Saluda considers looking outside city for planning board members

Published 10:00 pm Monday, July 20, 2015

The City of Saluda is considering opening up applications for its planning board to residents who live in the township, not just city limits.

Saluda City Council met July 13 and discussed a current issue with getting enough members to fill the planning board.

The planning board said there are a couple of people just outside city limits who attend meetings and could fill the requirement. The city is considering allowing two of its seven total members to reside outside the city.

A planning board representative said people who may own businesses in the city but don’t live within the city limits would be valuable additions to the board.

At times, there are only four members who attend meetings.

Commissioners did not make a decision during last week’s meeting whether to allow outside city limit planning board members. The planning board indicated it would like to have a decision by September. Council decided to direct the planning board to return to council with property owners who would be eligible to fill the seats within the township. The board will discuss the issue again in August.

If Saluda decides to allow outside city limit planning board members, council would have to hold a public hearing and amend the city’s ordinance.

Currently, the city’s ordinance says planning board members have to be a resident of the City of Saluda.

In other planning board discussions, council heard from attorney Bailey Nager said a recent decision by the Supreme Court has made changes on sign regulations. Saluda recently amended its sign ordinance by recommendation of its planning board and Nager said the Supreme Court now renders some of what the city’s sign ordinance includes to be unconstitutional.

Nager said he gave city administrator/zoning administrator Jon Cannon a list of topics that need to be reviewed. The planning board will need to make recommendations to city council for any needed revisions.

There is going to be a webinar discussion regarding the changes made by the Supreme Court on Aug. 19. Nager said he is considering inviting all the planning boards from Polk’s three towns to watch it.