Public Hearings Scheduled for Hampton Annexation Requests

The Hampton city council will hold public hearings for two annexation requests during their February 8 meeting. The council previously determined the applications met legal requirements in January. Update: the council approved the annexation requests.

The city council presently holds their meetings at the train depot. The public hearings begin at 6 pm followed by the regular meeting at 6:30 pm. Meeting agendas are available on the city website.

Lower Woolsey Road

The first annexation request consists of 803 acres along Lower Woolsey Road and Fortson Road. Henry County previously rezoned a large portion of the property in 2018. The county’s rezoning allows for seven warehouses west of the raceway. No change in zoning is being proposed at this time.

If the city of Hampton annexes the property, then the city would oversee any development of the land. The property owner(s) may also request a rezoning request after one year.

Henderson Farms

Likewise, the second application for annexation also contains a previous rezoning by Henry County. Henderson Farms is a large property east of downtown bisected by Georgia 20. The property was approved in 2008 for a large mixed-use development, but plans never materialized due to the Great Recession.

The total land acre measures 572 acres. Henderson Farms Henry Properties, LLC is the majority land owner representing 509 acres in the request.

Similarly, they too are seeking no change in zoning at this time. Any subsequent rezoning requests must wait one year if the owners so choose.

60% Method

Both applications for annexation are applying through the sixty percent method. The method is in contrast to the 100% method. Though not as common, state law defines the 60% method as follows:

• Land owners representing at least sixty percent of the total acreage must support the proposed annexation, and
• At least sixty percent of registered voters residing within the proposed area must support the annexation.

If both statements above are true, then the properties can request annexation into city limits. The Hampton city council has the final say whether to annex the land.

Featured image shows Hampton city limits shaded in purple, and proposed annexations shaded in light blue. Photo credit Google Earth and Henry County qPublic.