By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026 — Due to a flooring issue, Nelson Fiscal Court won’t return to the second floor of the Old Courthouse until possibly March, according to County Engineer Brad Spalding.
At issue is the coloring of the new parts of the terrazzo flooring. The color of the newly installed areas are not a close enough match to the original terrazzo flooring. Due to the unacceptable color different, the contractor will have to tear out the new flooring and try to access materials that are a better color match with the original flooring.
Due in part to the flooring issue, the dates that county government will move back into the second floor of the Old Courthouse has been pushed back to March.
ZONING REGS UPDATE. Planning Director Shawn Moore presented the court with a list of minor updates to the county’s zoning regulation. Some of the changes eliminate repeated phrases in each zoning classification description.
Other changes eliminated maximum parking spaces a business could have in their parking lot. The changed regulations now will only specify a minimum number of parking spaces, and that number will now be based on a businesses’ retail floor space instead of the size of the entire building.
The changes also added regulations regarding solar panels in three categories — home, commercial and large scale outdoor solar arrays.
ELECTED OFFCIALS’ PAY RAISE. The court approved a state-mandated cost-of-living increase for county elected officials.
The state Department of Local Government authorized a 2.7 percent pay increase in the salaries of the judge-executive, county clerk,sheriff and jailer.
As has been the practice in years past, after some discussion, the court also included the 2.7 percent increase in the pay for all five magistrates and the county coroner.
NEXT UP. The court will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, in the Nelson County Public Library.
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