Rezoning for apartments will have to wait
Anyone wishing to rezone property in Columbia County to build apartments will have to wait until next year.
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On Tuesday, the Columbia County Commission approved a yearlong moratorium on multifamily housing rezonings.
The resolution said that officials want to review public concerns regarding multifamily housing and examine ordinances governing the zoning for such housing.
The resolution also expressed a public safety concern, stating that law enforcement calls to apartment complexes is 42 percent higher than at neighborhoods with single-family housing.
No longer will county officials accept applications to rezone property for townhouses; apartments; planned unit developments that include apartments; or planned development districts that include apartments, condominiums, or townhouses.
Commission Chairman Ron Cross requested the moratorium last month after debate over site-plan revisions for Marshall Square.
Developers of the 47-acre property on Evans Town Center Boulevard had proposed an apartment density greater than the 14 units per acre allowed in other zonings. Though developers were requesting 288 apartment units, the commission limited them to 189.
The developers since have filed a $57.5 million lawsuit against Columbia County over the decision. Cross said the debate highlighted the need for greater clarity in the law.
According to the resolution, there were only 1,430 apartment units in Columbia County from 1971 to 2007.
There are 602 apartment units under construction.
An additional 1,500 apartments can be built in the county with land already zoned for that use.
The commission decided to hold off on installing speed humps on Lone Oak Road so it can study the issue for another month.
In preparation for the November 2010 election, the commission approved a $15,000 purchase for 15 voting machines that can be used for early voting. If they buy early, officials said, the machines will be $24,000 cheaper.
The commission voted to extend a program allowing employees to work 10-hour days four days each week with the caveat that county employees work an entire 40-hour week.
County employees working 10-hour days no longer will receive a paid lunch break. Officials wanted to make sure that "taxpayers get full value for their dollar," county Administrator Steve Szablewski said.