Commission recommends rezoning of 6.8-acre parcel to rural preservation for small-scale farm

On June 11 commissioners approved a zoning-map amendment to change a roughly 6.8-acre residential parcel to rural preservation to permit a micro-scale farm for seasonal vegetables and small-scale commercial sales.

Staff said the parcel's future-land-use designation in the 2018 Jasper County comprehensive plan identifies the area as rural conservation and recommended the change. The applicant told the commission the primary intent is to grow seasonal vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers for local distribution. Commissioners asked questions about access and local roads, noting that nearby Corwood/Cory Lane is narrow and that any commercial traffic would need to obtain encroachment permits and site-plan approvals.

Staff emphasized that rezoning itself cannot be conditioned on which access routes the owner will use, but that any future commercial activity would require the appropriate site-plan review, permits, and encroachment approvals if a driveway or utility installation affects a county road.

Next steps: the rezoning will move to county council for first reading and final action, and any future commercial operation stemming from the rezoning must follow site-plan and encroachment permitting requirements.