Floyd County adopts new land-division ordinance, replacing subdivision code effective Jan. 1, 2026

The Floyd County Board of Supervisors voted Nov. 18 to repeal its existing subdivision ordinance and adopt a new land-division ordinance set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. On a roll-call vote the motion passed with four votes in favor and one dissenting vote.

Supporters said the new ordinance modernizes the county’s process for approving small, residential divisions of property while retaining opportunities for later refinement. “While I still have grave concerns over the availability of water in the county, I believe we need to move forward to get it done,” one supervisor said during floor debate, urging continued hydrogeology monitoring as implementation proceeds.

Opponents and cautious members asked the board to preserve avenues for further review and public hearings. Supervisor Linda Cookenbrook recorded the lone no vote and asked that her opposition be noted in the record; she also asked staff to preserve the procedural record showing the ordinance’s lengthy staff and workshop review.

Board discussion focused heavily on resource and infrastructure implications. Supervisors cited the county’s Local Composite Index change and ongoing budget pressures as context for the timing of the ordinance’s adoption, and several members called for targeted hydrology studies before further land-development actions proceed.

The motion to repeal the subdivision ordinance and adopt the land-division ordinance was moved and seconded and then approved by voice and roll-call vote; the board recorded the outcome in the minutes. Staff said the ordinance’s effective date will allow time for public notice and final administrative preparations.

What happens next: county staff will post the adopted ordinance and update the county’s permitting and public-information materials; supervisors asked staff to return with monitoring data and any recommended ordinance tweaks after implementation begins.