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Richland County officials set May 5 first reading for updated comprehensive plan, Planning Commission recommended changes
Summary
Director Synithia Williams told county council the Planning Commission recommended a draft comprehensive plan that replaces a parcel-based map with a broader 'bubble' style, adds land-use guidance, adjusts some countryside boundaries and removes a zoning alignment table; first reading is scheduled May 5 with required 30-day public notice for the hearing.
Director Synithia Williams updated Richland County Council on the draft comprehensive plan the Planning Commission recommended at its April 13 meeting, saying the commission approved a resolution forwarding the plan to council for consideration.
Williams said the update replaces a parcel-specific future land use map with a broader “bubble” style intended to provide more flexibility between land-use types, adds short guidance paragraphs explaining the differences among countryside, mixed-use and neighborhood designations, and adjusts countryside low‑density boundaries in the north of the county based on citizen feedback. The draft also removes a zoning table that previously implied a fixed alignment between place types and zoning designations, Williams said, because zoning categories may change over time.
“Because the state enabling act requires county council to adopt a comprehensive plan by ordinance, this will come to the full body for first reading on May 5,” Williams said, adding staff had already advertised the public hearing to meet the state’s 30‑day notice requirement for that hearing. She also said the county migrated plan materials from a third‑party site to the county website and that staff will confirm whether the old URL now redirects to the county site.
The presentation drew public concern about Planning Commission transparency. Kim Murphy told council she saw the item listed on Planning Commission agendas three of the last four meetings but that agendas did not include documents explaining what action would be taken, sign‑up sheets for public input were not available, and she could not find video or posted minutes from a key work session. “There was no indication of what that action would be,” Murphy said, and asked the county to post procedures that clarify the process for action items and public participation.
Williams acknowledged the public’s questions and said staff would check the redirect and follow up with additional information where possible. No council action was taken on the comprehensive plan at the April 21 meeting; staff recommended first reading on May 5 followed by a schedule for public hearing, second reading and final adoption per state law.
The county’s stated next procedural step is the May 5 first reading. If the plan is not on that date, Williams warned the body would need to re‑advertise the hearing after a new 30‑day notice period.
