Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chairwoman Mitchell urges pause, local rewrite of Draft Zoning Ordinance as she prepares to step down
Summary
Chairwoman Sherrie Mitchell told the Planning Commission to 'put the train back on the track' and recommended slowing the Draft Zoning Ordinance process to pursue a more localized rewrite with greater public engagement. She said the county has about $12,000 remaining on the Berkley Group contract and that the commission will schedule a June 30 work session to define next steps; Mitchell said this will be her last regular meeting as chair.
Chairwoman Sherrie Mitchell used her final regular Planning Commission meeting on June 9 to press for a slowed, community‑centered rewrite of Franklin County’s Draft Zoning Ordinance and to thank the public for its engagement.
Mitchell said the current draft — prepared with outside consultant input — took a "cookie‑cutter" approach that missed local concerns and urged the commission to "put the train back on the track" and pursue a more localized, grassroots rewrite that includes subject‑matter experts and clearer public outreach. She noted the county administrator has leadership oversight and that the Planning Commission retains ownership of the draft. Mitchell told commissioners the Berkley Group still has approximately $12,000 remaining on its contract and that much of the remaining work budgeted related to public hearings; she said county staff confirmed Franklin County will not owe the Berkley Group for uncompleted work.
Commissioners discussed whether to use the current draft or revert to the 1988 code as a starting point, favored parsing the update into sections, and emphasized the need for a structured timeline and clearer public engagement. The commission scheduled a work session for June 30 at 5:30 p.m. to identify specific problems to address at each session and to compile public comments received to date.
Mitchell closed the meeting with personal remarks about public service, saying she will remain engaged after leaving the chair. "Sitting on the sidelines is not in this family's DNA," she told the commission, and urged members to use their strengths in the rewrite process.
