COMMISSIONERS CLOSE TO UDO DECISION
Commissioners may decide on UDO in two weeks

Photo by Jon Mayhew/TCS
Commissioner Jim Klein studies UDO documents in preparation to possibly vote in two weeks.

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON – Lincoln County Commissioners Monday night heard from the public one more time regarding a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) during the regular commissioners’ meeting at the James W. Warren Citizens Center.

And while commissioners heard overwhelming support in favor of the UDO, Lincolnton/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce officials again urged commissioners to delay the vote on the issue.

“As a Chamber board, we had to look at all our boards involved in the discussions about the UDO,” said Chamber board chairman John Dancoff. “The East Lincoln Area Council and the Board of Realtors couldn’t approve rescinding the Chamber’s resolution.”

The original resolution was presented by the Chamber during one of the county commission’s September meetings to delay a vote on the UDO.

Work on the UDO started 13 months ago in September 2007.

Engineers working on the county’s UDO held five meetings throughout the development process with a cross section of people from across Lincoln County. There were also three meetings across the county where members of the public could voice their opinions and ideas on the UDO.

Engineer Frank Grice said the UDO will receive “rave reviews” – a year from now.

“There will be clear standards, defined as concisely as they can be,” said Grice. “It will make the process more predictable from everyone’s point of view.”

The UDO is designed to replace the Lincoln County Zoning Ordinance and the Lincoln County Subdivision Ordinance. Grice said originally, engineers had to deal with more than 500 pages of documents.

“Besides the public meeting, engineers studied the land-use and all existing plans and regulations,” said Grice. “We also toured the county and conducted various interviews.”

Denver Area Business Association (DABA) represnetative John Anderson said a well-written UDO is something Lincoln County needs.

“The UDO will develop a base line for how Lincoln County will be developed in the present and future,” said Anderson. “Serious thought went into the development of this document.”

One group active throughout the UDO process was the Lincoln County Land Use Board. Representative Cheryl Burgess said in no way does the board oppose the UDO.

“We support the ordinance, only if it meets present and future needs,” said Burgess.
Burgess added there were significant “red flags” in the preparation of the document by engineering firm Duncan and Associates.

One red flag included the stringency of the document in attracting new development to Lincoln County.

“Besides the problems that may create, many citizens don’t know what the Udo is and what it does,” said Burgess. “The UDO is a noble idea, though.”

The Lincoln County Planning Board discussed the issue once the public hearing was over. In two weeks, the planning board will make recommendations to the county commission and county commissioners are expected to vote on the ordinance.

IN OTHER BUSINESS:

--Commissioners heard a drought update.

--Approved $40,000 to go towards the hanger expansion at the Lincoln County Airport.

--Heard both an odor control update and an update on the new sewer plant in East Lincoln.

The Lincoln County Commission meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. on the second floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center.

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