The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted at its November 5 regular meeting to approve a rezoning for two residential lots totaling 1.717 acres on Monticello Lane on the north side of Jonesboro Road.

  The change is from R-3 back to R-2 because the widening of Jonesboro Road has made it impossible to meet minimum lot size and setback requirements, and the lots are not accessible to sewer which is what R-3 lots typically used, making the lots essentially unbuildable without the rezoning.

  No one spoke in opposition to the request. A motion was made to approve the rezoning with seven conditions, and it passed by unanimous vote.

  In other business, the board  voted unanimously to declare an “abandoned, burned, unsecured, dilapidated” residence in Hampton to be a public nuisance. Repeated attempts to work with the owner of the property at 95 David Road were unsuccessful.

  According to county staff, the house sustained severe fire damage in 2017 and the owner has moved to Mexico. At least six neighboring residents have submitted written complaints to the county’s code enforcement department requesting action, and an official inspection found the site to be “unfit for human habitation” and in violation of county codes. The vote gives county officials the legal authority to make improvements to the property by whatever means necessary and initiate court action to recover the costs from the owner.

  A resolution to approve the division of a portion of Henry County Convention and Visitors Bureau revenue among county commission districts failed with a 3-3 vote. By state law, a percentage of the hotel-motel bed tax can be used toward the promotion and advertising of tourism attractions and events. County staff determined the dividing the funds evenly between the five commission districts would enable commissioners to have more flexibility and autonomy in using the $25,000 or so expected to be available in 2020. The Henry CVB is affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, and some county officials have suggested establishing an in-house tourism department like other metro Atlanta counties have done.

  The board voted unanimously to approve a $598,335 contract for the purchase of firefighter daily wear for the Henry County Fire Department. The previous contract expired and two vendors responded to the county’s request for bids. Addie Grace Designs LLC was the low bidder and received unanimous approval from the commissioner for a one-year agreement with two mutually agreed-upon renewals. The company will provide 96 different items covering virtually everything that can possibly be worn by a member of the HCFD while on duty – shirts, pants, shoes, ties, gloves, patches, etc.