COVINGTON, Ga. – The Newton County Board of Commissioners joined with the Covington City Council in approving resolutions opposing legislation being considered in the general assembly that would stop local governments passing and enforcing their own zoning rules.

House Bill 302 and Senate Bill 172 would prohibit local governments from adopting or enforcing ordinances or regulations relating to or regulating building design elements as applied to one or two-family dwellings.

Covington Mayor Ronnie Johnston said Monday night that the legislation would take zoning enforcement away from local governments and give it to the state.

”The general assembly is hard at work and they have couple of legislations they are reviewing right now that would completely strip local municipalities and counties from having what we would call building codes,” he said. ”Even down to the type of siding you can use on a house and construction quality and those type of things.

“They are looking at completely removing that from municipalities and counties, making it a statewide function.  They want to make that a state level controlled activity.

Johnston said historic areas would remain under local control.

Covington and Newton County joined with other cities and municipalities around the state in opposing the legislation. Both bodies passed the resolutions unanimously.