Commission reviews plan to collapse six commercial/industrial zones into two

Planning and Zoning presented a draft to simplify the county’s commercial and industrial zoning structure by reducing six existing zone categories to two: general commercial and general industrial. Planning chair Chad Reed (S5) said the team cross‑referenced prior code and then mapped permitted and conditional uses into the two new zone categories.

Commissioners asked whether the reformatting changes permitted uses or merely consolidates them. Reed and planning staff said the draft mostly reformats the structure: permitted, conditional, and not‑allowed uses were transferred into the new combined zones with minimal substantive change to permissions. Several commissioners sought confirmation that the public‑facing zoning map will reflect only two categories and asked staff to identify any parcels that would change classification; staff said only a small number of properties (three referenced) would be affected and that specific parcels such as a pallet plant remain in the industrial designation.

County legal staff (S2) cautioned that because it is an ordinance amendment, the commission should confirm public‑notice and hearing requirements before adoption. Commissioners agreed to table the item until legal staff completes that review.