Developers say smaller lots are more affordable

Developers John Porter and Ryan Vargo appealed to the Marshall County Board of Supervisors to permit higher density housing developments in Marshall County at the January 5 meeting.

This request comes on the heels of the county’s adoption of a Comprehensive Plan, and revised zoning ordinances and regulations that go into effect in January.

Porter stressed the importance of these smaller lots on overall housing development in the county because they are more affordable and demand is high.

He said he would build 400 houses which would sell if the cost of the lot is more affordable.

At bottom is that the lot sizes have already been set for 12,000 square feet in R3 zoning in the Comprehensive Plan.

Zoning administrator David Johnson said at lot size 12,000 square feet three houses can be set on one acre. On an 8,000 square foot lot, five houses can be set on an acre. On a 5,000 square foot lot, eight houses can fit on an acre.

He said in drawing up the Comprehensive Plan and zoning ordinances and regulations, the lot size in R3 zones was set at 12,000 square feet because that is what the public wanted.

Porter buys the land and D.R. Horton, the largest home builder in the United States, finances the mortgages and sells the homes in the subdivisions, Johnson said.

Porter said the price of a home is driving the market in Marshall County, that the market for $500,000 homes is weak.

A high density development of 5,000 square foot lots supports starting home prices at $270,000, Porter said, and that they are wanted by two income families who do not want the upkeep of yards required on larger lots.

“They don’t want that yard work,” Porter said. “We want them to be able to work and live in Marshall County.”

The high-density subdivisions must have city utilities, and curbs and gutters.

There are already three high-density subdivisions in the county, Johnson said.

They are Twin Lakes Subdivision on north Red Banks Road, Cayce Pointe at Cayce Road and Lee Creek Road, and Indian Oaks subdivision in Byhalia off Highway 309, he said.

“Affordability is everything,” Porter said. “We need the option of smaller lots.” District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said the board had talked about 12,000 square-foot lots in creating the comprehensive plan.

“All houses are selling,” Porter said. “We, as a board, have to think about the county,” Walker said.

“I’m thinking about affordability,” said District 1 supervisor Goston Glover.

Porter said $500,000 houses on Farley Ridge (two acre lots) increase the cost to purchase a lot.

“We’ve got to have this 40 foot lots,” he said. “Very few people can afford a half million dollar home. We can sell hundreds of houses, if the price is right. You need to amend the ordinances in R3 to allow for smaller lots.”

Vargo said the county is attracting buyers from surrounding counties.

He alluded to Twin Lakes subdivision as a beautiful community.

“We have five different communities pulling people from other counties,” Vargo said. “As for lot sizes, Marshall County is aggressive. Those other municipalities do not want the density. Density is driving our growth here.”

“We’ve got to be able to do these 40 foot,” Porter said. “The income is not going up as fast as the interest rates. We’re building sewer, curbs and gutters and that’s super expensive.”

District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett said the county needs roof tops and lower taxes.

“We gotta have rooftops,” he said. “I want to discuss this in executive session.” Vargo said rooftops are helping indutry to attract employees. “We’ve got to discuss this with zoning,” Bennett said. Porter invited the board of supervisors to tour their developments. “I’d like to see what you are doing,” Bennett said. Porter said the smaller lots are mainte- nance free to the owners. The building materials used in the houses are not going to rot, he said. He said people on $80,000 annual income can afford these smaller lots and that to increase the lot sizes pushes the price up to about $360,000.

“If you push it up to $360,000, you are losing the buyer,” Porter said.

Glover made a motion to reconsider the comprehensive plan. The motion died for lack of a second.

Bennett made a motion to table the discussion and District 3 supervisor Terry Rodgers seconded. The discussion was tabled.

Porter invited supervisors to go with him on a tour of subdivisions he has developed. The board set a tour for January 13.

The Comprehensive Plan was set to go into effect January 15.