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Henry County adopts updated Comprehensive Plan and approves tax and zoning changes including expanded elderly tax relief
Summary
The Board unanimously adopted an updated Henry County Comprehensive Plan, approved an amendment to raise the household income threshold for certain elderly, disabled and handicapped real property tax relief from $24,000 to $40,000, repealed sections of the Motor Vehicle License fee ordinance with staged effective dates, adopted biennial real estate reassessments, and approved several rezoning requests.
At its May 26 meeting the Henry County Board of Supervisors adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan that county staff and consultant Berkley Group have worked on since June 2024. County Administrator Dale Wagoner and Benjamin Trip of Berkley Group summarized the process; the Board opened a public hearing (no attendees spoke) and adopted the plan unanimously.
The Board approved an amendment to Henry County Code Section 8-502 to expand real property tax relief eligibility for certain elderly, disabled and handicapped persons by raising the qualifying household income limit from $24,000 to $40,000. County Attorney George Lyle prepared the amendment and the Board approved it following a public hearing with no public comment.
County Attorney George Lyle and Wagoner also presented a proposal to repeal the Motor Vehicle License fee in Henry County by removing sections 8-800, 8-801, 8-802, 8-803 and 8-805 of the County Code effective July 1, 2026, and repealing section 8-809 effective Dec. 1, 2026, to allow a one-year window for correcting erroneous fees. The Board approved the repeal unanimously; Mr. Lyle noted that fees owed from prior years remain collectible and collections will continue.
On reassessment policy, the Board adopted an ordinance to move from four-year general reassessments to biennial reassessments under the authority of Virginia Code Section 58.1-3253. Wagoner said the change is intended to keep property values closer to market and reduce large shifts in taxable value.
Planner Micah Montgomery presented four rezoning applications. The Board approved R-26-07 (Sarver Properties, LLC) to rezone 5003 Kings Mountain Rd from Suburban Residential (S-R) to Commercial (B-1); approved R-26-08 (Linda P. Brim) to rezone 765 Carver Rd from S-R to Office and Professional (B-3) to allow a beauty/barber shop; approved R-26-09 (Michael J. Tipton) to rezone approximately 1 acre at 2591 Figsboro Rd from Rural Residential (R-R) to Commercial (B-1) for an automobile sales lot; and acted on R-26-10 (Noah and Heather Vogler) regarding approximately 4.662 acres at 2063 Bassett Heights Rd, approving rezoning of rear lots (216A, 216D, 216E) and denying rezoning of the front lot (325) as recommended by the Planning Commission after public comment from the owner and a neighbor concerned about traffic and animals.
During Matters Presented by the Public, residents from the Irisburg District submitted a petition and raised concerns about the Energix Renewables solar farm near Centerville Road in Axton, alleging community harm, noise pollution and environmental impacts. Darryl Holland, Henry County’s representative on the Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District Board, urged repeal of the livestock tax and raised agricultural concerns. The Board took no immediate legislative action on those public comments during this meeting.
Appointments and reappointments to advisory boards were carried out following a closed session and certification: reappointments and new appointments to the Parks and Recreation Board, Economic Development Corporation, Henry-Martinsville Social Services Board, Patrick & Henry Community College Board, Piedmont Regional Community Services Board, and the Southern Area Agency on Aging Board were approved unanimously.
