By Billy Davis

Panola County supervisors are seeking a “workshop” with the county’s land commission in order to make final plans for implementing building codes in unincorporated Panola County.

Workshop topics could include setting the cost of permit fees and deciding what elements of the International Building Code are adopted for the county.

Any action that would affect the county will likely wait until the new fiscal year, however, when a county budget can include the salary of a building inspector, supervisors said Monday.

With just a few weeks left in the year, any meeting of supervisors and the land commission will likely take place in 2009, too. The land commission held its last monthly meeting of the year Monday.

Building codes are common in municipalities such as Batesville, where a city permit is required to build and a city inspector visits the construction site.

Some counties in Mississippi are also adopting minimum building standards in order to regulate construction practices and protect homeowners. Neighboring counties Tate, Tunica and Coahoma have adopted building codes.

The land commission, after discussing the issue over the summer, has made a formal recommendation that supervisors adopt building codes.

An average of 90 homes are built in unincorporated Panola County each year according to land commission records.

The plan to implement building codes gained ground Monday when professional planner Bob Barber, who had invited to the meeting, described the process and answered questions. He helped Panola County form the land commission more than a decade ago and attends the monthly meetings as a consultant.

Barber told supervisors the land commission was recommending that Panola County adopt the 2003 International Building Code, more commonly referred to as the IBC.

Answering a question from Supervisor Kelly Morris, Barber agreed with Morris that supervisors should adopt only parts of the IBC that impact the construction of new homes and new businesses.

“There are some things you don’t want. I doubt you’ll want to adopt the swimming pool codes,” Barber said.

“Building decks and porches – is that in the code?” Morris asked.

“Yes sir,” Barber replied. “But you can make sure that’s exempt.”

Barber said Panola County can also exempt outbuildings, such as sheds and workshops, from the building codes. Farm buildings such as barns are already exempt per state law, he said. 

Board attorney Bill McKenzie asked Barber if building code regulations require licensing of contractors, and would that licensing prevent some laborers from finding work in Panola County.

Barber replied that Mississippi law already requires licensing for construction performed at “certain values,” but did not elaborate.

“Long-standing contractors could be grandfathered in,” he said, then repeated his statement that supervisors have control over what regulations they decide to implement.

Barber told supervisors that implementing building codes would mark a third phase in introducing land-use regulations in Panola County.

The first phase established rules for subdivision development, such as road construction standards and lot sizes.

The second phase introduced standards for commercial property such as county approval of the business and approval of a zoning classification.

Supervisor James Birge led the county board meeting Monday in the absence of board president Gary Thompson. Supervisor Bubba Waldrup was also absent.