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Planning commission approves Kirk Farms phase 1 preliminary plat with conditions tied to FEMA, MDOT and sewer capacity
Summary
The Olive Branch Planning Commission approved a 74‑lot preliminary plat for Kirk Farms subdivision phase 1, subject to multiple conditions including FEMA flood‑map approvals, an MDOT permit for the Highway 302 connection, construction of trails and a capped sewer tie‑in until capacity is confirmed.
The Olive Branch Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat for phase 1 of the Kirk Farms subdivision, a 74‑lot detached single‑family development north of Goodman Road, on a voice vote after staff outlined conditions requiring state and federal clearances and infrastructure limits.
Staff said the phase 1 plat matches the project text and preliminary development plan previously approved for the development, including a mix of eight manor lots (minimum 10,000 square feet) and neighborhood lots (minimum 7,200 square feet), curb, gutter and sidewalks on all streets, medians with street trees on the north–south spine, and a roundabout to calm traffic. A section of the subdivision’s trail network will be constructed in phase 1 and must be completed before final plat approval for this phase.
The staff recommendation placed several substantive requirements on the applicant before or as part of final plat approval: submission of an approved permit from the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) before any work begins on the Highway 302 connection; completion of required MDOT improvements to Highway 302 by the developer; and securing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approval of the conditional letter of map revision (CLOMR) and showing mapped floodplain limits on the final plat so base‑flood elevations and floodway boundaries are displayed.
On utilities, staff reported water and gas are available; sewer capacity is limited. The city engineer recommended and staff proposed a cap tied to the city’s regional pump station and 6‑inch force main: a maximum of 350 homes allowed to tie to the proposed regional pump station/force main design, and an interim cap of 150 lots for Kirk Farms that may be adjusted upward annually by the city engineer based on available sewer capacity and any approved plant upgrades. Staff noted phase 1’s 74 lots are within that interim cap but that future phases will be contingent on capacity and may require a larger force main.
Staff also recommended timing requirements for amenities: a swimming pool shown in the project text must be constructed before the 60th house receives final inspection (a standard the staff compared to a similar requirement used in The Villages at South Branch). Roof‑geometry elevations for all house sides must be submitted for planning commission consideration with the final plat so the variety of approved roof elevations is binding on later building‑plan approvals.
Applicant Robert Reeves of Civil Link LLC said he agreed with staff conditions. Commissioner Dion Jones moved to approve the plat subject to staff’s conditions; Commissioner Steve Stratton seconded. The commission voted by voice and the motion passed.
Staff noted several items will be reviewed later in the construction‑plan stage, including detailed street and median tree designs, stormwater detention pond construction, roundabout design to accommodate trucks and buses, and grading/utility construction plans reviewed by the city engineer.
The commission’s approval sends the preliminary plat (with the listed conditions) forward to the Board of Aldermen for final action as required by city procedure.
Ending: The applicant may submit construction plans and a final plat after satisfying MDOT, FEMA and the city engineer’s requirements. The sewer cap and annual review were emphasized by staff as the controlling constraint for future phases.
