South MS RV park wins MS Supreme Court appeal. What are developer’s plans?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Supreme Court affirmed Jackson County's approval of RV park.
- Developers plan Ocean Springs Islands RV Resort with 476 sites.
- Neighbors protested strain on roads, neighborhood’s character.
The Ocean Springs Islands RV Resort will open in 12 to 18 months now that the Mississippi Supreme Court has overruled objections from neighbors and unanimously decided that Jackson County followed the law in allowing the development.
The Supreme Court filed its ruling Thursday, affirming a decision by Circuit Court Judge Keith Miller In the RV Park’s favor.
Developers now plan to move forward with the waterfront project on Beachview Drive, a road the county is upgrading. Developer and investor Adam Dial of Jackson County said road work should be completed by the time the park opens.
The park is expected to include 476 RV sites, 20 Airstreams available for rent, a lazy river, 16 elevated houses referred to as “tree houses,” a clubhouse, pools and more.
“We’re very excited,” Dial said. “We’ve been confident in our position from the very beginning.”
The RV park is planned on flood-prone property just south of the large Gulf Park Estates subdivision, where some property owners objected to and vigorously fought the development, organizing protests and a Facebook page called, “Stop the RV Park-Gulf Park Estates,” which has more than 230 members.
Eamon Mohiuddin of Ocean Springs, who owns rental properties in Gulf Park Estates, filed the appeal. Residents fear the development will disturb their neighborhood’s residential character and overwhelm area infrastructure, including roads.
“We’re disappointed by the opinion of the Supreme Court. . . . It did not give thousands of people justice in Gulf Park Estates,” Mohiuddin said. “It was an opinion based mostly on politics.”
Facts weighed in RV park’s favor, court finds
The development has now secured approval at every level, starting with a Planning Commission’s decision in 2023 to recommend the project to the Jackson County Board of Supervisors.
The Supreme Court decided the Board of Supervisors acted legally in granting a special exception for the RV Park, which is zoned for Planned Unit Developments. While the zoning prohibits RV parks, it also allows the county to make special exceptions.
“The Ordinance also contains no categorical prohibitions for special exceptions, nor does it contain a strict prohibition against RVs,” the ruling says. “ . . . Further, the Planning Commission and the Board are responsible for hearing and determining whether an applicant meets the requirements for a special exception under the ordinance.”
The Supreme Court also noted that the ordinance says RVs are “not permitted” rather than “strictly prohibited.” The ordinance specifically says that supervisors have the authority to grant special exceptions “for a use which is not permitted.”
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The county presented “substantial evidence” that uses for the flood-prone property are limited, the Supreme Court said.
“OSIRV presented evidence demonstrating the nature of the development as including outdoor recreation taking advantage of the natural feature(s) of the landscape,” the Supreme Court opinion said. “Additionally, evidence was offered concerning the mitigation of flooding risks to neighboring properties and that the RV resort would not open for twelve months after approval to allow for roadway improvements by the county.”
