Union County commissioners direct staff to propose changes to minor subdivision rules to curb farmland loss

Union County commissioners on Thursday directed staff to develop options to change the county's minor subdivision rules, citing concerns about farmland loss, traffic safety and unchecked residential lot splitting.

The board's discussion centered on the ordinance that defines a "minor subdivision" as up to eight lots from a single parent parcel created since Feb. 14, 1978. Lee Jensen, the county's planning director, explained the existing framework and how staff uses historic parcel maps to determine how many times a property has been split. "Anytime you divide land, into 2 or more lots, that's essentially what all these words on this page say," Jensen said in the presentation.

The chair said Union County has seen substantial loss of open farmland and argued the board must balance family land transfers with broader growth management. "Union County ranks it number thirteenth in the nation for loss of open space in farmland," the chair said during the discussion. Jensen confirmed the 8-lot threshold was not developed from a precise scientific study but was changed in the county's 2012–2014 rewrite to replace an earlier, more permissive approach.

Commissioners and staff highlighted a commonly cited loophole in which a single parent parcel divided by a road can be treated as two parent parcels, enabling eight lots on each side and effectively allowing 16 lots. Jensen said the county's ordinance records parent-parcel dates so staff can determine when a proposed split would trigger major-subdivision standards; he also agreed to research how other jurisdictions handle parent-parcel resets.

Vice Chair Helms and other commissioners voiced concern for residents who inherit family land and want to transfer property to children or grandchildren; one commissioner urged consideration of grandfathering or a renewal period to preserve family transfers while limiting rapid, repeated splits.

The board voted to direct staff to return with strategies, which may include lowering the lot threshold, revising the parent-parcel renewal date, or other measures to prevent unintended large-scale subdivision while preserving opportunities for family transfers. The motion did not adopt a specific ordinance change; it requested proposals and options for future board consideration.

Next steps: staff will prepare and present recommended strategies and ordinance language for future hearings and possible adoption proceedings.