The proposed expansion of a manufactured home community in Water Valley, Mississippi, appears to have hit a snag after a city meeting this week.

According to the Oxford Eagle, city officials said that the city does not have the capacity to provide sewage for the entire project.

In response to questions from multiple attendees at the meeting, Mayor Larry Hart explained the city would provide water, sewage and electricity for the portion of property located inside the city limits, which could accommodate eight to 10 additional manufactured homes in the community, which currently has 12 homes. Four local men purchased the property and property surrounding it, totaling 29.5 acres, last year for development. Two-thirds of the land sits outside the city limits.

“At this time we do not want to expand the city’s utility system into the county for a project of this size. We are going to operate within the city limits,” said Hart.

“Any extra sewage capacity in the town’s wastewater treatment facility will be reserved for future growth inside the city.”

Mayor Hart told the meeting that the portion of the property that is located inside of the city limits is zoned “R-4”, which is a special residential designation that permits manufactured home communities. City Attorney John Crow added that guidelines for development in R-4 property is very restrictive.

“The streets have to be paved, the manufactured houses must be under-girded, it’s got to be landscaped, it has got to be sodded. You can’t just start stacking them in there,” said Crow.

“We will enforce that ordinance,” said Hart, responding to questions regarding enforcement.

Last month, the developers said that they were still in the planning phase and did not speculate about the total number of manufactured homes the proposed project would encompass.

They also stressed their goal was to create an affordable, safe and family oriented community and they planned to purchase new manufactured homes for the expansion.

Mayor Hart explained that protocol requires a proposal first be submitted to the city’s planning commissioners.

“As of this moment, there is no permit in front of the city for anything. The permit application starts the ball to rolling,” said Hart.

 

NIMBY?

The proposed development has also created controversy in town.

Multiple residents cited that close to 100 homes could be included in the development at maximum capacity, which presented concerns.

The issue was addressed at a Board of Supervisors meeting, and supervisors discussed the possibility of implementing land use ordinances in the county.

Currently the county does not have zoning or land use ordinances other than a flood plain ordinance.

“We may need to consider some future planning,” said Board President Cayce Washington.

“Where something like this has to flow through this board before someone can go out there and do this. I don’t think our target is going to be an individual homeowner, it is going to be more for developers.”

“I support an ordinance that would provide minimum subdivision standards for future development as well as restrictions for properties that have become a blight in the county” said District Three Supervisor Lee McMinn.

“I am thinking in terms for future development and for protection of current homeowners.”

The Daily Business News has covered a number of potential NIMBY (Not-In-My-Back-Yard) stories recently, where current residents appear to be working to keep manufactured homes or communities out. Most notable is the case in Aiken, South Carolina, where Councilman Danny Feagin was quoted as saying “As long as it keeps the mobile home parks [sic] out, I think the folks would be satisfied,” in relation to a proposed rezoning ordinance. ##

(Image credits are as shown above.)

Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.