Starting next month, citizens with zoning requests in Stockbridge will go straight to the city, not Henry County, for approval.
Planning and zoning services are set to transition from the county to the city effective April 1, and the Stockbridge City Council voted at its March 11 regular meeting to approve its Planning Commission meeting schedule for the rest of 2019.
The first Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 25. Any matter that makes it through that forum and requires City Council action would be placed on the agenda for the May 13 council meeting.
All Planning Commission meetings are to take place the fourth Thursday of each month, with two exceptions. The November meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 25, because of the Thanksgiving holiday. There is no meeting in December, but one has already been scheduled for Jan. 9, 2020.
Filing deadlines for 2019 zoning requests were also set, typically 21-24 days before a Planning Commission meeting. Public notification and sign posting deadlines are 14-17 days before each meeting.
In other business, the council approved its new impact fee ordinance and set its development and water/sewer impact fee schedule for 2019. Impact fees are broken down into dozens of categories depending upon the specifics of the particular development.
The council approved a measure requiring homeowner associations and neighborhood associations to register with the city for the purpose of ensuring compliance with city ordinances. There are more than 70 HOAs in the city, according to officials, who noted that this action is vital to keeping communication lines open between various neighborhoods and City Hall. City officials intend to use this method to keep HOA leaders in the loop on important zoning matters that come up in their immediate vicinity and notify their representatives about severe weather and local emergencies, among other things.
