Sections
Zoning Basics
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Introduction to Zoning
Jefferson County zoning rules – a mystery at best. Before 1998, there were no rules. Was it like the Wild West? Build anything you wanted, anywhere you wanted it? Suddenly, in 1998, Zoning Resolutions were adopted: “For the purpose of promoting the Public health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity and general welfare; to provide for… Read More
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Zoning Basics
These are the zones of Jefferson County: A-1: Agricultural-Forestry R-1: Rural Residential R-2: High Density Residential RR: Rural Residential/Resort C-1: Neighborhood Commercial C-2: General Commercial I-1: Industrial I-2: Environmental Industrial I-3: Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities Industrial There is also a Special Flood Hazard District – F1. It’s an overlay associated with any one of the above… Read More
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A-1 Agricultural-Forestry
A-1 is the Agricultural-Forestry District. Most of the land in Jefferson County is zoned A-1. The Resolutions say: “To achieve the intent of this district, the following uses are permitted.” There is no specific definition, and I would certainly challenge any of you reading this to come up with a definition that is not dripping… Read More
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I-1 Industrial
And now for A-1’s industrial cousin. The Resolutions say: “I-1 Industrial District. The intent of this district is to establish areas for industrial land uses that require good transportation facilities and utilities and that will not adversely affect neighboring properties. The requirements of this district are designed to promote industrial activities and prevent most other… Read More
A Bit of Good News
There is a bit of good news in the world of Jefferson County Zoning: the residential districts.
The county has 3 districts with ‘Residential’ in their names. They are: R-1 Rural Residential, R-2 High Density Residential, and RR Rural Residential/Resort.
R-1 allows Single family homes and duplexes, and Type A customary home occupations (essentially small businesses done in a home). Also allowed are day care centers, schools, churches, cemeteries, accessory buildings, and solar energy systems as an accessory use (presumably to provide energy for the home. . . but you can never tell how that might be interpreted!).
R-2 is exactly the same as R-1 except it allows multi-family dwellings. In addition, accessory buildings must be located at least 10 feet from side and rear property lines (rather than the 7 foot requirement in R-1).
Both R-1 and R-2 seem pretty straightforward.
RR allows single family homes and duplexes IF they are part of a Planned Unit Development (PUD). It also allows multifamily developments (condos, townhouses, apartments) and resort accessory uses (resorts, hotels, conference centers, equestrian facilities, marinas, golf courses). Its stated purpose is to ‘encourage residential PUDs, resorts, hotels, conference centers and associated uses to safely locate in an attractive rural setting with natural amenities’ [blogger note: there’s more, but I don’t want to bore you]. As part of the RR district, many interesting accessory uses are allowed. Here’s the list:
Convenience Commercial: gas station, convenience markets, video rental stores and video arcades [blogger note: showing our age here!], restaurants, drug stores, grocery stores, lounges/bars, billiard/pool rooms, florists. [blogger note: sounds like a small town!]
Personal services: barber/beauty shops, pedicure/manicure shops, licensed massage therapists [blogger note: massage therapists in A-1 have no mention of a license], tanning salons.
Customary home occupations and bed and breakfast inns.
While this district is not a disaster, it could use a bit of clarity. For example, why is a resort a resort accessory use? How many condo complexes or resorts have you been to that offer a gas station or a grocery store? And isn’t it interesting that this district does not allow churches, solar energy, etc that are included in R-1 and R-2? That’s food for thought.
Hopefully, the Regional Planning Commission will allow Kathryn Baldwin to take a look at these zones, too.
New Zoning Proposals
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New Zoning Resolution?
Since 2024, there has been a Resolution for a new zone, C-3 Wholesale and Warehouse Commercial District, presented by Commissioner Austin Brooks. It is intended to provide a zone that could be used by small businesses that do not fit in the other commercial zones. Currently, those small businesses are forced to rezone into I-1… Read More