A proposed industrial park that supporters say could be a huge boon for the local economy could be closer to becoming reality after a judge ruled in favor of pushing the project forward.
Oktibbeha County Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens on May 16 upheld the decision by the Starkville Board of Aldermen to rezone the property for the proposed industrial park. The Golden Triangle Development LINK has pushed for the project to come to fruition and was notified of the ruling on Wednesday.
“This Court finds that there is enough to show that the Aldermen of the City of Starkville had a reasonable evidentiary basis to rezone the area in question and that the decision was not arbitrary, capricious, discriminatory, or illegal,” according to the ruling.
The proposed site is positioned on roughly 380 acres of property on the northwest corner of the city, with its westernmost point at the intersection of the Highway 82 and Highway 25 interchange. The property runs east back to the intersection of Highway 82 and and Highway 389 intersection.
Known as the Stanley, Strange and Waldrop properties, the site has been touted as a game changer by economic development officials hoping to attract industrial development to the area.
While 13 lots have already been subdivided with allotted acreage ranging from six to 28 acres, a 157-acre site near the Highway 82 and Highway 25 interchange is marked for future expansion.
One 5-acre tract north of Retherford Road has been a point of contention for those fighting the park, but Golden Triangle Development LINK Chief Operating Officer Joey Deason told the SDN the LINK already had an option to buy the tract, which will be used for a TVA transmission line and substation.
“This will not be part of plats to place companies,” Deason said. “It’s not a viable piece of property that will be used.”
Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins said he was pleased with the ruling.
“This is another step forward in the ongoing development of the industrial park in Starkville,” Higgins said. “We expect to have final decisions on park progress as early as July and will move forward.”
Despite many in the Golden Triangle championing the proposal, some have been involved in a dispute over the property and what could actually come to fruition once the park is up and running.
PROPERTY OWNERS PLAN APPEAL
The appellants listed in the dispute over the property are LMK LLC, along with Bettye Bell, Mary. S. Bell and Laura B. White.
Laura B. White told the SDN on Wednesday that she is a fourth-generation property owner, with roughly 800 acres to her name in the area of the proposed park.
White cited Cornerstone Park as an example of failed expectations with attempts to boost industrial job growth in Oktibbeha County.
“It’s just disheartening that the city has chosen a route like with Cornerstone … they have 200 some odd acres of an industrial park they can’t fill,” White said. “Everything points to it may not be as successful as it would need to be to invest $14 million of taxpayer money.”
White lived with her family in Madison for 30 years before moving back to Starkville, with the hope of opening a retirement home on the property where the proposed park would be located.
When the project was first proposed, White said she was led to believe it would be similar to the Thad Cochran Research Park. However, White then said plans began to take shape for something totally different.
“Being next to a research park is one thing, being next to smokestacks is another,” White said. “’I’m disappointed, but we still think we have valid reasons, the reasons for rezoning are a need for more industrial land, and there is over 600 available acres zoned in the city of Starkville … we still feel like we are right and we will have to appeal this.”