Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Wesson, Mississippi

Town of Wesson’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Placement of portable buildings on any lot inside Wesson town limits.

  • Applies to a portable building without wheels, built on a chassis or frame and designed for use without a permanent foundation.

  “Building, Portable: Any building that is portable in nature, without any wheels, and built on a chassis or frame designed and constructed to be used without a permanent foundation. Building permits are required prior to the placement of such buildings on any lot.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land within Wesson town corporate limits.

  • The ordinance governs land within the corporate limits.

  “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF TOWN OF WESSON, MISSISSIPPI, THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL GOVERN THE USE OF ALL LAND WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF TOWN OF WESSON, MISSISSIPPI.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  One-, two-, and three-or-more-bedroom dwelling units in Wesson's R-3 High Density Residential District.

  minimum floor area, one-bedroom unit: 500 square feet · minimum floor area, two-bedroom unit: 700 square feet · minimum floor area, three-or-more-bedroom unit: 900 square feet

  “SECTION 803 - DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MULTIPLE FAMILY USES [...] 803.03 Minimum Floor Area: (a) One bedroom units: 500 square feet. (b) Two bedroom units: 700 square feet. (c) Three or more bedroom units: 900 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached residences and duplexes in Wesson's R-2 Moderate Density Residential District.

  • Conditional uses are based on site-plan review.

  minimum lot area, single-family detached residence: 5000 square feet · minimum lot area, duplex: 8000 square feet

  “703.02 Minimum Lot Area: (a) Single-family detached residences: 5,000 square feet. (b) Duplexes: 8,000 square feet. (c) All conditional uses: Based upon site plan review.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Single-family manufactured homes in Wesson's R-M Manufactured Home Park Residential District.

  • The home must be double-wide or larger.
  • The towing tongue and wheels must be permanently removed.
  • The home must be permanently anchored to foundation piers or a concrete slab and completely skirted with brick or masonry; plastic, wood, aluminum, and other metal skirting are unacceptable.

  “Single-family manufactured homes (double-wide or larger) provided the trailer or towing tung and wheels are permanently removed, and the manufactured home is permanently anchored to foundation piers or a concrete slab, not merely resting upon the foundation. Further, the manufactured home must be completely skirted with brick or masonry materials from the concrete pad or foundation to the bottom of the manufactured home. Plastic, wood, aluminum, or other metal materials for skirting will not be acceptable.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots proposed for building inside Wesson town limits.

  • A building lot must conform to the Town of Wesson Subdivision Regulations.

  “400.08 Conformance with Subdivision Regulations: No building shall be constructed on any lot which does not conform to the provisions of the Subdivision Regulations of the Town of Wesson.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Access points serving manufactured-home parks inside Wesson town limits.

  • Approval may be by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and/or the Mississippi State Highway Department.

  “SECTION 912 - ACCESS TO PUBLIC STREETS AND HIGHWAYS All access points to public streets or highways shall be approved by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and/or the Mississippi State Highway Department.”

• Permit processPartial

  Applicants for Wesson building permits where site-plan review is required.

  • The Zoning Administrator advises whether a proposed use requires a site plan and official plan approval before the permit is issued.

  “The Zoning Administrator shall act as the coordinator for the site plan review process. He shall advise all applicants for building permits if the proposed use requires the preparation and submission of a site plan and the official approval of that plan prior to the issuance of the permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Wesson

Town of Wesson does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Individual on-site wastewater systems inside Wesson town limits, as part of the statewide Mississippi program.

  • A system must be installed from the permit issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health Division of On-site Wastewater.

  “No. By law, you must apply to us and install a septic system from the Permit we issue. A Licensed Installer must install it and the proper paperwork must be submitted to the Division.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an individual on-site wastewater disposal system inside Wesson town limits.

  • The applicant must apply to the state division; a licensed installer must install the system from the permit issued; required paperwork must be submitted.

  “The Permit is required for a water meter and the installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New individual on-site wastewater disposal systems inside Wesson town limits, except where a stated final-approval exemption applies.

  • The certified installer must contact the department 24 hours before construction to schedule an inspection.
  • The form provides a final-approval exemption option for one dwelling and system on property of two acres or more, or two dwellings and systems on property of five acres or more, subject to its listed conditions.

  installer notice before construction: >= 24 hours

  “The Certified Installer is responsible for contacting the Department 24 hours BEFORE beginning construction to schedule an inspection.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  On-site sanitation inside Wesson town limits where a septic system is used.

  • An applicant must apply to MSDH, use the permit-issued system, use a licensed installer, and submit proper paperwork.

  “Mississippi does not recognize gray water. Anything that could be considered gray water in other states is classified as wastewater in Mississippi. All wastewater is required to pipe into a central sewer system or a septic system for proper disposal. No “gray water” can be discharged on the ground, ditches, or bodies of water.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Wesson or Copiah County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Wesson town limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Wesson town limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Wesson town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Building occupancy inside Wesson town limits.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Wesson town limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.