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Planning staff refine 'medical spa' definition; commissioners push limits on hours and AG‑zoned uses
Summary
Planning staff proposed a text amendment to add a 'medical spa' definition and 12 use conditions (appointments only, no surgical procedures, 5‑acre minimum on AG parcels); commissioners discussed limiting hours (8 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday–Saturday), capping employees in AG zones, and adding square‑footage limits before the May 19 public hearing.
Planning staff presented a draft amendment to Cherokee County’s zoning ordinance that would create a new 'medical spa' use type and add a set of conditions to control where and how such facilities operate.
The proposed text defines a medical spa as a facility that "specializes in offering cosmetic and aesthetic services such as injectable treatments, dermal fillers, facials, skincare treatments and related nonsurgical enhancements," and it explicitly excludes general medical practice, anesthesia and surgical procedures, the zoning administrator said.
Staff proposed 12 use conditions: services by licensed health professionals or physicians, appointment‑only operations, prohibition on the sale of medical marijuana or similar substances in conjunction with the use, signage and parking compliance with ordinance standards, and location constraints (for AG parcels, a minimum lot area and placement on an accepted county road). Planning staff recommended a 5‑acre minimum for AG parcels and added that the use should be located outside of platted subdivisions.
Commissioners discussed operational limits. One commissioner suggested standard business hours of 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday–Saturday; others favored a similar daytime cap to avoid late‑night operations in residentially oriented areas. Several commissioners said additional protections should apply where the use is allowed in AG zoning, including either a cap on employees or a square‑footage limit to prevent large commercial conversions of agricultural parcels.
"We did talk about hours of operation," the Zoning Administrator said, acknowledging that the draft did not impose a fixed hours standard and that staff could add an hours condition. Commissioners asked staff to review comparable use‑conditions from prior approvals and return to the public hearing with suggested numeric limits on hours, employee counts or square footage, particularly for AG parcels.
What’s next: The item is on the May 19 public hearing schedule; staff will incorporate commissioner guidance on hours, acreage minimums and potential employee/square‑footage caps and present recommended language at the hearing.
