Highlights from the rural zoning ordinance
• Sliding scale subdivision:The most controversial part of the ordinance, this deals with how residents may take an existing property and turn it into multiple properties, also known as a subdivision.

This is an optional provision when subdividing a property that allows property owners to carve out smaller lots from a larger one. Properties using a shared driveway, without a septic tank, that don’t meet other ordinance requirements or are on a road less than 18 feet wide are not eligible to use this method to divide a property.

There are limits to how many pieces a property may be subdivided into. A property up to 10 acres can have one lot divided from it; up to 20 acres can have two lots; up to 30 acres can have three lots; and more than 30 acres can have four lots. A minimum lot size is 2.5 acres for a “small lot,” and 55 percent of the original lot or 10 acres, whichever is greater, for the remainder of the parent lot.

Once it’s subdivided, the property cannot be further subdivided for 25 years, unless it is connected to a public sewage disposal system or further subdivision of the property is authorized by ordinance.

• Sewage/septic: The ordinance makes a few changes to the sewage disposal system requirements.

For a major subdivision — a subdivision of five or more lots — a complete sanitary sewer system that connects to a public sewage system needs to be installed for all lots in the subdivision. Lots of 10 acres or more are not required to be connected to sewage.

For a minor subdivision — a subdivision of no more than four lots — a complete sanitary sewer system that connects to a public sewage system needs to be installed for all lots in the subdivision. Lots of 10 acres or more are not required to be connected to sewage, nor are lots divided using the sliding scale ordinance.

• Agricultural uses: Though few residents have spoken during public comment on this provision, the ordinance actually increases the number of agricultural uses in county zones — including orchards, wineries, roadside stands and Christmas tree farms.

Part of this provision would also allow county residents to build an attached or detached apartment with a separate entrance, kitchen, sleeping area and bathroom onto an existing house.

For a more in-depth look at the changes, a copy of the ordinance is available at: http://bit.ly/1GxdyGJ.
After months of spirited debate and controversy, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners put an end to the debate Friday, passing the rural zoning ordinance over the objections of residents, including one of the ordinance’s authors.

Public comment stretched for more than two hours as 18 residents — including Realtors, the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Monroe County Council and three plan commission members — asked commissioners to do one thing: send the ordinance back to the plan commission level.

Instead, commissioners voted 2-1 to pass the ordinance, with ordinance author and board president Julie Thomas and Patrick Stoffers voting for it, and Commissioner Iris Kiesling voting against.

The ordinance started life as a change from 20 rural zones to two. That idea was scrapped, but the parts of the proposal related to subdivision of property, or dividing a single property into multiple pieces, were proposed as changes to the county’s subdivision ordinance.

The ordinance outlines two different ways that a property can be subdivided. There’s the traditional method and the new sliding scale, which would allow properties to be cut up into smaller portions than the traditional method, although they could not be further divided for another 25 years.

Authors of the ordinance have said the goal of the changes is to slow growth in the county, but residents said the ordinance goes too far and infringes on property owners’ rights.

“Planning in Monroe County is not to slow growth; it’s to stop growth,” said resident Joedy Dillard.
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