Senatobia’s Board of Aldermen approved the Proposed Comprehensive Plan and Proposed Amendments for the Zoning Ordinance at its regular meeting and public hearing held Tuesday, March 19, at City Hall.
Click HERE to access the Comprehensive Plan.
The announcement of the hearing was published in Tate Record, in addition to social media outlets and was available for public view at City Hall prior to the hearing. Despite a meager turnout by the general public with only one resident in attendance, representatives from Central Mississippi Planning and Development District were on hand to answer questions about the plan.
In general there weren’t many updates to the existing plan which was adopted by the Board of Aldermen in 1999 and 2008, other than to prepare and plan for the projected growth over the next 20-25 years. The planning area was defined as an area of about one to three miles outside the city limits, which are also considered likely areas of growth for Senatobia over the next two decades. A parcel-based map of the City of Senatobia was utilized to map existing and future land uses, as well as a transportation plan, within the city. An existing land use survey was performed to determine growth and development patterns of Senatobia.
To simplify, a comprehensive plan is a document that guides future land development, serves as the foundation for zoning and subdivision regulations and amendments, and helps determine need for community facilities improvements or expansion. Such a plan should identify a vision for the community, projected growth, and identify polices and directions to accommodate the projected growth.
In the 2020 U.S. Census, Senatobia’s population was 8,354. Based on past population shifts projected growth patterns, the city is expected to reach a population of 11,530 by the year 2050. Due to the surge in possible residents, the comprehensive plan is used to help ensure the anticipated growth occurs in a controlled and manageable nature.
One change is the implementation of an additional overlay to the existing downtown Senatobia area.
According to the Comprehensive Plan, strong support for the Downtown Senatobia Revitalization Zone was expressed by the public and elected officials. East Main Street from Interstate 55 to the railroad should also protected by an overlay as this area serves the main thoroughfare leading to the historic downtown.
In other words, the area of Main Street from Interstate 55 to the railroad would now fall under the downtown Senatobia district.
The plan also called for reduction in parking in areas that are bike and pedestrian friendly which in turn would reduce conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles.
There is also a creation of a new zoning district named “Residential Estate.”
RE would be a minimum lot size of no less than 3 acres, but no more than 5 acres, and would provide residents an option for housing that is agricultural in nature, but less than a minimum of ten acres.
The Comprehensive Plan also called for an additional fire station on the west side of town. It was proposed that the additional station could not only provide added fire protection to help increase the fire rating but could also serve as a joint fire/police training center.
As far as utilities, the plan allowed for future expansion and repair to the existing infrastructure.
Concerning the water system, the plan stated the following:
“The City’s water system currently features five wells and five tanks; however, the City has initiated the process to construct a new water tank on the south side of the City near MS 740 and the Country Club development. The current system is adequate if all tanks and wells are operational, but if the Shands Bottom Road tank is offline, it creates a low-pressure situation in the City. The new tank will help address this shortfall. In addition to the new tank, there are plans to install a 10” water main to connect or loop the distribution lines on the east and west sides of I-55 near MS 740. The system should have adequate capacity to support additional development; however, preparations and plans should be made to replace or repair much of the existing infrastructure as it is beginning to age.”
To address transportation concerns the following items were proposed:
1) MS Highway 740: The extension of this roadway will provide efficient access to I-55 to the southern portion of Senatobia and Tate County from the east and west of the interstate. There is significant land available for development if the transportation network was extended to provide access.
a. Present Alignment: This 4-lane road links I-55 to US Highway 51 to the west, Shands Bottom/Country Club Roads to the east, and Scott Street to the north. It is approximately 1.5 miles in length.
b. Proposed Western Alignment: Various alignments have been proposed for the extension of MS Highway 740 west of its current intersection with US Highway 51. While many of these alignments are still feasible, it is proposed in this Plan that MS Highway 740 be extended to west, northwest until it connects with MS Highway 4 just beyond the City of Senatobia. This alignment would intersect Brown’s Ferry Road at Crossover Road, then follow Crossover Road to MS Highway 4. Other proposed alignments intersect MS Highway 4 at Strayhorn and could utilize portions of Brown’s Ferry Road.
c. Proposed Eastern Alignment: The proposed eastern alignment takes MS Highway 740 east of its current termination at Shands Bottom Road. Following a brief eastwardly travel, the road may split with one section turning north to intersect MS Highway 4 near John Price Road and another section traveling south to join Country Club Road then connect to Sides Bottom Road.
2) Woolfolk Road extensions: The extension of this roadway south and west of its current 90 degree turn to join Miracle Drive is proposed as a major connector to the proposed alignment of MS Highway 740 on the west side of US Highway 51 and intersect Hammond Hill Road. In addition to creating access to potentially developable properties, this extension would improve traffic flowing across the City and County from east to west.
3) Matthews Drive extension: Matthews Drive serves to connect Wilson Drive with Brownsferry Road currently; however, an extension of this major collector roadway could continue to the south until it reaches the proposed alignment of MS Highway 740. Such an extension would provide greater access to developable lands and improve traffic flow.
4) New Road from Wilson Road to Merry Hill Ranch Road: A new minor collector road that connects Wilson Drive/MS Highway 4 and Merry Hill Ranch Road near Norris Road and Brandywine Road would provide access to additional developable lands.
5) East Main Street: East Main Street from Norfleet Drive to the rail may be reduced to two travel lanes with a center turn lane to reduce accidents at intersections and congestion from left turns. Furthermore, the reduction of travel lanes from two in each direction to one, would create aesthetic appeal of a gateway into the Downtown core.
6) Where feasible, sidewalks and/or bike lanes should be included in new roadway construction. If retrofit of roadways allows the inclusion of sidewalks or bike lanes, then it should be considered. Priority should be placed on providing alternative transportation facilities to create the following connections: residential areas to schools and parks; residential areas to grocery stores, general merchandise stores, and pharmacies; residential to high employment areas; and residential areas to Downtown Senatobia.
The Board approved the following consent agenda following after the public hearing:
• Approve Minutes from the Regular Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting on March 5, 2024
• Approve Docket of Claims numbers: 33028 – 33206 for a total of 1,036,810.30
• Authorize to temporarily close necessary streets on Friday May 10th and Saturday May 11th for the Five Star City Festival
• Authorize Assistant Police Chief Warren to attend the MML Summer Conference in Biloxi, MS on June 23– 27, 2024, also authorize to pay registration and travel expenses
• Authorize Police Chief Chandler to attend the 2024 MACP Summer Educational Conference in Biloxi, MS on June 17-21, 2024, also authorize to pay registration and travel expenses
• Authorize Assistant Police Chief Warren to attend the FBI Leeda Supervisor Leadership Institute Training in Oxford, MS on July 8-12, 2024, also authorize to pay registration
• Authorize Officer Steelandt to attend the Less Lethal Instructor Course in Crossville, TN on May 13-16, 2024, also authorize to pay registration and travel expenses
• Authorize to accept the resignation from Police Officer Hoskin
• Authorize to promote Police Officer Vanderford to the rank of Sergeant with a pay increase
• Authorize to promote Police Officer Duncan to the rank of Sergeant with a pay increase
• Accept the resignation from Public Works Sewer employee Gerald Tarrance
• Accept the resignation from Public Works Water employee James Walker
• Authorize to set a Public Hearing for the request from Ben Smith to rezone the section of their Southpoint Community at the corner of Browns Ferry and Terry Lane from AR to R-2
• Authorize to accept the roads for West Point Subdivision Section D releasing the Performance Bond, also authorize to set a Maintenance Bond to be good for 1 year
• Authorize JMCM Consulting to apply for the SAFER Grant on behalf of the City
• Authorize Mayor Graves to sign a contract to purchase property on Center Street from Vern Barker
• Authorize to update and renew the lease with Pafford, contingent upon review and approval from the City Attorney
• Authorize to advertise for grass cutting services at the cemeteries and I55/Hwy 740 Interchange
