Byram council upholds Public Works recommendation and denies request to build on existing slab

The Byram City Council voted to deny a developer’s request to build on an existing foundation at 108 Forest Lake Drive, upholding a recommendation from the Public Works department that the slab be removed and the house constructed from scratch.

The applicant, Donald Jordan, told the council he purchased an existing slab and presented engineering reports and inspections he said verified the footing and plumbing. “I purchased a slab,” he said during public comment and described work he had done to verify conditions and obtain an engineering report.

Public Works staff told the council they lacked the original construction plans and could not inspect what lies beneath the slab, including footing and steel placement. A Public Works representative said the safest option for future homeowners was to teardown and start fresh: “The best solution will be to start fresh, to tear it out and just start over,” the staff member said, citing uncertainty about pipes and long-term durability of exposed plumbing.

Councilmembers pressed the applicant on warranties and testing; the applicant offered to provide a 20-year warranty and said he had obtained some independent engineering checks. Council discussion focused on protecting future buyers and avoiding city liability if structural or plumbing failures occurred later.

After Public Works reiterated its recommendation and the city engineer was asked to provide a formal written opinion, the mayor called for a motion to uphold Public Works’ recommendation. The motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote, denying the applicant’s request.

The council’s decision is procedural: staff will document the recommendation and next steps, and the applicant may return with additional evidence or a new plan that complies with city inspection requirements. The council directed that the city engineer provide a written recommendation to formalize the record before any further deliberation.