The City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Comprehensive Plan
“Designing for the Future”
The City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Comprehensive Plan
Table of Contents
I. Introduction..................................................................................................................... 1
Why Plan?........................................................................................................................... 1
What is in the Comprehensive Plan?................................................................................. 2
What Do These Terms Mean?.......................................................................................... 3
How Should the Plan Be Used?.......................................................................................... 3
Coordination........................................................................................................................ 4
Who Implements the Plan?................................................................................................ 4
II. Context for Planning................................................................................................. 5
Historical Development...................................................................................................... 6
The Role of Planning.......................................................................................................... 7
Public Participation............................................................................................................. 8
III. Community Vision....................................................................................................... 11
Planning Themes............................................................................................................... 11
Plan Issues........................................................................................................................ 12
IV. Environmental Assessment................................................................................. 14
Topography....................................................................................................................... 14
Geology............................................................................................................................. 14
Hydrology.......................................................................................................................... 14
Water Quality................................................................................................................... 15
Climate.............................................................................................................................. 15
V. Community Growth.................................................................................................... 16
Population.......................................................................................................................... 16
Housing............................................................................................................................. 17
Economic Growth.............................................................................................................. 19
Income............................................................................................................................... 20
VI. Land Use............................................................................................................................ 21
Planning Areas.................................................................................................................. 21
Critical Neighborhoods..................................................................................................... 29
Economic Development.................................................................................................... 30
Transitional Neighborhoods............................................................................................. 32
Preservation of Residential Areas................................................................................... 33
Substandard Housing........................................................................................................ 33
Preservation of Historic Areas........................................................................................ 36
In-fill Development........................................................................................................... 41
Growth Management and Resource Conservation........................................................ 42
Annexation........................................................................................................................ 45
Land Use Categories........................................................................................................ 46
VII. Community Design and Identification........................................................ 56
Community Appearance................................................................................................... 57
Site Design........................................................................................................................ 57
VIII. Community Services and Facilities.............................................................. 59
Transportation.................................................................................................................. 61
Water System................................................................................................................... 71
Wastewater System.......................................................................................................... 76
Stormwater Management................................................................................................. 77
Law Enforcement.............................................................................................................. 78
Fire Protection/EMS......................................................................................................... 80
Parks and Recreation....................................................................................................... 82
Arts & Culture.................................................................................................................. 88
Schools.............................................................................................................................. 89
IX - Goals, Policies and
Recommendations........................................................ 97
Land Use........................................................................................................................... 97
Transportation................................................................................................................ 105
Community Facilities and Growth Coordination........................................................... 109
X - Plan Implementation and
Administration............................................... 115
Plan Monitoring & Amendment..................................................................................... 115
Plan Monitoring.............................................................................................................. 115
Policy Revisions.............................................................................................................. 115
Land Use Plan Amendments.......................................................................................... 116
Implementation Program................................................................................................ 116
Descriptions of Implementation Strategies................................................................... 116
List of Exhibits
Ocean Springs Planning Area Map............................................................................................. 10
Planning Areas Map..................................................................................................................... 22
Historic District Map................................................................................................................... 37
Existing Land Use Map................................................................................................................ 52
Future Land Use Map.................................................................................................................. 53
Transportation System Map........................................................................................................ 63
Parks and Recreation Facilities Map.......................................................................................... 87
School District Map...................................................................................................................... 90
I. Introduction
This document is a statement of the community's vision
for its own future and a guide to achieve that vision through the year
2020. The view of the future expressed
in the Comprehensive Plan is shaped by local community values, ideals and
aspirations about the best management and use of the community's resources.
The Plan uses text, maps and diagrams to establish
policies and programs which the City may use to address the many physical,
economic and social issues facing the community. Thus, the Plan is a tool for managing community change to achieve
the desired quality of life.
Why Plan?
Successful communities do not just happen; they must
be continually shaped and guided. A
community must actively manage its growth and respond to changing circumstances
if it is to continue to meet the needs of its residents and retain the quality
of life that initially attracted those residents to the community.
Residents of Ocean Springs value the high quality of
the natural environment, the character and diversity of their neighborhoods,
the quality of public services, the cultural resources and breadth of
recreational opportunities, as well as the strong sense of “community.” Concern about the impact of new growth has
increased as residents have experienced increased traffic congestion, school
crowding, commercial encroachment on neighborhoods and the inappropriate
development of natural, open areas.
Effective growth management can help the community address each of these
concerns.
The City recognizes the importance of coordinating
growth management efforts with Jackson
County and adjacent communities.
Much of the recent growth is located within the unincorporated portions
of the Planning Area. By shifting urban
and suburban service demands to areas that lack adequate services and
facilities, this growth threatens to create detrimental fiscal impacts in
addition to its impacts on the character of urban and rural areas. The City and County must develop a joint
strategy for growth management to make efficient use of both valuable
infrastructure that is already in place, and to prevent unnecessary loss of the
surrounding open space areas where such infrastructure is not yet in place. A good plan and effective plan
implementation measures can curb the trend towards sprawl development and
promote appropriate and available infill development and redevelopment. While allowing appropriate development
opportunities in outlying areas, this plan seeks to promote development and
economic growth in areas that can be effectively and efficiently served by
public facilities and utilities.
This Comprehensive Plan, once adopted and effectuated
consistently and carefully, also will strengthen the partnership between the
public and private sectors. This
partnership can achieve infinitely more for both parties than either acting
alone. An important premise of an
effective comprehensive plan is that it creates a “win/win” situation for the
public and private sectors, for existing and new neighborhoods, for economic
development and open space land conservation, and for fiscal integrity and
enhanced quality of life.
What is in the Comprehensive Plan?
This Comprehensive Plan focuses on land use and
development issues facing Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The following listing of chapters outlines the major areas
covered by the Comprehensive Plan
•
Section II - Context
for Planning summarizes existing conditions, trends and issues facing the
community and establishes the setting for the Plan. It summarizes historical development and community values.
•
Section III -
Community Vision defines a vision for the community’s future that is the basis
for the Plan’s recommendations. The
most significant aspect of Ocean Springs’ planning process has been the high
level of citizen involvement. The
City's outreach program included focus group meetings, interviews, numerous
public workshops, press releases and newsletters, in an effort to inform the
public and to capture the thoughts, ideas, hopes and desires of the
community. Community values set
priorities for community action and plan implementation.
•
Section IV -
Environmental Assessment identifies natural environmental factors and physical constraints and opportunities that
affect development within the planning area.
•
Section V - Community
Growth identifies demographic characteristics and trends, regulatory
considerations, public facilities and services.
•
Section VI - Land Use
establishes major Plan elements upon which goals, objectives and policies were
based which address issues related to existing and future land use, the
planning area and planning neighborhoods.
•
Section VII - Community Design and
Identification establishes the basis upon which goals, objectives and policies
were identified to define public and private responsibilities for the
enhancement of Ocean Springs’ built environment.
•
Section VIII -
Community Facilities and Services Element defines the city’s role as a service
provider and in partnerships with other service providers for the provision of
facilities and services and define public and private responsibilities for the
provision of facilities.
•
Section IX - Goals,
Policies and Recommendations identifies specific goals and policies for key
planning components.
•
Section X - Plan
Implementation and Administration outlines a schedule of recommended strategies
or tasks needed to implement the Plan’s goals.
It also describes the processes for monitoring and amending the Plan to
ensure that it continues to address vital community issues.
What Do These Terms Mean?
The following terms are used throughout the Plan to
convey key concepts:
Development. The physical construction of
buildings and/or the preparation of land for non-agricultural uses. Development activities include: subdivision
of land; construction or alteration of structures, roads, utilities, and other
facilities; installation of septic systems; grading; deposit of refuse, debris,
or fill materials; and clearing of natural vegetative cover.
Goal. Description of a desired state of affairs
for the community in the future. Goals are the broad public purposes toward
which policies and programs are directed.
Generally, more than one set of actions (policies) may be needed to
achieve each goal. In this Plan, goals
are phrased to express the desired results of the Plan; they complete the
sentence "Our goal is ...."
Policy. Statements of government intent against
which individual actions and decisions are evaluated. Policies typically indicate the agency primarily responsible for
implementing the policy.
Strategy. Individual tasks or
accomplishments which, taken together, will enable the City to achieve Goals
and Policies.
Strategies are the basis for
implementation of the Plan by identifying and recommending specific courses of
action.
How Should the Plan Be
Used?
The Comprehensive Plan
is a guide to action. It is not,
itself, an implementation tool. By ensuring that individual actions are
consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the Comprehensive Plan,
the City can effectively achieve the vision.
For example, the Planning Commission and the Board of Alderman will use
the Plan's policies and maps to decide whether to approve a proposed re-zoning
of land within its City limits. Zoning,
subdivision, building and construction codes and standards should regulate
development in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan. Upon adopting of this Plan, the City should
review existing development regulations and ordinances to determine compliance
with the adopted Plan. Once The
Comprehensive Plan defines policies and recommends measures governing the
application, modification and interpretation of these development
regulations.
The Plan also should
guide the preparation of detailed facility master plans and capital improvement
programs for the City's water, wastewater, flood control, parks, and
transportation systems. The Plan should
be a dynamic document, subject to periodic amendment when conditions within the
City change significantly. Periodic
updates of the Plan will be needed to ensure that it continues to meet the
needs of City businesses and residents.
Coordination with Other Jurisdictions
Many problems faced by
local governments are regional in nature.
Issues such as population growth, environmental preservation, growth
patterns, and the adequacy of public facilities and services often transcend
local, neighborhood or city boundaries.
This Plan strongly supports partnerships between Ocean Springs, Jackson
County and communities adjacent to the planning area. These partnerships should focus on coordinated growth management
and service provision strategies.
Through effective coordination, residents and business owners will enjoy
the benefits of more cost-effective service provision and a more stable,
sustainable region. Failure to
coordinate will result in excessive consumption of valuable open space land, as
well as the inefficient use of existing public investments in infrastructure.
In other communities,
lack of intergovernmental coordination has resulted in the loss of population
and economic development. Such losses
undermine the stability of neighborhoods and businesses within the City, and
reduce public facility and service efficiencies, thereby making it more costly
for both City residents and County residents.
This makes the City less attractive for major economic development that
would benefit the entire planning area and the region, and generates a need for
more expansive roads and highways to transport workers longer distances to
their jobs. These adverse consequences
can be avoided by: coordinated (joint) comprehensive planning; the adoption and
implementation of key growth management goals, objectives and policies; and
sustained monitoring of development over the planning period.
Who Implements the Plan?
The policies and
strategies of the Plan must be implemented in a timely manner in order to
ensure that the vision of the Comprehensive Plan becomes a reality. Who should be charged with the
implementation of the goals, policies and strategies? It should be a joint effort of the Board of Alderman, the
Planning Commission and City staff, the private sector and other service
providers. Section X identifies and
prioritizes strategies to ensure that the vision becomes a reality. The schedule establishes priorities for
public action and also guides private decisions that support Plan priorities.
II. Context for Planning
The City of Ocean
Spring’s 1965 Comprehensive Plan stated, “Those responsible for planning in
Ocean Springs have two choices. They
can allow the City to develop as it has in the past with only limited regard to
land planning, street alignment, compatible land uses, zoning controls, or
codes and ordinances. This lax attitude
of no controls will continue to curse the land, increase taxes, reduce revenue,
and encourage traffic congestion. The
other choice, and the most desirable, is to intelligently evaluate the economic
background and potential of Ocean Springs, to adhere to the land use plan,
enforce the zoning ordinance and building code, review all subdivision
developments in the light of the subdivision regulations, and intelligently
recommend placement of schools, playgrounds, parks, major roads, and other
community facilities.”
In light of the
alternatives presented to the City leaders thirty-five years ago, what choices
were made? Has the City been allowed to develop as it has
in the past without any regard to land planning or have intelligent evaluations
been made to require proper growth and development? Visual inspections of the City coupled with citizen input
indicate that progress has been made; however, choices also have been made that
have eroded the character of what people perceive Ocean Springs to be. The City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Comprehensive Plan’s purpose is to evaluate previous planning efforts and
documents, identify the shortfalls and problems, assess the City’s current
environment, and recommend alternatives for future development based heavily on
citizen comments.
|
MISSION STATEMENT To identify the unique characteristics and resources
of Ocean Springs, and provide for their preservation and enhancement, with
balance between quality of life and economic growth. |
The plan sets forth a
vision to emphasize, develop, and strive to be widely recognized as an aesthetically
pleasing small town community, providing a superior quality of life, and family
environment. The plan’s intent is to
make the preceding vision a reality by focusing on creating a place that feels,
not just looks, like a community and functions like a community; offering
charitable goals; addressing health, educational, social and cultural needs;
and providing recreational amenities.
This involves the development of places designed, constructed and maintained
to stimulate and please the senses, to encourage community use, and to promote
civic and personal pride. If the City
leaders adopt policies meeting the aforementioned criteria, then Ocean Springs
will not only continue to be a great place to live as its residents strongly
believe it is, but also, by cultivating a sense of well-being among its
residents, it will encourage value-added development.
Historical Development
Ocean Springs, purported
to be the second oldest city in the country, was founded by the French in 1699
with the establishment of Fort Maurepas.
Located on a peninsula, the City is bordered by Biloxi Bay, Davis and
Old Fort Bayou. The area became settled
as a colonial fishing village and experienced only limited growth until steamer
service began between Mobile and New Orleans in 1820-30s. In the 1800s, Ocean Springs provided a safe
haven to those escaping yellow fever by steamboat from New Orleans and began to
grow as a resort community with the discovery of mineral springs near the Old
Fort Bayou in the 1850s. This heralded
the construction of numerous hotels and boarding houses, as well as elaborate
resort homes. Also, during this time,
live oaks were planted along the streets of the town. During the 1870s the railroad was built and the central business
district transitioned from the waterfront to the railroad – as the primary
transportation mode changed, so did the location of the community’s focal point
for commercial activity.
The street scape of old
Ocean Springs has not changed much in the last sixty to seventy years. Most of the commercial space available in
the downtown area is rented by retail businesses, especially along Washington
Avenue, the main street of old Ocean Springs.
At the turn of the century, as in many towns nationally and
internationally, there was a significant mix of land uses which allowed people
to walk to nearby businesses and even live above some of the shops in the
downtown area. During the Depression of
the 1930s, many property owners tore down the older buildings to avoid paying
the taxes on them. Most of the
buildings not torn down were destroyed by fire. During the post-World War I era the downtown began growing to the
east of Washington Avenue. As Highway
90 was completed, businesses began relocating along the commercial strip.
It has been noted
residents of the community are
frequently characterized by their love of the arts. Ocean Spring’s most famous citizen, Walter Anderson, was known
for his colorful paintings and murals of the creatures and plant life of the
nearby Mississippi Sound and Gulf of Mexico.
Ocean Springs is also recognized for houses designed by famous
architects. It is said that the
architect Louis Sullivan frequently visited the town and that Frank Lloyd
Wright may have designed several cottages there,
while he was working for Sullivan.
The Role of
Planning
There have
been three distinct planning efforts undertaken by the City. The City of Ocean Springs began its first
formalized planning process in the early 1960s that led to the report Evaluation
of the Economy - Long Range Land Use Plan for Ocean Springs, Mississippi (1965). Subsequent publications that were part of
that Plan included the Major Thoroughfare Plan (1966), Community
Facilities Plan (1966) and Public Improvements Program, Capital
Improvements Budget, Planning Continuation Program (1966).
The Evaluation
of the Economy - Long Range Land Use Plan may be characterized as being
insightful in that many of the problems facing the City today were clearly
identified and predicted. Several
examples are:
·
“Strip commercial development is beginning to show up . . . and
[unless] this strip commercial is controlled through codes and ordinances, the
strip development and scattered land use will prove to be deleterious to the
land in the fringe area and to the traffic circulation in the fringe area and
to the control and use of commercial districts in Ocean Springs.”
·
“As mentioned earlier in this report, there is an abundance of
vacant land within the City and within the fringe area for the suggested
population increase during the planning period; however, extreme caution should
be exercised in the utilization of this vacant land because this is the last
opportunity for the City to obtain organized land development, traffic
circulation, and the placement of recreational areas in the proper places.”
·
“Ocean Springs is one of the many ‘bedroom’ or ‘satellite’
communities on the Gulf Coast. This
does not mean that it is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ city ... but it is evident that
Ocean Springs is destined to be a residential community since the urban areas
of Pascagoula, Biloxi, and Gulfport have much more to offer industry. Ocean Springs is blessed with a long
history. The rich history of the
community, the topography, and the tranquility of the beautiful live oaks and
the serenity of the landscaped views from Ocean Springs put it in an enviable
position to attract ‘bedroom’ residential development. It is not the intention of this land use
plan or zoning ordinance or the major thoroughfare plan to change the history
or the character of the City, however, it is believed that the people of Ocean
Springs should not rest on their laurels and boast of their heritage or turn
away from the facts of population growth and development or the dilapidated
houses or deteriorating neighborhoods.”
In the early
1970s, to justify expanding the City limits beyond the planning area
established in the 1965 Plan, the City undertook efforts to develop its second
comprehensive plan. The adopted Comprehensive
Plan (1971) consists of the following reports:
·
Community Goals, Objectives, and Standards;
·
Economic and Population Study;
·
Inventory and Analysis;
·
Initial Housing Element;
·
Public Improvements Program; and
·
Comprehensive Development Plan.
The Plan was
written on the basis of studies that analyzed again and re-evaluated the Ocean
Springs economy, history and growth pattern through the year 1970. Goals, objectives, and standards were set
forth in the Plan for City growth and development to 1990. As will be seen in this update, several of
the goals identified in the 1971 Plan have been accomplished. The Plan remains the only official land use
strategy and set of standards the City has adopted to date.
The third,
and current, planning effort began in August 1995. The intention was to begin data collection and issue
identification to serve Ocean Springs for a twenty-year period, from 2000 to
2020. The data provided was monitored
incrementally and reviewed in detail by the Ocean Springs Growth and
Development Committee, created under the authority of the Board of Aldermen, to
operate as an ad hoc committee reporting to the Ocean Springs Planning
Commission.
Public
Participation
In
developing a plan, the most important item is assuring that the community has
ownership in the product. The City of
Ocean Springs has taken steps to assure that the public provided substantial
input into the planning process. First,
as referenced above, the City established the Ocean Springs Growth and Development Committee which was comprised of
seventeen citizens initially. Minutes
of the meetings are available and will be kept for review in the Community
Development and Planning Department.
Second, the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce Community Development
Committee has been an important source for obtaining feedback regarding the
plan and growth policies, such as “smart growth” and “green urbanism.” Third, a randomly selected citizens were
provided with disposable cameras to photograph Ocean Springs. The intent of distributing the cameras was
to identify what people of differing backgrounds deem to be important about
Ocean Springs and to establish what patterns regarding the City’s important
qualities can be established across socioeconomic levels. Ideally, the findings indicate shared visual
preferences and serve as a means to refine the goals and objectives by assuring
that the goals and objectives of the plan more accurately reflect Ocean Springs
as a whole, not just the views of a few.
Finally, the City’s Community Development and Planning Department
coordinated with the local media to create awareness of the planning effort and
to solicit comments from citizens.
Planning
Areas and Neighborhoods
The Planning
Area extends beyond existing City boundaries, as of the date of Plan adoption,
to reflect a comprehensive approach to growth management – community
issues typically don’t start and end at precise boundaries, but reflect
development practices and pressures within a general geographic area. Preparing for growth means that development
proposals should be encouraged in appropriate areas, based on land use
intensity and available infrastructure, and discouraged in inappropriate
areas. The determination of infrastructure
availability often is dependent upon the potential of undeveloped land to
permit expansion, based on a fiscal impact analysis to ascertain the economic
feasibility of such an expansion. The
Planning Area is shown in the exhibit marked
Ocean Springs Planning Area Map.
INSERT
Ocean
Springs Planning Area Map
EXHIBIT
III. Community Vision
The community identified a series of
multi-faceted visions which express the overall wishes and desires of residents
for the future of Ocean Springs. Vision
statements are very general in nature, broadly defining the kind of community
Ocean Springs should become. Vision
statements serve as the foundation for formulating the Plan’s goals, objectives
and policies, as well as Plan implementation strategies.
|
VISION
STATEMENT Ocean Springs will become and be widely
recognized as an aesthetically pleasing small town community, providing a
superior quality of life and family environment. |
Planning Themes
The following themes emerged from the
public participation process. The
themes provide key policy direction for developing the goals and objectives of
the Plan and are reflected throughout the Plan:
·
Pursue
ways to restore the urban ecology;
·
Land use
should be suitable for and compatible with environmental characteristics;
·
Development
in the fringe areas should integrate a mix of land uses, preserve open space,
be fiscally responsible, and provide transportation options;
·
New
development and redevelopment should reflect the character of traditional Ocean
Springs;
·
A higher
level of property maintenance should be encouraged;
·
Regulatory
requirements and processes should be fair, predictable, and protect the
interest of the community as a whole; and
·
Intergovernmental
cooperation will be essential for meeting the planning goals.
Plan Issues
The Growth
and Development Committee established a vision for the City’s future, and with the help of
staff and planning consultants, developed policies based on the following
issues, which are further discussed within this Plan. Recognition and discussion of the following issues formed the
basis for the Committee’s development of community vision priorities:
·
Develop
functional planning classifications;
·
Adopt
design standards to assure land use compatibility;
·
Adopt
level of service standards for all public facilities and services;
·
Identify
alternative development scenarios;
·
Protect
environmental resources;
·
Preserve
cultural amenities;
·
Mitigate
surface water flow problems due to increased impervious surfaces;
·
Identify
multi-modal transportation alternatives;
·
Implement
streamlined administrative procedures;
·
Gather
and provide adequate information for decision-makers;
·
Conduct
proactive demand forecasts and threshold analyses;
·
Identify
appropriate locations for new development;
·
Identify
and preserve the community’s historical assets;
·
Identify
alternative architectural and landscaping design standards;
·
Identify
neighborhood improvement strategies;
·
Encourage
new and existing business retention and development;
·
Improve
community appearance;
·
Identify
alternative strategies to ensure that growth occurs in a timed, orderly manner;
·
Ensure
that adequate public facilities exist for new development;
·
Limit
development’s impact on the environment; and
·
Identify
strategies to protect people and property from natural and environmental
hazards.
IV. Environmental Assessment
Topography
Ocean Springs
is located on a peninsula in southwest Jackson County, Mississippi. Jackson County is part of the East Gulf
Coastal Plain region, which lies to the east of the Mississippi Delta. The area is mostly low hills, covered with
pine forests. Topographic relief in the planning area is moderate, with gentle
slopes (less than 5 percent) covering almost all of the planning area. Only
some localized areas have moderate slopes (from 5 to 12 percent).
Geology
The planning
area is characterized by sandy and loamy soils. There are three major geologic formations in the area. The Biloxi Formation is a
transgressive unit deposited in marine and brackish water both near shore and
offshore. It consists of clay, fine
sand, and sandy clay with abundant fossils and ranges in thickness from 15 to
45 feet in Harrison County to as much as 120 feet thick in Jackson County. The second is the Prairie Formation,
composed primarily of sands and muddy sands with fossil tree trunks, leaves,
and occasionally pine cones. The
Prairie Formation ranges from 15 to 40 feet thick. It forms the wide, generally flat coastal plain immediately north
of the coastal marshes and beaches on the Mississippi coast. The City of Ocean Springs is dominantly
formed by the Prairie Formation. The
third formation—the Gulfport Formation is the most prominent and
probably the most exploited geologic formation along the coast. All of the sand on the mainland beaches of
Mississippi comes indirectly from the Gulfport Formation. Gradual warming and rising sea level also
eroded and leveled the post-glacial landscape as the river valleys were filled
and became swamps and marshes. This
sub-surface evidence can be seen along the coast of the City of Ocean Springs.
Hydrology
The Mississippi
Sound is the eventual recipient of the effluent via stream, rivers, bayous,
discharges and runoff from more than 38,000 square miles of land of diversified
usage. The Sound and adjacent bays
serve as mixing basins for marine and fresh or brackish waters. The City of Ocean Springs is bordered by
Fort Bayou, one of the large basins that drain into the Sound.
There are a
variety of wetlands in the planning area.
Examples of coastal wetlands are seagrass beds, mud flats, sandy beaches,
slat marshes, freshwater marshes, wet savannahs, bogs, and others. About one-third of the state’s 120
ecological communities are found in the Coastal Zone. Coastal wetlands and
associated habitats, ranging from seagrass meadows and oyster reefs to salt marshes
and coastal pine savannahs, form a belt comprising about 800 square miles,
which includes areas within the planning area.
These coastal
wetlands are part of what has been termed the “Fertile Crescent” because of its
high biological productivity. Seafood
harvests from the U.S. Gulf Coast represent 40 percent of the nation’s totals
and form the basis of a multimillion dollar industry in Mississippi. Most commercially important Gulf seafood
species, including shrimp, oysters, blue crabs, flounders, redfish, just to
name a few, spend some or all of their life in the rich waters in and adjacent
to coastal wetlands. Shallow coastal
waters along the gulf coast also serve as crucial nursery areas for many
commercially important fish and shellfish species. It is in the food-rich waters adjacent to the marshes where
shrimp larvae and young fish feed and grow before moving offshore.
Water Quality
Essential to any sustained economic
development on the Mississippi coast is an abundant and economical source of
fresh water for industrial and consumer use.
The coastal area is fortunate to have such an abundant supply derived
from sources in the subsurface Miocene and Pliocene formations. Total fresh ground water withdrawals in 1990
amounted to 30,930,000 gallons for Jackson County. Of the two formations, the Pliocene aquifers tend to have a
higher percentage of dissolved solids with the highest concentrations in
Jackson County (1,000 mg/liter).
Surface water use is concentrated in Jackson County, where industrial
and commercial firms use almost 58 million gallons of surface water daily
(Johnson, 1994).
Climate
The Mississippi
Gulf Coast has a subtropical, maritime climate. There are eight distinct climatic patterns that have been
identified that affect the area. The
subtropical, anticyclonic (clockwise circulation) Bermuda High has the greatest
influence on the climate of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Both Bermuda High and
Continental Pressure Systems greatly influence wind patterns: a substantial
portion of the winter winds (December-February) come from between north and northeast; the predominant winds
of spring (March-May) come from between south-southwest and south-southeast;
the onset of summer (June-August) has a pattern similar to that of spring; Fall
is always announced by an onset of a sharp and fairly consistent strong
northeasterly winds.
The combination
of high humidity and high temperature is characteristic of summer. Winters are generally mild with an average
of only 11 days per year when temperatures drop below 32_F. There are no
records of sub-zero temperatures ever having occurred. From November through March, dense sea fog
which forms offshore over the relatively cold water surface is carried across the
coast by onshore winds. Tropical storms
and hurricanes are typical of the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. The principal season for hurricanes is from
June through November; however, most hurricanes occur during August and
September, which can cause substantial damage within the planning area.
V. Community Growth
Population
In 1998 the City’s population was
estimated to be approximately 16,519.
The City experienced tremendous growth from 1970 to 1980, when its
population grew from 9,580 to 14,504 people due primarily to annexation. From 1980 to 1990 the City grew in
population by 5 percent, although the 1990 census population figure was
believed to be lower than what the actual population was. The Mayor in office at the time the 1990
census figures were published filed a formal protest with the Census Bureau and
an adjustment was made. However, the
Census Bureau was limited in the amount of adjustment that could be made in
response to the protest.
As shown in the following exhibit, from
1990 to 2000, the City’s population increased 18%, which is slightly above the
Jackson County growth rate but comparable to the growth rate on the entire
Mississippi Gulf Coast. Much of the
population growth has occurred as a result of the advent of the gaming industry
in 1992 in neighboring Harrison County.
City
of Ocean Springs Population Comparisons
|
Population |
Ocean Springs |
Biloxi |
Pascagoula |
Gautier |
D’Iberville |
Jackson County |
MS Gulf Coast |
|
1980 |
14,504 |
|
|||||
|
1990 |
14,658 |
46,319 |
25,899 |
10,088 |
6,566 |
115,243 |
312,238 |
|
Change, 1980-1990 |
1% |
|
|||||
|
2000 |
17,225 |
50,644 |
26,200 |
11,681 |
7,608 |
131,420 |
363,988 |
|
Change, 1990-2000 |
18% |
9% |
1% |
16% |
16% |
14% |
17% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of the
Census, 2000.
As of 2000, approximately 6.64 percent (an
estimated 660 acres) of the City’s total area remained available for new
residential and non-residential uses to accommodate future population
growth. This estimate does consider
that a percentage of land will have environmental constraints and will be
dedicated to the City for public use and access. At present development densities, the City has approximately
seventeen (17) years before it is built out; this projection is based on a
constant rate of development, net in-migration, net out-migration, birth and
death rate, including indications that growth in the housing market is
slowing. Population projections are
provided in the following exhibit.
Population
Projections
|
Year |
Population |
|
2000 |
17,225 |
|
2005 |
18,927 |
|
2010 |
20,787 |
|
2015 |
22,587 |
|
2020 |
24,327 |
Housing
The average valuation in 1998 for a new
home in Ocean Springs was $124,695.
This is well above the Mississippi Gulf Coast average of $94,962. Of the 11 incorporated Mississippi Gulf
Coast cities, the City of Ocean Springs has the sixth highest value for a new
home. While the preceding may seem to
indicate that housing in Ocean Springs is more affordable than the other Mississippi
Gulf Coast cities, it is more indicative of the lack of affordable housing
coast-wide. The United States Department of Housing and Development Fiscal Year
2000 median family income for the Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula metropolitan
statistical area, of which the City of Ocean Springs is part, is $40,500. Consequently, housing costs should be in the range of $60,000 to $70,000 at a
maximum to assure affordability.
Ocean Springs has a significantly large
portion of its housing stock in single family detached units (85.4%); this
figure includes both site-built and manufactured units. In general, the houses are situated on
moderately sized lots (12,000 square feet or greater) which has led to a
relatively low density, by urban standards, development pattern. Up-to-date data was not available at the
time of writing as to the percentage of owner-occupied versus
renter-occupied houses.
Higher density, attached residential units
account for approximately 12.5% of the remaining housing stock. Almost all of these units are assumed to be
renter-occupied. For two- to four-
family units, the density is low,
averaging five units per acre. The
highest percentage of multi-family units (five or greater residences) primarily
range from 15 to 24.99 units per acre.
The average number of units per complex is 53 units.
The City has adopted design guidelines for
residential housing units in its eight
historic districts. The Ocean
Springs Historic Districts Design Guidelines provide a narrative of the
significance of each of the districts in addition to architectural standards
that should be applied to new construction, alterations, and additions. The purpose of the guidelines is to assure
that new housing units are designed to be compatible with the historic architectural
styles found in the districts and to protect the historic integrity of the
neighborhoods.
The City does have pockets of substandard
housing as informally assessed by the City’s Building Inspection staff. The majority of the substandard houses are
located in redevelopment and transitional neighborhoods. Substandard housing is one of the criteria
for determining the functionality of the different geographic areas of the City
for planning purposes. As noted in the Initial
Housing Element: A Part of the Comprehensive Plan (1971), while substandard
housing was occupied by both whites and nonwhites alike, the problem was nearly
twice as frequently experienced by nonwhites than by whites.
The proportion of substandard housing
occupied by “nonwhites” (using the classification terminology of the 1971 plan)
has continued to rise drastically in relation to the number of substandard
housing units occupied by whites. The
disproportionate share is due in part to a population increase in the white
population of 216% between 1960 and 1990 – many of whom moved into newer
constructed houses – and only an 86.5% increase in the nonwhite
population. Also to be noted is that
nonwhites make up less than 10% of the City’s estimated population in 2000. However, the disproportionate share can also
be attributed to the City’s lack of a formal housing and redevelopment program
coupled with the lack of private sector investment in the “nonwhite” areas of
the City.
Ocean Springs housing trends follow many
of the trends that have occurred nationally.
The fast pace of residential construction has fueled concerns about
“sprawl.” In the midst of prosperity,
the home ownership gap between whites and minorities has not narrowed. Very low income households still lack
adequate, affordable housing at a time when losses of subsidized units are
rising. National figures indicate that
record numbers of very low income households are devoting more than half their
incomes for housing. Renting remains
the only option for many who are either unable to qualify for a mortgage loan
or to cover the costs associated with buying a home. For many others, though, renting is an attractive lifestyle as
well as a prudent financial choice. It
is an especially appealing option for people who expect to move again within a
few years, because they can avoid the steep transaction costs associated with
buying and selling a home. It also may
be the first independent step for younger persons in making a long term
commitment to a community; as trends have shown, initially they may rent, but as
they become “settled,” they seek to purchase property in the community where
they have been living.
Although household growth may slow
slightly over the coming decade, home building is expected to rival the 1990s
in terms of new construction and value of construction. As the aging “baby boomers” boost the number
of forty-five to sixty-five year olds, the demand for amenity- rich homes and
second homes will continue to rise. At
the same time, the “echo boomers” (the children of the baby boomers) will begin
to supplant the smaller “baby-bust” generation in the young adult age groups,
giving the markets for rental units a moderate rise. Ocean Springs should anticipate shifts in housing demand towards
multi-family units as they are growing fastest among both young and middle-aged
households. At the national level, with
the children of baby boomers beginning to live independently, the number of
renter households under age 25 has been increasing significantly over the past
five years. Home ownership is on the
rise in the preceding age group, but the share that rents housing still exceeds
eighty percent (80%). The baby boomers
also are contributing to the shift in demand.
As the boomers age during the planning period, the share of renters aged
forty-five to sixty-five is expected to rise.
Economic Growth
The City of Ocean Springs has more retail
and service businesses than any other type of establishment, with this sector
playing a dominant role in the City’s
local economy. Nearly 50% of land used
for commercial purposes is for retail trade.
A growing portion of the retail trade is developing in response to the
promotion of the City as cultural tourist destination. The City is home to the Walter Anderson
Museum of Art, the developing Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center for Arts and
Education, and Shearwater Pottery as well as other small galleries, such as
Local Color Gallery, OSAA Co-op Gallery, and Peggy Pelham Gallery.
Recent studies have shown that
arts-related institutions draw more visitors than professional sports
events. Nationally, the centers of
American cities are showing impressive results ensuing from a recent
consideration of cities as the centers of American culture; the same is true
for Ocean Springs. It is now recognized
nationally that there are significant revenues generated from museums and
galleries contributing to local employment, business prosperity and tax
revenues. A city’s overall image is
directly related to its arts and cultural institutions, which can play a major
role attracting and retaining skilled professionals in the area. Moreover, there is renewed awareness that
collaborations among arts institutions and business interests can be mutually
beneficial. In theory a cultural
district should offer diverse attractions and be incorporated into the sensibly
developed patterns of the city.
To engender its own individuality, an
“arts district” should have at least four to five “attractors” within a three-
to -four- block radius of one another, and the walkways between them should be
inviting. Success also depends on the
intermixed private enterprises, including cafes, restaurants, and bars; frame
and print stores, hotels, nightclubs, and various specialty retail shops that
are open at night. To compliment the
institutions and their supporting businesses, public art and murals,
artist-in-residence programs, and festivals should be encouraged. Ocean Springs has many of the preceding in
place or in development.
The Health Care industry also contributes
significantly to the City’s economy.
Roughly 19% of the City’s land in commercial use is for health related
professions. Other services make up
28.9% of the commercial land. Only 5%
of the City’s non-residential land is dedicated to manufacturing and related
type uses. The City needs to maintain
and encourage investment in the commercial sector of its economy, while at the
same time diversifying into other sectors such as manufacturing, technology,
and research and development.
Ocean Springs is home to two national
corporations that also are important employers in the City. The first is Blossman Gas, Inc. established
in 1951. Blossman Gas sells propane gas
and accessories throughout the southeastern states from Mississippi to
Virginia. The company has over 70
branches and is the 13th largest propane dealer in the country. The second is Gulf National Companies. Gulf National and its affiliates
represent the largest funeral insurance company in Mississippi. The company provides funeral and life
insurance to about 180,000 policy holders in Mississippi, and represents 200
funeral homes throughout the state. Its
main office is in Jackson and the executive offices are in a restored historic
building in downtown Ocean Springs.
An estimated
80% of Ocean Springs’ population commutes to places of employment outside of
the City. Harrison County provides a
significant source of employment through the gaming industry. The cities of Pascagoula and Moss Point in
Jackson County have several major industrial facilities, including Ingall’s
Ship Building, Chevron, and
International Paper, that employ many Ocean Springs’ residents. The high commuter rate has caused Ocean
Springs to be recognized as a “bedroom” community.
Income
The City of
Ocean Springs is recognized as having the highest per capita income in the
State of Mississippi. The estimated
average per capita income in 2000 for a resident of Ocean Springs is $19,805. That income level does not necessarily
reflect the wages paid within the City of Ocean Springs. With the exception of some major
manufacturers and the United States government, most jobs on the Mississippi
Gulf Coast are retail or service oriented.
Generally, jobs in the retail and services sectors tend to be lower
paying than jobs in the manufacturing or technology industries that often demand higher skills from their
workforce. Per capita incomes on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast are expected to rise slightly faster than the national
average.
Median
household income for residents of the City is estimated to be $42,575, compared
to a metro area average of $40,500.
Based on the CACI ACORN Profile, 41.8% of households in Ocean Springs
are considered “affluent.” The same
study shows that 36.9% are considered “upscale households.” Characteristics of the “affluent” and
“upscale” households are: upper-income “empty nesters,” prosperous baby
boomers, urban professional couples, baby boomers with children, and older
settled married couples.
VI. Land Use
The most
appropriate use, density and livability of the primary corridors into and
through the City have historically posed challenges for the community. The initial 1965 Plan recommended a more
“livable” environment in the primary corridors and that development patterns
should include residential and less intensive commercial uses. The future land use element of the 1971
Plan, which established the basis for the City’s existing zoning districts,
created “strip” commercial areas along the thoroughfares. However, when reviewing the land use element and
the future land use map for this Plan, consideration should be given to the
following:
·
The
future land uses are not zoning designations -- they are intended to guide
local decisions on zoning, subdivision and other land use matters.
·
Future
land uses reflect a future condition -- uses designated on the map may be
appropriate in 10 to 20 years, but currently may not be appropriate due to
reasons of compatibility, availability of adequate public facilities, or
proximity to services.
·
The
Future Land Use Map is dynamic -- as justified by changing conditions in the
community, the future land use map should change. While map amendments should not be made frequently, periodic
adjustments to better achieve community goals will help the community achieve
its planning goals.
·
The map
and text of the Land Use Element are to be used together -- the text and tables
in this element guide interpretation of the Future Land Use Map.
Planning
Areas
Planning
Areas are neighborhoods within the City with unique or distinct characteristics
and planning needs. Planning Areas, the
boundaries of which may be amended from time to time, are shown in the exhibit
titled Planning Areas Map briefly described, below:
Gateway Corridor District. Gateway Corridors are the key
entryways into and through the City, and consists of properties adjoining and
visible from the major arterial corridors.
Pragmatically, corridors are extremely important to identifying community
image. The Gateway Corridor is urban in function
and has similar land uses to those in the Downtown District. The difference is that the Gateway Corridor
is an urban area located and designed for access via the automobile. In contrast to the vegetation characteristic
of older commercial districts, such as the downtown, roads and parking lots
dominate the Gateway Corridor.
Within the planning area, the effect of
accommodating the automobile has determined the character of the
environment. Characteristically, the
area, with few exceptions, has witnessed
INSERT
Planning
Areas Map
EXHIBIT
increasing amounts of land being consumed
for parking, driveways, and roads than for buildings and site design
(landscaping, open space, etc), which has decreased the significance and
function of the architecture and has encouraged the elimination of natural
features. Traditional design and “image
elements” that defined Ocean Springs, such as well-defined enclosures, pedestrian
access and human-scale design, have been minimized. Widely-spaced one-story buildings have made the area indistinct
and lacking any sense of place. The
area that parking consumes also has limited the degree of enclosure; parking
lots and driveways that create barriers to pedestrian movement between
buildings define enclosure. Each use
tries to encourage customers to park at its front door, promoting driving from
use to use.
The primary land uses in the Gateway
Corridor are retail, office and services (medical, professional, etc). Development intensity is less than that
found in the downtown district. The
uses require space for high levels of interaction where access is automobile
dependent. As a result, buildings
frequently are constructed some distance from the public rights-of-way, while
parking lots and driveways occupy much of the setback area.
Fast food restaurants, convenience stores,
and shopping centers dominate the landscape of the district. A tension exists between density and
attempts to introduce vegetation to produce a more traditional setting, which
has resulted in further spacing of buildings and increased dependence on the
automobile. The principal residential
use in the area is apartments. The
density is such that personal privacy only can be attained indoors or in walled
yards. Planning issues include:
·
Additional
infrastructure investment, primarily for water and sewer
improvements/extensions, stormwater management;
·
Corridor
and gateway design standards and traffic calming;
·
Adequate
transportation levels of service and multimodal options;
·
Loss of
community character; and
·
Preservation
of natural resources and “greening” of the district.
Downtown District.
The Downtown District is the urban core of Ocean Springs. It is the traditional and historic
center for government, commerce and culture, and remains a vital, vibrant link
between Ocean Springs “olde” and new.
The area commonly is described as the “heart” of Ocean Springs and for
many embodies the character of what people perceive Ocean Springs to be. The sense of space in the downtown is
defined clearly by physical architectural elements and the canopy of live
oaks. Historically, the area has been a
place where commerce and cultural opportunities have been concentrated. The environment was and is designed to bring
people into close contact and maximize personal interaction. One result of the more intense interaction
is congestion. Although congestion
usually is considered undesirable, the downtown retail activities are dependent
on intense pedestrian activity.
Commercial and residential buildings are set close to the public
rights-of-way, which enhances pedestrian access and contributes to the enclosed
spatial quality.
Downtown
Ocean Springs is a unique place for its residents and visitors alike. It is crucial that Ocean Springs maintain
this area as a vital business district while remaining resident-friendly by
accommodating and promoting pedestrian activity. The central business district should provide better connections
to anchoring institutions in the community, such as the old Depot, City Hall,
and the Walter Anderson Museum. Several
options exist to develop a pedestrian
path within the blocks combined with the sidewalk of Washington Avenue
forming a loop that promotes
alternative routes through the downtown.
Along alternate routes particular attention should be focused on
improving pedestrian orientation. This
requires developing an inventory of existing parking as well as identifying new
parking areas not overpowering to the pedestrian.
Parking is
perceived to be a problem by some of the merchants in the central business
district and must be resolved by balancing the desire for pedestrian
orientation with the use of the automobile.
More appropriately, the perception of a lack of adequate parking may be
better described as a sensed lack of convenient parking (i.e., directly in
front of a business). The Growth and
Development Committee the City formed identified three critical areas related
to parking in the central business district: (1) the square footage requirement
for individual bays; (2) limiting parking to one side of the street on narrow
streets; and, (3) building off-site parking facilities. The parking issue should be studied further
and an appropriate course of action decided both by the public sector and the
private sector, so not to hinder business retention and attraction to the
central business district.
Much of the Downtown District was
developed prior to the advent of the automobile. With the reliance on the automobile that has evolved
significantly since World War II, the Downtown District faces urban design
constraints. Pedestrians, generally, do
not prefer to walk distances greater than six hundred (600) feet. With a large majority of people arriving to
the downtown area via automobile, parking issues must be addressed so walking
distances are minimized.
Within walking distance of the commercial
core is a mix of residential uses. The
residential uses have been important for providing additional activity within
the downtown. The residents also
benefit from the proximity to the concentration of social, cultural, and
recreational activities in and adjacent to the planning area. While the residences are located in a more
urban setting, personal privacy is maintained by the relatively low density (by
urban standards) of single-family residential development and fenced
yards. In addition, the near-by Little
Children’s Park, Freedom Field and the beach provide refuge from the high level
of public interaction and congestion of the urban setting. Planning issues include:
·
Central
business district stability and investment;
·
Encouraging
and increasing pedestrian access;
·
Preservation
and revitalization of residential areas;
·
In-fill
development; and
·
Cultural
development.
Historic Ocean Springs. Historic
Ocean Springs contains the City’s historic roots, and is characterized by
development patterns communities across the country try to emulate, now
referred to as “new urbanist” or neo-traditional development practices. The
Historic District planning area exemplifies the qualities that define the City
of Ocean Springs. Five (5) historic
districts are within the boundaries of this area: the Old Ocean Springs, Indian
Springs, Marble Springs, Lovers’ Lane, and Shearwater Districts. The planning area embodies many of the
characteristics found in the Downtown District, such as:
·
Green
spaces and vegetation, including live oak tree lined streets;
·
Accommodations
for pedestrian and other non-vehicular traffic;
·
A high
degree of architectural cohesiveness, yet with distinct variations between
historic districts; and
·
Appropriate
scale of buildings relative to their setback.
One of the main differences between the
downtown district and the historic districts, however, is their respective land
uses – the historic districts are residential, whereas the downtown district
primarily is commercial with residential uses at the periphery that transition
to adjacent historic districts.
Planning issues include:
·
Preservation
of community character;
·
Maintaining
high level of public safety to encourage further investment;
·
Protection
and enhancement of natural landscape; and
·
Encouraging
compatible in-fill development.
East Beach District.
The East Beach District is comprised of two distinct character
areas. The first is an estate-type area
in which the development pattern predominantly is low density residential. They mainly are waterfront properties, and
includes the Sullivan-Charnley Historic District. The second area is comprised of more suburban style development
located mainly in the interior of the district. Both areas are similar in that there is significant landscaping
that provides for effective contrast and balance to the buildings.
Along the waterfront, lots have been platted
and buildings have been set back to facilitate more privacy, less crowding, and
a clear sense of spaciousness. The
landscape is a more prevalent physical attribute of the area than the
buildings. An “open” feeling has been
created in the area through low-density development on larger, more heavily
landscaped properties. Architectural
and “man-made” elements are apparent from the public rights-of-way, but are
secondary to the landscaping.
The development in the interior of the
district is more intensive, single-family residential in character and
use. Current open space is simply areas
not yet developed or unable to be developed due to environmental constraints;
in essence, the natural open spaces or views are borrowed from adjoining
land. Few of the developments have
significant internal open space.
Planning issues include:
·
The loss
of the historic estate character as the area has transitioned to a more
suburban character type;
·
Preservation
of existing residential character;
·
Preservation
of open space and scenic views and protection of natural resources; and
·
Connecting
the district, with adequate pedestrian ways, bikeways, or other alternatives to
the automobile, to schools, recreation areas, cultural centers, and retail
shopping in other planning areas.
Fort Bayou District. The Fort
Bayou planning area is comprised of typical suburban residential development
characteristic of the late 1960s to the present. The area represents typical post-World War II “suburban”
development patterns, limited by local hydrological conditions.
However, the City has encouraged neighborhood design that preserves
existing natural environmental characteristics and retains open space to
protect neighborhood character.
Unlike the historic developments in Ocean
Springs, human interaction in the Fort Bayou District generally is lowered from
the more intense urban level to a more casual social level. Residents engage in more unstructured
“family-oriented” activities rather than the more formal event- or
place-oriented activities, such as the various social and cultural activities
that occur throughout the year in the downtown and historic districts. There is more of a sense of individual
privacy than what may be found in the Downtown District and, to a degree, in
the Historic District. The sensed
privacy results from more pronounced setbacks between buildings and along
public rights-of-way.
The changes in space, lifestyle, and
interaction levels in the district directly have affected the types of land use
appropriate for the area. Commercial
developments, while located near-by in the Gateway Corridor, that serve
community needs typically cannot be integrated as easily into developments due
to the levels of interaction necessary to maintain privacy, the “suburban” lifestyle,
and lack of congestion the residents seek.
Large nonresidential uses have a scale and appearance incongruous in a
suburban environment. In addition, the
transportation network is not laid out to support a variety of nonresidential
uses in the district. It is possible to
accommodate nonresidential uses in the district; however, in order to do so,
they must be either spread out with lower intensity on each site or clustered
to surround or be surrounded by open space.
Planning issues include:
·
Loss of
open space and lack of natural resource protection;
·
Loss of
community character;
·
Connecting
the district, with adequate pedestrian ways, bikeways, or other alternatives to
the automobile, to schools, recreation areas, cultural centers, and retail shopping
in other planning areas; and
·
Maintaining
public safety through traffic calming measures and design encouraging safety
and livability.
Middle Ocean Springs District.
The Middle Ocean Springs planning area is characterized by the initial
post-World War II development that occurred in the City and outside of the City
that later was annexed. The area
consists of primarily residential development mixed with some institutional
uses. Within the district, pockets of
blight have emerged as the housing stock has aged and not been maintained. The district also has several large vacant
parcels that may provide opportunities for in-fill development that could
enhance the area if properly planned and designed. Planning issues include:
·
Lack of
land use patterns and traditional architectural and landscape elements
representative of the historic character of Ocean Springs;
·
Prevention
of spread and further deterioration of pockets of urban blight;
·
Additional
infrastructure investment, primarily for water and sewer
improvements/extensions and stormwater management;
·
Lack of
multimodal transportation options; and
·
Preservation
of open space and protection of natural resources.
Northeast Ocean Springs.
The majority of the remaining vacant land within the present corporate
limits of Ocean Springs is in the Northeast Ocean Springs planning area. The topography of the area is flat and much
of the soil, vegetation, and hydrology are characterized as pine savannah
wetlands. While the environmental
constraints in the area do not prohibit development altogether, they do require
special planning and design to assure minimal impact to the health, safety, and
welfare of the public and environment.
Prior development in the area, some of which occurred prior to
annexation into the City, was not designed with the environmental constraints
in mind and has resulted in costly drainage and related infrastructure
improvements.
The emerging development pattern and
character in North East Ocean Springs is suburban. The land use is predominantly single family residential. The function, spatial qualities, and
encounter levels all are similar to those in the Fort Bayou and Southeast Ocean
Springs districts. The landscaping,
open space, and other environmental qualities are lacking more than other
predominantly residential districts. Even though there are parks in the
planning area, the North East Ocean Springs district does not have a distinct
public realm that serves as a center of the neighborhood. Earlier developed subdivisions are showing
the initial signs of blight as evidenced by property maintenance and nuisance
code violations. The lack of a public
realm, which is a component of creating a sense of place in which people can
have pride, may be one factor contributing to the declining quality of life in
earlier developments. Planning issues
include:
·
Creating
a sense of community and character;
·
Creating
a safe physical environment though quality design;
·
Proper
management and maintenance of codes- property maintenance, nuisance, and
environmental;
·
Connecting
the district, with adequate pedestrian ways, bikeways, or other alternatives to
the automobile, to schools, recreation areas, cultural centers, and retail
shopping in other planning areas;
·
Additional
infrastructure investment, primarily for water and sewer
improvements/extensions and stormwater management; and
·
Encouraging
compatible mixed uses.
Evidence that this area is one of the
fastest-growing in the City can be found in the volume of recent development
activity – recent residential subdivision developments include Trentwood,
Lakeview 1, Lakeview 2; recently approved residential subdivisions include
Lakeview 3 and Southwind; current proposed subdivision development includes a
mixed use planned development (single- and multi-family residential, general
commercial) and Lakeview 4.
Southeast Ocean Springs.
Southeast Ocean Springs houses a significant number of new residential
developments that occurred as a result of the gaming industry coming to the
Mississippi Gulf Coast. As with the
Fort Bayou District, the development patterns and character are typical
suburban. The land uses are a mix of
residential, institutional, conservation, and limited neighborhood commercial
along Government Street with the predominant use being single family
residential in the district. The
remaining vacant land in the district does provide the City one of its last
opportunities within its present corporate limits to reclaim its character and
prevent further loss of natural resources that provide much of the character to
Ocean Springs. Planning issues include:
·
Loss of
open space and lack of natural resource protection;
·
Loss of
community character;
·
Connecting
the district, with adequate pedestrian ways, bikeways, or other alternatives to
the automobile, to schools, recreation areas, cultural centers, and retail
shopping in other planning areas;
·
Maintaining
public safety through traffic calming measures and design encouraging safety
and livability;
·
Additional
infrastructure investment, primarily for water and sewer improvements/
extensions and stormwater management; and
·
Encouraging
compatible mixed uses.
Critical Neighborhoods
There are areas within the City that have
unique characteristics and should be afforded additional considerations to
assure preservation and appropriate development. These areas are identified as the Central Business District and
Inner Harbor District on the Future Land Use Map. During the development of the
Zoning Ordinance, these areas need special attention to preserve the areas
which may be achieved by special district designation, overlay districts, and
use district designation.
The Central Business District is
perceived by many to be the heart of Ocean Springs. The area contains commercial uses along Washington Avenue and
Government Street with a mix of commercial, public and residential uses on the
surrounding streets. Narrow lots and
zero or small setbacks are typical throughout area. Architectural styles and density varies. The CBD has developed as a pedestrian
friendly area with tree lined streets and canopies. The diversity of this area is a positive attribute and should be
encouraged by regulating ordinances that follow this plan.
The Inner Harbor District is another
unique area of the city. The District
plays a critical role for Ocean Springs because it is characteristic of the
community’s image, exemplifying the type and mix of desired and appropriate
uses. Located between Front Beach and
East Beach, the Inner Harbor District is a small craft harbor located among
traditional single-family detached dwellings.
The District provides small craft storage slips for personal vessels,
yet also permits single family residential units and limited marine-related
commercial activities, which include the sale or service and supplies for those
who use the harbor. The protection and
preservation of the harbor and the surrounding neighborhoods is an important
task for the City. The continuance and
further development of permitted uses should be encouraged. Uses, whether marina-based on not, which
should be prohibited include moderate- and high-density residential, moderate-
and high-intensity commercial uses, repair shops and industrial activities
because they are not conducive to the character and environment surrounding the
harbor.
The Government Street Redevelopment
Area is a neighborhood in transition.
Its location adjacent to the Gateway Corridor and Central Business
District challenges the long-term viability of existing single-family dwellings
- the neighborhood is surrounded by commercial uses, which depresses
residential valuations. The City is
committed to providing and maintaining adequate infrastructure for the
redevelopment area, evidenced by recent investment in street, sewer and
drainage improvements. The transitional
nature of the area is anticipated to be part of a long-term process, the pace
of which is solely dependent on market forces, due to its anticipated conversion
from a residential neighborhood surrounded by commercial uses to part of an
integrated commercial activity node linking Gateway Corridor and CBD uses.
Economic
Development
The current
business make-up of the CBD is comprised of small retail shops, including a
significant amount of arts stores, service establishments, such as beauty
salons, professional offices, such as law offices, and restaurants. Many of the existing retail businesses are
well suited to serve a tourist population and people shopping for special
occasions; however, the central business district needs to attract more
businesses that serve “everyday” needs of the City’s residents, especially in
adjoining residential areas. As of the
time of writing the Comprehensive Plan, many residents travel to the businesses
in the “gateway” planning area to purchase consumer commodities, such as
groceries, clothing, etc. Not only
would recruitment of businesses providing “everyday” needs and services make
the central business district more competitive with the commercial strips in
the “gateway” planning area, but it would encourage less reliance on the
automobile. Furthermore, if successful
in developing a more diverse retail and service base, the central business district
may attract residents from other areas of the City who are shopping for
“everyday” products; consequently, it, again, will have to face the perceived
parking problem. As written above, the
perceived parking problem is one of the issues that the City, the Chamber of
Commerce, and private property owners in the central business district will
have to address for business retention, expansion and attraction.
A second
retention, expansion, and attraction issue is the integrity of some of the
buildings in the central business district. Some of the buildings are very old
and poorly maintained, especially in terms of plumbing, electrical and
drainage. In a few of the buildings
along Washington Avenue, up to three inches of sewage have backed up into the building
because of undersized, aging piping. During heavy rains, many of the shops are
subject to flooding due to inadequate street drainage and buildings either being built or having settled too low below
grade. Sidewalk flooding also occurs during heavy rains. The situation will have to be studied and
the City will have to invest in making substantial improvements, such as using
drain tiles under Washington Avenue to carry the water east toward Jackson
Avenue. In addition, the City should evaluate the development of financial
incentives to make it more cost-effective for property owners to address
building deficiencies.
The third
retention, expansion and attraction issue is geographic space. Existing buildings will have to be
rehabilitated in order for larger businesses to make the most efficient use of
floor area. The alternative is for a
new business to demolish and remove an existing building; however, without
proper design controls in place, the City would encounter the risk of having
new construction being incompatible with the existing mass and scale of extant
buildings. In-fill potential is limited
in the central business district due to the development patterns that have
occurred over time.
Obstacles to
continued growth and diversification aside, private and public entities have
been extremely successful in keeping the central business district a key focal
point for existing local businesses and residents through festivals throughout
the year. The most notable festival is
the annual Peter Anderson Festival.
Within the
area of the central business district, one of the most pleasing attractions and
characteristics is the live oak lined streets.
As noted in the Strategies for Redevelopment: Master Planning and Guidelines for the
Redevelopment of Ocean Springs (1999), it is essential that the City
preserve and protect historic live oaks lining the streets. The community needs to preserve existing
green spaces and provide new ones in the area.
The live oaks in the City are important both for their historical value
as well as function of providing shade and creating a “common thread”
throughout the community. The trees are
large in the central business district and provide shade and shelter. Existing green spaces are small and
intimate, not overwhelming and empty.
Coupled with the trees and green spaces, the buildings are well scaled
to the pedestrian. Except for the Villa
Maria retirement building, the buildings do not overpower people in size or
proportion. With its excessive height,
the Villa emphasizes the more comfortable scale typical to the central business
district.
While some
of the analyses could be considered to be a means of justifying the need for
future parking facilities and more or less support designing the city strictly
for the automobile, these analyses provide some insight into conditions of the
City’s Central Business District at a certain point in time and serve as a base
for analyzing what progress has been made.
A visitor to the Ocean Springs central business district in 2000
undoubtedly will find a district that is bustling both with people and
automobiles; however, the “confusion”as described in the 1971 Plan does not
appear prevalent. Also, the previous
image of a central business district lacking in attractiveness, cleanliness,
and busyness does not appear to be true.
Moreover, the “congestion” lamented in the 1971 Comprehensive Plan also
may be considered in present planning theory a “natural” traffic calming
measure making travel by foot safer.
The central business district, contrary to what had been written in
1971, is Ocean Springs’ greatest asset according to many residents and should
be given considerable attention to preserve that character and vitality.
Transitional
Neighborhoods
Transitional
areas typically allow for uses and site designs that create a shift between
higher intensity uses and lesser intensity uses; they also are areas that are
functionally between the residential, stable planning area and the
redevelopment planning area. While
transitional areas have not declined to a state of blight that would qualify
them as an area in need of redevelopment, they have not maintained the
integrity that is observed generally in the predominant residential areas. They typically are some of the earlier post
World War II suburbs of the City of Ocean Springs.
The primary
areas of declining housing in the transitional area are along Bills Avenue,
between Bechtel Boulevard and Halstead Road, and off Morris Noble Road in the
vicinity of Clay Boyd Park, as well as small “pockets” adjacent to the
preceding areas. The 1971 Comprehensive
Plan concentrated on a larger neighborhood area than the housing in the
transitional planning area, but set forth as one of the primary goals to
“conserve this neighborhood through code enforcement and proper buffer areas
between mixed land uses.” While most of
the neighborhood established in the 1971 plan in which the transitional area is
located has been conserved and maintained, the areas in the transitional area
have suffered declining housing standards as assessed by the City’s Community
Development and Planning Department.
Attributes that contribute to the assessed degenerating standards
include deferred maintenance of properties and aging housing of lesser quality
construction. Many of the properties
have not reached a state in which they would be considered unsafe for
habitation, but if past maintenance trends continue, it will only be a matter
of time before public safety issues evolve.
As with the
redevelopment planning area, the transition of the housing in the area may be
considered a naturally occurring process in the urban ecology. The area at present does provide some of the
more affordable housing opportunities for lower to moderate income residents-
opportunities which for the most part are absent in other parts of the
City. Potentially, in the long term,
reinvestment circumstances may arise for entrepreneurial persons as properties
and their associated values decline in that properties may be acquired at a
lesser value and allow the investor to put more capital towards rehabilitating
or rebuilding properties.
Preservation
of Residential Areas
The needs of
a community to be a viable, active and livable city require land uses other
than single family residential. The
activities that support residential land uses create a need for recreational,
commercial, retail, office and industrial uses as well as an efficient
infrastructure and thoroughfare system.
However, today single family residential land uses still make up the
greatest percent of Ocean Springs’ land uses.
Vacant lands still comprise significant acreage in the entire City, but
continue to be developed with new single family development. Neighborhoods for the most part exist as
stand alone enclaves and the sense of connection is minimal as a result of poor
planning that discourage a mixture of residential uses and activities that
support those uses; for example, the 1971 Comprehensive Plan clearly segregated
uses the impact of which can be evidenced today.
The City has
obstacles to achieving the aforementioned balanced growth in the existing
residential areas. The first is
physical constraints, both natural and man-made. The abundance of natural drainage areas, bayous, and areas of
sloping terrain make inter-connectivity difficult without having a significant
environmental impact. In addition, the
layout of roads is not conducive to creating enclaves of neighborhood commercial
stores to serve adjacent residential populations. The latter factor is a result of a second obstacle - social
perceptions. People have been very
hesitant to have an integration of uses which produce neighborhoods. Roads purposefully have been designed not to
interconnect to discourage through-traffic.
While the
preceding may not apply to all streets on which residential development has
occurred, it is evident throughout the planning area. As a result, the City needs to focus on maintaining property
values by assuring property is maintained, residential areas are kept safe and
free of traffic violators and crime, the natural environment is protected, and
adequate water, sewer, and stormwater facilities are provided. Consequently, an environment has not been
constructed that would allow for neighborhood commercial uses to be
incorporated into residential areas, because often there is no system of
adequate traffic circulation.
Residential
use patterns have consumed the majority of the available acreage within the
City. Residential property owners are
passionately protective of their investments in single-family residential
dwellings. The majority of residential
development in the area consists of medium to large lot single family detached
dwellings. Along Porter Avenue, there
are some neighborhood commercial uses, such as restaurants and service related
uses.
Substandard
Housing
The 1971
Comprehensive Plan identified seven (7) objectives to address the issue of
substandard housing in the planning area:
·
Clear and redevelop the blighted areas between Government Street
and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad;
·
Eliminate and rehabilitate the remaining blighted areas through
proper code enforcement;
·
Pave and improve streets and thoroughfares within this neighborhood
in accordance with the Major Thoroughfare Plan;
·
Ensure that city parks and recreation facilities are available for
residents in all neighborhoods in accordance with the Community Facilities
Plan;
·
Renovate and improve school facilities in accordance with the
Community Facilities Plan;
·
Provide additional public safety facilities, primarily a fire
station, in developing neighborhoods to provide better service to residents;
and
·
Provide low-income housing to accommodate those residents
displaced by redevelopment.
Some of
these objectives have been achieved since the adoption of the 1971 Plan; others
have not been achieved, due partially to the City’s lack of a formal community
development program and not adopting the Standard Housing Code. Though changing economic and market
conditions has led to significant growth along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a
negative consequence has been to increase the price (cost) of undeveloped but
developable land and reduce housing affordability.
City policy
makers and local residents and business owners have recognized that good
neighborhoods cannot be created by fixing up specific buildings through public
funds or by selling them cheaply to willing buyers. Safe, quality communities are built in an enduring way, only when
residents one step at a time become better off and make upgrades
themselves. Public funds cannot long
bolster neighborhoods for which there is minimal private demand and in which
there is insignificant individual investment of money, labor, and love. Social structure and stability is shaped
through the endeavor to preserve and upgrade neighborhoods in which residents
have an ownership stake, even in relatively modest housing.
Neighborhoods
should be allowed to discover their real level of value, so as to set the stage
for their long-term, sustainable renewal.
All cities experience long-term real estate demand cycles. Cities can be
thought of as urban ecosystems, in which various districts and residential neighborhoods
fill a variety of niches and play a variety of roles. New businesses or entrepreneurs both in and outside of the
redevelopment planning area need
inexpensive real estate and property that can be found in neighborhoods
that have survived their avail for other purposes. For example, vacant lots, cheap loft space, and abandoned factory
buildings have become the kindling for the sparks of new economic ideas in many
cities throughout the United States. If
poorer neighborhoods are not allowed to fall in value to their true market
level, but instead are artificially sustained, the opportunities for their
reuse can never be realized.
None of the
above should indicate that government cannot, or should not, make underused
land or buildings more easily adaptable to new uses. There are innumerable ways in which the City can support market
forces that help to renew areas such as the redevelopment planning area, such
as demolishing dangerous buildings to create developable lots and improving
streets and infrastructure. As land and
property values “bottom out,” developers and buyers with foresight will find
new uses for them. The cycle must be
allowed to run its course. Upholding
neighborhoods with government dollars prevents them from hitting
"bottom" and in turn prevents the infusion of real capital
investments that would otherwise lead to real, sustainable growth. The preceding also would allow for the
construction of modest low-cost homes, built on cheap urban land and marketed
to the upwardly mobile poor. Other
groups of the poor should be expected to continue to rely on used housing.
Historically,
however, the working poor have also had access to modest new structures as
well. Private programs such as Habitat
for Humanity, which uses volunteer labor and materials, in part, to offer two-
to three-bedroom homes for less than $50,000, point the way toward a new
generation of such modest structures, as does the potential for manufactured
housing. Moreover, easing ordinances
such as zoning and building codes can help clear the way for such structures,
which would stand in the tradition of row houses, bungalows, and other
privately built housing that was affordable for those of low income by virtue
of their low cost and relatively high density. Before widespread use of
regulatory mandates and zoning ordinances, private markets generally provided
housing for the poor.
During the
period from 1890 to 1930, for instance, truly vast amounts of new working-class
housing were built in American cities.
In Philadelphia during that period, for instance, some 299,000 brick row
homes were built--many of which have stayed in use. Data from the period show that a significant percentage of
residents of poor neighborhoods lived, not in tenements owned by rapacious
absentee landlords, but in small homes that they either owned themselves or in
which the owners also lived, renting out one or more units in addition to that
in which they lived. The City, thus,
has a responsibility to manage the transition of the redevelopment planning
area, helping to steer developers toward new uses in which the market wants to
invest.
Two
additional issues need to be addressed that hinder the redevelopment of the
area. First, the majority of houses in
the redevelopment planning area are rental units. The inhabitants do not have full control of the property and,
consequently, do not have the ability or incentive to maintain the property to
the highest standards practical. The
burden of property maintenance, therefore, falls on landlords. Second, the residents of the community have
not organized to pull together their resources, which may enable them better to reinvest in the neighborhood.
Preservation
of Historic Areas
Ocean
Springs faces challenges due to evolving suburban sprawl development
patterns, which do not possess the same characteristics (compact development
patterns, pedestrian oriented, grid streets) of the City’s historic development
pattern. New development within the
fast growing community have superimposed land uses onto what had been vacant
undeveloped land. One point that will
provide stability, as well as a sense of tradition, is the existence of
historic districts throughout the planning area. Housing outside of the historic districts tends to blend with
that in the historic districts in terms of scale and density. The architectural styles range from typical
ranch style to concrete block to neo-traditional. Landscaping in general is similar in terms of amount preserved
and enhanced as may be observed in the historic districts. Historic districts are shown in the exhibit titled Historic
District Map, and are described, below:
· The
Old Ocean Springs Historic District became a National Register District in 1987
and a local district in 1990. The
district is comprised of several residential blocks situated to the south and
west of the central business district.
The district is unique, because of its history of mixed use
(residential, commercial, professional, etc.) particularly along Jackson and
Washington Avenues. The area reveals an
abundance of high style architecture both well suited and adapted to the Gulf
Coast climate and indicative of the continuous development of Ocean Springs as
a resort community.
The Old Ocean Springs District is
significant for its diversity of architectural styles, local stylistic
adaptations, and variety of building forms.
Greek Revival, Queen Anne, and Craftsman stylistic interpretations
preponderate upon Creole cottages, Planter’s cottages, shotgun houses, and
bungalow forms. Climactic influences
are reflected by both the scarcity of chimneys and the plethora of
porches. The area also encompasses
churches and community buildings, as well as numerous residences rehabilitated
for modern non-residential uses.
INSERT
Historic
District Map
EXHIBIT
·
The Bowen
Avenue Historic District encompasses a linear area of three blocks of Bowen
Avenue, which runs east-west between Ward and Washington Avenues. The district is comprised of the frontage
properties along Bowen Avenue between General Pershing and Bellande Avenues and
one additional property west of Bellande Avenue. Initially developed from 1890 to 1930, the neighborhood grew
slightly northeast of the Old Ocean Springs area. Citizens of more moderate means built the area as evidenced by
the uniformity and modesty of both scale and detailing. As a middle-class development, these
dwellings reveal the diversity of influences within a prestigious resort
community, yet maintain a cohesive collection of residential architecture. The dwellings are either vernacular or have
few stylistic details, with high style architecture being the exception rather
than the rule. Even so, the district
displays examples of Victorian Italianate, Creole Cottages, Bungalows,
Victorian Shotguns, and Queen Anne Cottages.
The residences on Bowen Avenue, which remains narrow and tree-shaded,
are isolated from through traffic and newer areas of development.
·
The
Railroad Historic District is located along the railroad corridor which runs on
an east-west path through Ocean Springs’ historic areas. Illustrative of transportation and
industrial influences, the buildings in the district reflect uses related to
the railroad and the surrounding African-American community. These turn-of-the-century resources reveal
the great influence of the railroad upon Ocean Springs’s development. As a common business practice of the late
nineteenth century, the L & N Railroad Company contributed to the
neighborhood growth though the construction of worker housing. A prominent structure, the L & N RR
Depot, soon adjoined the railroad as the company and the community prospered. Commercial enterprise opened in proximity to
the railroad as well. The district is
significant for its railroad related architecture, including residential,
transportation, and commercial resources.
Four dwellings built circa 1890 by C. W. Madison for railroad worker
rental housing are similar to most of the residential housing. Stylistic details are present on a few of
these vernacular frame dwellings. The
district is highlighted by a few highly styled buildings, the Louisville &
Nashville Railroad Depot, the classically influenced Old Farmers and Merchant
State Bank, and the Carter-Callaway and Cochran-Cassonova residences.
·
The
Lover’s Lane Historic District occupies the western shore of a small peninsula
which separates the Back Bay of Biloxi from the mouth of the Old Fort Bayou,
the stream that curves along the northern limits of the historic development of
Ocean Springs. The development and
popularity of Ocean Springs as a historic resort community is reflected in the
turn-of-the-century majestic summer estates.
The peninsula was the site of Fort Maurepas, the original French
settlement in the colony of Louisiana Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville founded on
April 8, 1699. Lover’s Lane is a narrow
roadway edged with thick foliage and bisects the eastern boundary of the district. Private ownership has prevented extensive
archaeological excavation of the seventeenth century European settlement and a
silt-entombed ship from the same era, which is designated a National Register
site. The district is significant for
its eclectic high-style residential architecture, including examples of Greek
Revival, Queen Anne, and the Spanish Colonial Revival styles. Dwellings within the Lover’s Lane Historic
District, dating from the 1870s through the 1920s, also display local
adaptations of architectural styles designed to accommodate the climatic
challenges of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The orientation of the properties toward the bay, the generous scale of
landscape design, and the survival of oyster shell paths contribute to the
visual character of the area.
·
The
Shearwater Historic District consists of a series of bluffs overlooking the
Mississippi Sound. The area includes a
variety of water-oriented residential architecture secluded by long drives and
intense vegetation. More recent
construction respects the integrity of the dynamic waterfront sites. The Shearwater Historic District has been
occupied continuously since the early 1800s and includes the remnants of two
grand estates. One is Kendall property
that was developed circa 1850 on which an ice house and two grave sites are
extant. The second is the Tiffen Place
which encompasses a circa 1840 Greek Revival residence and its accessory
buildings. Mrs. Annette McConnell
Anderson purchased the Tiffen Place property in 1918 as an artists’ colony and
for its picturesqueness in natural simplicity.
Her three children included Peter, Walter, and Mac. Named Shearwater Pottery, the compound
served as the family home and became the site of multiple pottery buildings,
which have remained in continuous use.
Residential construction in proximity to the estates developed primarily
between 1937 and 1978. Shearwater
Pottery has given the historic district significance through the nationally
recognized works of Walter Inglis Anderson- muralist, potter, and artist- and
the pottery of his brother Peter. The
site and setting, more so than the architecture, define the visual character of
the pottery complex. The tree-shaded
properties facing the sound represent examples of the southern farmhouse,
Bungalow, French Provincial farmhouse and Colonial Revival. Also located in the district is the National
Register property, the Hansen-Dickey House.
·
The
Sullivan-Charnley Historic District is comprised of three contiguous waterfront
estates located between the Weeks, Halstead, and Davis Bayous on the northeast
corner of the intersection of East Beach Drive and Holcomb Boulevard. Constructed at the end of the nineteenth
century, the structures and their dependencies represent the only buildings in
Mississippi attributed by substantial evidence to Louis Sullivan (1856-1924) of
the renowned architectural firm of Adler and Sullivan. The firm of Adler and Sullivan designed at
least four of the buildings- shingle clad structures of great simplicity and profound
horizontality that are markedly similar to the ground-hugging, broad-eaved and
hip-roofed designs of Frank Lloyd Wright.
The structures top the crest of a low bluff and command an extensive
view of the water over an open sweep of front lawn; the rear grounds are
thickly planted.
·
The Marble
Springs Historic District is irregularly shaped and located in proximity to Old
Fort Bayou. Nineteenth and
turn-of-the-century residential architecture lines Iberville Drive, a street
shaded by live oaks, between north Washington and Sunset Avenues. The varied scale of the dwellings and lots
reflects the rise and decline of one of Ocean Springs’ most important
attractions- Marble Springs. Exploited
for its mineral waters since the 1850s, Marble Springs was touted for its
curative powers and offered the only spa bathing facility in town. As a community social center overlooking the
picturesque Old Fort Bayou, Marble Springs became a desirable home site for
numerous influential citizens. The
mineral springs ceased to flow when the ground water level lowered as a result
of excessive well drilling and the social exclusivity of the area later
declined. The district, a cluster of
street-oriented homes, is significant for its contrast of building scale and
style. Houses on the north side of the
street are more elaborate in terms of architectural style and larger in mass,
setback, and lot size. In contrast, the
south side dwellings are smaller, more vernacular and denser. The district also encompasses a replica of
the historic spring house.
·
The
Indian Springs Historic District is an irregularly shaped area located in
proximity to Old Fort Bayou. Having a
greater sense of informality than that of the other historic districts in the
City, the Indian Springs Historic District embodies a variety of residential
architecture from the 1850s to the 1930s.
The rehabilitation of many residences within this area for professional
use reflects the modern movement to appreciate and reuse historic buildings
within the community.
The mineral springs attracted visitors
over several centuries, beginning with the native Americans of the Marksville
Period approximately fifteen centuries ago and continuing through the
development of Ocean Springs as a resort community beginning in the 1850s. The district also includes the southern
landing site of a Fort Bayou ferry, operated by a Portugese immigrant named
Franco from around 1860-1890. Use of
the landing ceased with the construction of a bridge in 1901. The popularity of the mineral springs
fostered the later enlargement of the Franco home for a convalescents’
home/motel/restaurant complex; however, the spring ceased to flow freely due to
a decline in the water table. The
district is significant for its highly diverse concentration of architectural
forms and styles, including somewhat free and individual interpretations and
blends of Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman
styles. The structures generally are
one- and two-story frame construction and oriented to the street. Characteristic of residential areas,
tree-shaded lawns and designed planting beds define the landscape with the
exception of the increased density of trees and undergrowth close to the bayou.
In addition, the planning area encompasses
five National Register sites.
The Back Bay of Biloxi Shipwreck Site and the Hansen-Dickey House
located at 108 Shearwater Drive have been noted. The other three are Halstead Place located on East Beach Drive,
the O’Keefe-Clark Boarding House at 2122 Government Street, both of which were
placed on the register in April 1987, and the Old Ocean Springs High School
discussed in more detail below in the “Public facilities and Infrastructure”
section.
In-fill
Development
Due to the
lower density nature of residential development, there is strong potential for
in-fill development in the CBD. In-fill
development consists of using vacant, underused, or orphaned land for new
development. It can create more
affordable development since it uses existing infrastructure. It also can be used to encourage population
growth needed to sustain commercial activities and vitality in the heart of the
City. Furthermore, by using land in
mature areas, in-fill development can reduce the demand for housing in
undeveloped areas that require new services and reduce the cost to
taxpayers. Forms of potential in-fill
development include:
·
The addition of new dwellings on vacant lots or other undeveloped
parcels surrounded by existing residential development
·
Dwelling units added to existing houses (e.g., upstairs
apartments)
·
Small, detached dwellings added to lots of sufficient size with
existing houses (e.g., “mother-in-law” flats)
·
Redevelopment of properties
·
Neighborhood-related, non-residential development
In-fill
development inevitably leads to higher density and a mixing of uses. Historically, the City has been encumbered
with zoning and subdivision battles fought by residents trying to prevent new
development in the downtown planning area.
Residents used expected diminished property values as the reason for
requesting the City’s Planning Commission and Board of Alderman to deny such
rezoning and subdivision requests. Upon
occasion, the argument that the new development would diminish existing property
values was supplemented by arguments that it also would harm the character of
the area. Most national studies have
shown that in-fill development if designed properly enhances property values
(sometimes to the point of making it unaffordable for existing residents to
live in the area). The adverse impact
on community character may have some validity, but proper design can mitigate
potential and perceived adverse results of new development. It is inescapable that the City will have to
develop a means to balance the interests of existing property owners in the
downtown development area with the economic and environmental sustainability of
the community as a whole.
Growth
Management and Resource Conservation
To grow or
not to grow is no longer the question, but how to grow, at what rate, and with
what level of public intervention are the present day questions that Ocean
Springs leaders must address. The term
growth management includes efforts to manage community decline as well as
efforts to revitalize, diversify, and expand local economies. While population projections are not an
exact science and are but only one indicator of the City’s growth, the
projections show that the City must be ready to accommodate a 44% increase in
population. Based on past trends,
approximately one hundred fifty (150)
acres are expected to be used for non-residential purposes, with the
remaining five hundred ten (510) acres to be developed as residential property.
Growth is
anticipated to occur throughout the planning area, limited primarily by
infrastructure and land availability.
Higher density development, of course, can house more people on less
land and lead to either slightly higher population figures with the same amount
of land being used for non-residential uses or more land being developed for
non-residential uses while maintaining the same population. In either instance, the City must prepare
for the continued influx of people on the east side of the City.
Between 1990
and 1995, realty assessments in Ocean Springs experienced a 1.48% per year
increase, a total growth of $2.7 million.
During the same five year period assessments on all taxable property
experienced a 3.27% per year increase, a total growth of $8.7 million. Very little of the growth was in any way
resultant from gentrification of properties in or around the downtown area or
replacement of older residents with younger residents. Real estate contributed thirty one percent
(31%) of the City’s assessment growth during the period studied and most of the
addition involved new homes built in areas previously annexed to the City and
new commercial properties added along U. S. Highway 90. Between 1995 and 2000, similar trends are
speculated to have persisted.
The Draft
Growth Management Plan Element (1995) identified accorded annexation as the
primary tool for managing growth.
Rationalizations for using annexation as the main growth management
strategy included the following:
Opponents to
orderly growth and development through annexation appear to acknowledge that
Ocean Springs is heavily built out, but say our land should be more “built up,”
meaning that the intensity of land use within our City should be higher or the
use of the land should somehow be ‘better.’
Though
annexation is but one method for the City’s to manage growth, other tools are
available. The City should communicate
with local business owners and residents to identify and explore other growth
management techniques and their impacts on density, community character, the
environment and the economy of the City.
City residents are divided on the issues of growth and density primarily
because they cannot envision well designed higher density uses due to the lack
of local examples to which they can refer.
Based on interviews with local residents and business owners, protection
of trees and the natural resources that are some of the most defining features
of the City is a priority and interviewees immediately recognized that the
development patterns and design over the past twenty to thirty years have done
little to safeguard those resources.
Many expressed a willingness to accept higher density development
designed in accordance with locally acceptable standards as a trade off for
preserving the natural beauty of the City.
Higher density and intensity development is thought by most
interviewees, residents, and business owners to be appropriate for the
developing fringe planning area and the “gateway” planning area.
The City can
only influence how the remaining land in the City is developed. The City, however, can provide more
development options than are allowed under the current rigid zoning
ordinance. Consequently, the landowner
is left to his/her discretion to develop the property to a suitable density
allowed by market conditions, while the City focuses on ensuring the
development does not exceed its site carrying capacity based on (1)
environmental conditions, water and sewer availability and capacity, and
accessibility via an adequate transportation network, (2) locally accepted
design standards, and (3) natural resources protection on the site.
The City has
a variety of growth management tools from which it can choose. Capacity constraints of the existing road
network can be used to determine the development potential of a property to
specific densities or intensities. The
maximum amount of development can be correlated to a preferred service level at
which roads should function during the peak hour. Where traffic congestion already
is present (or is projected to be present when the area is more fully
developed) the maximum gross density can be lowered than what typically would
be allowed and the maximum intensity, based on a standard such as floor area
ratio, can be reduced below what typically would be allowed for nonresidential
projects. The location of a development
in relation to the network of arterial and collector roads in the City plays
the most important role in determining the development potential of a parcel
under this approach. The development
capacity of an area served by a particular segment of an arterial or collector
road within the Developing Fringe Planning Area is limited by the capacity of
the collector road which immediately serves that general area and the capacity
of the arterial road which is the primary traffic receptor from that collector
road.
For arterial
and collector roads, the development potential of property is based on a
pro-rata share of the available road capacity (i.e., maximum trips per acre
based on the level of service desired) and not on a first come first serve
basis. For arterial roads, the
development potential of property is ultimately restricted by the level of
service since potentially the actual amount of development in the area served
by an arterial road could exceed the maximum capacity of the arterial road many
times over. If the road is a City road
not planned to be improved, or if a property owner wishes to raise the
permitted capacity to a level higher than the level that was determined by the
City for any improvements, then the applicant may pay for the necessary
improvements as well as for any additional right-of-way required. Any improvements for which a property owner
pays may not be used to increase the permitted density of any other proposed
developments in the area- other than those in which that applicant has an
interest- unless a subsequent property owner agrees to pay a pro-rata share of
the cost of the improvements to the applicant who funded the improvements. The increase in the maximum number of permitted
trips in the area resulting from the improvements can serve as the basis for
determining the pro-rata share to be paid by any subsequent property
owner. By following certain procedures
designed to achieve the preceding, the property owner can increase the density
or intensity of the use.
In-fill
development is a growth management alternative; it is a viable tool for
protecting the remaining resources in the developing fringe area while meeting
the housing and commercial needs of new residents. The City can encourage in-fill development- the higher density
development of vacant and underutilized parcels of land in otherwise built up
area and in the other planning areas as a growth management strategy. Although high density once was considered to
be a major source of unhealthy cities, it now is encouraged as an powerful
means in the effectual use of land and preserving open space. In-fill development can be in various
configurations ranging from multi-family housing to smaller lots to mixed use
development to attached dwellings.
Performance
zoning is yet another way the City can manage its growth in the developing
fringe. The basic premise of
performance zoning is regulating land use based on permitted impacts versus
permitted uses. It is more concerned
with end result as opposed to a prescription of what use is appropriate. The assumption of traditional zoning as used
by the City is that different uses must be physically separate or distant from
one another in order to protect them from one another, whereas with performance
zoning land uses should be separated only to the degree that they create
negative impacts on neighboring or adjacent properties. In general, performance zoning departs from
fixed requirements excepting standards to regulate density, intensity,
environmental impact, traffic impact, and mitigate nuisances to maximize
freedom and flexibility by giving a property owner many options in developing
land. As with any regulatory system,
there are pros and cons, but communities throughout the nation have implemented
performance zoning to varying degrees to produce higher quality development
with minimal impact on existing residents and the environment.
There are
further options for managing growth the City can evaluate; however, to discuss
all of the growth management tools available is beyond the scope of this
plan. Some tools are more market
oriented, while others rely more heavily on government intervention and
management. The City will need to
carefully evaluate which tools are most appropriate in view of the state
enabling legislation, staff availability and capability, and socially
acceptability.
Any tools
that the City chooses to use to manage its future growth must give due
consideration to the protection of its remaining environmental resources. Environmental constraints do not necessarily
render land unusable, but they do require that development is carefully
designed to protect water quality and quantity to assure the health and safety
of residents. Design consideration must
address the availability of water and sewer, proper drainage systems that
incorporate the use of natural features, and the amount of impervious surface
created by new development that will affect runoff rates.
Annexation
In Mississippi,
annexation is the public process by which cities may extend municipal services,
voting privileges, regulations and taxing authority to new areas with the
specific intent of protecting the public’s health, safety, and welfare. With Ocean Springs’ rapid growth and need to
diversify land-use to attract new business and industries, annexation of new
land may be necessary for the intelligent and effectual extension of City
services. If the City does annex, it
must be prepared to provide public facilities and services to new residents
within a reasonable time, typically within a five-year period. Public services and facilities, when
offered, may be required to provided at the same level of service as provided
to existing residents, a factor which is critical to implementation of a
legally defensible impact fee program (which has been proposed to fund
growth-related costs).
To prepare
for long-term growth, it may become necessary for Ocean Springs to annex
adjoining lands for the long term well-being of the community. However, annexation must be done in
accordance with State law and established policies and plans and not on an ad
hoc basis. It is imperative that the
City establish a defined, long-term annexation and growth strategy, as a
natural extension of the Comprehensive Plan process – a strategy that
identifies opportunities, constraints and fiscal impacts.
This section of
the land use element identifies key issues relating to annexation, growth and
development within the Planning Area.
Most significantly, this element focuses on cooperative and coordinated
growth management with the County and neighboring jurisdictions and assessing
the fiscal impact on City resources prior to committing the City to a course of
action.
·
Coordinating with Jackson County.
Growth management strategies directly affect growth in and around
Ocean Springs. Planning and preparing
for growth, and improving inter-governmental and service provider coordination,
particularly in matters relating to capital improvements and development
standards is critical. Particularly
important is the coordinated limitation of development in inappropriate
locations (i.e., in open space or in outlying portions of the Planning
Area) or where infrastructure is inadequate.
·
Expanding boundaries to provide for and encompass new urban
development. In a political
environment that is hostile to annexation, the City will face increasing
challenges in addressing growth at its edges.
As a regional service provider, the City has some ability to influence
the intensity and character of urban development at its fringe. Coordination with the County is essential to
ensure that the rural development does not create an obstacle to logical growth
of the urban area. Some form of
extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) may be negotiated through the use of an
intergovernmental agreement.
·
Extending facilities to efficiently serve new development. The City has the ability to grow to the
north, northeast and southeast with relative ease. The challenge is to set investment priorities and identify
development policies to ensure that facilities are extended in a manner that
does not inequitably burden existing rate payers or taxpayers. In addition, facilities and services need to
be extended in a coordinated fashion to avoid service gaps (e.g., an
area with urban sewer service, but inadequate fire protection).
·
Upgrading deficient facilities in perimeter development. As the City grows and expands,
it will need to provide for or upgrade a variety of facilities, such as
streets, parks, stormwater facilities and fire stations. The City will need to determine an equitable
means of funding new or expanded facilities needed to meet the City’s level of
service standards. The plan should help
City decision-makers equitably allocate growth costs between existing and new
residents and businesses and should consider all financing alternatives.
·
Planning for growth in a fluid legislative environment. Each legislative session poses new
challenges and opportunities to the City’s growth management program. The City must stay abreast of changing
legislation and adjust its policies to respond appropriately.
·
Maintaining a diverse, vibrant economy. Ocean Springs has maintained a quality of
life other communities envy, and is making great strides to expand its economic
base to insulate the City’s economy from shifts in any single employment
sector. While continuing to grow and
expand its economic base, the City has increased its focus on improving the
quality of employment opportunities and providing the necessary resources to
attract higher end jobs. Local efforts
will need to continue to focus on the development of a high quality labor and
enhancement of local quality of life factors (e.g., school quality,
neighborhood attractiveness, commercial opportunities and cultural
offerings).
Land Use
Categories
Historically,
the City has segregated the uses from one another; however, an alternate option
for future development is to assess the how the different land uses can be
spatially assimilated, rather than segregated, based on compatibility to create
a more functional and livable environment.
For example, by allowing low intensity industrial uses to be developed
in close proximity to urban (medium density) residential or urban (high
density) residential uses with general commercial or low intensity commercial
uses exhibiting characteristics found in the Central Business District
buffering the uses in a gradation of intensity, conceivably a person could walk
to work while stopping by the store for a cup of coffee and newspaper on the
way. Also, deviating from a strict
separation of uses can allow a mix of residential types with varying densities
to create housing opportunities for all income groups from the service worker
to the CEO. The comprehensive plan
divides land uses into the following categories:
·
The Conservation land use classification was determined the City
of Ocean Springs Growth and Development Committee to be those lands which are
not suitable for urban development and use either due to their location and
environmental characteristics. Parcels
in the conservation land use classification may be privately-owned or
publicly-owned because they have been reserved for wildlife habitat or because
they are used for productive forestry, agriculture, or agricultural
purposes. Land in the conservation land
use classification may include designated wetlands, floodways, or floodplains,
or may contain soils which will not support urban development. Though some lands may be developable,
development in the conservation land use classification should be limited to
temporary improvements, buildings or structures that meet all standards adopted
by the City and all other applicable jurisdictions for construction in such
areas along with the necessary mitigation of resulting adverse impacts. Sustainability of natural resources,
wildlife habitat and protective agricultural and timberland is desired in
appropriate portions of the City of Ocean Springs and its Planning Area. It includes sensitive lands, such as public
and private beach areas along the Mississippi Sound shoreline and nearby
islands.
·
The Residential land use classification was defined as comprising
real estate intended to be developed and used for single-family residential
purposes, along with additional adjacent open area where it is likely and
desirable that such similar development should occur in the future. According to a 1997 survey, slightly more
than thirty-two percent (32%) of the City’s residential land (793.19 acres) was
classified as low density (between less than .33 units per acre to .99 units
per acre). In comparison, the 1997
survey also indicated that thirty-five percent (35%) of the City’s residential
land (880.28 acres) was classified as moderate density (between 1.00 units per
acre to 3.22 units per acre). Primary
uses in the classification are limited to single family detached residences on
individual lots and such complementary non-residential institutional uses are
intended primarily to provide services to the neighborhood. Included in the residential uses
contemplated for the estate residential land use classification are single
family detached residences on acreage sites or platted lots. Typically, the residential land use
classification is fully subdivided, fully improved with urban infrastructure
and has frontage on a public road.
However, some land in this classification may not be served by the full
range of municipal or certified utilities such as water, sanitary sewers,
natural gas or stormwater drainage infrastructure. Public uses such as schools, churches, parks and recreation
facilities, and utility installations necessary to support development were
assessed as being permissible non-residential uses subject to appropriate
locational, orientation, proximity relationship, site size, access and parking
standards.
·
The Urban (Medium Density) Residential classification was
predicated on acclimating lands and uses intended for higher density single
family detached residential subdivision development, medium density
developments accommodating two to four unit structures, medium density town
home complexes, and lower density multi-family residential complexes along with
additional open area where it is desirable and likely that such similar
development should occur. Again, in
comparison to the City as a whole, the 1997 survey revealed that 14.37% of land
used for single family residential structures, 84.19% of the land used for two
to four family attached units, and 1.90% of the land used for multi-family
units were classified as urban (medium density) residential-being a density
between 3.22 units per acre and less than 10 units per acre. Included in the area are complementary
non-residential institutional and commercial uses as are intended to provide
services to the neighborhood.
·
The Urban (High Density) Residential classification was intended
for conventional higher density single family residential subdivision
development, existing higher density manufactured housing units, subdivisions
of two to four family housing units, townhouses and other forms of higher
density multi-family housing and additional open area where it is desirable and
likely that such similar development should occur. Once more, in comparison to the City as a whole, the 1997 survey
revealed that 17.65% of land used for single family residential structures,
15.81% of the land used for two to four family attached units, and 43.34% of
the land used for multi-family units were classified as urban (medium density)
residential - being a density between greater than 5.80 units per acre for
single family detached units, greater than 9.00 units per acre for two to four
family attached units, and greater than 15.00 units per acre for multi-family attached apartment
complexes. Included in the area are
complementary non-residential institutional and commercial uses that are
intended to provide services to the neighborhood.
·
The Low Intensity Commercial land use classification, which was
intended to accommodate small, low impact, neighborhood oriented and
residentially compatible business and professional offices, medical and dental
service establishments, personal businesses, day care facilities, arts and
crafts studios, speciality instructional and educational facilities, indoor
recreation establishments, convenience grocery stores (without gasoline pumps),
limited service banking and automatic teller machine facilities, pharmacies and
similar uses. Uses were expected to be
limited at any development site within the classification to those which in
aggregate do not generate high vehicular traffic (more than 100 average daily
trips per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area) or high noise levels (not
exceeding a decibel noise level or average “day night level” of 65dbA). Development contemplated for the Low Density
Land Use Classification is limited to residential style buildings containing
less than 10,000 square feet, not over two and one half stories tall with not
over 50% site coverage. Second story
residential uses may be integrated into developments within the Low Intensity
Commercial Land Use Classification as well as bed and breakfast inns not to
exceed ten guest rooms in size.
·
The General Commercial land use classification was designated to
include the full range of office, retail and service establishments in which
the principal activity is conducted indoors.
Development situations within this classification were to include
freestanding single use structures, big box type multi-line establishments,
shopping centers of all types, office park complexes, mixed use developments
and associated complementary peripheral drive-through type convenience retail
and service establishments.
Developments within the general commercial classification were appropriated
to primary arterial roads or State highways.
·
The Highway Commercial land use classification, which primarily is
located along highways and heavily-traveled roadways, includes all uses
accommodated in the low intensity commercial classification and the general
commercial land use classification along with businesses which are conducted or
in which merchandise is displayed outdoors, such as motor vehicle and
recreational equipment dealerships, yard and garden centers, building material
dealers, outdoor recreational facilities, manufactured housing sales, full
service vehicle repair and maintenance facilities, and highway oriented
establishments, including but not limited to full service truck stops, large
full service gasoline stations and gas/grocery/restaurant convenience stores,
hotels and motels, freestanding full service highway oriented restaurants and
similar uses oriented to and conveniently accessible to the motoring
public. The City of Ocean Springs
Growth and Development Committee recommended that new development in this
classification be readily accessible directly from a Federal aid highway,
provide on-site stormwater runoff control, and provide for minimal traffic,
sound and light impact on developed residential properties.
·
The Central Business District was distinguished by its mix of land
uses, architectural diversity, yet cohesiveness, a compatible mix of historic
and contemporary structures, a viable commercial environment featuring
traditional storefront development, a complementary pedestrian circulation
system, well developed open spaces, off street parking lots behind and between
buildings, and a unifying system of street signs, lighting, furniture, paving
materials and landscaping. The City of
Ocean Springs Growth and Development Committee wrote that the Central Business
District should combine and accommodate public and private facilities,
activities and investments in an ever-changing environment, which preserves the
best of the past and adapts to the needs and desires of the City’s residents,
businesses, institutions, and visitors.
·
The Inner Harbor District was intended to provide a mix of uses consistent with a small craft
harbor, providing traditional single-family detached dwellings, small craft
storage slips for personal vessels, and limited marine-related commercial
activities, such as the sale or service and supplies for those who use the
harbor. Uses, whether marina-based on
not, which should be prohibited include moderate- and high-density residential,
moderate- and high-intensity commercial uses, repair shops and industrial
activities.
·
Low Intensity Industrial was intended to accommodate research and
development, manufacturing, printing and publishing, commodity and merchandise
warehousing, distribution centers, broadcast, public utility and communications
activities conducted primarily indoors and including mini-warehousing
facilities. Activities of these use
types are those that do not require large volumes of water and its disposal;
that do not generate excessive noise, smoke, heat, light, vibration or odors
detectable to human senses off the premise and do not involve any pollutants
known or suspected to be dangerous to human health and safety. Sites for larger establishments
(accommodating structures containing 10,000 square feet or more) in the low
intensity industrial land use classification were relegated to a business park
type setting and/or areas directly accessible from a Federal or State
highway. The uses identified were
proposed to be served by all necessary utilities without impacting residential
or commercial development in the City and to provide for on-site stormwater
management.
·
The High Intensity Industrial land use classification was intended
to accommodate manufacturing, processing, distribution, construction,
transportation, utility, communications, concrete and asphalt plants, moving
and storage establishments and other similar large labor, material, structural
or process intensive activities that are in part or entirely conducted out of
doors or which generate large volumes of vehicular traffic, use large volumes
of process water, or routinely generate noise, smoke, heat, light vibration or
odors detectable to human sense off the premises or which involve any
pollutants known or suspected to be dangerous to human health and safety. Included in the high intensity industrial
land use classification were all railroad facilities, electrical generating
plants and transformer sites, warehouse and distribution facilities containing
10,000 square feet or more, waste transfer and disposal facilities, water and
sewerage treatment plants, and high volume overnight delivery service
centers. Sites for larger
establishments in the classification were planned to be in an industrial park
type setting and/or to have direct accessibility from a Federal or State
highway. All developments within the
classification were judged to require all necessary utilities without impacting
residential or commercial development in the City and to provide for on-site
stormwater management.
·
The Public/Quasi-Public land use classification includes
governmental and other institutional facilities including all existing Federal,
State, and local government buildings and facilities; all schools and other
educational and related facilities; research centers and laboratories;
religious institutions and related facilities; libraries, museums, and exhibit
spaces for visual arts; community centers, public assembly buildings and
facilities for the performing arts; sports arenas, coliseums and stadiums,
cemeteries and mausoleums and publicly accessible historic sites.
·
The Parks/Open Space land use classification includes all existing
and proposed Federal, State, and local park sites as well as other land that is
or should be preserved as open space because of previous commitment,
reservation, dedication or environmental constraints.
Exiting Land
Use
Existing land uses are shown on the
exhibit marked Existing Land Uses Map, and are current as of the April
2001. The exhibit illustrates generalized
land uses; the associated data should be used to monitor the consistency of
future growth and development in the Planning Area with the goals, policies and
recommendations of this Plan.
Future Land Use
Ocean Springs’ Comprehensive Plan
is the fulfillment of the immense input and conversation that has transpired
throughout the planning process leading to the planning of land use development
for the future. The Future Land Use
Plan builds the framework on which long term land use decisions can be founded. It is aimed at providing guidance in the
location of future land uses and the redevelopment of inappropriate land uses.
Land use is dynamic rather than static.
It is a process that is demarcated by public input and is dependent upon
continued participation of residents and business owners for its success. The Future Land Use Plan is that component of
the Comprehensive Plan that links all the factors impacting Ocean
Springs. The purpose of the Future Land
Use Plan is to institute an ostensibly efficient direction to delimit Ocean
Springs’ future development patterns - where the community members want to go
and how the City leaders can get there.
The Future
Land Use Plan for Ocean Springs is not the zoning map for the City. The Future Land Use Plan is conceptual and
is produced to function as a guide on which future land use decisions can be
made. Future land uses are based on the
goals and objectives set forth as short term and long term planning strategies
in the Comprehensive Plan. Tools
such as growth management programs, land use ordinances, transportation plans,
and capital improvement plans all are used to implement the Comprehensive
Plan. The Future Land Use Map is
shown in the exhibit marked Future Land Use Map.
Intensity
areas have been used to project future land use patterns for Ocean
Springs. The land uses are portrayed by
intensity in order to resolve the compatibility and location of new uses within
the City. These intensity levels are
used to plan future locations of land uses and establish the context in which
proper land use decisions can be made.
Land use intensity areas are as follows:
INSERT
Existing
Land Use Map
EXHIBIT
INSERT
Future
Land Use Map
EXHIBIT
|
Intensity |
Land
Use |
|
Conservation |
Open
space connectors between Neighborhoods and Land Uses, Sand beach |
|
Low
intensity |
Low
density and moderate density residential, Parks, Schools, Undeveloped land. |
|
Low-to-medium |
Medium
density residential, Low density commercial, Low density industrial |
|
Medium
Intensity |
General
commercial, Central business district, High density residential. |
|
High
Intensity |
Employment
Centers, High intensity industrial |
Single
family residential development (low intensity) is generally located on a
residential street using a residential and neighborhood collector to “collect”
the traffic in a neighborhood in order to connect or transport it to a minor or
major arterial roadway. Medium density
residential, low density commercial, and low intensity industrial generally are
located on a collector street. High
density residential and general commercial land uses are generally located at
the intersection of a collector or larger street with a minor or major arterial
roadway; this provides direct access to a primary roadway, accommodating a
larger volume of traffic from a concentrated area. In addition, by locating businesses at the “nodes” created by the
intersection of a collector with a minor or major arterial roadway, strip
commercial is discouraged. This facilitates a more efficient, safer and more
effective transportation system.
Employment centers and high intensity industrial uses generally are
located along major arterial roadways.
Development design includes industrial campuses, industrial parks with
aesthetic standards to protect other users in the park, and employment centers
which resemble large office complexes with a high concentration of employees.
Intensity
areas also may be used to provide a transition between land uses. For example, townhouses consisting of four units
may be used to transition between single-family and multi-family or
commercial. At intervals, professional
or service office related uses may be used to provide a transition between
single-family and general commercial or between high density residential and
commercial. Sometimes high density
residential and general commercial are used to transition between single-family
residential and a major arterial roadway or freeway.
The Future
Land Use Map indicates the following trends (future land uses were projected
for areas beyond the planning area boundary to identify regional
extra-territorial development patterns):
·
The emergence of the Ocean Springs downtown area as a central
business district;
·
The identification of primary commercial activity centers at the
intersection of I-10/Hwy 609, I-10/Bayou Road (proposed); I-10/Hwy 57 and Hwy
90/Hwy 57;
·
The emergence of Hwy 57 as a key commercial and industrial
business corridor;
·
The emergence of Hwy 609 as a key commercial business corridor;
and
·
Expanded opportunities to provide additional housing
opportunities, for a variety of consumer needs, including desired suburban and
estate residential uses, as well as high-density multi-family.
VII. Community Design and
Identification
The Ocean
Springs Historic Districts Design Guidelines provides detailed descriptions of
what architectural and site elements establish the character as well as
defining the historical context of development in the area.
When most
people think of Ocean Springs, they think of what is identified as the Downtown
Planning Area. The Gateway Corridor
Planning Area embodies almost none of those qualities as evidenced by the lack
of accommodations for pedestrian traffic; the lack of green spaces and
abundance of impervious surfaces; the lack of architectural cohesiveness;
inappropriate signage; and, the scale of the buildings relative to their
setback condition. In personal
interviews and other solicitations of public comment, residents and business
owners recognized the physical differences between the gateway planning area
and the downtown area, but were not always able to express what characteristics
set apart the two or to propose solutions “to fix Highway 90.” Many expressed the ideal to have “Highway 90
more like downtown,” but also expounded a belief that “it is too late to save
it.”
Building
types in old Ocean Springs provide good examples of what would be helpful in
defining qualities contributing to the character of the town. During the summer of 1998, several local
businessmen and property owners in the downtown area requested design
assistance from the Small Town Center at the School of Architecture at
Mississippi State University to redevelop the downtown area of Ocean Springs. The Strategies for Redevelopment: Master
Planning and Guidelines for the Redevelopment of Ocean Springs (1999)
identified building, landscaping and parking characteristics for the downtown
area, which are included in the implementation strategies of this Plan.
The Strategies
for Redevelopment do not prescribe specific architectural materials;
however, such standards may warrant consideration. In addition, the City may wish to develop an alternate set of
standards to give Highway 90 and other arterials their own character separate
yet related to the downtown development area.
Besides
building and site architectural features, the area encompassed by the Gateway
Corridor Planning District does not embody the landscape of the downtown
development area. The most notable
feature on which residents and visitors comment is the live oak tree lined
streets in the downtown development area.
The live oaks are extremely relevant to Ocean Springs not only for their
historic value, but also for the
character they give the City; they provide shade from the sometimes
brutal sun and act as landmarks within the community. In addition, the trees lend continuity to the fabric of the
community. For example, sidewalks move
around them creating spaces for benches and flowerbeds. Planting and green spaces can be used to
break the monotonous repetition of building facades or, in contrast as with the
Gateway Planning District, be used to bring some cohesiveness to the district. Furthermore, they can be used as places of
public gathering other than a parking lot.
The trees and other aforementioned characteristics provide a framework
for identifying what is the City of Ocean Springs.
Community
Appearance
Related to
the visual impact on the community resulting from a declining housing stock is
property maintenance. Overgrown yards
and “junk” stored in the open are visible on a significant number of properties
in the transitional planning area.
Overgrown yards and “junk” stored in the open are not characteristic of
all properties in the transitional planning area by any means; however, it does
detract from the visual character of properties adjacent to ones that do and
creates health, safety, and welfare concerns.
The City has
taken steps to improve the visual appearance along Bechtel Boulevard. Live oak trees have been planted in the
median. Property owners, unfortunately,
periodically use the median for parking vehicles which is extremely damaging to
the vegetation at the base of the oaks.
In addition, road “improvements” have threatened the health of the
trees.
Transitional
areas also do not give the appearance of congruous neighborhoods. They are typical of post World War II
suburban development - just houselots and streets part of a “checkerboard” of
seamless “wall-to-wall subdivisions” with little open space except for a few
remnant areas that are too wet to build on.
In contrast, though, one should note that because these areas are
typical of an historical period in the development of the United States, they
take on their own significance regardless of (or due to) their aesthetics and
functionality (or lack thereof). Some
of the areas do have amenities, such as sidewalks, that connect them to other
residential areas or small commercial shopping centers, but where there are
pedestrian paths, there is no buffer between vehicular traffic and pedestrian
traffic.
The City’s
land use regulations and tax structure in effect at the time of writing do not
mandate and/or provide incentives to design in accordance with locally
preferred standards. For example., the
City’s Zoning Ordinance has encouraged disconnected strip centers which line
the highways (e.g., the C-3 Zoning District, Highway Commercial). Maximum setbacks are not established which
produces vast parking lots in front of buildings. Shared parking is discouraged which leads to a substantial amount
of impervious surface and, again, a view only of the consumers’ automobiles as
one drives through the City. Higher
density residential developments are
strongly discouraged, if not excluded altogether. One way to address the problems in the Zoning Ordinance as it
pertains to the gateway area would be to allow flexibility in the uses to
permit a locally acceptable mix, yet establish more restrictive site design
standards and possibly architectural standards.
Site Design
Site design
plays the most significant role in assuring land use compatibility. Factors must include transitioning between
land use types, intensities, and densities using buffers and floor area ratios;
conserving environmental assets using standards to preserve open space and to
limit impervious surfaces; providing adequate vehicular and pedestrian traffic
circulation and connectivity; mitigating potential nuisances, such as signage,
excessive noise, smoke, heat, light, vibration or odors detectable to human
senses off the premise; and, designing for public safety. Present City of Ocean Springs land use regulations
are not written to address the preceding issues; they merely prescribe what
types of uses are allowed in a specific use district, on what size lot the use
must take place, and the minimum standards to which infrastructure must be
constructed in order for the City to accept it as part of the public system.
VIII. Community Services and
Facilities
In order to
maintain a high quality of life for residents of residential areas, the City
needs to assure that public facilities and infrastructure are available to
serve them in a convenient and functional manner. Facilities include schools, recreation areas, and cultural
centers. Infrastructure includes
adequate means for access and mobility, water and sewer service, and stormwater
systems.
Financing
the public facilities and infrastructure improvements can take several
forms. The most common means for
municipalities to finance improvements are requirements for the dedication of
land by the property owner or developer, the construction or installation of
improvements by the property owner or developer, or the payment of fees to
finance the improvements, such as fees in lieu of dedication or impact
fees. The most popular methods used
nationally place the full initial financial burden on the developer; however,
other methods also are used. Many
smaller jurisdictions construct or pay for the construction of new facilities
themselves or subsidize developers who provide them.
In some
cases, local governments provide labor or materials and in other cases they
partially reimburse the developer for his or her costs. The creation of a special improvement
district is another considerable means of financing improvements. The property owner(s) or developer applies
to the local government for a special assessment, the local government accepts
or rejects the application, and, if accepted, the local government uses the
proceeds of special assessment bonds or other debt instruments to finance the
improvements, and imposes liens on the lots that benefit from the
improvements. Assessments may be
collected within a year after the assessment roll is approved or they may be
spread over a period of time as long as ten years. In certain instances, the local government may subsidize the
project by assessing less than the full cost of the project against lot owners.
Currently,
the City of Ocean Springs does require developers to provide certain on-site
public improvements at their own expense in the form of the construction and
installation of infrastructure improvements and the dedication of land for
parks or payment of fees in lieu. The
City also has used special assessments when the property owners or subsequent
purchasers will be the sole beneficiaries of the improvements that have been
made. The City is progressing towards
the adoption of impact fees which can be applied to off-site as well as on-site
facilities and improvements.
In order to
ensure that the expenditure of public funds and money derived from fees in lieu
of dedication or impact fees is done efficiently and fairly, the City needs to
develop and implement an on-going capital improvements plan and program. The 1971 Comprehensive Plan provided the
basis for the development of a capital improvements plan and program; however,
the information now is extremely out of date.
Furthermore, to assure that the impact fees the City proposes to adopt
are legally defensible, the City must approve and enact a capital improvements
plan that identifies the improvements the City expects to make in five year cycles
and the costs of constructing such improvements.
The Community Facilities Element
identifies key infrastructure issues facing the community and establishes
goals, policies and recommendations to address those issues. As Ocean Springs seeks to meet the utility
needs of future residents, employees and visitors/tourists, it should strive to
provide utility services in a reliable and affordable manner. Basic infrastructure issues include:
·
As growth
continues, within and adjacent to Ocean Springs, the City will need to ensure
that an adequate transportation system is available for residents and visitors,
to ensure the uninterrupted flow of traffic through the City. Traffic calming design options also may be
considered to improve community image, lessen congestion and increase
pedestrian-oriented opportunities.
·
The City
needs to expand its water system soon, but the best choice depends on the area
and population that the system ultimately will serve. This element outlines the City’s options for addressing future
water and wastewater system needs throughout the planning area.
·
The
City's wastewater treatment system is adequate to meet anticipated needs in the
City's service area. However, growth to
the northeast or southeast, which does not have sufficient capacity to meet
anticipated demands, will require additional infrastructure investment.
·
As Ocean
Springs grows, increased development within new and existing drainage basins
will create additional stormwater management needs. The existing stormwater management plan does not address
potential impacts of increased runoff from anticipated development in the
northeast, but improvements are planned to accommodate that growth.
The City’s basic infrastructure policies
should require that transportation, water, wastewater and drainage system
improvements be constructed concurrent with new development and are adequate to
meet demands from existing and new users.
While the City does not currently provide utilities for the entire
service area, it does require that adequate utilities be provided for all new
development. If facilities are not
available, then a developer may:
·
wait
until facility improvements are installed through the Capital Improvements
Program;
·
seek
participation from the City, other service providers or other property owners
to finance the improvements; or
·
install
the facilities.
Transportation
The
transportation network within Ocean Springs impacts the exiting land uses and
development trends within the City and will impact how the City will grow in
the future. The Transportation Element
of the Comprehensive Plan needs to evaluate the existing transportation network
to determine what type of improvements are needed to encourage the type of
future land use recommended in the Plan.
The Draft
Action Plan for a Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan (1998)
identified key transportation issues, which stated that an ongoing
transportation planning process should:
·
Consider all components of the transportation system which provide
access to, from, through and within the City;
·
Recognize the functions and capabilities of each transportation
component and the relationships between the transportation system components
and the land uses and activities they contain;
·
Identify opportunities to coordinate with other jurisdictions and
agencies;
·
Identify the relationship and impact of the transportation system
on adjacent land use and development;
·
Use transportation improvements to support economic development
and improve the level of service;
·
Prevent the transportation system from diminishing pedestrian
safety, land values, community character or quality of life; and
·
Incorporate community values and support Plan goals and
policies.
Transportation
system components exert substantial and lasting influence and impacts on the
configuration and characteristics of land use and development within the area
they serve. They can support economic
development and enhance circulation system level of service while at the same time
diminishing pedestrian safety, adjacent land values, a community or
neighborhood character and quality of life.
The impact of transportation system elements on adjacent land use and
development should in each instance be identified, accommodated and mitigated
as appropriate consistent with local transportation goals and objectives and
other acceptable local values. A
network of roads consists of hierarchy of the following inter-related roadway
types, and is shown on the exhibit titled Transportation System:
·
Freeways provide for rapid and efficient movement of large volumes
of through traffic between areas and across the urban area. They are controlled access, multi-lane,
divided highways devoted to high-speed, long distance traffic movement with little
or no access to adjacent land.
·
Arterials provide for through traffic movement between areas and
across the city with direct access to abutting property. They are multi-lane roadways to move
relatively high volumes of traffic between principal traffic generators at
moderate speeds. Residential access is
discouraged; commercial access is limited.
Arterials may be classified as major or minor.
·
Collectors provide for traffic movement between major arterial and
local streets. Two to four-lane
roadways carry traffic within the urban area and connect it with the arterial
system. They are designed to accomplish
both movement and access functions.
Collectors may be classified as major or minor.
·
Local Streets provide for direct access to abutting land and for
local traffic movement. These two-lane
roads’ primary function is to provide access to adjacent land.
To evaluate
how the existing roadway network is functioning in Ocean Springs, level of
service information about the arterial
roads and collector roads was gathered.
Level of service is defined as the operational environment within a
traffic stream perceived by users of the traffic facility. The concept of level of service was
established as a qualitative measure of operational conditions, intended to
cover factors such as speed and travel time, delay, freedom to maneuver,
traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. Traffic service levels range from “A” (the
least congested, with the average driver having to wait no longer than five
seconds) to “F” (the most congested, where each vehicle waits at least one
minute on average), and are described in the following exhibit. At the public hearings, stakeholders
commented that there are serious concerns with traffic congestion in the gateway
planning area, indicating that the levels of service may be unacceptable.
INSERT
Transportation
System Map
EXHIBIT
Descriptions
of Roadway Service Levels
|
Level
of Service |
Traffic Flow |
Affect
on System
Users |
Delays
at Intersections |
|
A |
Free. |
Individual
users are virtually unaffected by the presence of others in the traffic
stream. |
0
- 5 seconds/vehicle |
|
B |
Stable. |
Presence
of other users in the traffic stream begins to be noticeable to other users. |
5
- 15 seconds/vehicle |
|
C |
In
the range of stable. |
Operation
of individual users becomes significantly affected by interaction with others
in the traffic stream. |
5
-25 seconds/vehicle |
|
D |
High
density, but stable level of traffic flow. |
Speed
and freedom to maneuver are severely restricted, and the user experiences a
poor level of comfort and service. |
25
- 40 seconds/vehicle |
|
E |
Operation
at capacity level. |
All
speeds are reduced to a low, but relatively uniform value; comfort and
convenience levels are extremely poor and driver frustration is generally
high. |
40
- 60 seconds/vehicle |
|
F |
Represents
forced or breakdown of traffic flow; this condition exists wherever the
amount of traffic approaching a point exceeds the amount which can traverse
that point. |
Operations
within the queues are characterized by stop and go waves, which are extremely
unstable. |
>
60 seconds/vehicle |
Capacity is
an essential characteristic of the roadway system which presently serves and
will in the future serve Ocean Springs and its adjacent Planning Area as the
roads become more fully developed.
According to the ITE Highway Capacity Manual, “capacity” is defined as
the maximum number of vehicles that can be expected to travel over a given
section of roadway or a specific lane during a given time period under prevailing
roadway and traffic conditions. Traffic
capacity indices illustrate the maximum capacity of thoroughfares with typical
dimensional characteristics. Two
important variables are mentioned in the “capacity” definition: prevailing
roadway conditions and prevailing traffic conditions. Prevailing roadway conditions include the numerous factors that
contribute to the physical characteristics of roads themselves. Prevailing traffic conditions include such
factors as the volume of traffic, the percentage of total traffic that large
vehicles (trucks) constitute, the nature of conflicting vehicular turning
movements, and the nature of conflicting vehicular and pedestrian/bicyclist
movements.
Roadway
levels of service in the City can be described as the following:
·
Washington Avenue between the north City Limits to Government
Street with a LOS of “F”;
·
Washington Avenue between Government Street and Front Beach Drive
with a LOS of “D”;
·
U.S. Highway 90 between the west City Limits to Ocean Springs Road
with a LOS of “E” during peak times and “C” during non-peak times;
·
Porter Avenue between Front Beach Drive and Washington Avenue with
a LOS of “D”;
·
Front Beach Drive between Porter Avenue and Washington Avenue with
a LOS of “D”;
·
Government Street between Washington Avenue and Magnolia Street
with a LOS of “D.”
It should be
recognized that there is an inherent problem with the using the level of
service as one of many quality of life determinants. The level of service indicator only addresses the use of a road
for automobiles and not other modes of transportation of which Ocean Springs
residents have expressed fondness (e.g., walking, biking, etc.). Furthermore, the assumption that levels of
service must be increased in order to enhance the quality of life compounds the
myth that the present standards are ideal and that current behaviors are worth
continuing into the future.
Development
patterns along U. S. Highway 90 and State Highway 609 have contributed to
unsafe, inconvenient, and inefficient circulation. The 1998 Traffic Volume Report for Hancock, Harrison, and
Jackson Counties published by the Gulf Regional Planning Commission in
November 1999 lists the 1998 annual average daily traffic (AADT) count for the
City of Ocean Springs. From the Fort
Bayou Bridge to U.S. Highway 90 on State Highway 609 (North Washington Avenue),
the AADT is 27,000 vehicles. On U. S.
Highway 90 between Bechtel Boulevard and Vermont Avenue the AADT is 39,000
vehicles. The number drops slightly
between Vermont and Washington Avenue to 37,000 vehicles. Further out on U. S. Highway 90 between
Bechtel Boulevard and Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road the number also is lower
than between Bechtel and Vermont - 30,000 vehicles. Beyond Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road, the number falls significantly
to 17,000; however, as the east side of the City continues to develop, the
number of annual average daily trips should be expected to increase if present
trends (development, vehicular use, etc.) continue.
While some
of the traffic can be attributed to people traveling through Ocean Springs to
industries in Pascagoula and to the casinos and resort areas in Harrison
County, the factor that has greatest impact is the commercial uses along the
highway. Almost all developed land
along U. S. Highway 90 is in commercial use; it is a very stereotypical
suburban style “strip” found in numerous other cities throughout the United
States. The types of commercial uses on
Highway 90 generate substantial vehicular trips. The types of uses coupled with curb cuts every thirty (30) feet
in some areas lead to more automobiles on the road, points of traffic
congestion, and automobile accidents.
The same situation is true of State Highway 609, especially north of the
Fort Bayou Bridge.
The
conventional approach to such problems has been to widen the road to allow
automobile traffic to flow more smoothly.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation will be implementing this
approach to widen U. S. Highway 90 from the Vermont Avenue/Martin Luther King
Drive intersection to just beyond the Washington Avenue intersection. While the road widening will alleviate
temporarily the existing traffic congestion, widening as a solution has taught
leaders in other developed metropolitan areas that it only brings more traffic.
One of the
primary means of assuring stability in a residential area is by creating an
environment, in which people feel safe to live, travel and interact. In general, Ocean Springs has been very
successful in creating such an environment in the residential, stable planning
area, which has been a factor in attracting new residents and keeping existing
residents. While isolated incidents of
vandalism and theft have occurred as they do in almost any locality in the
United States, the primary grievance voiced by citizens is vehicular traffic
speeding through the residential areas.
The City has
responded to the problem of speeding by strategically placing stop signs when
warranted and assigning police officers to study problematic areas for
alternative solutions. In newer
residential developments, the issue of speeding may be directly correlated to
roadway design. Roads often are
extremely wide (28 feet) with too great of a minimum centerline curve
radii. The rationale for wider
residential access streets is based on the notion that such streets should
provide for a continuous line of parked vehicles, leaving sufficient room for
ordinary traffic and emergency vehicles to navigate around them. The rationale is not unreasonable for higher
density residential developments where there may be insufficient room on a lot
to construct two-car garages and driveways and when the residents and visitors
of residents use the streets for parking.
In Ocean Springs’ residential areas, most property owners use driveways
or garages for parking convenience and safety and their visitors typically
follow suit.
The
subdivision street design standards that are currently used were created to
accommodate large traffic volumes in huge-tract housing developments that are
more typical of metropolitan and associated suburbanizing areas. The result has been the construction of
local access streets that can be up to fifty percent (50%) wider than the
collector roads that serve them. The
street design standards have created other problems for both residents and
developers, including inflexible and inappropriate standards for curve designs
and gradients that have failed to discourage traffic from exceeding the traffic
speed, improper stormwater management from substantially more impervious
surface, unsafe pedestrian circulation, and needless expensive construction and
maintenance costs.
In order to
link the residential areas to schools, recreation areas, and cultural centers,
adequate means for access and mobility throughout the residential, stable
planning area and connectivity to other planning areas is required. Previous planning efforts have focused
strictly on increasing mobility via the automobile. Strategies have included “upgrading” streets such as Kensington
Avenue, Holcomb Boulevard, Halstead Road, and Beach Drive to collector
standards and “raising” streets such as Hudson Drive, Bechtel Boulevard,
Davidson Street, and Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road to major thoroughfare
standards. To date, while improvements
have been made to the preceding roads, they have not been “improved” to the
standards proposed in the 1971 Comprehensive Plan. The City has installed and improved some sidewalks in the
planning area, but often they have been constructed without any buffer between
pedestrian and vehicular traffic and without a high degree of
connectivity. One constraint has been
adequate right-of-way. Almost no
investment has been made in bicycle lanes.
The emphasis
on accommodating the automobile has lead to a barrier effect to pedestrians and
bicyclists. The width of the road and
the amount and speed of the traffic have an effect on how much of a barrier
impact a pedestrian or bicyclist sense.
Roads with a higher level of vehicular traffic generally do not make
impassable impediments, but they may give rise to waiting times, detours, and
precariousness. In certain cases, the
barrier impact of roads may reduce usage of public facilities and amenities and
restrict the freedom of movement of groups such as children, the elderly, and
those with walking difficulties.
Quantifying the need to cross a road is difficult, because observations
of crossing pedestrians and bicyclists would not necessarily indicate how many
times a road would have been crossed if the traffic had been less alarming.
Intergovernmental
Coordination and Cooperation.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast transportation planning process is
administered by the Gulf Regional Planning Commission which functions as the
Metropolitan Planning Organization for the coastal Mississippi counties. This organization maintains and periodically
updates an area wide transportation plan with participation of the affected
local governments. The City of Ocean Springs
is a participant in this process. The
Mayor serves on the Policy Committee and the City Planner and City Engineer
have in the past served on the Technical Advisory Committee of this important
area wide transportation planning process.
The Mississippi
Gulf Coast Transportation Plan is important to its participants because it
provides a link to Mississippi’s Statewide Transportation Plan, which is the
key to receiving participation in federal and state funding and implementing:
road building; street lighting; intersection controls; railroad safety; bridge
replacement and repair; traffic safety; bikeways; public transportation
services and other important programs designed to help facilitate movement of
people to, from, through and within the City.
The strategy
recommended for the City of Ocean Springs is to remain actively involved in the
Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process, to aggressively pursue inclusion
of its projects on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Transportation Plan, and to do
everything possible to advance the priority of City projects included therein. When City projects come to the stage of
possible implementation, the City needs to be ready to act regarding its
participation in the implementation, including use of its political capital,
regulatory powers, power of condemnation, if necessary, and allocation of sufficient
funds to get the job done.
Recommendations
for improvement to the roads and highways serving Ocean Springs and its
Planning Area are based upon traffic projections performed as part of the most
recent Mississippi Gulf Coast Area wide Transportation Plan update. The following exhibit contains 1995 baseline
traffic counts performed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation on
various arterial or collector streets, roads and highways in the area, along
with projected 2020 traffic volumes for the same thoroughfares. The recommended improvements were derived,
in part, by determining where traffic capacity deficiencies are likely to occur
by the year 2020 or before. Traffic
projections were prepared by the GRPC using average vehicle trip generation
rates for various land uses.
Historic and
Projected Average Daily Traffic Volumes
|
Street Name or Designation |
1987 |
1992 |
1997 |
1999 |
2020 Projection |
Annual Average Growth 1997-2020 |
|
Interstate Highway |
|
|||||
|
Interstate 10 East of MS 57 Between MS 57 and MS
609 West of MS 609 |
19,330 20,610 20,610 |
29,000 29,000 29,000 |
39,000 38,000 37,000 |
42,000 38,000 38,000 |
52,374 51,919 62,641 |
581 605 1,115 |
|
U.S. Highway |
|
|||||
|
U.S. Highway 90 East of MS 57 Between MS 57 and O.S.
Vancleave Road Between O.S. Vancleave
Road and MS 609 Between MS 609 and
Biloxi Bridge Gulf Islands National
Seashore Park Road |
11,940 10.340 22,260 20,140 - |
18,000 18,000 30,000 21,000 - |
22,000 18,000 32,000 31,000 - |
20,000 20,000 - - - |
28,457 24,086 34,874 44,509 1,371 |
281 265 125 587 60 |
|
State Highway |
|
|||||
|
Mississippi Highway 57 North of Interstate 10 Between O.S. -
Vancleave Road and I-10 Between U.S. 90 and O.S. – Vancleave Road Between Old Spanish
Trail and U.S. 90 Mississippi Highway 609 (Washington Ave.) North of Interstate 10 Between Interstate 10
and LeMoyne Blvd. Between LeMoyne Blvd.
and U.S. 90 Between U.S. 90 and
Government Street Between Government and
Porter Streets |
3,540 NA 760 1,350 3,610 8,960 9,600 7,310 1,460 |
2,300 NA 3,900 4,350 7,100 9,700 15,000 7,500 1,500 |
4,400 6,500 6,000 - 12,000 18,000 23,000 9,500 2,700 |
6,000 - 8,400 5,000 12,000 24,000 23,000 10,000 - |
12,306 14,983 5,160 11,533 14,824 22,236 28,577 21,357 7,766 |
344 369 -37 64 123 184 242 516 220 |
|
Primary Arterial |
|
|||||
|
Government Street - Old Spanish Trail Between Washington Ave.
and Holcomb Ave. Between Holcomb Ave.
and Hanley Road Between Hanley Road and
O.S. – Vancleave Road Between O.S. Vancleave
Rd. and Beachview Drive Between Beachview Drive
and Hamill Farm Rd. Between Hamill Farm Rd.
and MS Highway 57 East of MS Highway 57 |
4,250 4,980 3,340 2,060 - - - |
6,400 6,050 5,700 3,800 - - - |
6,800 7,300 8,100 5,900 - - - |
7,000 7,400 8,100 8,900 3,400 - - |
16,992 20,319 16,138 11,754 4,179 12,020 457 |
443 566 349 255 182 523 20 |
|
Ocean Springs - Vancleave Road Government Street to
U.S. Highway 90 U.S. Highway 90 to
Reilly Road Reilly Road to MS
Highway 57 Elgin Road Old Fort Bayou Road Washington Avenue to
Douglas Drive Douglas Drive to Yellow
Jacket Road Yellow Jacket Road to
Elgin Road Elgin Road to
Interstate 10 North of Interstate 10 Proposed Halstead Road - Elgin Road Connector and Bridge(s) |
2,900 2,690 2,170 - 1,610 NA NA NA NA - |
4,800 4,300 2,900 - 2,100 NA NA NA NA - |
6,000 5,700 6,500 - 2,900 NA NA 720 560 - |
6,700 7,300 5,700 - 4,500 - - - 1,000 - |
12,042 11,327 9,853 10,000 13,512 3,559 3,556 15,000 1,428 12,000 |
263 245 146 435 461 155 155 621 38 522 |
|
Note: New route, bridge and interchange should reduce 2020
projected volumes on MS Highway 57, Washington Avenue, U.S. Highway 90 and
Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road |
||||||
Water consumption is an important element
in determining the adequacy of a water system.
The critical demand elements in a water system include average day
demand, max-day demand, max-day demand plus fire flow, peak-hour demand and the
maximum storage-replenishment rate.
Existing deficiencies primarily are related to low water pressure;
however the City is maintaining a vigorous schedule to improve flow
deficiencies. About 95% of the City is
served by municipal water. A
description of water systems capabilities includes:
· Average
day demand is the total amount of water pumped on average every day. This includes both water sold and
unaccounted for water.
· Max-day
demand is the historical maximum amount of water pumped during a 24 hour
period.
· Peak-hour
demand is the maximum pumpage required to meet consumer demands during the hour
when there is the greatest usage on the system.
· Fire
flows represent the amount of water the system should deliver to a hydrant at a
residual pressure of 20 psi, as recommended by the Mississippi State Rating
Bureau. Typically these flows create
the highest demand on the system for a 2-4 hour period. The capacity of a system to meet these flows
is one of the limiting factors in a City’s classification for insurance
purposes.
· Max-day
demand plus fire flow is the recommended design standard which the water system
should be capable of meeting and maintaining for the duration of a fire.
· Storage-replenishment
rate indicates the capability of a water system to provide the necessary
quantity of water during max-day conditions and still have the storage tanks
full at the end of a 24 hour period.
It is generally accepted practice that the
source of supply (wells, pumps, etc.) should be capable of meeting max-day
demand without use of system storage.
Peak-hour demand and fire flow are met with system storage.
Historic Demands.
Pumping records for the four (4) wells were provided by Ocean
Springs. The information indicated
total monthly pumpage from March 1998 through August 1998. Based on this data the average day flow for
this period was 2.62 million gallons (MG).
Based on 6,575 total water
meters, per customer usage was approximately 399 gallons per day (GPD) or 155
gallons per capita per day (GPCD).
Projected Demands.
Information was not available to determine the maximum daily flow. This condition typically occurs during the
summer when residential customers are utilizing potable water for lawn
irrigation and other high use activities.
Historically max-day flows range from 1.5 to 2.5 times the average daily
flows. Based on the population of Ocean
Springs, and nomographs developed by AWWA and WPCF, the current max-day flow
rate is estimated as 8.48 MGD, or approximately 3,890 GPM. The peak hour demand in the system is
estimated to be approximately 1.5 times the max-day demand, or 5,835 GPM. The following table shows the projected
water consumption and demand through the planning period:
Projected
Water Consumption and Demand
|
Year |
Population |
GPCD |
Average
Day
GP M |
Maximum Day
GPM |
Peak Hour
GPM |
|
1998 |
17,505 |
160 |
1,945 |
3,890 |
5,835 |
|
2003 |
20,460 |
160 |
2,273 |
4,546 |
6,819 |
|
2008 |
24,160 |
160 |
2,684 |
5,368 |
8,052 |
|
2013 |
28,350 |
160 |
3,150 |
6,300 |
9,450 |
|
2018 |
33,100 |
160 |
3,678 |
7,356 |
11,034 |
Existing System.
The Ocean Springs water system is comprised of wells, elevated storage
and a distribution system consisting of 2" through 12" water mains.
·
Supply. Water supply is provided by four (4) deep
wells. Three wells are in the Graham
Ferry Formation at a depth of approximately 500 to 561 feet. The remaining well is located in the
Pascagoula Formation at a depth of approximately 960 feet. Both of these aquifers are very prolific
water bearing strata. Total output is
approximately 4,425 GPM. Based on
recent pumping tests, capacities are as follows:
City Hall Well (960') 1,475
GPM @ 45 psi
Handy Road Well (503') 850 GPM @ 43 psi
Halstead Road Well (561') 1,150 GPM @ 45
psi
Pabst Road Well (531') 950 GPM @ 45 psi
The water supplied by these wells is of
adequate quality to meet the State Department of Health Standards for potable
water. Disinfection is provided with
gaseous chlorine and fluoride is added for dental benefit.
·
Storage. Ocean Springs has four (4) elevated tanks as
follows:
|
|
Size
(Gal) |
Overflow Elevation |
Total
or Deck Height |
|
City
Hall Tank |
250,000 |
124.5 |
104.5± |
|
Halstead
Road Tank |
500,000 |
124.5 |
137.5± |
|
Civic
Center Tank |
500,000 |
124.0 |
142.0± |
|
Hospital
Tank |
150,000 |
124.0 |
104.0± |
Total available storage is approximately
1.4 million gallons. The most
significant feature of these tanks is their height (97.5 feet - 104.5 feet)
which limits system pressure to a maximum of 45 psi static. Therefore the system operates within a 25
psi range (20 psi is recommended minimum allowable residual pressure permitted
by Mississippi Department of Health Standards). The American Water Works Association (AWWA) recommends municipal
systems operate at pressures of 60-70 psi.
This operating range is advisable to minimize low pressures within the
system and is critical to achieve adequate flow for fire protection.
·
Distribution
System. The distribution network
consists of various types of water pipe ranging in diameter from 2"
through 12". There are numerous
areas within the City where small diameter (less than 6") lines serve both
residential and commercial areas. These
lines are inadequate in size to handle growth or current fire flows. Asbestos cement (AC) lines, if any, as well
as galvanized pipes, no longer meet Mississippi State Board of Health or AWWA
standards for use in water distribution systems. All small diameter, AC and galvanized pipes should be replaced in
lieu of repairing as funds become available.
·
Fire
Flow. Fire flow demands are based on
population, type of area being protected (residential, commercial, industrial)
and the type of industry or business located thereon. Residential fire flows are typically 1,000-1,500 GPM for two (2)
hours and commercial/industrial fire flows can exceed 10,000 GPM for ten hour
durations. The Mississippi State Rating
Bureau recommends flows of 3000 GPM in commercial areas and 1000 GPM in
residential areas at a residual pressure of 20 psi, for Ocean Springs.
Limited fire protection is available in
those areas served by 6" or smaller water mains. Mississippi State Rating Bureau fire flow requirements for Ocean
Springs are:
· Commercial
Area (CBD and along U.S. Highway 90):
3,000 GPM for 4 hours
· Residential
Areas: 1,000 GPM for 2 hours
· Residential
pressure at hydrant - 20 psi
The system cannot maintain recommended
minimum requirements for fire flows established by the National Board of Fire
Underwriters and the Mississippi State Rating Bureau. The reason is a combination of small size pipe and an operating
range of only 25 psi which severely limits flow at the fire hydrant.
The State Rating Bureau surveyed Ocean
Springs in February 1997. The water
system was found to be efficient for the current fire insurance classification
of Class 6. A Class 6 falls between
2501-3000 deficiency points. Ocean
Springs had 2900 deficiency points, just within the Class 6 category. In contrast Biloxi is Class 5 (2001-2500)
and Gulfport is Class 4 (1501-2000). In
order to move up to Class 5 or 4 would require sufficient improvements to
reduce deficiency points by 400, or 900 respectively. This is a reasonable goal for the City to attain by the next
scheduled survey in 2002.
Analysis. A
computer analysis of the existing system was performed to determine the
adequacy of the existing system.
·
Average
Day: Average day demand is 1,945 GPM.
The analysis indicates that under average day conditions the system is
adequate for all areas of the City with the exception of the Culeoka
Subdivision. The low pressures
indicated for this area are due to small water lines and its location at the
extreme east end of the City. Operating
pressures of 38-44 psi are prevalent throughout the remainder of the City.
·
Max-Day:
Max-day demand is 3,890 GPM. The wells
have an output of 4,425 GPM which is more than sufficient to meet max-day
requirements. During max-day conditions
low pressures are more pronounced in the Culeoka Subdivision area, while the
rest of the City has pressures in the 21-48 psi range.
·
Peak-Hour:
Peak-hour demand is estimated to be 5,835 GPM for the Ocean Springs water
system. Peak hour flows occur on a
daily basis, usually in the early morning hours or early evening depending on
the community. During peak-hour,
pressure drops of more than 30 psi are experienced in several parts of the
City. Residents probably notice this
low flow from faucets, shower heads and toilet flushing. Pressures during peak-hour vary from less
than 10 psi in some areas to 46 psi in the vicinity of the wells and
tanks. These low pressure conditions
are the result of maximum normal operating pressures of 45 psi and pipes of
less than 6 inches in diameter throughout many areas of the City.
·
Fire
Flow: Ideally fire flows are measured during max-day conditions. However, since a major fire happening during
max-day demand is rare, a more realistic approach is to evaluate flows during
average day demand. Fire flow
simulations were run during max-day and average day conditions. The simulation terminated the run during
max-day demand with fire flow since it became obvious that sufficient flows at
a 20 psi residual could not be attained.
Average day conditions were somewhat improved. The only areas that developed flows in excess of 1,000 GPM were
near the tanks and wells and on the 10-12 inch mains. This was verified recently in the field when the Wal-Mart fire
flow tests were run. The system could
only provide about 1,200 GPM to the site at 20 psi.
Mississippi State Rating Bureau (MSB)
recommends hydrant flows of 3,000 GPM in the commercial areas and 1,000 GPM in
the residential areas in order to achieve a Class 6 rating. Deficiencies are noted for the distribution
system, storage hydrants and pumpage when these conditions cannot be met. The major reason for this is due to the
restriction imposed to system operating pressures by the height of the
tanks. Also, additional transmission
mains connecting the wells and tanks would permit more flow with less head loss
throughout the system.
·
Extended
Period Simulation. The 24-hour max-day
extended period simulation (EPS) also revealed several deficiencies in the
system. The most severe problem was
associated with the City Hall Well and the Handy Road Well. These wells pump approximately 2,300 GPM, or
one-half of the total system output.
The EPS analysis indicated that the City Hall and Handy Road wells
cycled on/off eight (8) or more times during the 24-hour simulation. During a max-day event the wells should run
continuously for most of the day. The
cycling is due to their close proximity to the City Hall Tank and the lack of
major feeder lines to the east. The
result is that the Halstead Well and the Pabst Road Well try to meet max-day
demands for a large part of the system.
A consequence of this is that after the max-day simulation is complete
the Halstead Road Tank, Civic Center Tank and Hospital Tank have not been replenished
and an additional 4 to 5 hours of continued pumping is required to fill these
tanks. If the system experiences
back-to-back max-day demand conditions the system will be seriously depleted
and low pressure (less than 20 psi) will be typical.
Improvements. Deficiencies
noted in the existing system should be corrected. More than 350 residential customers were planned in 1993 for a
proposed annexation area in the northeast.
Subsequent analysis will include the proposed additional customers and the
projected max-day demand for several time intervals. The City Engineer currently is reviewing and updating water
system growth projections.
Various computer modeling scenarios were
performed to determine the improvements that should be made to the existing
system to ensure that adequate water is delivered at desirable pressures to all
areas of the City. In addition these
improvements will enhance the system’s capacity to meet fire flow standards. These improvements are outlined as follows:
·
Supply: New
1,000 GPM well located on the east side of the City. Final location will be dictated by the presence of sufficient
sands in the Pascagoula Aquifer to support the well. This well will provide additional supply as development occurs
easterly along Highway 90. The well
will be controlled by the Civic Center Tank and the new 12" line along
Pabst Road will also allow the Pabst Road Well to be controlled by the Civic
Center Tank.
·
Storage:
A new water tank is being constructed and two existing storage tanks are being
updated to achieve an average operating system pressure of 62 psi.
·
Distribution
System: The following improvements to the distribution system are recommended
to provide the additional feeder mains between the tanks and wells and to
facilitate flow throughout the City:
·
New
8" line on U.S. 90 between Ames Avenue and Vermont Avenue;
·
New
12" line on Pabst Road between Pabst Road Well and Old Highway 90;
·
New
12" line on Highway 90 between the Highway 90 mobile home park and
Lakeview Subdivision;
·
New
12" line on Riley Road between Highway 90 and Ocean Springs Road;
·
New
8" line on C.C.C. Camp Road between Ocean Springs Road and Riley Road;
·
New
8" line on Ocean Springs Road from C.C.C. Camp Road to Riley Road, which
will allow for the continued development added in 1993; and
·
Areas
served by 4" and smaller lines should be upgraded to a minimum 6"
pipe. This should be accomplished over
a five to ten year period as growth and economics dictate.
·
Fire
Flow: Other minor improvements are recommended to increase fire flows
throughout the City.
Wastewater System
Ocean Springs does not provide wastewater
treatment service, but contracts with the Gulf Coast Wastewater Authority
(“Authority”) for that service, which is the regional sanitary sewer service
provider in the planning area. The
City’s wastewater collection system is comprised of a network of lateral,
collector and trunk lines and pumping stations sending effluent to a treatment
plant operated by the Authority. Sewers
are generally shallow and above the groundwater table. Neither infiltration nor exhilaration
currently pose problems. Constraints
within the existing wastewater system are due to system design (e.g., invert
elevation, line slope and capacity of the existing trunk system), bayous,
creeks and floodplains. Within the next
two years, approximately 95% of the City will be served by public sewer.
The system currently has available
capacity, with the Authority planning to install system improvements to
increase treatment capacity. New growth
should ensure that the capacity and timing of proposed wastewater system
improvements is consistent with planned growth. The wastewater system capital improvements plan should be updated
upon completion of the Comprehensive Plan, and regularly updated thereafter to
reflect actual growth.
At least once a year, heavy rainfalls
overload the City's wastewater collection system, requiring that water from the
sanitary sewer system be pumped to the stormwater system. The diversion of water is expensive and may
have potentially harmful effects on the environment. Because wastewater treatment plants cannot be expanded in small,
inexpensive increments, it is important to anticipate expansion needs well in
advance. Potential development must
ensure that the capacity and timing of proposed wastewater system improvements
is consistent with planned growth. The
wastewater system improvement capital improvements plan should be updated upon
completion of the Comprehensive Plan, and regularly updated thereafter to
reflect actual growth trends. One of
the most significant planning concerns the City is likely to encounter is
constructing and maintaining adequate lift/pump stations at key locations
throughout the City and ensuring that adequate sewers and trunk lines are
available. The City is preparing to
maintain and improve its role in the system, and is currently undertaking
growth impact study to analyze system needs.
Stormwater Management[2]
Ocean Springs has a stormwater management
program that addresses water quality and flood control issues related to
stormwater runoff, working to implement the best management practices, regulate
the program, and improve the program whenever possible. Currently, all existing development is
adequately served and there are no significant stormwater drainage deficiencies
within the City. Though there may be
some ponding, water drains rapidly to the creeks and bayous after rains, unless
there is a heavy downpour (2" to 3" of rainfall within a 2 to 3 hour
period) or unusual flood event.
During periods of heavy rain there is some
flooding adjacent to the downtown area, but a project is underway to improve
drainage in those areas, which should be completed within one year. Some flooding also occurs in the eastern
edge of the City. However, another
significant drainage project proposed by the City is for the east side of town,
adjacent to the proposed Recreation Complex, which should provide significant
development opportunities for the entire northeast planning area.
Because the area has little topographical
relief, development assumptions are necessary to direct flow in an orderly
manner. The City has made significant
strides to ensure that development regulations protect residents and property –
the stormwater ordinance requires that there be no drainage impact onto
existing development by new development and that new development remedy
drainage on-site; the subdivision regulations require drainage for a 25-year
storm event (the County only requires plans for a 10-year storm event).
Law Enforcement
The
perception or reality of a lack of safety in a community or neighborhood can
deter private community investment.
Safety can include personal security as well as the structural and
fire-rated safety of buildings. The Ocean Springs Police Department
(“OSPD”) provides service within the City 24 hours per day and beyond municipal
boundaries pursuant to mutual aid agreements with the County and surrounding cities. On average, the OSPD responds to about one
to two extra-territorial calls per month.
The OSPD also participates in inter-jurisdictional law enforcement
programs, including a narcotics task force, the FBI “Safe Streets” task force
and the “Blue Lightening” program with U.S. Customs.
The Police Department provides emergency
communications, administrative functions (information management), public
services (crime prevention, volunteers), support services (special programs,
training), victim services, property & evidence, investigations, patrol
functions and a special response team.
The Police Department is staffed by
approximately 39 full-time sworn police officers, 18 to 20 part-time, certified
volunteer officers, six dispatchers, four records clerks, two court clerks one
animal control officer and one housekeeper.
The OSPD has 21 regular patrol vehicles, five reserve patrol vehicles,
three administrative and seven investigative vehicles, two motorcycles, three
trucks and a command post bus. Currently
the OSPD is in the process of moving from two police officers per patrol
vehicle to one officer per vehicle.
The OSPD has a central facility adjacent
to City Hall and a substation on Deana Road used primarily as an unmanned
facility for the convenience of the traffic and patrol divisions. The central facility houses police functions
(administration, investigation, training, etc), the Municipal Court, an
emergency operations center (e.g., for weather or rail accidents), an
emergency management center (e.g., for police or national guard) and as
a temporary detention holding facility (with a capacity of twelve prisoners,
for sentences ranging from three to nine months).
The communications system is severely
constrained. The OSPD receives calls
for service from calls routed through Jackson County 911. The OSPD is responsible for all emergency
dispatches, by contacting and sending the appropriate responding entity
(police, fire, AMR, etc.). The 10-year
old computer-aided dispatch (“CAD”) has technical limitations directly related
to the provision of public safety service, including no patrol car tracking, no
prisoner tracking, only one clerk can enter data into the system at a time
(though two dispatchers are on duty at
all times) and it is a stand-alone design, meaning that it is not able to share
or exchange information with other public safety computer systems. Improvements to the Jackson County
communication system are proposed to include tower upgrades and a new dispatch
center, but Ocean Springs (as is the case for all other cities in the County)
will be solely responsible for providing mobile units to interact with the
proposed County communication system.
The OSPD level of service is based on an
achieved response time of three to five minutes, depending upon the type of
emergency, time of day and number of other calls for service at the time. The medical emergency response appears very
good at this time and will be most likely adequate for expected future demands.
Calls for service (“CFS”) have been
consistent for the past few years, though computerized recording has only been
available since 1999. For 2000 (the
latest time period for which information is available), the OSPD responded to
40,533 calls for service, for all emergency and non-emergency service, of which
15,727 (40%) were residential and were
24,302 (60%) were non-residential.
In 1998, there were 40,209 CFS; in 1997, there were 38,823 CFS; in 1997,
there were 36,665 CFS.
The OSPD provides adequate police
protection for the community, subject to the following growth-related and
operational issues:
·
The OSPD
does not have a boat and is unable to provide service or assist with an
water-related emergencies.
·
If
development patterns continue to expand to the northeast and southeast, additional
facility space and police officers will be needed, as would additional patrol
vehicles and equipment to staff the facility.
Land has been purchased by the City adjacent to the Civic Center site
for potential use by the City’s Police and Fire Departments, though no formal
plans have been formulated or adopted.
·
Utilization
of the central facility is maximized and is operating at and over
capacity. There is numerous office/room
sharing, based on limited space and available space; parking constraints are
significant, especially during periods when the Municipal Court is in session.
·
Increased
City populations during the tourist season and for festivals and other special
events stretch available police resources.
For example, during the course of the two-day Peter Anderson festival,
the City receives an additional 80,000 visitors.
·
Department
record keeping needs additional resources, including staffing and space.
·
State
detention facility regulations and standards require a separate, dedicated
jailer. Currently, that function is
handled by available police officers.
·
Construction
of the proposed Recreation Complex has the potential to require a relatively
significant police/security presence.
·
Upgrading
the CAD is a priority for the OSPD, improving communication with other public
safety providers, with OSPD officers in the field and gaining computer access
to the City network.
·
A secure,
larger cental facility is needed – to
provide a juvenile holding facility (currently, juveniles are held in office
space), to provide space for a full-time jailer, for shift changes and updates,
for training (which currently occurs in the Courtroom when not in session) and
for record-keeping. The new facility
also should be hurricane-proof and provide adequate parking.
Fire Protection/EMS
The Ocean Springs Fire Department
("OSFD") provides service to the City and operates primarily within
municipal boundaries, but sometimes provides extra-territorial service in
unincorporated Jackson County if requested and pursuant to a mutual aid
agreement. On average, about one to
three calls per year are extra-territorial.
Emergency medical services are provided by Acadian Ambulance, a private
company contracted by Jackson County.
The OSFD provides administration, record-keeping and training services;
fire suppression services; fire prevention; and enforces fire safety
codes. The OSFD also responds to EMS
calls for assistance when requested by Acadian.
The OSFD employs approximately 30
full-time firefighters, a Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief, though
maintaining adequate staffing is becoming more challenging. The OSFD has three fire pumpers, one reserve
pumper, two special purpose trucks and a van.
They are maintained at the three fire stations located within the City.
·
The
James A. Murray Station (also referred to as the Central Station) is centrally-located,
on Bienville Boulevard (Highway 90);
·
The
Beaugez Station,
which also is centrally-located but south of the railroad tracks, on Government
Street; and
·
The
Champ Gay Station,
located on the central-east side of town, on Deana Road.
Fire departments undergo periodic reviews
by the Insurance Services Office ("ISO") to determine the adequacy of
the community's fire protection services and to establish the local insurance
risk factor. During the course of the
Department's last review, the City received a rating of “6". This rating is based on a combination of
water flow, water pressure, an adequate number of available and trained
firefighters and an adequate amount of equipment, based on national standards
for similarly sized communities.
Typically improving a community’s rating to "5" would yield a
5% [real property] insurance premium savings; an increase to "4"
would yield an 11% savings. The City’s
rating could be improved by water system improvements (primarily in the eastern
and southern areas of the City) and increasing firefighter staffing levels.
The OSFD is “on the bubble” regarding the
need for an aerial (i.e.,
ladder) truck, capable of providing access to structures in excess of
three stories. Need, according to state
and national guidelines, is based on having at least five three-story or taller
structures or “big box” commercial developments within the service area. A significant amount of new commercial
development may be sufficient to require a ladder vehicle to maintain the
City’s ISO rating. However, most areas
within the City have a 35-foot building height restriction.
Communications have been problematic. Currently, fire calls are routed through the
Ocean Springs Police Department, which receives the calls from Jackson County
911. Individual fire units are able to
communicate using handheld portables.
Because the OSFD relies on the emergency communication network shared by
the Ocean Springs Police Department and Jackson County 911, improvements will
require significant inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional negotiation and
agreement.