Environmental

concerns may make the task of planning

development in Fayette a little more difficult,

says county planning director Chris Venice,

especially in the south end.

That's

one of the concerns addressed in a proposed new

environmental chapter to the county land use plan

that the Planning and Zoning Commission expects

to vote on Thursday night.

"The

land use in the southern area of county, given

the environmental concerns in that area, may need

to be changed," Venice told the commission

during a recent work session.

"We

may have an area that's designated for one-acre

lots that's loaded with wetlands, and we'd have

to ask if that's a good idea or we should change

it to five-acre lots," she said this week.

"An vice versa. We could have an area that's

high and dry and has good soils designated for

five-acre lots and might want to reconsider

that," she said.

New

federal and state rules restricting development

in groundwater recharge areas are among factors

included in the new chapter, which identifies

environmental concerns and states general policy,

but does not actually restrict development in any

given area.

That

comes later as the commission April 20 begins its

review of a set of ordinances governing

protection of watershed, wetlands and groundwater

recharge areas.

The

first two ordinances will be updates of existing

ones, to meet new state standards. The third will

be a new law, again written to meet new state and

federal laws.

quick glance at the Planning Department's new

color maps detailing soil types, wetlands and

other features shows why the southern part of the

county will be more difficult to plan land uses

for.

Not

only does the area have three large groundwater

recharge areas, but also all of Fayette's

waterways converge as they move south, increasing

the percentage of land affected by the new

regulations.

"Fayette

is one of the most heavily covered counties with

recharge areas," said Venice.

In

addition to environmental concerns, the new land

use plan chapter also addresses historic

resources. It's titled Natural and Historic

Resources, and lists the county's historic

treasures.

The

commission meets tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the County

Administrative Complex.

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