Improvements planned at generating station 2/28/2014

Published 12:00 am Friday, February 28, 2014

Improvements planned at generating station


By Rupert Howell
South Mississippi Electric Power Association’s (SMEPA) representatives received a go-ahead for a 1,400 sq. ft. conference building and a guard house during Monday’s meeting of the Batesville Planning Commission at City Hall.

The site and building design review also included new fencing, paved parking area and landscaping at the facility located at 200 Industrial Drive in the Harmon Industrial Complex.
 A company spokesperson confirmed the conference building will include meeting space for plant staff members, a kitchen, a break room and offices for contractors working onsite. Plans to increase the parking lot size to accommodate additional parking spaces will coincide with plans to resurface the plant’s roadways.

SMEPA, an electric power distribution cooperative, purchased the gas-fired, steam-driven generating facility from bankruptcy court.

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In other action, commissioners approved a variance request for Boyce Crowell to add a pre-fabricated 20×30’ metal canopy structure at his location at the bisection of Pamela and Highway 51N to cover golf carts.

Site and building design standards were approved for Little Caesar’s Pizza at Vick Street near Highway 6 East.

Also approved were site and building standards for an addition to AAAA Safe Storage on Highway 6E.

Rodney Sullivan and Judy Hubbard received approval for a variance request for manufactured home standards for a new home at 1090 Hwy. 6W.

Approved site and building standards review requests allow developers to proceed with approved plans while requests for variances or changes in zoning require an advertised public hearing with the city’s board of mayor and aldermen giving final approval.

The Planning Board of Commissioners meets on the fourth Monday of each month at City Hall in the main conference room.