Changes in county development

rules designed to reduce concrete and improve rainwater drainage will

be on the agenda as the Fayette County Planning Commission meets Thursday.

In addition to several rezoning petitions (see related story), the group

will consider reducing the number of required parking spaces for several

categories of development.

For instance, under the commission's proposed changes, parking spaces

required for an apartment complex would be reduced from three to two spaces

per dwelling unit.

Commissioners will hear public com ment

and plan to vote on the changes at 7 p.m. in the commission meeting room

at the County Administrative Complex.

If the Planning Commission approves the changes, they'll go next to the

county Board of Commissioners for final action Sept. 28.

The proposed changes are a first step in a complete reevaluation of the

county's laws involving pavement. The Board of Commissioners recently

directed the Planning Commission to look into the matter after Commissioner

Glen Gosa pointed out that county laws restrict the amount of impervious

surface pavement and buildings allowed in shopping centers and businesses,

but at the same time the laws require a minimum number of parking spaces

and minimum widths of

driveways and roads.

"My concern is that we have parking regulations that say you have

to have X number of parking spots because that's what the regulations

call for," said Gosa.

Among changes the Planning Commission is still considering are new types

of pavement that allow water to soak through into the ground rather than

running off into storm sewers and local streams and lakes.

But there are concerns about setting the proper standards for the alternative

types of pavement, and about making sure the porous pavement is properly

maintained. Coming up with rules will take some time.

"It's a complex process and there's no simple answer," said

Planning Commis sion Vice

Chairman Fred Bowen.

And it may be better if the county waits awhile before getting too specific

in its regulations, said acting county engineer Dave Borkowski. "We

may be a little bit ahead of the curve on this," he said.

New regulations are working their way through state and federal channels

and soon the county will be required to regulate the collection and treatment

of rainwater runoff, to prevent pollution from being washed into lakes

and streams, Borkowski said.

Those new federal regulations may affect the county's ultimate solution,

he said.

The new regulations may provide incentives to entice developers to use

the porous paving products, which often are more

expensive than traditional asphalt or concrete, Borkowski said. For instance,

he said, developers who reduce rainwater runoff may be allowed to build

smaller detention ponds.

"In another year or so, or maybe even less, we'll be rewriting this

whole storm water thing in painstaking detail," he said.

The Planning Commission also will consider changes in county laws requiring

that new subdivisions connect to county water if they're close enough.

The proposed change increases the distance from existing water service

for purposes of deciding whether a subdivision is required to hook on,

for fire safety reasons.