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Page County officials weigh 'dual zoning' and revised growth tiers to steer development
Summary
At a Sept. 2 joint session, the Page County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission discussed 'dual zoning' (commercial zoning that retains agricultural tax treatment while in active farming), updated growth‑tier maps developed with towns, and next steps including town meetings and an October public engagement event.
On Sept. 2, the Page County Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission met in a joint session to discuss a proposal commonly called “dual zoning” and to review updated growth‑tier maps developed with town governments. The discussion focused on whether to pre‑identify commercial nodes and how to protect agricultural land while making property attractive to businesses.
The meeting opened with Unidentified Speaker 1 (presiding official) describing the dual‑zoning concept: “The idea would be to have it zoned but still be taxed based on its use,” meaning a parcel could carry a commercial designation yet retain agricultural tax treatment while it remains farmed. Supporters said that by‑right commercial zoning or an overlay could reduce the time and uncertainty businesses face when site‑selecting. "If they have to go through an SUP, they're going to report back," Unidentified Speaker 4 said, arguing that lengthy special‑use permit processes discourage corporate search firms.
Planning staff warned the body that overlay districts and what locals call 'dual zoning' can be interpreted in different ways and that state law does not define the term precisely. Unidentified Speaker 8, who offered technical explanation, cautioned against assuming an overlay automatically speeds rezoning and noted potential legal challenges to variants that seek to be less restrictive than base zones.
Members also discussed a practical path forward: identify specific nodes with water and sewer capacity, coordinate with town managers on map boundaries and then amend the zoning map so landowners and developers know where commercial growth is intended. Unidentified Speaker 9 described recent town meetings and said staff had redrawn maps in consultation with towns, adding that some previously identified areas are ‘‘never gonna happen’’ without utility extensions.
As a next step, supervisors were asked to meet with town officials to review the new maps and return recommendations. The Planning Commission will also present maps at a community engagement event expected in October at the Stanley Fire Hall where residents can review large maps and mark preferences. No formal zoning ordinance change or vote occurred at the session.
What’s next: staff will finalize maps for town meetings, the Board will send supervisors to meet with each town to review recommendations, and the county plans public outreach in October to collect community input before any ordinance drafting.
