HomeMy WebLinkAboutA RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO HOUSE BILL 302, PREEMPTION OF LOCAL BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO
HOUSE BILL 302, PREEMPTION OF LOCAL
BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS.
WHEREAS, Georgia House Bill 302 (HB 302) would prohibit local governments
from regulating "building design elements" in single or double family dwellings,
which could negatively impact economic development efforts and harm
competitiveness;and
WHEREAS, appropriate local design standards and land use policies create a
diverse, stable, profitable, and sustainable residential development landscape; and
WHEREAS,HB 302 is a bill that would undermine self-determination of citizens to
establish community standards as illustrated by the following:
• County and municipal officials are elected in part to make decisions about
the look and feel of their communities, which fosters economic
development, preserves the character of communities; and
• Counties and municipalities use design standards to ensure that the
property values of surrounding property owners remain protected from
incompatible development; and
• HB 302 would severely erode the ability of all 538 Georgia cities and 159
counties to address unique and community-specific quality of life issues.
WHEREAS, county and municipal governments use building design standards
to protect property values, attract high quality builders, and block incompatible
development; and
WHEREAS, building design standards assure residents and business owners
that their investments will be protected, and that others who come behind them will
be equally committed to quality; and
WHEREAS, local governments spend a large amount of resources studying,
surveying, crafting, and defining their vision and development strategies, and design
standards are an integral part of those endeavors to attract residents,businesses,and
the much-coveted trained workforce;and
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WHEREAS, development and redevelopment efforts should reflect the community
and its vision while simultaneously creating a sense of place; and
WHEREAS, county and municipal government officials are elected to make
decisions about the look and feel of their communities, and HB 302 would transfer
that power from duly-elected local leaders to outside groups with little to no stake
in the future or success of Georgia's counties and municipalities, including real
estate developers and homebuilders; and
WHEREAS, building design standards neither discourage nor favor affordable
housing, nor prevent the availability of certain housing types, as supporters of HB
302 purport; and
WHEREAS, local governments should have the ability to provide more affordable
housing options without sacrificing their unique character or threatening economic
growth; and
WHEREAS, although historic districts are protected in HB 302, which indicates
an understanding thaj standards do in fact make sense, downtown overlays or
other similar special zoning districts are not; and
WHEREAS, local governments should be empowered to enforce building design
standards to make today's thriving county areas tomorrow's historic districts; and
WHEREAS, by limitir g the ability of local governments to enforce building
design standards in single or double family dwellings, HB 302 would negatively
impact quality-of-life issues, including economic growth and the safety and welfare
of the citizens of Georgia and in particular of Augusta, Georgia.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE Augusta, Georgia Board of
Commissioners that this governing body voices its opposition to HB 302, Preemption
of Local Building Design Standards.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be delivered
to each member of the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate representing
the consolidated government of Augusta, Georgia,and made available for distribution
to the public and the press.
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SO RESOLVED, this the Ji Jo day of
,
2019.
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As its Mayor
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Mayor 81Mn, Sean Frantom
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Commissioner : II Fennoy,Dis ct Commissioner Dennis Williams, District 2
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Commissioner ary Davis,District 3 Commissioner Sammie Sias, istr t 4,
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mmissioner Johnny Few,District 5 mmissioner Ben Hasan,District 6
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Commissioner Brandon Garrett,District 8 ssione anion Williams, District 9
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mmissioner John Clarke, District 10
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