BEDFORD COUNTY. The Bedford County Planning Commission met Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in the second-floor community room of the Historic Courthouse and approved most of the subdivision rule changes it had scheduled for a vote.
A simple subdivision can now have no more than three lots, down from five, counting what's left of the original tract. At least one lot has to be under five acres, every lot has to front an existing public road, and no new street or water or sewer line extension can be involved. Staff can still approve those without sending them to the full commission. Anything else is a major subdivision and goes before the commission. The old minor land division category is gone.
Once a simple subdivision plat is recorded, the same parent parcel can't be split that way again for 24 months, even if it's sold. Any new lots in that window have to go through as a major subdivision. The rules say the goal is to control stormwater runoff and erosion and protect the Duck River and its tributaries.
Members also added a section on the county planning director. The director is appointed by the county mayor, confirmed by the County Commission, and works as staff to the Planning Commission without a vote. A new plat certificate lets the road superintendent sign off that lots fronting a county road are served by a road with enough width and right-of-way.
One piece was held back. It would require new subdivision streets to tie into county roads paved at least 20 feet wide, or have the developer widen them. Members asked staff to work with the county attorney on wording for roads where the county doesn't own enough right-of-way, and to bring it back.
The commission also recommended zoning resolution changes that rename the zoning compliance director as the zoning compliance officer, appointed by the county mayor and confirmed by the County Commission. The officer could be placed in an existing department such as Building Codes. Staff said the idea is to cut duplication, since Building Codes inspectors already do similar inspections. That recommendation goes to the County Commission's Rules and Legislative Committee.
A request to rename Community Crossings Road, which serves Community High School, to Robert Raulston Way was sent to the Rules and Legislative Committee, which handles road naming.
There was no vote on the county's new decentralized wastewater technical manual. County commissioners will get time to review it and send questions to the planning director. Members set their November meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m.
The county streamed the meeting on its YouTube channel.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH_hTL1W9oQ
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