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Board agrees to schedule hearing on zoning changes to allow transportation facilities in exception areas
Summary
Planning staff briefed the board on proposed zoning ordinance text amendments to permit transportation facilities in some exception zones; after discussion the board reached consensus to schedule a noticed hearing in about four weeks and to pace Measure 56 notices for potentially controversial items such as bed‑and‑breakfast changes.
Planning staff asked whether the board wanted to untable and schedule a public hearing on zoning ordinance text amendments that would explicitly allow transportation facilities (roads, highways and other improvements) in some zones that currently do not list them as permitted or conditional uses. "The takeaway is that roads would not be allowed in those zones," the planner said, summarizing the code gap staff proposes to fix.
Staff reviewed the history: the Planning Commission reviewed the language and recommended adoption, the board considered it in 2022 (Oct. 27 and Nov. 10) and returned it to the Planning Commission for clarification; the board later tabled the item on June 22, 2023. The planner said bringing the item back would require scheduling a noticed hearing, publishing Measure 56 notice to affected property owners and providing notice to approximately 50 interested parties.
Commissioners discussed whether to send the item back to the Planning Commission or hold the hearing at the board level. Staff said public testimony already had been taken at prior hearings but taking comment now would be unfair if the meeting was not noticed as a hearing. The board reached consensus to schedule a hearing and staff estimated about four weeks to get the required notices out.
Staff also presented a broader packet of code updates to align county ordinances with state statutes and administrative rules. One discretionary change the board flagged would reduce the permitted number of rooms for a bed‑and‑breakfast from nine to five; staff noted that any code change that is more restrictive requires Measure 56 notice and that past notices in the farm zone cost roughly $7,000 to publish. Staff advised the board they could pace notices to avoid multiple high‑attendance hearings.
Board members asked for county counsel input on certain items and discussed whether to process the updates piecemeal or as a larger package to limit public confusion and staff workload. Staff noted a 35‑day notice requirement to the state before the first hearing, indicating the earliest practical hearing date would likely be the June 1 planning commission meeting if the board decided to proceed immediately.
No final ordinance votes were taken; the board directed staff to schedule the noticed hearing and return with materials to support public notice and counsel review.
