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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

PELHAM – The Shelby County Planning Commission approved the adoption of a zoning map for the unincorporated portion of Shelby County within the Harpersville-Vincent zoning beat during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 15.

During the meeting, which was held at the County Services Building in Pelham, the planning commission presented details on a proposed version of the zoning map, held a public hearing for feedback and voted on approval of the map.

The zoning map for the Harpersville-Vincent zoning beat was approved by the planning commission as proposed with the exception of two addresses—181 Morgan Creek Road which was changed to A-1 SD and 10086 Gallups Cross Road which was set as A-1 SD for the newly proposed map.

Now, the zoning map will go before the Shelby County Commission for approval at its next meeting where, if approved, will go before the residents of the Harpersville-Vincent zoning beat in unincorporated Shelby County for a vote on Tuesday, Aug. 27.

The zoning map came about after Leigh Hunt, a resident in the Harpersville-Vincent zoning beat, approached the planning commission with concerns on particular land uses and regulations for new developments. Hunt was concerned with a potential development on property at 33985 Highway 25, Harpersville which is directly adjacent to her own. Hunt was not alone in her concern as many residents in the beat have expressed interest after a potential inmate facility was previously pitched as a use for the location—known at Breakaway Pointe.

The property under consideration is part of unincorporated Shelby County and therefore, zoning regulations do not apply to it, only building permits. However, due to a unique piece of legislation, Shelby County is one of the few counties in Alabama that allows zoning in unincorporated areas.

“One of the unique things about this is, it gives the power to the citizens, not the county,” said Josh Osborn, manager for planning and community development. “We don’t get to decide where the zoning takes place, but the actual citizens in the community have the opportunity to carry a petition, if they meet all the requirements.”

Those interested in petitioning, must be a registered voter in that zoning area and need to be a property owner. As a result, on April 29, Hunt and a group of concerned residents delivered signed petitions to the Shelby County probate court asking for zoning which was subsequently signed by Judge Allison Boyd.

The entire mapping zone under consideration consists of 301 registered voters with a total 54,000 acres or 85 square miles and feature parts of Vincent, Westover, Harpersville and Wilsonville. The unincorporated areas consist of 28,000 acres or 44 square miles.

After gathering public feedback and input at two meeting on June 20 and two meeting on June 25, the planning commission collected feedback one last time before voting on a finalized drawing on July 15.

During the meeting two residents expressed concerns over their properties in the zoning beat and were able to get the planning commission to make two adjustments before the final vote.

The controversial property at 33985 Highway 25, Harpersville where the flea market was formerly located, is now currently drawn on the zoning map as a Holding Zone after previously being utilized as commercial business district and allows for a single residential family dwelling. If residents vote yes on the proposed map during the election, it would require the owner of the property to go before the Shelby County Planning Commission to change the zoning.

With the zoning map approved by the planning commission, it will go before the Shelby County Commission to take action on during its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 22. If approved by the commission, it will go before the residents of the beat for a vote on Aug. 27. If residents vote yes, the zoning for the entire beat will go into effect. If residents vote no, then things will remain in their current state.