The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners will be asked soon to decide whether to amend the county’s land use plan, and the proposal being prepared would significantly increase the county’s control over how property is used.
On Monday, County Manager Carlos Tobar said work on the possible change in the land use process has been ongoing for over two years and the new plan would include zoning. Tobar indicated county commission members have already received draft copies of the proposed new code section. Referred to as district-based land use, every parcel of land has been classified for a particular use in a district.
“The county started the process of district-based land use in January 2021 at the direction of the commissioners after a retreat,” Tobar said. “We asked the Middle Georgia Regional Commission (MGRC) to develop the map and district. We had public meetings to discuss the map.”
Tobar pointed out that board members also had input to the endeavor.
“All of the commissioners designated a district for every parcel in their respective (county commission) districts,” he noted. “We finalized that draft map in 2023, and the MGRC staff provided a draft of the districts on June 21. The commissioners are reviewing the document.
“The district-based land use would actually be a whole new chapter in our ordinances,” Tobar continued. “It provides requirements for ‘what can go where.’ Chapter 16 of our Code of Ordinances, Land Use Development, gives the requirements for how development would occur within those districts.”
The proposed map illustrates 13 different classifications of property in the county. Residential land use of varying degrees is listed in seven districts, ranging from R-1R (low-density, singlefamily residential), to RM, (multi-family residential), to MHP (manufactured home park).
Other districts would include two distinctions of commercial use (neighborhood and general), industrial and manufacturing, Planned Unit Development (PUD), and Commercial Planned Unit Development (CPUD).
The district-based plan also contains various provisions relating to the classification of properties, including interpretation of district boundaries and conditional and permitted uses within a particular district.
Tobar stressed the proposed district-based land use plan is just part of the work in progress.
“The commissioners also required that we update the Land Development Code,” he said. “I hope to have a draft for the board to review by the end of the week.”
Tobar said examples of changes in Chapter 16 of the ordinance he is proposing include: one residential unit per parcel; sidewalks in all new subdivisions; a requirement for developers to receive state approval for a commercial drive permit for commercial development; and, a second exit out of subdivisions for 30 or more units (currently set at two for over 100 units).
Two commissioners responded to queries concerning the new district-based code section and map, with District 3 Commissioner Sammy Hall saying he would withhold comment until he saw the amended land use code.
District 5 Commissioner Henry Craig, on the other hand, was unambiguous on his position.
“Land use improvement in Baldwin is long overdue,” Craig said. “I have encouraged the county for years to consider zoning. There are numerous examples over the years where our current policies have failed to protect neighborhoods.”
Craig referenced a venue next to a housing area several years ago, a mud-bogging facility next to community housing, and a house on Christy Lane that built an unattached garage with a loft in the front yard.
“Currently, with few exceptions, if the project meets the setback rules, you can build whatever you want, wherever you want in Baldwin. We must control our future land use,” he urged.
“We must protect neighbor from neighbor. Everybody wants control of their own property – until their neighbor builds a chicken farm next door and there is nothing the county can do to stop it unless there is some sort of land use control, typically zoning.
“Look around us,” he added. “Even Hancock is zoned.”
Craig pointed to another project currently underway that in his opinion, exemplifies his position.
“Using the townhouse development ongoing between Kroger and Plantation Chase on Log Cabin Road, it is an out-of-town developer that builds in Baldwin because, to some degree, he knows we do not have zoning,” Craig claimed. “That development he created is not part of any plan the county had for development in that area; it is the out-of-town developer that found a piece of property in a community that had no zoning or prohibition on building a development on the piece of property he chose. If any developer meets the rules, he can build anywhere in Baldwin with few exceptions.
“My point is, zoning gives the community an opportunity to control growth and protect neighbors from neighbors or new neighbors,” Craig said. “Most property owners want control over their property and support their neighbors’ right to control his property – until the neighbor wants to change the purpose of his property – then he wants the government to fix the problem.”
Tobar said he anticipates that once the commissioners receive and review the amended land use plan, one or more public hearings may be held prior to any vote by the board.