Elbert County staff to draft zoning regulation updates; planning commission to review drafts publicly

Elbert County planning staff and the county attorney told the Planning Commission on May 6 that proposed updates to zoning regulations will be prepared in draft form, posted for public review and brought to the commission for formal recommendation before any changes go to the Board of County Commissioners.

County Attorney Mark Greer said drafts allow the public to review and comment on changes such as vegetation requirements, and noted the county will treat “each potential change … on its own” rather than as a single omnibus amendment. He told commissioners some updates will be simple edits while larger, more comprehensive rewrites may require hiring outside firms that specialize in regulatory updates.

Commissioners asked for a clearer schedule and for visible redlines of proposed language. Commissioner Dan McCallin suggested a working session to expedite drafting; other commissioners urged staff to provide a timeline that separates simpler amendments (which staff said they would draft) from complex revisions that require outside consultants. Greer said the county has discussed bringing on consultants for the more comprehensive work and will report back when that procurement advances.

Several commissioners also pressed the county attorney to identify the legal authority and the specific procedures in the county zoning regulations that govern amendments. Commissioner Diana Edstrom cited Article 3, Section M of the Elbert County zoning regulations, which she read aloud, noting the regs require that proposed amendments “shall be submitted to the planning commission for its review and recommendation prior to any action at a public hearing by the Board of County Commissioners,” and that a minimum 30-day newspaper notice is required for hearings. Greer and staff said the county will follow the notice and hearing requirements in the county regulations and in state law.

Commissioners discussed the practical details of the drafting process: creating redlines to locate every cross-reference, whether to use in‑house tools (including AI-assisted review) to speed identification of affected sections, and whether to hold open working sessions so commissioners and the public can see draft language as it is prepared. Greer and planning staff said in many cases draft language will be prepared and circulated to the Planning Commission and the public before the commission takes a recommendation vote; more complex updates could take months and might be helped by a hired regulatory consultant.

Commissioners asked staff to return with a timeline tied to potential consultant contracting and to provide draft language for the “simpler” edits at a future meeting. The commission did not take formal action on any specific regulatory text at the May 6 meeting.