Committee backs amendment to Tupelo Development Code to waive garage requirement for lots under 50 feet
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Summary
The Tupelo Planning Committee voted unanimously to forward proposed amendments to Chapter 8 of the Tupelo Development Code that would exempt lots less than 50 feet wide at the setback line from a mandatory garage requirement; staff said the change is intended to reduce costs for affordable housing.
The Tupelo Planning Committee voted unanimously to recommend proposed text amendments to Chapter 8 of the Tupelo Development Code that would not require a garage on lots less than 50 feet wide at the setback line.
Staff presented the amendment as a targeted, cost‑reducing change intended to lessen the financial impact of a mandatory garage requirement on smaller lots, particularly where affordable housing is a concern. The committee approved the change and will forward the recommendation to the city council for final action.
Planning staff member Mister Faulkner told the committee the intent is to limit how a garage requirement could increase the cost of housing. Faulkner said that if a buyer wants a garage they could still construct one, but the code should not require a garage where a lot’s width at the setback line is less than 50 feet. He described 50 feet as “pretty much a basic standard lot in Tupelo, in most of Tupelo and particularly the older areas,” and said the exemption mainly affects narrower, older lots while lower‑density areas would still typically accommodate garages.
Faulkner also said the city published legal notice that the amendment would be discussed; the transcript records staff saying the notice was printed "in the whole journal." As an example of recent development patterns, a staff speaker cited Chapman Street, saying the new homes there have been built on 50‑foot lots and include garages.
The motion to accept the amendment was made by Patty Thompson, seconded by Miss Hadley, and carried unanimously. Staff emphasized the committee’s action is a recommendation and that the city council must review and issue the final decision.
No ordinance number or specific code text amendment excerpt was recorded in the transcript beyond the described 50‑foot threshold; the committee’s recommendation will be transmitted to the city council for final consideration.
