The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted at its March 5 regular meeting to approve a resolution opposing two bills in the state legislature which could severely curtail the county’s ability to regulate development standards.
The move was in response to House Bill 302 and Senate Bill 172. “If these bills are approved, it would restrict our local government from placing specific zoning conditions and/or requirements on developments, as it pertains to ‘building design elements,’” according to a staff report.
The legislation prohibits cities and counties from regulating those elements in single or double family dwellings, and passage would give municipalities little or no authority to regulate beyond state minimum building code standards.
Commissioners stated that the proposals violate home rule, and board chair June Wood noted that the Atlanta Regional Commission board, of which she is a member, also opposed them.
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