Zoning Public Hearing Turns Contentious for Chatham County

Emotions flared in the Chatham County Commissioner meeting on Monday night during a public hearing over the possibility of zoning portions of the county that have previously been unzoned.

That temperament extended to commissioners Walter Petty and Diana Hales, who were involved in a particularly contentious back and forth.

“You said yourself, ‘I will zone this county if it means I’m a one-term commissioner,’” Petty said to Hales. “And you know what that tells me? It tells me you knew there was going to be opposition, and you pushed for it anyway.

“And you’re willing to take that risk.”

Hales responded saying, “I am willing to take that risk,” noting that she, like Petty, lives in a portion of the county that is currently unzoned.

“So you want to be, move to zoned area,” Petty snapped back, “and let my area alone.”

Several commissioners tried to interject at that point before Hales continued, “I’m not having this argument with Commissioner Petty right now, I think we had a process, we followed the process, right now it’s going back to the planning board.”

That exchange came after nearly two hours of public comment. The board was holding an input session after it voted in December to move toward zoning the currently unzoned portions of the county as residential land going forward.

Commission chairman James Crawford said he believed the zoning extension was being considered with hopes of establishing guidelines across the county.

“What we’re trying to do is establish a common set of rules for the county that are predictable and will allow for the land-use plan – for the public input there – to actually stick,” Crawford said.

Exceptions would be made for businesses already in operation and establishments already in place that would be “non-conforming” to new regulations.

While the Monday night public comment period was supposed to discuss challenges presented by residential zoning, it quickly took on the shape of residents being split between those opposed to the zoning as a whole and those supporting the measure in general.

Some in opposition called it an “anti-business” proposition that amounted to government overreach.

“We the farmers are afraid of what might come once zoning is in place and you guys have control of us,” one speaker expressed. “It’s almost like on the western side of the county we will be having taxation without representation.”

Other residents were more blunt with their criticism.

“If you really care about Chatham County, leave us alone. If you don’t like Chatham County, move.”

Others saw the potential of zoning as a way to protect their land. One resident said her husband sells produces at the local farmer’s market in addition to both of them working full-time.

“I am 100 percent in favor of zoning, and I actually wish our property was zoned R-5,” she told the commissioners. “We live in an agricultural part of the county that is under extreme development pressure and, after doing a lot of research and talking to a lot of people, feel that zoning is our best chance for ensuring agriculture has a place in this county going forward.”

Some feared what was being presented this time would change in the future and impact their land.

“I’ve seen what zoning does,” one resident warned. “You can say it’s Zone 1 now, but Zone 1 will change as you get the power.”

Another speaker asked for zoning to be put in place, arguing it would benefit the county on many levels, from the economy to the environment.

“We have working land-use plans and zoning in counties all around us,” she said. “And it favors growth; it favors the value of your property; it will make this county. And we can avoid such terrible, preventable damages to both our natural environment, our peace of mind, our businesses, all kinds of things.”

Some didn’t feel like the commissioners had done enough to prove the work was worth the cost.

“I want you to count me amongst the people that aren’t convinced by the explanations advanced so far that the cost of what we’re doing – both in money and political capital and loss of focus on what we really need to accomplish – is worth what we’re doing.”

While there were varying views of how to get there, one end result was a common theme among the speakers.

“Please do proceed with very careful zoning and planning to keep agriculture alive and well and the character of the county,” one resident pleaded.

The zoning proposition was sent back to the planning board at the conclusion of the meeting.

The earliest any decision could be reached by the commissioners is late this summer.

Zoning Public Hearing Turns Contentious for Chatham County

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