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Ideas and concepts from the Stanly County Comprehensive Land Use Plan might soon be enforceable as law.

At a special meeting of the county commissioners, the board unanimously authorized county staff to contact Centralina Regional Council to create new text amendments for the county’s zoning ordinances.

County Manager Andy Lucas said he asked representatives from Centralina if they “would be available to assist us with integrating the recommendations from our land use plan into our subdivision and zoning ordinances.”

Lucas said he wanted to phase in amendments in order to “prioritize the rural preservation area.”

According to Lucas, Centralina could have the amendments ready and in front of the county’s planning board by September, with possible approval by commissioners in October or November.

The costs for doing this, Lucas said, will be $10,5oo, with a possible additional $2,000 for a “Land Use 101” informational meeting between Centralina, commissioners and the planning board.

Vice Chairman Mike Barbee asked if there was a way to enforce the land use plan sooner than the proposed text amendments. Lucas said the plan was enforceable for things like storage buildings but not for projects allowed by right. By right means if a project meets the current criteria of a zoned area, commissioners could not approve or deny a permit for it.

Chairman Scott Efird noted the planning board had recommended at its previous meeting a text amendment which would enforce a 40,000-square-foot minimum for homes without access to county water or sewer, or 30,000 square feet with access to water and sewer.

Lucas said commissioners could increase those minimum lot sizes at the board’s own discretion at the July 10 meeting as well.