Unified Development Ordinance Project

Background

The Town's current land use and development codes are from the Town's incorporation in 2003. Although they have been updated and added to over time, inconsistencies, lack of standard processes and procedures, lack of clear definitions, and other shortcomings have made the ordinances difficult to administer and are not user-friendly to the general public.

Additionally, the Town's current zoning map allows for very high development potential across 3/4 of the Town's 22 square mile area, which is not in line with what the community desires - to protect and preserve the rural and small town character of Mills River. A town-wide zoning update is necessary as part of this project to manage development in thoughtful ways that respect the uniqueness of Mills River.

It is best practice to update development regulations after adopting a new land use plan shaped by public input. The Town adopted its most recent comprehensive land use plan, Making Mills River, in April 2021 after two years of public input, committee and advisory board meetings, and feedback from Town Council. Henderson County and the City of Hendersonville also recently updated their land use plans and are going through the similar code updates to reflect the policy guidance in the new land use plans.

Mills River Town Council approved a contract with the consultant, CodeWright Planners, on July 11, 2024. The contract is to develop a unified development ordinance (UDO) for the Town of Mills River, and include land use updates and a new proposed zoning map in the same project.

Revised UDO Draft Materials Now Available on Project Website

The revised draft UDO chapters that incorporate feedback from the public, staff, steering committee, and Town Council are available on the project website at www.imaginemillsriver.com/documents at the bottom of the website page. This includes revised Chapter 1 (Administration), Chapter 3 (Districts), Chapter 4 (Uses), Chapter 5 (Nonconformities), Chapter 7 (Violations), Chapter 8 (Word Usage), and Chapter 9 (Appendices). Chapter 2 and 6 are still being revised to incorporate changes and will be posted in the coming weeks.

Upcoming Public Office Hours - Tuesday, April 21st at Mills River Town Hall

Town Planning staff will be hosting a drop-in office hours for the UDO project. The purpose of the office hours is to answer any questions from the community and receive additional public input and feedback on the revised UDO materials.

If you are unable to make the office hours, but still want information or have questions for the project team, please contact Town Planning staff at 828-890-2901, or via email at planning@millsriver.gov, to schedule a meeting during the team's office hours.

UDO Project Schedule

March 20-22: Revised UDO draft materials (chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9) released on project website.
April 1: Temporary pause on consideration of new rezoning and zoning code amendment applications.
April 6: Public review draft of entire revised UDO available on project website.
April 21: Public drop-in office hours with Town Planning staff at Town Hall for questions and feedback.
May 2: Deadline for public comments on revised UDO draft materials.
May 4: Final draft of UDO and zoning map posted on project website.
May 5: Planning Board review and consideration of UDO and zoning map.
June 11: Town Council public hearing for consideration of UDO and zoning map adoption.

UDO Project Website

For more information about the project, to sign-up for email updates, view recent documents, submit public comments, and learn about other opportunities for engagement please visit: https://www.imaginemillsriver.com. This website serves as the central source for up-to-date information about the UDO and zoning update project.

Questions

Any questions or comments can be directed to Town of Mills River Planning & Zoning staff by calling (828) 890-2901 or emailing planning@millsriver.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions Document for Agriculture & Farming

Frequently Asked Questions Document for Rezoning Highway Adjacent Property