Richland County panel approves multiple rezones and lowers some rezoning fees

Richland County’s planning and zoning committee approved multiple rezoning petitions and a change to its fee policy at a meeting dominated by parcel-splitting questions and a review of long-standing mapping errors. Chair (unidentified in the record) opened public comment and staff described a series of small splits that left parent parcels under the 35-acre threshold that triggers rezoning.

Katrina, a county planning staff member, explained a common pattern: when a division leaves a parcel under 35 acres it must be rezoned from Ag Forestry to a residential zoning district, but that change does not happen automatically. "We don't automatically rezone things — it has to go through the rezoning process," Katrina said, noting surveys sometimes show 2.35 acres while the actual land relates closer to 2.1 acres because measurements extend to the center of the road.

Resident Raymond Schmidt said he paid two $500 rezoning fees (totaling $1,000) after a survey revealed additional acreage that required rezoning. "I think the maximum I should be charged is for one on the whole parcel rather than splitting it and hitting me with two," Schmidt said, asking the board to consider a refund. Planning staff acknowledged historical mistakes in how some parcels were classified and said the county will add ordinance revisions to a future agenda to address systemic issues.

The committee approved the individual rezoning petitions discussed during the meeting by voice vote. Members then debated the fee schedule and, after considering the workload differences between a full survey review and a paperwork-only reclassification, approved a resolution to set a lower fee of $125 for reclassifications that do not require surveys or create new parcels. Committee members said the reduced fee is intended as an interim measure until a fuller zoning code and fee-schedule rewrite is completed.

Committee members also agreed to review whether reimbursements are appropriate for owners who paid fees owing to prior classification errors, but staff cautioned that any refunds would depend on the forthcoming ordinance changes and administrative review. The committee voted to forward the fee resolution and the petitions as agreed.

The committee indicated it will follow up with a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite and a clearer checklist for permit applicants so future owners are not surprised by classification or fee issues.