2018 Mississippi Code
Title 17 - Local Government; Provisions Common to Counties and Municipalities
Chapter 1 - Zoning, Planning and Subdivision Regulation
General Provisions
§ 17-1-21. When local regulations to govern; regulations restricting agricultural operation, forestry activity or traditional farm practices on agricultural land prohibited by municipalities; exceptions.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section and in Article VII of the Chickasaw Trail Economic Development Compact described in Section 57-36-1, whenever the provisions of any other statute or local ordinance or regulation require a greater width or size of yards, courts or other open spaces, or require a lower height of building, or a less number of stories, or a greater percentage of lot to be left unoccupied, or impose other standards higher than are required by the regulations made under the authority of Sections 17-1-1 through 17-1-27, inclusive, the provisions of such other statute, or local ordinance or regulation shall govern; otherwise the provisions of the regulations made under the authority of Sections 17-1-1 through 17-1-27, inclusive, shall be controlling.
(2)
(a) No governing authority of any municipality or of any county shall adopt or impose any ordinance, regulation, rule or policy that prohibits or restricts agricultural operation, forestry activity or traditional farm practices on agricultural land or land that is otherwise unclassified if the land is used for an agricultural operation, forestry activity or traditional farm practices. Additionally, if the activities being conducted on the land are regulated by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce or the Mississippi Forestry Commission, the provisions of those agencies’ statutes or the regulations promulgated by those agencies shall govern.
(b) However, a governing authority of any municipality or of any county may enact or impose ordinances, regulations, rules or policies that prohibit or restrict agricultural, forestry or traditional farm practices or the erection of any building, structure or improvement upon land with such agricultural, forestry or traditional farm practices or lands governed by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce or the Mississippi Forestry Commission if such land is under Federal Aviation Administration Part 77 restrictions or if such activity, building, structure or improvement creates obstruction to navigable airspace.
(c) Paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not affect any ordinance, regulation, rule, or policy that is in effect, adopted, or amended prior to the effective date of this act. Additionally, paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not be construed to affect the discretion of a county or municipal governing authority to reclassify property from one zone to another as otherwise permitted by law.
