The Golden Triangle Development LINK and the three primary families that own property designated to become Oktibbeha County’s newest industrial park have agreed to extend land purchase options beyond a legal dispute that, at best, will delay the park’s construction until next year.
Plans to develop roughly 360 acres near the intersection of Highways 182 and 389 for a new industrial park were put on hold this month after members of the Bell family — a number of landowners surrounding the proposed park — filed a bill of exceptions in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court against the city’s rezoning of the proposed site’s land to manufacturing and challenged Starkville’s recently approved comprehensive plan.
While the Bell family’s objection could take months to decide in court, purchase options between the LINK and the Strange, Stanley and Waldrop families — those that own the land comprising the park — were close to expiring until new deals were recently reached.
LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins confirmed the new agreements Monday, saying the extensions do not set a specific sunset other than “a number of days” beyond the conclusion of the Bell family’s legal objection.
The LINK, Higgins said, also filed notice with the Bell family to exercise a previously agreed upon purchase option for five acres of their land, on which a 4-County Electric Power Association substation will be constructed to power the park.
The notice was sent to the family Thursday, he said, and will be completed no later than 120 days after its receipt.
Higgins did not reveal the purchase price but did say “it’s one of the more reasonable parcels — not big time money.”
Project timeline
Since neither Oktibbeha County nor Starkville has issued or sold the $14 million in combined bonds for the project because of the legal dispute, Higgins said the LINK trust will pay for the property acquisition.
“The Stanley, Strange and Waldrop families have all said they’re in and they’re sticking with us,” he said. “The site is available, and the options did not expire. There was no sense in setting a specific date in the new deal, but there’s language in there tying it to the conclusion of court proceedings. Our attorney is telling us it’s at least two or three months at the earliest to hear it, maybe no later than six months.”
Even if a judge approves of the city’s rezoning within a six-month timeframe, thereby clearing the way for the park’s development, the legal challenge is expected to push construction efforts from this summer to next year, Higgins previously said.
A six-month delay also won’t affect the city’s ability to issue bonds, since those intent notices do not expire until next year. It would, however, mean a new board of aldermen would be responsible for their issuance, since the current term ends June 30.
If a protracted delay — one longer than a year — or an adverse ruling occurs, Higgins previously said, the LINK could be forced to re-evaluate the project. Other facets of the proposal, including major investments by Atmos Energy and 4-County, could change depending on market conditions.
Issues with rezone
In previous city meetings, Bell family members and representatives took issue with the rezoning and voiced concerns about the uncertainty of developments that could land in the new industrial park.
Under the LINK’s working plan for managing the industrial park, property deeds would be managed by the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, a board comprised of the three mayors of Oktibbeha County cities — Starkville, Maben and Sturgis — and representatives of the five county districts.
Starkville aldermen voted 6-1 earlier this month to rezone the property for manufacturing. Only Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins opposed the issue.
Though Perkins voted against the rezone, he said he did not oppose bringing an industrial park to Starkville or Oktibbeha County. However, he said the city had not met its legal burden of proof to rezone this particular property, which was annexed into the city limits in 1998.
State law, he said, mandates that rezones can occur when there is an error in the original zoning. If not that, then there must be a change in the character of the property and a compelling public need for the rezone.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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