Posted By James Helton on 12/8/2009 at 3:09 PM

Our county's Regional Planning Commission just revised their regs to require all subdivision plats to be brought before the full commission. Prior to this, minor plats of no more than 2 lots could be reviewed and approved by the staff planner. If the planner had any resevations, he could bring before the full commission.

This administrative approval has been in place for the 20 years I've worked here. It is still in place with the City Planning Commission and all surrounding city's and county's commissions.

The chairman is newly elected, but has served as a member for a few years and should know the rules and regs. While in a special called meeting to resolve an issue with a neighbor to one of my clients, he showed his ignorance to the rules and regulations. He was shocked and irritated to learn that subdivisions in which tracts are 5 acres or larger, with no required roads or utilities are not required to go before the commission. He all but called the planner a liar when he tried to explain the state law. He further embarassed himself at a monthly meeting of the entire commission when he questioned the planner as to why he(the planner) was approving minor plats without full commission approval.

Is this admistrative approval uncommon? It will certainly make for long meetings when things start to pick.