Council Oks Development Consultant,
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County Council on Tuesday approved the hiring of a consultant to aid in the rewriting/recasting of the county’s zoning ordinances.
Code Wright Planners will be paid $380,000 for working with the county to revise development standards for new home construction and subdivisions and make the regulations easier to understand for citizens and potential developers. The contract runs through April 2027.
Code Wright has worked with multiple counties and towns in North and South Carolina - including Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Mills River, Weldon in North Carolina - to overhaul and clarify development standards. Their customization of unified development ordinances and zoning codes includes simplifying the language, more graphically driven design, an intuitive document structure that is easy to understand and continuous improvement.
The company will join efforts well under way by council to put the new regulations in plain English, with artwork and graphics.
The group will also hold public meetings gather information on what he public wants.
“The end results will be good for citizens and will require a lot of work to pull this together,” said Councilwoman Cindy Wilson.
“It’s great timing since the county is working on a comprehensive plan,” said Council Vice Chairman Brett Sanders. “This is a project that will be nothing but good for Anderson County citizens.
Also on Tuesday night:
Final approval was given for new bufferyard standards in Anderson County. See at bottom of story for details, or in packet here.
Council gave final approval for tax incentives for Alliance Blvd Venture LLC, who is investing $15.5 million in a spec building at 170 Alliance Blvd and 172 Alliance Blvd in Williamston.
“This is an attractive project and I am grateful for what they have done,” said Councilwoman Wilson who serves the district where the building is located.
Council also gave final approval to the $8.3 million bond which will be used for restoration and reconstruction at the historic courthouse and other projects, including new vehicles for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
Council unanimously approved an agreement with Hope Missions of the Upstate to work with county code enforcement officers to help Hope identify and provide information, services and case management for the homeless population. The county will assist in demographic data, and share concerns with Hope about safety or environmental threats. This agreement will be valid through Jan. 1, 2030.
