Commissioners flag 'zoning clearance permit' language; staff to reword to voluntary clearance review

During the commission's review of the preliminary public review draft of the zoning code, staff told commissioners the current draft wording on page 52 could be read to require a "zoning clearance permit" for virtually any activity regulated by the zoning code. Staff (speaker 3) warned the commission that "it's basically saying we now are going to require a permit for anything anybody wants to do in the county if it's permitted," and commissioners said that was not the commission's intent.

Commissioners and staff discussed how the clearance mechanism should function as an optional pre-consultation or documentation step to help property owners and lenders confirm whether a use is allowed. Commissioner (speaker 1) noted the county does not currently issue a zoning clearance permit and suggested alternative names and processes. As the discussion progressed the commission expressed support for renaming the item to a nonregulatory term such as "zoning clearance review" or "planning director determination," and for adding explicit exemptions so that uses allowed "by right" are not subjected to a new permit requirement.

The commission also instructed staff to make changes to the use tables and the permit language so that permitted uses remain allowed by right without an added regulatory hurdle. Staff said they will revise the draft language and bring back a version that clarifies the voluntary nature of the review and removes any implication that every permitted use would need a permit.