On March 22, the public and members of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Advisory Committee gathered at the Polk County Senior Center in Columbus to continue the review of the proposed draft UDO.
During the meeting, Dale Holland, the county’s planning consultant, discussed the environmental regulation section and the basic need for these requirements. He addressed two central questions with the committee: When would an environmental assessment be necessary and what requirements will be included in the environmental assessment?
The committee agreed that applications for major subdivisions and any high impact development should require the assessment. Members were also provided a list of provisions that could be included in the assessment regulations.
The discussion will continue on the environmental regulations, including land preservation, traffic impact analysis, and performance standards, at the next UDO meeting scheduled for April 26, 7 p.m. at the Polk County Senior Center on Carmel Drive in Columbus (the former Carolina Classical Academy building). This is an open meeting and all are welcome.
If you would like more information on the details of the environmental assessment, a copy of the Draft Unified Development Ordinance is available on the county’s website, www.polknc.org, under the Planning Department option.