Zoning change would affect horse manure storage
Members of the Equine Committee unanimously agreed Tuesday to recommend to City Council that the zoning ordinance be changed to say that manure containers must be placed 15 feet from the right-of-way and 25 feet away from property lines.
The current ordinance reads, “The premises must be maintained by keeping manure piles in covered containers at least 50 feet away from any dwelling or any pool, patio or other recreational structure or an adjoining lot and at least 25 feet from any property lines.”
Assistant City Manager Richard Pearce said the committee has been meeting about the issue for several months.
The matter came up for discussion after a resident made a complaint to City officials about the vicinity of a neighbor’s manure container from the street. After investigating the complaint, City officials learned that the ordinance was not being adhered to.
The zoning ordinance also requires property owners to have manure removed from paddocks and stables at least twice a week to prevent the accumulation of flies and odors. All manure containers are required to be emptied at least once a week.
In considering the change, the committee looked at setback codes for animal waste in other areas such as Lexington County, Beaufort, Florence, Rock Hill and Camden.
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Updated Zoning Ordinance with all amendments.
The city of Aiken SC has just published the updated Zoning Ordinance with all amendment. Orginally adpoted in November 1999 and updated in June 2009 it covers all of Aiken City parcels. Avalable in PDF form, all 207 pages can be read here!
Planning looks at future of Horse District
The future of the Aiken’s Horse District was the focus of a planning commission meeting on Thursday.
Commission members discussed and evaluated the need for zoning ordinance amendments to possibly limit the intensity of development on large tracts in the horse-training and historic areas. The commission opened the meeting to members of the audience and listened to their input on how zoning changes may impact the Horse District and Historic Area.
“The equestrian area is one of our crown jewels, and I think most people in this town feel it should be preserved and protected by all reasonable means,” said Bill Reynolds, planning commission chairman. “City council has charged the planning commission, with evaluating how well our current ordinances protect our large tracts from over development.”
The commission looked at three sample properties in the horse training/historic area and their current regulations – McGhee’s Mile, the Aiken Training Track and an RSS zoned lot of 6-acres or more and the historic overlay. They identified what the use rights were, what uses are permitted and if someone wanted to deviate from the permissible uses, what procedures they would have to go through.
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