KEITH READY, Courier Contributor
Saturday, April 28, 2012 8:24 am

Implementing zoning policies and procedures for any county or city is a lengthy process, but Tuesday night (April 24) the Cannon County Planning Commission started reviewing potential Land Use Plan Policies for Cannon County.

The draft is the backbone of zoning ordinances. Upper Cumberland Human Resource Management Planner Shannon Copas worked up several policies for the Commission to look at.

Some of the possible Industrial Land Use Policies include specifying that sign standards for industrial zoning districts shall be developed and incorporated within a zoning resolution and that the county should support all practical efforts, both public and private, to maintain and improve existing industrial site locations.

Copas advised taking out the adoption and implementation policy of the International Building Codes of the Land Use Policy. He said it should be indicated in the zoning ordinances. The Commission felt it was necessary to remove it altogether until they could study up on the International Building Codes.

Another step Copas recommended was including in the county budget funding for additional personnel such as the salaries, supplies, office space and other expenses of a fully operational Zoning Compliance Officer, charged with the administration and enforcement of county-wide zoning codes. Enforcement is the key to making the zoning policies and plans work, he said.

Copas used the public use plan that he put together as part of a guideline to help the Commission get the paperwork in motion for zoning procedures in Cannon County.

Following the various changes to the plan which were discussed Tuesday night, Copas will now draft a more detailed Land Use Plan for the Commission to consider during its June meeting.