Cascades Town Center plans burial of utility lines under review by planning commission

The City of Olive Branch Board of Aldermen convened on April 1, 2025, to discuss several key agenda items, primarily focusing on the Cascades Town Center development project. The meeting began with a presentation regarding an application related to the burial of utility lines, which is a condition stemming from the board's preliminary plat approval in November 2022.

The application was submitted by Greg Russell of Civil Source on behalf of Marion Threat from Focal Point Investments LLC, the property owner. The site in question is a 75-acre area located in the southeast quadrant of the Highway 178 and Highway 305 interchange, zoned as a Planned Unit Development (PUD).

During the discussion, it was noted that the property had previously been rezoned from an Agricultural Residential (AR) district to PUD in 2019, with a preliminary development plan adopted at that time. In April 2022, the board approved a major amendment to the PUD documents, which slightly revised the master plan without significant changes to the project text. Subsequently, in November 2022, the board approved the first phase of the preliminary plat, which included ten lots designated for commercial use and mixed-use buildings.

The approval of the preliminary plat allowed the developer to submit construction plans for essential infrastructure, including streets and water and sewer lines, to the city engineer for review. Construction on this infrastructure began in 2023 and has been ongoing.

As the project progressed, Focal Point Investments contacted North Central Electric Cooperative to design the necessary electric facilities. The utility provider proposed a loop design for the transmission lines, which is essential for projects requiring substantial power supply.

The meeting concluded with a focus on the next steps for the Cascades Town Center project, emphasizing the importance of utility infrastructure in supporting the development's future phases. The board's discussions highlighted the ongoing commitment to facilitating growth and development within the city while ensuring compliance with established planning conditions.