Supervisors agreed Monday to invite Mike Slaughter, of the Oxford-based urban planning firm Slaughter and Associates, back to the Oktibbeha County board table for discussions on developing and implementing subdivision rules aimed at forcing developers to pay for damaged infrastructure.
The board again heard complaints about traffic congestion and infrastructure quality along Blackjack Road, a heavily used thoroughfare that links county residents with Mississippi State University and Starkville, which prompted District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams to call for further discussions on a new ordinance.
His motion passed 4-1, with District 4 Supervisor Daniel Jackson casting the dissenting vote.
After paying Slaughter and his organization about $45,000 to develop a 61-page comprehensive plan that will guide future growth across the next 20 years, the board did not move forward with implementing several of his recommendations, which included establishing zoning ordinances, subdivision codes for multitenant dwellings and other rules.
Another session, District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer said, could cost the county about $8,000.
Williams even called for a 30-day moratorium on new apartment complex construction in the area but offered no motion as the rule would not solve the area’s traffic and infrastructure problems.
Supervisors have faced mounting pressure from Blackjack residents as the area continues experiencing growing pains. New off-campus housing projects will add significant income to the tax rolls, but heavy equipment continues to tear up a road supervisors said wasn’t built with growth in mind.
More residents also means more traffic in the area.
While future discussions will focus on how the county ties developers to problems they create, supervisors acknowledged a subdivision ordinance will require enforcement, which could bring about personnel and other costs.
Subdivision rules could also introduce design standards — rules associated with streets, right of way areas, easements, lots and blocks — for new developments and ensure roadways, drainage, water and sewer pipes, lighting, signs and erosion controls are kept to minimum requirements.
How far supervisors will go with such requirements remains unseen, but the board is not expected to broach establishing a zoning ordinance in an election year.
Blackjack Road improvements are planned — a $4 million proposal would add an additional road, while another $1 million project would create a cut-thru road connecting to Oktoc Road, thereby allowing traffic to bypass the roundabout — but funding sources have not yet come to fruition.
Supervisors approved a $4.78 million-maximum financing package that a tax increment financing (TIF) district comprised of three new apartment developments will support. The monies will help fund road improvements, but the county is in a holding pattern until the properties develop, hit the tax rolls and begin paying into the system.
In March, both Trainer and District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery said they were in favor of discussing subdivision rules but differed on how to accomplish their goals. Trainer said many of the county’s subdivisions need serious attention in terms of infrastructure, while Montgomery said he wanted to avoid government interference by allowing developers’ covenants and guidance from the county engineer to set minimum standards.
Montgomery, a full-time Starkville firefighter, previously said he would consider supporting life-safety rules, like sprinkler requirements and minimum building codes, for large-scale student housing complexes or multifamily apartments.
Oktibbeha County, like many others across the state, opted out from state-mandated building codes in October.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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