Washington County adopts streamlined Land Use Plan

The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a rewritten Land Use Plan at its Feb. 7, 2022 meeting.

The plan was presented during a recessed public hearing. According to Mr. Pittman, the prior document ran about 160 pages and the new version is about 20 pages; he told the board that most of the content changed, which is why a redlined comparison was not provided. Chair Tracey A. Johnson called for the hearing to be closed and the commissioners then voted to adopt the presented plan.

Why it matters: a county land use plan guides local development priorities, zoning objectives and long-term growth management. The board’s adoption of a shorter plan may change how staff and developers interpret county goals and could alter the county’s planning workload and public engagement approach.

Board action: Commissioner Ann C. Keyes moved to close the recessed public hearing and Commissioner Carol V. Phelps seconded; the motion carried by roll-call. Commissioner Keyes then moved to adopt the rewritten Land Use Plan; Commissioner Phelps seconded and the board approved the plan by unanimous roll-call vote.

The meeting record does not specify immediate changes to zoning text, implementation steps, or an effective date beyond the adoption vote. The board did not provide a redline or annotated comparison of the old and new plans during the meeting record.