At a recent Lafayette County Planning Commission meeting, North Mississippi Rural Legal Services received a conditional use exception approval for a 10,000-square-foot office building off County Road 3067.

They were also granted a dimensional variance, reducing the required 30-foot buffer to a 20-foot buffer, a move necessary to accommodate the building’s design.

Tom Howorth, the project architect, explained that NMRLS purchased the property in 2006 with the intent of building an office. The organization provides legal services to underserved communities across 39 counties in north Mississippi, and the proposed office would accommodate up to 25 staff members with room for future growth.

Since the property is zoned for agricultural use, an office building falls under the C-1 commercial category, which is not typically allowed in an A-1 district. However, under certain conditions, a conditional use permit can be granted.

Howorth said that the building is designed to blend with the residential scale of the area.

Joel Hollowell, director of Development Services, said his department recommends approval of the conditional use permit and variance request, however, the county cannot approve anything less than a 20-foot buffer, which will require some redesigning of the proposed site plan.

“We can work with a 20-foot buffer,” Howorth said. “This allows for an optimal functioning office without complicating the design.”

The commission ultimately approved the proposal by a vote of 4-1, with Commissioner Ray Garrett dissenting. The proposal will now be presented to the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors for final approval at their meeting next month.