A statewide zoning bill that would have further encumbered local efforts to increase residential density failed to cross the finish line when the Georgia General Assembly wrapped up the legislative session on Monday.
House Bill 1406, which would have mandated additional hearings and public input before municipalities could rezone single-family properties, was approved by the state House March 9, but its Republican backers couldn’t bring it to a Senate vote by the end of Sine Die on April 4, the last day of the 2021-2022 session.
State Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, told Atlanta Civic Circle last month that the bill intended to increase transparency and accountability for local governments seeking to rezone residential property that traditionally allow only single-family homes. Martin did not respond to Atlanta Civic Circle’s inquiry regarding whether he’d reintroduce the bill next year.
