Jackson County approves new residential subdivision

County Administrator Jim Dean presented a request for approval of a 10-lot residential subdivision on 36 acres, noting that the Planning and Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended approval. The residential subdivision is at the intersection of Green Road and Hussey Road in northeast Jackson County.

Mr. Allen Green raised several objections. He said the development did not benefit local residents and questioned whether the county had adequately investigated water and septic feasibility, pointing to his own difficulties with wells and septic approval due to clay soil. He also asked what makes land residential versus non-residential, given that the site is zoned Agriculture 2. Green argued that outsiders, not locals, are buying the land, changing the character of the community and making property unaffordable for local residents. He expressed concerns about school zoning, overcrowding, and the possibility of people living in tents or portable buildings. He also worried that farmland would be lost to housing, harming the county’s agricultural future, and said the subdivision would alter his lifestyle by introducing neighbors he does not know, raising safety concerns.

Ms. Karen Mercer focused on drainage issues, noting that her driveway already catches runoff and warning that tree removal from the site could worsen flooding. She asked if natural buffers would be left in place, but was told that regulations do not require buffers for this type of subdivision.

Attorney Martha Eskuchen clarified that Agriculture 2 zoning allows one dwelling per acre, so the property could theoretically support 36 lots. Instead, the developer is creating 10 larger lots ranging from 2.5 to 4.85 acres. She explained that the project has gone through the planning board and inspections and has been recommended for approval. She also noted that covenants restrict further subdivision, limit each lot to one home, and prohibit used mobile homes.

After discussion, commissioners acknowledged the risks Green and Mercer described but compared them to the risks faced by anyone purchasing rural property in the county. A motion to approve was made and seconded, and the board voted 4–0 in favor of the subdivision.