NEWTON COUNTY — New requests for information facilities and comfort shops is not going to be accepted by Newton County for at the least the subsequent six months.
On Tuesday, the Newton County Board of Commissioners unanimously authorized two extensions on moratoriums pertaining to new information middle and comfort retailer requests. The county had beforehand enacted moratoriums on each entities on Feb. 17 for 30 days. Each moratoriums have been prolonged to April 8 throughout the subsequent assembly.
Now, the moratoriums have been prolonged till Oct. 7, which successfully halts new information middle and comfort retailer requests for 180 days. These extensions don’t have an effect on present requests which can be already within the pipeline.
Each moratoriums have been put in place because the county prepares to undertake a modified Unified Improvement Ordinance. At a piece session scheduled earlier than the common assembly, the board mentioned adjustments to laws pertaining to new comfort shops.
One of many proposed ordinance adjustments listed in County Lawyer Stephanie Johnson’s presentation was the addition of separation necessities for brand new comfort shops. The ordinance would name for comfort shops to be positioned at the least two miles away from one another.
This would come with comfort shops (with or with out pumps), truck stops and/or truck terminals.
“These might not have gasoline pumps however they’re comparable sort makes use of that we thought it will be the intent of the board to have these be spaced appropriately as effectively,” Johnson mentioned.
Johnson added that there could be exceptions to the rule for comfort shops which can be diagonal from one another.
One other change would name for well timed improvement of an authorized rezoning for comfort shops. Property homeowners would have one yr from the efficient date of the rezoning to submit web site plans and full the entire steps wanted to construct the shop.
“A property proprietor being issued a allow to develop the land after which they only don’t do something with it, the years go by and unexpectedly it’s like no one remembers it was even authorized,” Johnson mentioned. “That is meant to deal with that concern.”
Throughout dialogue, District 5 Commissioner LeAnne Lengthy referenced a possible instance that’s occurring inside county limits. Lengthy mentioned that the board must be intentional in what it means by “substantial development.”
“We’ve had somewhat little bit of that happening within the county the place any individual did get their land disturbance allow they usually went on the market with a tractor and moved somewhat little bit of grime and that was it,” Lengthy mentioned. “What does the phrase substantial imply? That’s an actual necessary concern.”
A few of the different proposed ordinance adjustments embody an emphasis on out of doors lighting, a visible screening for shops adjoining a residential space, a measurement limitation of 5,000 sq. toes and compliance with native, state and federal legal guidelines.
Johnson’s presentation additionally listed a piece for attainable avenues of extra regulation. A few of these objects embody:
Landscaping and cleanliness necessities
A cap of 12 fueling positions (until authorized in any other case by the board)
Set up of safety cameras and extra safety measures
Signage prohibiting loitering
The continued upkeep of the property
Limiting hours of operation from 5 a.m. to midnight (prolonged hours would require extra safety measures)
Emptiness and abandonment laws
District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason appeared in favor of including landscaping necessities, citing the Salem Overlay laws that fall in his district.
“I see a number of comfort shops now, they don’t take satisfaction in that landscaping,” Mason mentioned. “I actually need these overlay districts to really seem like the usual that we’ve set for these overlay districts.”
The presence of on-site meals consumption and gaming machines was introduced forth by District 1 Commissioner Stan Edwards.
Edwards mentioned he had seen clients buy lunch from the gasoline station and sit down at a gaming machine. Whereas he believed the sale of sizzling meals was OK, Edwards needed to limit the consumption of meals inside the shop.
“That’s an space we most likely have to cowl shifting ahead,” Edwards mentioned.
Edwards additionally needed to know if gaming machines could possibly be restricted from new comfort shops.
“They’re bother, for my part,” Edwards mentioned.
Johnson mentioned she would deal with the board’s issues and get again with them at a later date.
Outdoors of two transient citizen feedback — one for every moratorium extension — no additional public enter was added, and the extensions have been handed 5-0.
