Roswell City Council Opposes State Limits On Building Designs

ROSWELL, GA — The Roswell City Council approved a resolution on Jan. 13, formally opposing Georgia House Bill 302, “Preemption of Local Building Design Standards,” which would limit local governments’ ability to regulate building design elements in single or double family dwellings.

“House Bill 302 would erode the foundation of local control,” Roswell Mayor Lori Henry said. “Creating community is the job of local government and I feel that Roswell has done a great job of that for the last 166 years.”

The proposed law would prohibit local governments from regulating exterior building colors; the types and styles of siding, as well as materials used in roofs and on porches; placement and styles of windows and doors, including garage doors; the number and types of rooms and their layout; and types of building foundations.

According to the City of Roswell’s resolution, municipal and county officials are elected in part to make decisions about the look and feel of their communities, such as appropriate local design standards and land use policies, thereby supporting economic development and preserving community character. By limiting the ability of local governments to enforce building design standards, HB 302 would negatively impact quality-of-life issues, including economic growth and the safety and welfare of citizens.

The resolution opposing House Bill 302 was originally approved by Mayor and Council on Feb. 25, 2019. It was brought back for another vote on Jan. 13, to ensure new Council member Christine Hall had an opportunity to support the resolution with the full body before it was sent to the Fulton County delegation of the Georgia Legislature.

The full text of the resolution can be found by accessing the meeting materials from the Jan. 13 Mayor and Council meeting at www.roswellgov.com/meetingportal.