The Rankin County Board of Supervisors has rescinded a contentious zoning ordinance following public outcry. The decision was made during a board meeting on Monday, reversing a measure that had been implemented on April 15.
The ordinance had significantly impacted mobile home owners in certain residential and agricultural zones, changing the status of mobile homes from a permitted use to a conditional use and imposing an age restriction requiring homes to be less than seven years old.
The reversal comes after widespread criticism from Rankin County residents, who expressed their concerns both on social media and at a public meeting held on May 1. More than 350 residents gathered last week to voice their opposition to the changes.
District 1 Supervisor Sid Scarbrough acknowledged the mistake, stating, “We realize that it wasn’t in the best interest of the community and we made a bad decision. But the key thing here is everybody coming together. They handled it well and we listened to them, and hey, we learn from our mistakes and we’re going to move forward.”
Ahead of the meeting, Scarbrough had indicated his intention to propose the ordinance’s rescission in a Facebook post, describing the initial passage as a “mistake.” The board’s decision reinstates the previous zoning ordinance in its entirety.
