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Warren County board adopts sweeping zoning and subdivision ordinance updates
Summary
The Warren County Board of Supervisors approved a final repeal-and-replace of chapters 40, 41, 42, 43 and 46 of its zoning and subdivision ordinances after a third and final hearing, adopting new buffering, lot-split and supplemental standards crafted with consultant MSA.
Warren County supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 16 to repeal and replace chapters 40, 41, 42, 43 and 46 of the county zoning and subdivision ordinances after a third and final public hearing and a presentation by consultants from planning firm MSA.
The ordinance updates — developed with input from the county’s zoning commission and planning staff — consolidate several zoning districts (reducing district types from 11 to 9), revise minimum lot-area rules in agricultural and rural-residential districts, and add administrative processes for lot line adjustments, simple divisions and lot combinations. Jenna Gillum, an assistant planner with MSA, told the board the supplemental standards chapter expanded from roughly four pages to about 104 pages to address emerging topics such as accessory dwelling units, data centers, lighting, signage and buffering.
Why it matters: The changes alter what uses require heavy or light buffering, set clearer standards for lot splits and adjustments to shorten administrative review timelines, and update sign and lighting rules to reflect recent state and national case law. Gillum described buffering standards inserted into chapter 40: a light buffer of 30 feet with one tree per 30 linear feet and a heavy buffer of 50 feet with two trees per 30 linear feet, with the option for additional buffering at staff or hearing levels when needed.
Board members praised MSA’s responsiveness during the multi-month process. Supervisors said forms and online submittal options being developed with staff will make the new standards more accessible to applicants. A member of the public attending the hearing thanked staff for user-friendly application forms.
The board opened the public hearing, heard the consultant’s summary and public comments, then closed the hearing before taking final action. A supervisor moved to approve the repeal-and-replace resolution; after a roll-call vote the motion carried and the ordinance updates were adopted.
Next steps: MSA and county staff will finalize updated application forms and a fee schedule, and the county will proceed with codification and making materials available online as outlined in the presentation. The board indicated minor, post-adoption clarifications can be handled administratively or in future workshop sessions.
Quoted from the meeting: “We introduced the lot split, lot tie, lot line adjustment, simple division, simple AG division,” Jenna Gillum said, describing the new administrative tools. “All of those forms will be, you know, able to be provided” online once the ordinance is effective.
The board’s action follows a 5–0 planning commission recommendation in November and prior supervisor votes to approve advancing the chapters to a final reading.
