Anticipating a wave of new construction, the Warren County government is considering updates to its rules for subdivision development to clarify and expedite some requirements for developers.

Towns along the Interstate 70 corridor have been experiencing a housing and population boom for the past several years, but that trend is only just reaching areas of unincorporated Warren County. For the first time in years, the county government is receiving interest subdivision-sized developments, said County Planning and Zoning Administrator Vickie Vohsen. She and the county’s planning and zoning board held a discussion July 15 on potential changes to the county’s rules for developers.

Those changes were developed in conjunction with Lewis-Bade Surveyors and Engineers, which is co-owned by elected County Surveyor Robert Lewis. His representative, Bart Korman, said that on top of ensuring new neighborhoods are being built to satisfactory standards, one of the goals for the changes is also to make the process of subdividing land less cumbersome.

For example, Korman said land owners commonly have to go through a lengthy process, including waiting for a monthly planning and zoning meeting, just to separate and sell 3 acres from a much larger property.

“To go through this process and have to wait 30-plus days – I mean, they already have to wait for us to do the (surveying),” Korman commented. “That’s a while for people who want to get going. I know (Vohsen) has probably had a few people come in who are already ready to build.”

Korman suggested that the county’s planning and zoning administrator, a position appointed by the Warren County Commission, should be given more authority to approve small subdivisions without taking it to the planning and zoning board.

“This happens quite often, and you need to find a faster way than going through your all’s meeting process,” Korman told the planning board.

Other changes for subdivision developments could include requirements for placement of ‘dry hydrants’ for fire protection, layout and spacing of streets, and utility provisions that need to be made for different size subdivisions, among a number of other modifications.

Changes to the rules for new subdivisions are still under development. The planning board voted unanimously July 15 to send a set of recommended changes to the Warren County Commission for discussion and final approval. The commission will discuss and potentially vote on updates to the subdivision rules in August.

A full description of the proposed subdivision development rules can be provided by the Warren County Planning and Zoning Office, located in the County Administration Building at 101 Mockingbird Lane in Warrenton.