The Oxford Board of Aldermen approved proposed modifications to a resolution allowing the city to provide water and sewer outside of Oxford’s corporate limits.

City and county staff have held ongoing conversations on the dissolution of Punkin Water Association and Oxford expanding its service will affect land development codes. 

When county supervisors posed their concerns on how the city’s codes would conflict with their own, Mayor Robyn Tannehill, Chief Operating Officer Bart Robinson and other staff members worked with county officials to come to a better understanding.

The latest amendment addresses those developments located in the Lafayette County Max D. Hipp Industrial Park, or beyond one mile of the city’s corporate limits.

“Developments farther than [one] mile from the City limits will not have to go through both city and county approval process any longer,” said Chief Operating Bart Robinson.

Future developments in the affected areas will go through with the city’s staff reviewing the utility plans for those utilities the city will serve.

The purpose of the development code guidelines is to make sure future developments are compatible with the city’s overall land use patterns envisioned in Oxford’s 2037 Comprehensive Plan.

“Our hope is the changes to the policy for utility service outside the City limits streamline the process and requirements for development,” said Robinson.