Tourism zone ordinance, public hearings top supervisor agenda

A series of public hearings top the Henry County Board of Supervisors’ evening agenda on Tuesday.

The board’s second March 22 meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Summerlin Room, located in the Henry County Administration Building on Kings Mountain Road.

Supervisors will hold a public hearing on magisterial redistricting. Last month, the Redistricting Committee presented its recommendations for changes to the magisterial districts to meet the requirements of the Virginia Constitution that requires magisterial districts be reapportioned every 10 years following the release of the decennial census. This process aims to balance the represented population of each district to within 5 percent of the median.

A hearing also will be held on the Fieldale Heritage Revitalization, as required by the grant process for an application to the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development. The hearing provides residents with an opportunity to comment on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) proposal that will be submitted for the project. This denotes the second public hearing required in the process.  

The board also will consider, after the public hearing concludes, a rezoning application by Gregory L. and Anne M. Benton requesting to build additional accessory buildings on property located at 902 Eggleston Falls Road, in the Ridgeway District.

The board also will meet at 3 p.m. on March 22 to consider an ordinance to create a tourism zone, which would allow businesses to take advantage of state and local tax incentives not available to businesses elsewhere. 

The goal of these incentives is to stimulate business attraction, growth, and increased employment opportunities within certain areas of a locality. This can include, but is not limited: hiring credits, sales & use tax incentives, expense and interest deductions, discount utilities hook-up and payment plans, sewer facility hookup payment plans and reduced parking requirements. Any city, county, or town may establish, by ordinance, one or more tourism zones. Each locality may grant tax incentives and provide certain regulatory flexibility in a tourism zone, according to board documents.

Also at the afternoon meeting, supervisors are scheduled to hear updates on delinquent tax collection efforts and from the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp., as well as financial and other matters. 

The board will consider meeting in closed session to discuss appointees to Henry Martinsville Department of Social Services; pending legal matters; the acquisition/disposal of real estate and as-yet unannounced industries.