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Laurens County moves major-subdivision approval authority toward planning commission
Summary
On first reading council approved ordinance 10-13 to change major-subdivision approval procedures: make the Technical Review Committee (TRC) advisory and restore final approval to the citizen-led planning commission to reduce litigation risk.
Laurens County Council approved on first reading ordinance 10-13, a rewrite of ordinance 9-26 that reassigns final approval authority for major subdivision plans from the Technical Review Committee (TRC) to the county planning commission.
Councilman Brownlee said the change is intended to improve transparency and reduce litigation. "Essentially, this ordinance is repealing, giving the TRC or and or the planning commission the ability to approve major subdivisions and now making that TRC ... advisory only," Brownlee said, explaining that putting approval authority with the citizen-led planning commission creates a clearer public process.
County Attorney Metz and other council members cited prior litigation where "and/or" language and staff approvals were factors. Metz said the change addresses appeal risk that arose in the Cambridge Farms case and will make the process more defensible on review. The ordinance passed first reading by voice vote (5-0); further committee discussion and public review will follow before later readings.
