Red Hill gravel pit permit renewed 5/16/2014

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 16, 2014

Red Hill gravel pit permit renewed


By Rupert Howell
Panola Land Commissioners  approved two special exception permits, one for a a barber shop and another for a small store, and re-approved a gravel pit during Monday’s monthly meeting at the courthouse in Batesville.

A public hearing to reclassify property on Highway 6 East from agricultural to commercial for Goolsby’s Mobile Home Sales was continued until the June meeting.

There was no one there to oppose the request nor was there anyone to speak on behalf on Goolsby at the meeting.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The barber shop is located at the home of Troy McKinney on Highway 51 in Pope and the store is located next to Charlie Thornton’s home on Shell Road in the Curtis Community.

Commissioners also agreed to consider recommending updating current International Building Codes to keep the county in compliance with regulations. They will also consider recommending adoption of commercial building codes for rural Panola County.

Commissioners spent most of the meeting discussing a request by Robert Hill to continue to operate a gravel pit in the Red Hill area.

Hill was permitted last April to proceed with a gravel pit on Barnacre Road after commissioners inspected the site following the March 2013 meeting.

The pit adjoins property owned by the Lindsey family who last year opposed the pit, claiming Hill’s work had damaged their property according to a news story last year.

At that time Hill was instructed to stay 15 feet away from the adjoining property line and work with government agencies to avoid damage to neighboring property.

A berm was discussed to prevent erosion last year but that idea died in favor of a suggestion to seek help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Hill was given a one-year  permit to proceed, which would allow the land commission to revisit the issue in 12 months and inspect the property again, the April 12, 2013 news story stated.
The Lindsey’s were again present to oppose the pit but commissioners again approved a one-year permit and instructed enforcement officer Michael Purdy to monitor the area for erosion on the Lindsey property.

Commissioners will meet next month at the Sardis Courthouse at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 9 in the courtroom.