Madison planning head Dolan to take same position in NH: 'I've loved where we live'

MARSHALL - In Terrey Dolan's nearly two years as planning and zoning administrator, Madison County has experienced tremendous commercial and residential growth, but his tenure will soon end.

Dolan announced he will take the same position in Milford, New Hampshire, and his last day in Madison County will be Nov. 18.

Dolan has overseen and facilitated a historic level of residential growth, in particular, in the county.

There are no signs of the growth slowing down any time soon, as in its May 17 meeting, the planning board approved two subdivisions. The first was a 34-unit subdivision along Morlin Acres Drive in Marshall. The board also OK'd a 13-homesite single-family home subdivision, North Side Estates, in Mars Hill, located along the north side of U.S. 19, east of Upper Bailey Branch Road.

According to Dolan, shoring up inconsistencies in the county's ordinances was one of the biggest goals of his tenure. The county is currently redrafting its noise ordinance amid its six-month event venue moratorium that is set to expire on Dec. 28.

"We were just trying to gain some consistency, especially with subdivision approvals," Dolan said. "Things didn't go through the proper (application process) that were on the books already. You can't go through a process of who gets a free pass."

The county is currently considering whether to enstate another moratorium on new biomass energy facilities, as the current Land Use Ordinance makes no mention of such facilities. The Madison County Board of Commissioners met Oct. 25 for a dual-purposed work session on updating the noise ordinance and adding additional language relating to biomass facilities to the Land Use Ordinance.

Earlier this year, Dolan said he had received "more than 500 calls" from prospective developers about vacation rental properties alone.

He said he expects that trend of exploding growth in the county to continue.

"I always say, 'There's a tidal wave coming,'" Dolan said.

In July 2022, Dolan expressed exploring the idea of lightening the workload of an overburdened Planning Board by transferring the voting on special use permit applications to the Board of Adjustment instead.

"(The Planning Board) is supposed to be doing legislative actions, and anything like a condition/special use (permit) is supposed to be covered by a board of adjustment," Dolan said. "It's the Planning Board's responsibility to review changes to the Land Use Ordinance, even if it affects their future evaluations of projects. They're supposed to make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners, who then vote on something. So, we're trying to clean up the Land Use Ordinance, also, and get the right review board to review the right type of project."

According to Development Services Director Brad Guth, the county has posted the job opening online and is actively seeking to fill the position.

"Terrey's been great to work with," Guth said. "He's a very community-spirited person and worked diligently to implement the goals and objectives of the Madison County Board of Commissioners."

The outgoing planning and zoning administrator said he would welcome the chance to help ease the transition of his successor.

"I'll be glad to sit and chat with anybody that's purportedly interviewing for the job," Dolan said. "That's the county administration's responsibility, and then they make a recommendation to the (Board of Commissioners), and they hire somebody."

Dolan, a Wolf Laurel resident, said the move is mostly motivated by his desire to be closer to family.

"I've gotten along with both (the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment) really, really well," Dolan said. "It's been a great experience. I've loved where we live. It's been very interesting. But this is 97% family-caused, that we're leaving."

Guth said he is happy Dolan will be closer to his new grandchildren in New Hampshire, and to continue working in planning.

"Milford is getting a great planner," Guth said.

Dolan said his tenure as zonning and planning administrator has been "a learning experience."

"It's been mostly positive," Dolan said. "My frustration's only with not being up to date with the tools that are out there for a local government to take advantage of, and that has to do with finances. It's been great. Everybody's been super nice. Even the one's who are mean to me, they do it on purpose and then we kind of wink at each other later on."

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison zoning director Dolan to take same job in NH: 'Loved Madison'