By Rupert Howell
A car lot/junk yard at Aldridge and Hentz Roads near the Pope-Courtland intersection of I-55 will have to move its boundaries away from the road’s right-of-way upon completion of a survey that indicated cars, fences and one structure at the nearby convenience store was across the property line.

Panola County Land Commission enforcement officer Chad Meek said, “They are going to have to move,” after being presented the plat by County Engineer Larry Britt during Monday’s supervisor meeting in Batesville.

Meek informed his board of the engineer’s findings later that day when Planning Commission members met for the monthly meeting at the Batesville Courthouse.

The issue had been brought before the commissioners during their December meeting that included Aldridge Road property owners who were concerned that the unsightly wrecked or damaged vehicles next to their road was an eyesore and questioned the property’s classification.

Meek was instructed by commissioners to follow up and contacted the county’s engineer to perform the survey.

Although the classification was questioned whether the property was a car lot or salvage lot, the property was being operated by owners of the nearby convenience store.

In other action, commissioners approved to recommend to supervisors that communications towers no higher than 180 feet be allowed in rural areas.

The current restriction requires all towers over 35 feet to receive a “special exception.” With rural residents attempting to acquire high speed internet, a tower is sometimes required to get a line of site signal from local internet provider Complete Computers. Towers can be used by multiple wireless customers once in place and is at least a partial solution to acquiring higher internet speeds without running cable or other expensive internet delivery systems.

The recommendation now goes before Panola Supervisors for their approval.

Maranda Brown’s application to continue to operate a pizza bar and grill in the Sardis Lake Estates/Blackjack area in eastern Panola County was approved.

 An existing Special Exception had expired and new ownership required that a new exception be issued. Commissioners agreed to a three-year special exception after Meek said the county law enforcement had no objections due to no disturbances inside the facility.

Planning commissioners meet on the second Monday of each month rotating between Batesville and Sardis Courthouses. The next meeting is scheduled for February 9 at 6 p.m. in Sardis.