County Engineer Clyde Pritchard told supervisors Tuesday he is in communication with a developer looking to build a new student housing project near Mississippi State University in the eastern portion of the county.
Little information was released about the project, but Pritchard said the development could land in the Bardwell-Old Mayhew roads area.
Discussion on the project came up after District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams said he wants planner Mike Slaughter to add language to proposed subdivision regulations that could force future investors to develop additional roadways to improve traffic conditions created by large-scale housing complexes.
Supervisors previously tasked the Oxford-based firm Slaughter and Associates to develop the rules after new student-housing projects in the Blackjack community created a number of issues with infrastructure.
Large-scale housing developments are a double-edged sword for the county. They produce tax revenues needed to pay for road repairs and other government functions, but they also increase traffic on many roads supervisors have said were not constructed to handle the load created by high-density projects.
The area surrounding MSU is seen by developers as prime locations for large apartment complexes due to their proximity to campus. Such developments have been constructed in the past years, and more are being built.
A development near the Bardwell-Old Mayhew intersection would follow in the steps of other investors who have built similar projects in the area.
When informing the board of the potential project, Pritchard described it as a “substantial development” and said he suggested investors meet with him to discuss the area’s infrastructure.
“During the course of their investigation with us, we mentioned the fact county roads may or may not be able to withstand the construction traffic. Right now, that’s the only approach we have; we see them coming in and say they should meet with us, look at it and try to get some number (for a bond),” Pritchard said. “It’s disheartening to have someone that wants to spend a big amount of money and invest in the county … and the road isn’t going to hold them.”
Officials did not release the letter between Pritchard and the developer, and the county engineer did not return a phone call for more information Wednesday.
Golden Triangle Development LINK COO Joey Deason, who previously served as Oktibbeha County’s representative with the firm, said he was unaware of any large-scale housing development plans in the area.
If supervisors enact Slaughter’s proposal, they will have codified the county’s first real set of subdivision rules.
The first draft of the legislation, as previously obtained by The Dispatch earlier this month, would establish requirements for the legal subdivision of land, prevent overcrowding and facilitate the development of proper infrastructure — road and sidewalk construction, stormwater abatement and other installations — in outlying county areas.
It would also create a planning committee to oversee the development process, but Slaughter said the board of supervisors could oversee this process.
Developers who violate the ordinance could face misdemeanor charges and a maximum $500 penalty upon conviction.
Williams Tuesday said he wants Slaughter’s document to take a tougher stance on developers who do not improve infrastructure and pass the burden along to taxpayers.
“I didn’t see anything that specifically addressed the problem as to where we are in the county today on Oktoc Road and Blackjack Road. I know it talked about improving infrastructure, but it never was specific in terms of how (developers are) going to improve the developmental area to improve traffic flow,” he said. “I want to interject one sentence: ‘The developer will be responsible for assisting the county with improving existing roadways and developing additional roadways to improve traffic flow as deemed necessary by the planning committee and the board of supervisors.”
The board took no action on Slaughter’s draft, and Pritchard told supervisors he would continue to study the document.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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