This proposal takes the county in the opposite direction than it should be going. The county should be working to provide more opportunities for citizens to weigh in on the planning process rather than fewer. Forcing citizens to bypass BZA and go directly to Chancery Court will result in a decrease in citizens' participation given the increased costs and commitment in time. It's insulting to suggest citizens would take their case to court without hiring an attorney - especially knowing the developer will be well represented by council. This proposal will stack the deck against residents in favor of developers.
The county should model their appeal process of Use on Review decisions on that followed by the city. From the PC an appeal is taken to the city BZA, and then to City Council, offering two opportunities to resolve the disagreement satisfactorily before the case is taken to court.
