Lee County board approves zoning text changes to add campgrounds, sawmill uses; allows limited extended campground stays during home construction

The Lee County Board of Supervisors voted Nov. 18 to adopt amendments to the county zoning ordinance that add sawmills as a special use and establish new rules for campgrounds, including definitions for “campground,” “camping unit,” and “campsite.” The changes also add subsections governing campground applicability, area and density limits, yard separation, occupancy, and compliance.

County staff summarized the amendment package during a public hearing, explaining the most significant change is a 30-consecutive-day occupancy restriction for campgrounds intended to prevent long-term residency. The board accepted an exception recommended by county staff: if an individual holds a valid building permit to construct a permanent dwelling in Lee County, that person may remain in a campground while the permitted dwelling is completed. If the permit lapses, the individual must revert to the standard occupancy time limits.

The amendment package also adds explicit definitions to Article 11 to codify the newly regulated uses and clarifies that certain campground provisions are subject to sections 5 through 16 of the ordinance. No additional substantive changes were raised during public comment; the chair closed the public hearing and the board approved the language on a voice vote.

The measure now becomes part of the county zoning text; implementation questions (enforcement timelines and permit-review procedures) were left to county staff to finalize and report back. The board did not specify an effective date in the meeting discussion.