Residents urge preservation of current flood-plain protections; commissioners schedule July hearing on proposed changes

Scores of residents addressed the Macon County Board of Commissioners Monday in opposition to proposed changes to the county's flood-plain ordinance, urging the board to preserve existing protections and seek outside expert review before changing rules.

Kenneth McCaskill, president of the Macon County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, told commissioners he opposed the proposed revisions. "We are opposed to the changes to the flood plain ordinance," he said. Multiple other speakers raised similar concerns: Chuck Grant warned that the proposed exclusion zone could render privately owned land unusable; Sarah Johnson and others urged the board to consult soil and conservation experts and questioned potential impacts on aquatic life; Bill McLarney criticized the transparency of the process and said a promised expert committee had not yet met.

Plan Reviewer/Code Enforcement Officer III Joe Allen presented the subcommittee's recommendations, describing them as "middle of the road" changes that would not, in his view, "turn developers or property owners loose to do what they want." County Attorney Eric Ridenour told the board the proposed changes were posted on the county website and included in the agenda packet.

After discussion the board unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing on the proposed flood-plain ordinance changes for 6:00 p.m. on July 9, 2024 in the Commissioners Board Room, 5 West Main Street, Franklin. Several residents specifically urged the board to delay final action until independent experts in hydrology, soil conservation and biology had reviewed the draft language.

The board did not take final action on ordinance language at the June 11 meeting; a formal public hearing and further staff work were scheduled for July.