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

Town of Terry’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of Terry, Mississippi, limits.

  • The Town's official Planning & Zoning page publishes a Zoning Ordinance PDF.

  “Terry Comprehensive Plan Terry Map Viewer Terry Comprehensive Plan (PDF) Zoning Ordinance (PDF) Hazard Mitigation Plan (draft)(PDF) Other documents: Code of Ordinances Subdivision Regulations”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed floodway modifications inside Terry limits.

  • Site-plan review is required for proposed floodway modifications.

  “When Site Plan Review Is Required: Site Plan Review shall be required for the following: [...] F. All proposed floodway modifications.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Terry

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in Terry's Agricultural District (A-1).

  minimum dwelling square footage: >= 1900 square feet

  “503.06 Minimum Dwelling Square Footage: 1,900 square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Dwellings in Terry's Single-Family Residential District (R-1).

    “703.05 Minimum Square Footage: 1,700 square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Terry's Agricultural District (A-1).

  • If livestock are kept, Section 501(C) applies.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (if livestock are kept, see Section 501(C))

  “503.02 Minimum Lot Area: Two (2) acres. However, if livestock are kept on the property, see Section 501 (C).”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in Terry's Single-Family Residential District (R-1).

    “703.02 Minimum Lot Area: 12,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Structures in Terry's Agricultural District (A-1).

  • A 150-foot minimum may apply under Section 501(C) or (D).

  front yard: >= 50 feet · side and rear yards: >= 50 feet (150 feet where Section 501(C) or (D) applies)

  “A. Front yard: 50 feet. B. Side yard and rear yards: 50 feet, except where Section 501 (C) or (D) requires a minimum yard of 150 feet from any adjoining property line.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Structures in Terry's Single-Family Residential District (R-1).

    “703.04 Minimum Yards: A. Front yard: 30 feet. B. Side yards: 10 feet. C. Rear yard: 25 feet.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Buildable area in Terry's Agricultural District (A-1).

  “503.05 Maximum Buildable Area: No limitation on buildable area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Habitable buildings in Terry's Agricultural District (A-1).

  • Barns and agricultural storage buildings without space intended for human occupancy have no height limitation.

  maximum habitable-floor height: <= 35 feet (barns and agricultural storage buildings not intended for human occupancy)

  “There shall be no height limitations for barns and agricultural storage buildings provided they do not contain space intended for human occupancy. No habitable floor of any other building shall exceed a height of 35 feet above the finished ground elevation measured at the front line of the building.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in Terry's Single-Family Residential District (R-1).

    “703.01 Maximum Building Height: 35 feet.”

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Individual on-site wastewater disposal systems statewide, including systems serving land inside Terry limits.

  • MSDH's program develops policy and regulations and supports regional environmentalists.
  • Hinds County is listed in MSDH's Central Region.

  “The On-site Wastewater program develops policy and regulations and provides technical assistance to regional environmentalists in designing and inspecting Individual On-site Wastewater Disposal Systems (IOWDS), recreational vehicle campgrounds/lodging parks, septage pumpers/haulers and individual water supplies.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system statewide, including inside Terry limits.

  • The permit is required for a water meter and installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.

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

• Off-grid sanitationProhibited

  Discharge of household wastewater other than to a central sewer system or septic system statewide, including inside Terry limits.

  • Mississippi classifies gray water as wastewater.

  “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.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Permanent water-meter service statewide, including a water-meter connection for property inside Terry limits.

  • State law requires a permanent sewage-disposal solution before a permanent water meter.
  • A permanent sewage-disposal solution can be a sewer line or septic system.
  • If public sewer is unavailable, the applicant must apply to MSDH for the appropriate paperwork.

  “State law requires you have permanent sewage disposal solution available to receive a permanent water meter. Permanent sewage disposal solutions can be a sewer line or septic system. You must have a sewer option before a water utility can make a connection to your property. If public sewer is not available in your area, you will have to apply to us for the proper paperwork.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Access points for manufactured-home parks inside Terry limits.

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

  “All access points to public streets or highways shall be approved by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and/or the Mississippi Department of Transportation.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential building work inside Terry limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Terry limits.
• Building code adopted — Building construction inside Terry limits.
• Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Terry limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Terry 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.