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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

County commissioners last month approved an amendment to its zoning ordinance that would allow Farmington Meat Processing to remain open.

This month, it clarified that decision.

When the matter came before the board in August, the planning board had recommended one amendment, while planning staff recommended another. Commissioner Richard Poindexter made the motion to approve as submitted, not clarifying if he meant what the planning board had recommended or what staff had recommended.

County Attorney Ed Vogler brought the issue up at the next meeting, saying it was confusing to the public.

The wording “raised on premises” was in the planning board’s recommendation for businesses that sell farm products not in a zoning jurisdiction that allows such sales. The “raised on premises” wording was deleted from the staff’s recommendation.

It means that businesses can operate outside the normal zoning ordinance that sell farm products. Farmington Meat Processing sells North Carolina products, but was found to be in violation of the county zoning ordinance.