Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past

Municipal Oversight Over Outlying Development will Soon Come to an End

After the 2001 repeal of four ordinances that established buffer zones in Morgan County, properties on the outskirts of Martinsville, Mooresville, Monrovia, and Morgantown will no longer be under municipal administration.

Before, governments could use the zones to regulate growth within specific regions outside of their official city or town limits. Residents of those areas felt their land was being managed by unaccountable authorities.

The county made an unsuccessful attempt to eliminate buffer zones several years ago. This time around, the county collaborated with the cities to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone.

The commissioners have authorized new zoning designations for those areas that are consistent with the existing zoning and also repealed the ordinances that established the buffer zones. The county council must now approve the regulations that will do away with the buffer zones.

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Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past
Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past

Other Business

The commission mandated accessibility guidelines in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act. The county is currently renovating the existing courthouse and building a brand-new judicial facility.

William (Bill) Dials, whose primary responsibility has been ensuring that the county complies with erosion control regulations, will retire at the end of February. County surveyor Terry Brock recommended Dials be kept on as a contract employee by the commissioners owing to his in-depth understanding of the stormwater regulations.

The request was granted by the commission. Two ordinances that had been passed at the start of the epidemic and had set exceptional conditions for employees and given them additional perks were also revoked by the commissioners. The commissioners decided the ordinances were unnecessary because the pandemic was over.

Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past (3)
Municipal control of development on outskirts soon to be a thing of the past (3)

Cars to Return to Square

The commissioners gave their blessing for the CruiseIn to hold their weekly event in the courthouse square. A large number of people and automobiles continue to show up each time this event is organized. The start date is April 1 and end date is October 31. Neither Artie Fest nor the Fall Foliage Festival dates will be used.

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