Wilson County Commission approves raising A‑1 minimum lot size to 80,000 square feet after extended public hearing

The Wilson County Commission voted on Nov. 17 to amend the county zoning resolution and set the minimum lot size in the A‑1 agricultural district to 80,000 square feet, following a lengthy public hearing that featured dozens of callers urging both support and opposition.

The hearing began with the public notice read into the record and a multi‑hour public comment period in which residents repeatedly asked commissioners to either preserve the larger rural buffers or protect property owners’ existing rights. “Please do so at just the bare minimum,” said Bill Zeke of Phillips Road, asking commissioners not to raise the minimum lot size to 80,000 for existing properties. By contrast, Stateville resident David Yost urged the commission to “keep it at 80,000 square feet, but if there’s an opportunity in the future to actually enlarge it,” citing rapid growth.

Planning staff told the commission the resolution before them would expand the A‑1 minimum from the current 40,000 square feet to 80,000 and that the Planning Commission forwarded it with a suggestion to amend to 60,000 square feet. County counsel explained that under state statute the commission could either vote the 80,000‑square‑foot resolution up or down or amend it only to the suggested 60,000 on the floor; other amounts were not procedurally available that night.

Commissioners debated competing priorities: supporters of the 80,000 size said the change would slow development and protect rural character and infrastructure, while opponents argued it would limit property rights and make housing less affordable. “If you change the law, you’re creating a class of people and you’re eliminating the rights of some citizens just like me who own less than 4 acres,” said Jason Denton, who described family plans that would be affected.

A motion to amend the resolution to adopt the planning commission’s 60,000‑square‑foot suggestion failed on a roll call vote. The commission then voted on the resolution as presented; the chair recorded the final tally as 17 yes, 7 no and the resolution passed.

County staff said lots and building permits of record would remain able to receive single‑family permits but that lots of record under the new minimum would be nonconforming and generally not subdividable. Commissioners asked planning staff to develop follow‑up criteria for limited relief for small tracts and to return with options.

The public hearing also included a procedural deferral of an unrelated rezoning petition for 3503 Murfreesboro Road; the applicant requested the hearing be moved to the January 2026 commission meeting and the commission approved the deferral.

The zoning measure’s passage does not immediately alter every parcel: planning staff said landowners who want a different lot size could seek rezoning or specific variances under existing processes. The commission directed staff and planning to study relief options and return with proposed criteria for owners of small tracts.

What’s next: The resolution takes effect according to the county’s ordinance process; planning staff will prepare implementation guidance and report back with possible variance or relief procedures for affected property owners.