Southaven aldermen approve rezoning that clears way for 56 townhomes or park expansion after heated public hearing

The Southaven Board of Aldermen on April 1 approved a rezoning that clears the way for either a 56-unit single-family-attached townhome development or a park expansion on about 9.97 acres adjacent to Snowden Grove.

The vote followed a lengthy public hearing in which dozens of residents urged the board to preserve green space, raised complaints about nighttime lighting and parking at nearby courts, and warned that added housing could worsen traffic on Malone Road. Planning Director Whitney Cook said the application is a rezoning from agricultural to a planned-unit development and said the proposal includes gated access, a clubhouse, pool, dog park, and a detention pond to manage stormwater.

"This is a residential single-family attached townhomes for sale," developer Mark Utley said in presenting the plan, adding the units would be owner-occupied, subject to homeowners association covenants that prohibit short-term rental and, at buildout, will be maintained by the HOA. Utley described 56 units with 1,950-square-foot minimums, one-car garages, and interior finishes he called "high quality." Mayor (name not specified in transcript) told residents the board had heard the concerns and that he had asked for additional time to seek adjustments before the vote.

Residents at the hearing said their foremost concerns were lights from existing tennis and pickleball courts that they said are being overridden late at night, traffic and parking impacts on Malone Road and surrounding lanes, potential drainage and erosion impacts on nearby creeks and ponds, and the long-term effect on neighborhood property values. Mary Phillips, a nearby resident, said the lights "shine through my house into my backyard" and asked the city to ensure timers and controls are enforced.

Cook said drainage and water-quality engineering is required for any development plan and that the city and its engineers would review proposed stormwater controls, and that, if necessary, issues that cross municipal boundaries would be coordinated with adjacent jurisdictions. The developer said a detention pond and fountain are part of the concept to address runoff.

Several speakers disputed the characterization of the project as "multifamily" or apartments; Utley and others described the proposal as "single-family attached" (townhomes) intended for sale, not rental, and said covenants would prohibit rentals during the initial period. Patricia Langford asked whether federal subsidies or voucher programs would be applied; city staff replied there was no indication of that in the current proposal.

After public comment, aldermen debated whether to table the item for further changes or approve the conceptual rezoning. The board voted to approve the rezoning concept — allowing either the townhome project as presented or a park expansion alternative — while the mayor noted that the decision could limit future tennis expansion on that parcel if the development is built.

The vote was carried by roll call (ayes recorded in the official minutes). The rezoning approval is conceptual; a final site plan, engineering drawings, HOA documents, and detailed covenants must return to the city for review and permitting before construction.

Officials said required next steps include submittal of full engineering and drainage plans, final architectural elevations and HOA documents, and staff review for compliance with the approved PUD and the city’s comprehensive plan. Any future modifications to lighting, parking or access would be evaluated during the site-plan and permitting phase.

The board heard the item as the planning agenda’s first public hearing and handled multiple related planning items later in the meeting.