County looks at fire code ordinance

With a Comprehensive Plan underway and ordinance reviews by Slaughter and Willingham Associates, the county’s fire codes and inspections were discussed at the October 7 meeting.

Josh Hale, who came on as deputy fire chief August 1, will assist the county in reviewing fire code enforcement on existing and new commercial construction.

The county currently operates under the 2018 fire code adopted by the county for businesses and existing buildings.

Code and ordinance updates will cover things like sprinkler systems inspections in commercial buildings and automatic shut-offs at gas station pumps.

Inspections of commercial buildings will include permits and inspections.

Zoning administrator David Johnson said he and Hale have inspected three buildings and none passed on the first inspection.

“We’re protecting your assets and holding contractors responsible for work they are doing,” Johnson said.

The inspection on new construction will be done as the structure is being built at the construction site, he said.

Food truck permits can also require inspections, while the Health Department inspects food trucks for food safety.

Hale would inspect the food trucks.

“We need to ease into it,” said District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker.

“If we do an inspection, a lot of things need to be addressed,” Hale said. “We work with them, if we see something happening.”

“We’re in a rural county,” Walker said.

Hale said agriculture is regulated by the state. The inspections will not take up residential construction.

“There was something burned that neighbors thought was toxic,” said District 4 supervisor George Zinn III.

County administrator Tim Powell said the building code inspections under discussion will involve only commercial structures.

“A lot of things require permits,” Hale said. “Sprinklers etc.” “You sign off with the industry, the architect and the engineer,” Powell said.

“All,” said Hale. “Just attaching permits,” Powell said. “If you build to a standard, is it tested and functional?” “When you gonna implement this?” Walker asked. “We go live with it January 1,” Hale said. Zinn asked about fees charged to inspect. “A lot of them in the state are doing that,” Hale said. “Schools have to be inspected yearly. “We need a broad ordinance to adopt this policy,” Zinn said. “We will have to do a public hearing ordinance change,” Powell said. “We can proceed with a public hearing,” said board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith. The board passed a motion to hold a public hearing the second meeting in November.

Comprehensive Plan

Tabb Sanford with Slaughter and Willingham, comprehensive planners, handed out copies of the zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations and comprehensive plan that has been prepared for the county. He said his company is shooting to get the ordinances, regulations and plan adopted in November.

A presentation of the documents will take place in Byhalia where citizen interest was most abundant.

Johnson said between 65 to 70 people participated in the planning sessions in Byhalia.

Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith said a pubic hearing will have to take place before the documents can be adopted.

“Today is just to get this in your hands,” Johnson said. “The board approved to advertise for the final public engagement meeting for October 27.”

Sanford said the final public meeting and adoption of the plan can take place the same day.

The board approved a motion to set the public engagement hearing for October 27 in Byhalia.

In other business, the board of supervisors:

• approved putting signs up on county property on old Victoria Road where people have been parking 18-wheeler trailers on county property. The signs will read, No Parking, County Property, Violators will be towed. Trucking companies have been leaving their trailers there for a number of years, said zoning administrator David Johnson.

• learned the state may lose about $12 billion in federal funding for the Department of Transportation, Education and farming related matters, according to county consultant Gary Anderson. He said the state legislature is not sure how much funding it will receive from the federal government.

• discussed the county participating in a joint Veterans Day program with the City of Holly Springs at the Multi-purpose Center in Holly Springs November 11.

• approved travel of 911 personnel for training in New Albany.

• approved training for several jailers in Oxford at the Lafayette County Law Enforcement Training Academy.

• approved claims for $340,928.

• discussed pipes deep under Hernando Road that are filling in with silt or rusting out.

• discussed removal of a dead tree on a landowner’s ditch that was killed by the county by digging the ditch to prevent flooding. The dead tree, a 30 foot pine, is threatening the property owner’s shop.

• approved advertising for uniforms to rent for the road department.