One of the appeals of living outside the city limits is that property owners can do pretty much as they please with their land. That is also one of the negatives associated with rural life.
Competing interests are at the heart of efforts to plan for future growth, a delicate balance between personal rights and what’s best for communities.
In October, the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors voted to create a comprehensive plan to address and manage anticipated growth over the next 20 years.
This week, the board took one step toward that goal by selecting the Oxford-based urban planning firm Slaughter and Williams to help establish the groundwork for that plan. The firm will help organize a planning commission as well as land-development ordinances, development guidelines and building codes and restrictions.
A comprehensive plan covering these issues will not be easy, nor is it likely to please everyone. The natural question is why there is a need for rules that have never existed before – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
With the sustained growth of the city of Starkville, most of the future growth in the area will have to come outside the city limits. That means more homes, businesses and commercial properties sprouting up in close proximity to both old and new arrivals. That also means more infrastructure, things like roads and drainage and utilities. Faced with that likely scenario, having no plan becomes a plan itself, and a bad plan at that.
At its best, a comprehensive plan brings order to growth. With it, there’s nothing that would prevent someone from building a noisy factory next to your home. The zoning regulations promote a variety of usages logically arranged in a way that doesn’t infringe on those nearby.
Building codes protect a property owner’s investment by insisting on standards that don’t devalue property. They also protect public safety. Shoddy construction, especially with things like electrical components, can produce deadly results.
At its worst, however, a comprehensive plan limits the flexibility and personal tastes of the homeowner. One of the best things about living “in the country” is that you can do what you want on your property as long as it is legal. Regulations can make what was once perfectly acceptable a violation.
Given the potential for both good and bad consequences inherent in a comprehensive plan, Oktibbeha County supervisors should not rush into adopting rules without understanding the potential consequences.
It is important for supervisors to understand material differences between rural and city living. What’s needed in a city’s plan is needlessly burdensome in a less densely populated rural area.
Supervisors will be trying to thread a lot of needles as they put together a plan that serves the best interests of everyone in the county. A plan that is rigid discourages growth; a plan that is vague invites all sorts of headaches, including a never-ending case-by-case nightmare.
It is a tough job, alright. But somebody’s got to do it. We wish them well.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
