Rankin County denies conditional-use permit for modular home at 207 Church Road

The Rankin County Planning Commission on Jan. 6 denied a conditional-use permit requested by Gilberto Villamora to place a 2,089-square-foot modular home on a 2.53-acre parcel at 207 Church Road.

The decision followed a public hearing in which multiple nearby homeowners urged the commission to reject the request, saying the proposed structure would be inconsistent with surrounding single-family homes and could depress property values. Resident Wayne Murray said the parcel backs up to his property and that the nearby lots include houses he estimated “anywhere from 2,500 to about $500,000 homes.” Resident Tony Adams said the area is “booming” and he opposed adding a marginal or trailer-like structure to the neighborhood.

A realtor who spoke on the applicant’s behalf, Roger Garza of Madison, said the plan is for a modular home and that he had seen subdivisions where modular construction did not harm values. Garza told the commission the home would be occupied by the applicant’s immediate family and described modular construction as factory-built homes finished to local code.

Commissioners and staff discussed enforcement limits and options. Staff noted that modular homes are treated as factory-built and are subject to local inspection and code compliance, but also said occupancy limits and single-family occupancy can be enforced if complaints arise. During deliberations members emphasized that what is “commensurate” with surrounding properties should guide the decision.

The planning commission adopted a motion to deny the conditional-use request and clarified to the applicant that a conventional, on-site-built single-family home of about 2,400 square feet or larger, using typical materials consistent with neighboring houses, would not require a conditional-use permit and could be built by right if it meets zoning and building-code requirements. The motion to deny was made by Vice President Scott Berry and seconded by Steve (last name not specified in the record); the motion carried.

The commission’s minutes note that the applicant was encouraged to pursue conventional construction if he wants a dwelling that is visually and materially consistent with nearby homes.

The record does not indicate a roll-call vote by individual commissioners or a numeric tally. The decision and the explanation for the alternative path (conventional construction of roughly 2,400+ sq. ft.) were announced on the record.