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Randolph County adopts ordinance protecting some pre-2017 secondary residences; commissioners suspend rules for same‑day passage
Summary
After staff explained an amendment to the Unified Zoning Ordinance that allows legally established secondary residences created before 2017 to be rebuilt on their original lots, commissioners suspended the rules and adopted Ordinance 2026‑O8 on the same day.
County planning staff explained and the commissioners adopted an amendment to the Unified Zoning Ordinance designed to preserve existing secondary residences that were established before 2017.
Deborah Jonting, area planning director, said the change "allows anyone with a residence prior to 2017 to rebuild on the same lot" if that residence is a secondary (nonconforming) dwelling that had been legally established before 2017. She emphasized the amendment is limited and does not create new nonconforming lots; it protects only existing, historic situations and prevents additional splitting to create more such residences. After a first reading by title, a commissioner moved to suspend the rules and proceed to second and third readings and immediate adoption; the motion was seconded and the board voted to adopt Ordinance 2026‑O8 the same day.
Why it matters: The ordinance change provides clarity and certainty for owners of long-standing secondary dwellings by allowing rebuilding after loss while containing future creation of new nonconforming dwellings.
Next steps: Planning staff will circulate final ordinance language and ensure cities receive needed documentation; county staff noted some city-level actions may be affected by a separate 90-day adoption rule referenced in state guidance.
