The Richland County Zoning and Land Conservation Committee approved a series of rezoning petitions for small parcels across multiple townships and postponed one item after a township-level rezone was not completed.
The Richland County Zoning and Land Conservation Committee approved multiple rezoning petitions during its meeting, moving several parcels from farmland-preservation or agricultural classifications into residential or ag-residential classifications and postponing one petition after the owner said the township had not approved a required rezone.
Committee members approved a petition to rezone about 30 acres in Dayton Township from agricultural/forest to ag-residential to allow weekend recreational use and a small cabin. The committee approved additional petitions in Ithaca Township and Rockbridge (Steamboat Hollow area) and approved a parcel split and rezoning on Castro Ridge. One petition (parcel 0142044-1000) was postponed after the landowner did not receive the township rezone and will return next month.
Kathy, the county zoning administrator, described the 30-acre Dayton Township petition as a routine cleanup because the parcel had not been rezoned after a previous split: “So this is a petition to rezone about 30 acres. It's an existing parcel, just wasn't rezoned probably when it was split off.” Committee members discussed file and packet mix-ups that led to confusion over which petition corresponded to which packet entry; Kathy said the county had been posting parcel numbers rather than names because of a state rule removing judges’ family names from public records.
Motions to approve the petitions were made and seconded; the transcript records voice votes (“Aye”) for the items that passed. The first petition recorded one opposition during the voice vote; other petitions passed with no recorded opposition. The petition listed as 7D (parcel 0142044-1000) was postponed because the landowner must return to the township board for a rezone vote.
Why it matters: these parcel rezonings change how properties may be used, typically formalizing existing land uses (cleanups) or enabling lot splits and residential use. The committee’s actions will be reflected in the county zoning maps and, where applicable, become public record after the meeting.
The county staff said the parcel-number posting approach responds to a new state rule effective April 1 that removes certain judges’ and their immediate family members’ names from public connection to addresses. Committee members noted confusion in the meeting packet numbering and agreed to clarify packet labeling going forward.
Votes at a glance (recorded in meeting): - Rezoning: Dayton Township parcel (about 30 acres) — motion to approve passed; voice vote with one opposed (exact tallies not specified in the transcript). - Rezoning: Ithaca Township parcels (parcel 01604112000 and associated lots) — motion to approve passed; voice vote recorded as aye (exact tallies not specified). - Postponed: Parcel 0142044-1000 — postponed by committee; owner will return to township for required rezone. - Rezoning: Rockbridge / Steamboat Hollow split (30/40 acres between Carrie Norman and Colleen McArthur) — motion to approve passed; voice vote recorded as aye. - Rezoning: Castro Ridge parcel 00810432000 (Mayer/Bender split) — motion to approve passed; voice vote recorded as aye.
The committee chair directed staff to correct packet labeling errors and to continue presenting parcel numbers in public materials per the state rule. Several petition discussions were characterized by staff as “cleanup” rezonings to bring parcel records into compliance with current ordinance language.
