The Bryan County Commission adopted its new Unified Development Ordinance at last week’s regular monthly meeting.

The UDO updated zoning and subdivision codes to establish standards for building safety requirements, aesthetic considerations, infrastructure improvement requirements, design guidelines, and maintaining open spaces as well as the community’s rural character, a press release said. The UDO goes into effect on Jan. 12.

The Community Development Department, led by director Audra Miller, began work on the UDO in January 2019. The county hired Michael Lauer Planning, LLC to help with the effort and prepare the ordinance. A steering committee was appointed by the county commission to provide input and represent the entire county and all the interests of its residents, including rural and urban areas, businesses, and developments.

The county held a number of input sessions, public hearings and stakeholder group meetings to allow the county’s population to help shape the ordinance and have a say in its creation. Additionally, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed plans and provided input during workshops.

Before the UDO was passed, the county’s existing codes had last been updated in the 1990s.

The UDO will soon be available online, officials said.