Rankin County supervisors on Oct. 1 approved a series of land-use items that included a 10-lot preliminary plat on Church Road, an amended final plat for New Haven Phase 2, authority to submit final documents to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for the Old 49 overlay project, a dimensional variance for Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church and a conditional use permit to place a manufactured home for Towanda (Tawanda) Green under a documented hardship.

Why it matters: the approvals clear steps for local development, road-right-of-way preservation and a hardship-based housing accommodation tied to health needs for an individual resident.

What the board approved and why
- Preliminary plat (Church Road, District 2): County staff recommended approval of a 10-lot development on Church Road after the developer provided a water availability letter and an area for required stormwater detention. County planning staff said they had reviewed detention calculations and received concurrence from Dr. McLeod. The board approved the preliminary plat without recorded opposition.
- Amended final plat (New Haven Phase 2): Supervisors approved a developer-requested lot-line adjustment and refiled amended final plat; multiple lots have been sold to builders and the builders' signatures were on the submitted plat.
- Old 49 overlay (LPA project, District 1): The board authorized the county president or administrator to sign final documents required by MDOT to request authorization to bid the Old 49 overlay project.
- Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church dimensional variance: The church sought a 25-foot variance to permit a 3,500-square-foot addition on a 25.1-acre parcel zoned R-1B. The church agreed to deed 40 feet of its property to the county for a future road widening right-of-way starting at the rear corner of the church; the board opened a public hearing, heard no opposition and approved the variance.
- Towanda (Tawanda) Green conditional use permit: Miss Green provided a physician's documentation stating hardship after the recent loss of her spouse; planning staff said a manufactured home may be permitted by conditional use in hardship cases. The board approved the conditional use permit and staff said a standard condition acknowledging the unit must be relocated if the hardship that justified placement later abates would be included.

Votes and procedure: multiple motions were made by board members identified in the record as Jay (mover) and Brad (seconder) and carried by voice vote, recorded as “Aye.” The board opened public hearings where required, heard no opposition on the church variance or the conditional use, and closed the hearings before taking votes.

Quotes
- “They've done that. I've talked to Dr. McLeod about it, met with him on it. He's good with it.” — Mr. Parker, planning staff, on detention and water letter for the Church Road preliminary plat.
- “There are representatives of Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church with us today. Unless you have questions of the applicant, it would be appropriate for us to close the public hearing and take action.” — Mr. Parker, during the church variance hearing.

Background and clarifications
- The Spring Hill parcel is described in the staff report as 25.1 acres and zoned R-1B; the church agreed to transfer a 40-foot right-of-way to the county in connection with the variance.
- The Towanda/Tawanda Green conditional use was approved on the basis of documented hardship; staff will include a condition requiring relocation of the unit if the hardship condition later abates.

What comes next: staff will file the approved plats, submit required documents to MDOT for Old 49, and insert the relocation condition into the conditional use permit language for Towanda Green.