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Commission hears public-safety and taxation concerns but leaves county ordinance on 'primary dwelling' allowance unchanged
Summary
After a public hearing, the Scotland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to retain existing ordinance language that allows up to two principal structures per parcel, citing the need to study tax and addressing impacts and EMS response concerns raised at the hearing.
Zoning Official Brooke McQueen explained that a 2022 rewrite of the zoning ordinance (assisted by COG) included language allowing two primary structures per parcel; county practice historically treated parcels as allowing one primary dwelling. Commissioners opened a public hearing on the proposed text amendment to change the number of allowed primary dwellings to one.
No members of the public spoke at the hearing. Commissioners, the Tax Administrator Jorgensen, Chief Inspector T. Milligan and EMS Director Sampson questioned how changing the ordinance would affect taxes, parcel subdivision, and emergency response addressing. Sampson warned that multiple principal structures on a single parcel can create confusion for responders and cited examples of multiple addresses assigned to one parcel on West Boulevard.
After discussion the board made a motion to leave the ordinance language as presented and not change the 'two' allowance. Commissioner Ivey moved to keep the ordinance as written; the motion carried unanimously.
Why it matters: The decision preserves the current ordinance framework while flagging implications for taxation, parcel subdivision, EMS addressing and variances for family situations. County staff noted variances remain an option for property owners seeking an exception.
What comes next: Planning & Zoning and Tax staff were directed to follow up on addressing/enforcement issues and to provide clearer guidance on how variances and taxation will be handled when multiple structures exist on a single parcel.
