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Saint Clair County moves to adopt subdivision regulations after hours of public comment
Summary
After hours of public comment and debate about traffic and private sewer systems, the county commission voted to move forward with proposed subdivision regulations pending county‑attorney review; final adoption will take effect 30 days after attorney sign-off.
The Saint Clair County Commission voted Tuesday to move forward with a package of subdivision regulations as presented by the county engineer and the drafting committee, but the adoption was made "pending county attorney review," a procedural step commissioners said is intended to allow final legal language and a required 30‑day notice period before rules take effect.
Chairman Bateman summarized the motion and opened extended discussion from residents, developers and counsel before the final voice vote. Representative Jim Hill, introduced to the body as a state representative and former judge, advised the commission to avoid placing the county in a position where it would be required to remedy or operate private sewer systems; County Attorney Kirk Walker said the draft will include clear language establishing that any county abatement would be discretionary and that costs would be recoverable from developers, owners or homeowners if the county has to act.
Public comment dominated discussion. A public commenter who identified himself as a landowner and developer warned that a uniform 15,000‑square‑foot minimum lot size in the draft could sharply increase development costs and reduce land values, arguing the requirement could push working families out of the market. Martin Evans, an attorney who said he serves as general counsel for the Greater Birmingham Home Builders Association, recommended changes to the savings/grandfathering clause so existing subdivisions and setbacks are not unintentionally rendered unbuildable.
Commissioners stressed the draft is not the final document. "County attorney review will come back then and make the recommendation for this if the commissioners are needing that language in there," the chairman said. The motion carried by voice vote; the commission did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript and commissioners said they expect the county attorney to return with worded amendments for the record before final adoption.
