The Metro Planning Commission now has a draft moratorium on major and minor sub divisions ready to send to Metro Council. The moratorium will be an amendment to the Metropolitan Lynchburg Moore County Zoning Resolution. The amendment must be passed in two readings by the Metro Council, with a public notice of those meetings posted prior to becoming official. The two readings will take place at the November and December council meetings, and public notice is already available.

As drafted, the moratorium would be in place for up to one year from effective date. Planning and Zoning Chair Dexter Golden emphasized that the moratorium could be lifted prior to one year if the work of updating the zoning and sub division books is completed prior to one year. Changes made would have an eye to current and future stresses on county services and infrastructure, with the goal of having growth that benefits the county rather than overburdening the county.

Golden suggested that the discussions could take place in public “workshop” meetings rather than regular Planning and Zoning meetings. Those could begin as early as January, for which dates and times will be announced.

The moratorium will cover any residential development that would have four or more domiciles on the same lot, regardless of whether they were single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, apartments, or townhomes. During the moratorium, there will be no accepting, processing, consider or approving applications, or issuing of permits that fall within the sub division parameters. Houses built privately, not fitting the definition of a sub division, will not be affected. Golden also advised the commission that he has not yet heard back from County Attorney Bill Rieder regarding travel trailer lots. The commission would like to take those out of agricultural zoning and place the in commercial zoning, as they are a commercial enterprise. Rieder is still reviewing the legalities regarding that change.

Rieder has also advised the commission to develop a comprehensive ordinance regarding data centers, rather than a separate moratorium. A moratorium is only temporary, and would have to be amended to set permanent parameters. Once his review of the proposed ordinance is completed, it can be voted on in whole.