| "The Table Rock Lake Chamber Board of Directors supports keeping planning and zoning in Stone County. While we recognize that meaningful improvements are needed, the overall benefits of planning and zoning are too important to lose.
When structured and administered appropriately, planning and zoning protects property values, encourages responsible growth, supports infrastructure planning, and gives developers, businesses, and homeowners confidence that investments and neighborhoods will be respected. It is critical to successful economic development. It also helps balance private property rights with the broader good of the community by providing clarity, consistency, and predictability.
If planning and zoning is abolished, anything built during that time would remain—even if regulations are later reinstated. For example, if your neighbor adds a pig farm or nightly rental, those would be grandfathered in permanently.
Stone County Commissioners have hired the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG) to review and modernize the county’s regulations as well as provide training to staff and board members. We believe this is a positive and necessary step forward. We encourage voters to support planning and zoning by voting “yes” on April 7, and we remain committed to working with county leaders to ensure the system becomes more effective, fair, and responsive." |
