All planning and zoning work regarding properties in Hampton will soon be handled solely within the city.

  The City Council voted unanimously at its December 10 regular meeting to authorize city manger Alex Cohilas to send a notice of “discontinuance of planning and zoning service” to Henry County officials. There was no set timetable for the change, but it would likely happen within a few months.

  The proposed move was a topic of discussion during recent service delivery strategy negotiations, and Cohilas said it became more apparent that in-house planning and zoning would be more in line with what the county’s other cities do and would be more efficient.

  “It will also give us a quicker turnaround team and better control of the process here,” he said.

  Currently a Hampton property owner or rezoning applicant submits a request which is first considered by county staff for a recommendation, then on to the county’s Zoning Advisory Board before coming back to the Hampton City Council.

  “The county has a very competent staff but so do we,” said Cohilas, who suggested that a work session be added to the meeting schedule next year for handling of planning and zoning matters. “You [the council] still have final approval anyway. There is no sense in our citizens paying for a service when they would come back to us anyway.”

  In addition to expediting the process, Cohilas said this would ensure more community turnout for discussions of city issues. “I guarantee you have more people here tonight than you would ever have at a ZAB meeting,” he said.

  After issuing the notice to the county, which will require a waiting period to complete the transition, the city manager plans to set up an administrative process and notify the council about how planning and zoning should be handled going forward.

  In other business, one first reading on a proposed ordinance was approved and another was not. An amendment to the city’s code regarding smoking regulations is being changed to indicate that smoking will be “prohibited in all public places in the city including parks and any real property owned or controlled by the city.” It would take effect upon passage of its second reading, probably in January. A separate amendment that addresses committees die fo lack of a second. This proposal would allow the mayor to recommend who serves as chair and vice chair of various committees, with council confirming those recommendations by majority vote.

A resolution approving technology enhancements was approved. A contract not to exceed $88,000 will allow ComTech Fiber to run fiber optic wiring from City Hall to a separate city-owned building that houses the Public Works department. Other resolutions passed by the council included approval of the investment of city funds to the local government investment pool and adoption of a new fee schedule for a wide variety of city services.

  Two ordinances regarding council meetings and order of business that were scheduled for second readings were removed from the agenda and will be considered at a 2020 meeting. The council approved the second reading of an ordinance regarding the speed detection list of roadways, as well as the 2020 list of alcohol license renewals for existing city businesses.