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Planners present draft county demographics and zoning options as Butler County pursues nine-month plan
Summary
Hanna:Keelan presented demographics showing Butler County's rural population fell from 3,634 (2000) to 3,205 (2020) with a projected rise to 3,264 by 2036; planners reviewed housing vacancy (5.8%), potential development corridors, and options for rural zoning and a Board of Appeals.
Hanna:Keelan consultants reviewed the early findings of a countywide comprehensive plan at the March 18 Butler County Planning Commission meeting.
Keith Carl of Hanna:Keelan presented population totals showing a rural Butler County population of 3,634 in 2000, 3,205 in 2020 and a projection of 3,264 by 2036. Carl said planners are watching potential growth from new housing along the Platte River and an influx of sandpit-area housing from Columbus.
Carl reviewed housing occupancy, a rural vacancy rate of 5.8% (the presentation noted a desired range of 6'7%), employment and housing-condition statistics, and potential future programs including rural housing rehabilitation and tax increment financing in limited rural areas. He emphasized the need for a balanced approach to zoning in a county with no existing regulations to avoid overwhelming residents.
Planners described options for future land use, including designating development corridors along highway corridors for commercial or industrial growth, establishing rural subdivision regulations, and creating a Board of Appeals to handle variances and appeals. Keelan told commissioners a Board of Adjustment is not required to adopt zoning or to impose a moratorium.
The Planning Commission set a tentative timeline: the commission will hold a public hearing on the comprehensive plan and zoning in September after the plan's completion; the Board of Supervisors will hold subsequent hearings. Keelan noted the consultants aim to complete the plan within nine months and asked commissioners to stay on schedule so the plan can remain on that timeline.
The commission discussed implementation mechanics such as permit checks and inspections and weighed the balance between residential development and animal agriculture, including potential setback or corridor strategies. Commissioners also raised historic-site protections and the possibility of Butler County participating in the Livestock Friendly County program.
