ATLANTA – A controversial push to stop local officials from imposing limits on the color a homeowner is allowed to paint the outside of their house – among other design choices – has stirred heated debate over private property rights under the Gold Dome.

The measure would prohibit local governments from adopting residential home design standards that dictate such things as exterior paint color, siding material and style and location of windows.

“How far do we go with that to say what you can and can’t do with your property,” the sponsor, Rep. Vance Smith, a Republican from Pine Mountain, said to his colleagues this week.

“Individuals should be able to choose the design, color and using the approved materials in the state of Georgia, they should be able to build their home – I guess their dream home – the way they would like,” Smith added.

Homebuilders, developers and the vinyl siding industry are among those pushing for the changes, arguing that the stricter local design standards do nothing to improve safety and only serve to price out lower income workers.

Opponents of the proposal say that not every community desires stricter design standards but that each community should be left to make that decision.

“I think we all know local is where it’s best determined,” said Rep. Darlene Taylor, a Republican from Thomasville, which adopted a design plan through what Taylor described as a contentious process.

“The people in our community worked together to come up with our plan – that’s our plan. Atlanta has no business telling us what to do and how to build a house, where to put windows,” Taylor said. “We have the right in our community to determine what we want in our community, and I think this is bad legislation.”

Less than a dozen counties would be significantly affected by the measure, according to the state county association. But the proposal has sparked an outcry across the state and prompted criticism even from officials in areas unaffected.

“Standards for Moultrie or for Valdosta, for Thomasville, for Dillard, Milledgeville, Macon – those shouldn’t be set by a handful of people in Atlanta,” said Pete Dillard, who is the city manager of Moultrie. “Those are local decisions, not statewide decisions.”

A House committee narrowly approved the measure Wednesday. Thursday is Crossover Day, when a measure must clear at least one chamber in order to have the clearest path to becoming law.