Hampton opts to move P&Z in-house

The Hampton City Council voted unanimously at its Dec. 10 regular meeting to authorize city manger Alex Cohilas to send a notice of “discontinuance of planning and zoning service” to Henry County officials.

There was no set timetable for the change, but it would likely happen within a few months. Cohilas said it became more apparent that in-house planning and zoning would be more in line with what the county’s other cities do and would be more efficient, giving applicants a quicker turnaround and better control of the process than relying on the county’s staff and Zoning Advisory Board.

Cohilas also recommended the addition of a work session to the council’s 2020 meeting schedule for handling planning and zoning matters.