The Dec. 4 Limestone County Commission meeting showed clear dividing lines over new regulations regarding subdivisions. County engineer Marc Massey proposed the final regulations.

“We have received and tried to consolidate suggestions from different departments and public. So, we’re presenting a revised and restated Limestone County Subdivision Regulation for you guys,” Massey said during the work session.

Several major and minor revisions were proposed, and ultimately approved in the passing of the vote, but the most controversial issue came from four “minor” revisions regarding the minimum width for lots as well as how far back they must be off of the road.

After a long debate in the work session, the conversation boiled down to three main concerns: governmental reach, safety and respect for constituents.

District 4 commissioner LaDon Townsend expressed his concerns over the fact that he had not heard of any issues from his district.

“Nobody has called me about it in my district at all, setback lines, nothing,” Townsend said. “The originals that we’re going with, I haven’t had anyone want me to change it.”

He continued to say that he did not want to add governmental oversight where it was not needed:

“This has got something to do with what I believe — we don’t need more government. We’ve got a mess in Washington, and I don’t want to start something here.”

District 2 commissioner Danny Barksdale shared his gratitude to the engineering department and expressed the need for these regulations as a matter of public safety.

“I know Marc has put a lot of time into this, trying to make it to where everybody can live with it, make it a public safety issue. So, it’s something we’re going to have to deal with as bad as we hate to. But I think you’ve done a good job, Marc,” Barksdale said.

After a split vote, with Townsend and Gatlin against the regulations after a proposed amendment to the vote failed, the decision fell to chairman Collin Daly.

“I’m going to vote yes. … It all started with a safety issue. We already have subdivision regulation in place.”

Daly also voted against the motion to amend — and proceed without the regulations regulating width and offset — due to a desire to respect Limestone County constituents.

“We’d advertised them as stands. I wouldn’t want to be a constituent of someone voting on something that they just changed right in front of them. … You’d be doing a disservice to the constituent.” Daly explained his rationale during the work session.

As of Monday, Dec. 4, new residential lots in the county will have to be at least 80 feet wide, and the front of the building must be at least 80 feet away from the center line of the road to ensure that no one has to park in the right of way and hinder visibility of those exiting their driveways.

During the meeting, the commission also approved the following business items:

Contracts, Agreements, MOUs, and Grants

• Approve an Antenna Site License Agreement with Diamond Towers IV LLC.
• Approve a novation of the animal shelter contract from Limestone Animal Care, LLC to Athens-Limestone Animal Services, Inc., an Alabama nonprofit corporation, under the same terms as previously approved by the Commission.”

Merit increases

• Julian Tyler, corrections officer, effective Oct. 26, 2023.
• Jacqueline McNatt, operations lieutenant, effective Nov. 1, 2023.
• Jacob Rupp, corrections officer, effective Nov. 1, 2023.
• Jacom Lamar, seargeant — jail, effective Nov. 1, 2023.
• Michael Bloodworth, sheriff’s sgt. — patrol, effective Nov. 4.
• Mallory Townsend, communications officer, effective Nov. 8, 2023.
• Lisa Kellum, corrections officer, effective Nov. 15, 2023.
• Dale Townsend, SORNA — investigator, effective Nov. 23, 2023.
• Jeffery Sides, corrections officer, effective Nov. 25, 2023.
• Kaiden Davis, communications, effective Dec. 5, 2023.
• Phillip Woodruff, PT litter patrol, effective Dec. 19, 2023.

Engineer’s report

Approved the following subdivision actions:

• Abernathy Acres — replat of tracts 1 & 2, minor preliminary and final, south of the intersection of O’Neal and Lydia Corey roads.
• Menefee Road Subdivision, minor preliminary and final, northwest corner of Nick Davis and Menefee roads.
• Graystone Subdivision — phase four, major final work on 53 lots at the end of Old School House Road and Carnaby Lane.

Approve the revised and re-stated Limestone County Subdivision Regulations.