Zoning changes may be ahead for Covington, but most will be a result of renaming zoning classifications, Steve Villavaso, planning and zoning consultant, told the Covington City Council Tuesday.

Villavaso’s update introduced the new classification system and a time line for completing the comprehensive rezoning project for the city.

The next few months will consist of meetings with residents in neighborhoods that have specific concerns. The final general public hearing on the revised zoning map is targeted for the third week of October, with the draft of the text about a month later.

Revisions to the text and map will then be presented to the City Council in December for adoption.

Implementation of the changes would take effect in 2009.

Any changes imposed by the City Council in adopting and/or implementing the plan will not affect anyone immediately. If a business is in a current zone that allows for mixed use and is rezoned residential, the business is grandfathered in and will be allowed to operate as usual, said Villavaso and city planning and zoning director Naketah Bagby.

Villavaso said under zoning regulations, no one will be thrown out of their homes or businesses if their zoning district changes.

This would only happen if they move and the structure is unoccupied for six months. Then any use not conforming to the new zoning regulations would need to go before an appeals process.

“Zoning and land use follows the land, not the owners,” said Villavaso. “Many of the changes will reflect a more appropriate renaming of what you already are in many neighborhoods.”

He anticipates about a 80 to 85 percent crossover from one name to another, with some areas now designated as non-conforming use changing to conforming use.

New classification names will change to the following five basic zoning districts: R for residential, C for commercial, I for institutional, O for open space and/or recreation and M for industrial and/or manufacturing.

These will be subdivided into more specific categories based on things like lot size in residential and types of commercial usage for commercial. There is a specific medical service district designation proposed.

To be included in a neighborhood meeting to discuss specific concerns, residents are urged to contact their City Council representative through City Hall or Steve Villavaso’s office at (504) 343-9096.