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Land Use Initiative Grant Helps Douglas County Table Potentially Harmful Ordinances

By Missouri REALTORS posted 03-26-2025 01:02 PM

  

In early 2025, Douglas County, Missouri proposed an ordinance (#2025-01) that would have granted the County Commission sweeping authority over private driveway access to county roads. The ordinance contained several concerning provisions: 

  • Required County Commission authorization for any new private driveway connection to existing county roads 

  • Granted the Commission "sole discretion" to approve, disapprove, or modify plans with no parameters to guide their decisions 

  • Allowed the Commission to impose unspecified requirements like culverts or drainage controls 

  • Empowered the Commission to limit distances between access points with minimal guidelines 

  • Created uncertainty for property owners about accessing their land from public roads and concern about properties becoming “land locked” 

The Ozark Trail Association of REALTORS® recognized the potential negative impact this ordinance could have on property rights, development potential, and real estate transactions in Douglas County. They quickly turned to the Missouri REALTORS® Government Affairs Team, who directed them to the NAR's Land Use Initiative for expert assistance. 

The LUI program provided: 

  1. Thorough legal analysis of the proposed ordinance 

  1. Analysis and review of similar ordinances in other counties in Southern Missouri 

  1. Identification of specific concerns related to property rights and access 

  1. Clear talking points highlighting problematic language in the ordinance 

  1. Expert recommendations for more balanced approaches to addressing the county's legitimate concerns about road safety and drainage 

Armed with professional analysis from NAR's Land Use Initiative, local REALTORS® effectively engaged with the Douglas County Commission. Their advocacy efforts resulted in the Commission voting to table the proposed ordinance and agreement among Commission members that Ordinance #2025-01 did not accurately reflect their actual intentions. The Commission also made a commitment to review and completely rewrite the ordinance, essentially restarting the process and creating an opportunity for more balanced approaches to road access management. 

By utilizing NAR's Land Use Initiative, the Ozark Trail Board of REALTORS® successfully advocated for their members and community, ensuring that property owners in Douglas County will retain reasonable access to their land while still addressing legitimate safety and infrastructure concerns. 

If your association encounters potentially harmful land use ordinances or regulations, remember that NAR's Land Use Initiative provides expert analysis at no cost. Requests are accepted year-round, with analyses typically delivered within 15 business days.  

For more information, reach out to the Missouri REALTORS® Government Affairs Team at realtorparty@morealtor.com

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