Planning Commission

Overview

Started by the Board of Supervisors in January 2010 after adopting zoning in Lamar County. The goal of the Planning Commission is to be the body of citizens that holds public hearings when petitions are filed related to the zoning ordinance.

Lamar County Planning Commission is an appointed body of citizens of Lamar County representing all parts of the County. The Planning Commission is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for petitions within the zoned area. The actions of the Planning Commission are strictly a review and recommendation body. The Commission allows for the opportunity for more public interaction, as well to have a more site-specific focused discussion on the impacts of developments within the zoned area.

Lamar County Planning Commission is an appointed body of citizens of Lamar County representing all parts of the County. The Planning Commission is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for petitions within the zoned area. The actions of the Planning Commission are strictly a review and recommendation body. The Commission allows for the opportunity for more public interaction, as well to have a more site-specific focused discussion on the impacts of developments within the zoned area.

Meetings

Generally, the Commission as of June 2011 meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 2:00pm in the Chancery Courthouse Board of Supervisors chambers unless otherwise advertised. The commission does not conduct its monthly meeting if there are no petitions applied for consideration that month. Application deadlines are shown in the calendar below and are generally noon on the Wednesday following the scheduled hearing dates. The calendar below is for reference purposes only. The official calendar is kept by the Planning Department staff and is available by request.

Notices

The Planning Department provides two different notices for each petition’s initial hearing at a minimum.  The first style of notice is a traditional legal notice placed in the print newspaper at least 15 days in advance of the Public Hearing.  Currently, Lamar Times (Hub City Spokes), is our official public notice registrar. The second style notice involves at least one yellow 18” x 24” plastic sign installed in front of the parcel along the primary public access roadway.  The Planning Department at times places additional signage as deemed appropriate to assist in notification to those who may not frequent that location when a parcel is larger in size.

Agendas & Minutes

The Planning Department will attempt to publish the agenda for the Planning Commission meetings if there is an application made and a meeting scheduled to take place.  The agendas are available by clicking the dates below.

The minutes for the Planning Commission once approved at the following meeting will be made available upon request by the Planning Department.

Action Taken and Typical Timing

When someone applies for consideration before the Planning Commission.  The Planning Department reviews the application (petition) to ensure its completeness.  The Planning Department then, based off the working calendar of deadlines, chooses the most appropriate public hearing date. Assigns a case number to identify the request. Notices are then generated and published along with a report by staff of the request is prepared. The Planning Commission opens the meeting and hears all the cases before it.  The Planning Commission holds its hearing on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month when an application has been made. The Planning Commission votes to make a recommendation for each case to the Board of Supervisors.  The recommendations are then forwarded to the Board of Supervisors meeting generally for its 1^st meeting of the month following the Planning Commission meeting. Example being a case heard at the April Planning Commission meeting will have its recommendations considered at the 1^st Board of Supervisors meeting in May.

All cases need at minimum 1.5 to 2 months timing wise to be processed through our hearing system. No official documentation of determination can be created until the Board of Supervisors considers the case.

Withdrawn or Tabled Cases

Those petitions which the applicant has requested to withdraw, or table the case once advertised must have action taken by the Planning Commission for the advertised meeting. The Planning Department staff is unable to cancel the public hearing once advertised.  Typically, a request to withdraw, or table a particular case by an applicant is honored by the Planning Commission.  The Planning Commission calls the case as standard in the hearing. Staff will read the request to withdraw, or table into the record.  The Planning Commission will vote to accept the request as the action. Those cases which are tabled will have at minimum new signage placed advertising the new hearing date once determined and within the advertising timing frame for that new hearing. If a petition is withdrawn after tabling by the Planning Commission occurs.  The petition is closed by staff and no further action is taken on the petition.

The Planning Department can be reached by phone at 601.794.1024.