Richland County committee denies rezoning request after township opposition

The Richland County Natural Resources Standing Committee voted July 6 to deny a county-level rezoning request for an additional parcel being used as a commercial business after township officials reported resident opposition.

The committee heard from staff and the property representative that the land has a long history of mixed use: portions have been used commercially for decades, and the owner purchased an adjacent parcel that the business now occupies. Staff said some lots are grandfathered under prior ordinances but that the parcel in commercial use (purchased in 2017) prompted the rezoning petition. A township decision documented only that it “did not approve it because [residents] didn't want it,” staff said.

Committee members pressed on practical impacts of full commercial zoning, including whether existing buildings would need upgrades to comply with building codes, changes to property tax treatment, and how ownership changes would affect land use. A petitioner said the current lease runs five years and asked how the county should handle the use if the business leaves afterward.

Multiple members proposed an alternative: a conditional use permit (CUP) that limits commercial use for a specified term. Staff said a term could be written into a CUP and offered to consult the township, check assessor tax implications and building-code (UDC) requirements, and return with options at next month’s meeting.

After discussion, the motion to approve the rezoning failed on a voice vote. The chair recorded the outcome as a denial and the committee directed staff to pursue the CUP option or other remedies and to report back.

Staff follow-up — contacting the township for the reason for denial, confirming whether a time-limited CUP is feasible, and assessing tax and building-code implications — was the explicit next step.