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Board imposes six‑month moratorium on small‑lot plats in District 4 and moves to address dilapidated strip center
Summary
The board voted to place a six‑month moratorium on subdivision plats in Supervisor District 4 that create lots smaller than five acres, and discussed code‑enforcement options and potential chancery‑court action to address serious parking‑lot and safety problems at a strip center on Old Fannin.
Rankin County supervisors voted Feb. 14 to enact a six‑month moratorium, limited to Supervisor District 4, on accepting subdivision plats that would create lots smaller than five acres. The moratorium is designed to give the county time to review its comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance and infrastructure capacity before receiving new small‑lot subdivision applications.
The proposed moratorium was prompted by development pressure in District 4, including an inquiry from a developer proposing lots in the 1.5–2‑acre range and the potential for "hundreds" of houses in a concentrated area, supervisors said. Supporters of the pause cited concerns about road capacity, stormwater and watershed impacts, pressure on schools, and availability of water and emergency services. Board members agreed the moratorium would not affect plans or plats already submitted and would run for six months from adoption.
Separately, the board took up an extended discussion of a persistently deteriorated strip center at 1149 Old Fannin (a commercial strip near Spillway Road), where supervisors and county staff described public‑safety impediments — large potholes and failing access drives that in supervisors’ words sometimes prevent emergency vehicles from reaching businesses. Staff presented photos of the parking areas and described prior notices and limited owner action.
County attorneys and staff discussed enforcement paths: (1) seek chancery‑court remedies under the county’s existing nuisance and code framework to compel repairs for public‑safety reasons, (2) enforce provisions of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), which the county has adopted in part, or (3) draft a tightened county ordinance targeting commercial off‑street parking facilities with stronger penalties for noncompliance. Staff said emergency‑level repairs could be compelled by the court as an immediate remedy, while a strengthened ordinance could create ongoing enforcement ability and financial penalties to ensure compliance.
Supervisors instructed county staff and counsel to draft ordinance language and to coordinate with the Reservoir Community District (PRV) where applicable, and set a timeline aimed at returning draft language to the board as early as the first March meeting. Supervisors emphasized they expect more targeted action — whether court‑ordered repairs or ordinance adoption — to follow quickly for properties that present emergency response problems.
The board recorded a voice vote of "Aye" and "Motion carries" for both the moratorium and continued pursuit of enforcement options; staff will return with proposed ordinance text for board review.
