Community Development

Where Clinton Comes to Thrive

About Community Development

Keeping our community safe, beautiful, and comfortable for all residents is the Department of Community Development’s top priority. Community Development oversees all matters of zoning, permits, and public ordinances in an effort to keep Clinton thriving.

Activities:

Compliance
Compliance+

To ensure Clinton maintains the highest quality of life with respect to existing neighborhoods, historic resources, and expansion of the City limits, the following property maintenance and public nuisance ordinances were adopted to ensure neighborhood preservation, and encourage neighborhood aesthetics and to define nuisances.

Learn more →

Licenses & Permits
Licenses & Permits+

All for profit entities operating in the City of Clinton are required to obtain a business license. Information must be provided on the number of employees and/or assessed value of inventory (depending on the type of business) in order to obtain a license.
Questions regarding business licenses may be directed to the Community Development at 601-924-2256. The office hours are 7:30 am until 4:30 pm excluding holidays. Community Development is located in the Municipal Annex at 961 Highway 80 East (across from Wal-Mart).

Records & Resources →

Pay Bills & Permits →

Ordinances & Regulations
Ordinances & Regulations+

City ordinances and regulations are important for ensuring that a city operates smoothly and that its residents are protected from harm. They help to establish clear rules and expectations for behavior, and provide a framework for resolving disputes and enforcing penalties when necessary. By working together to develop and enforce ordinances and regulations, a city can create a safe, healthy, and vibrant community for all of its residents.

Records & Resources →

Public Notices
Public Notices+

There will be a storm water  meeting on Wednesday January 31, 2024 beginning at 9:00 am and will be held at the Clinton Vistor Center. City officials and the City Storm Water Official will be available to talk to and answer questions from Clinton Residents regarding storm water runoff issues, the topics of this meeting will be Sediment control, erosion control, and illicit discharge.  For more information please call Community Development at (601) 924-2256.

Notice is hereby given to those parties in interest that there will be a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the Police & Municipal Court Building at 305 Monroe Street in Clinton, Mississippi with intent to consider proposed adoption of the City of Clinton Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. View the ordinance here: https://clintonms.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Clinton-Zoning-Ordinance-Dec2023.pdf

Click the link to view the Proposed Amendment for Commercial Farming: Proposed amendment commercial farming

Click the link to view the Proposed Amendment for Sewer Use Ordinance: Proposed amendment Sewer Use Ordinance

Environmental Court
Environmental Court+
What is Environmental Court?
The City of Clinton strives to protect the quality of life for all residents. The Environmental Court will provide a means to expedite the handling of historic and property maintenance and preservation issues for our community, including criminal and code violations involving private, commercial, and residential properties throughout the City.

Why Environmental Court?
Recognizing the importance property maintenance issues and code violations have on the quality of life and health of a community, the city of Clinton environmental court deals with derelict properties, tree ordinance violations, vandalism, building- and fire-code violations, and other issues.

Environmental Court will provide a means to expedite the handling of historic and property maintenance and preservation issues for our community, including criminal and code violations involving private, commercial, and residential properties throughout the City. Current City Judge and City Attorney, William Purdie, will hear environmental cases. Community Development Director Roy Edwards will continue to serve as the point person for inspections and resident complaints that could result in environmental cases through the Community Development Office at 961 Highway 80 East. Mayor Fisher said the city needs the court because property maintenance and code enforcement issues often get bogged down under the current structure and sometimes take six months to bring a resolution.

The focus in Municipal Court is on crime. Environmental (code enforcement) issues, he said, will have a higher priority with a separate court.Clinton is joining a trend toward municipal environmental courts. Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and Biloxi operate environmental courts.

Under the current administration, the city has “addressed some procedures that have helped speed up the process, but it is an interminable process. For a problem property, it becomes a never-ending cycle of citation after citation with no long-term solution.”

Environmental Court Proceedings →

Rental Properties
Rental Properties+
The City of Clinton has adopted a Rental Property Ordinance in order to insure the health, safety and welfare of the community. This Ordinance will include manufactured homes, single-family houses, multi-family units and any residential property that is leased to an individual other than the property owner.

The intent of this Ordinance is to establish a base standard to prevent or correct slum and blighted conditions that presently exist or could exist in the future.

This Ordinance will address the following:
Registration of all rental property by persons owning, managing, leasing or renting property.
Licensing of the rental property will be required for persons renting one or more rental units.
Annual registration will be required for each rental unit.
Inspection of the rental unit must be performed before a rental license is considered valid.
By the nature of this Ordinance all owners and managers are agreeing to allow an inspector from the City of Clinton to inspect their rental property. Inspections will be performed with prior notice to the owner or manager of the rental unit with sufficient time to notify the lessee. Violations found during the inspection of the rental unit will be given ample time to be corrected. A Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until all non-conformities found during the inspection are repaired and a re-inspection of the rental unit is performed.
A rental housing standard is set forth in this Ordinance as being the basic human needs to insure the comfort and well being of the lessee.

What Is The Rental Housing Inspection Program?
The ordinance simply requires that all rental housing in the City of Clinton be registered with the City. The program is based on an ordinance which requires the inspection of all rental housing within the City of Clinton. The properties are inspected for compliance with state and local laws involving property maintenance. Once an inspection is complete the owner is notified of any deficiencies found and asked to correct them in a timely manner.

Why Does The City Have A Rental Inspection Program?
For years the City responded to complaints from tenants, other nearby rental property owners, and residents about the lack of property maintenance on many rental properties. Nearby property owners complained that as a result of poor property maintenance on rental properties, their property values were being adversely affected. This same complaint was echoed by other rental property owners who believed that their ability to rent, and even their ability to increase rents, was being adversely affected by other errant rental property owners in their neighborhoods.

What Happens If There Are Violations?
Where violations are found you will receive an inspection report showing the problems and location. The notice will also include a date for compliance.

What Will The Inspector Be Looking For?
The inspector will be looking for a number of things including: junk cars, dead vegetation, accumulations of junk and debris, landscape maintenance, building maintenance, graffiti, adequate refuse facilities, illegal/unpermitted construction, dilapidated structures and substandard housing conditions.

Learn more →

Comprehensive Plan
Comprehensive Plan+

Clinton Next is a community-driven initiative that will help identify the opportunities that will positively impact the future of the city of Clinton. Clinton NEXT will provide a framework for how the city will implement these opportunities and position the city for future success.

2022 Comprehensive Plan →

Planning & Zoning
Planning & Zoning+

Planning & Zoning Review Board Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Municipal Court Room ( 305 Monroe St. ) at 6:00 P.M. unless notified of a change.

Planning & Zoning →

To ensure Clinton maintains the highest quality of life with respect to existing neighborhoods, historic resources, and expansion of the City limits, the following property maintenance and public nuisance ordinances were adopted to ensure neighborhood preservation, and encourage neighborhood aesthetics and to define nuisances.

Learn more →

All for profit entities operating in the City of Clinton are required to obtain a business license. Information must be provided on the number of employees and/or assessed value of inventory (depending on the type of business) in order to obtain a license.
Questions regarding business licenses may be directed to the Community Development at 601-924-2256. The office hours are 7:30 am until 4:30 pm excluding holidays. Community Development is located in the Municipal Annex at 961 Highway 80 East (across from Wal-Mart).

Records & Resources →

Pay Bills & Permits →

City ordinances and regulations are important for ensuring that a city operates smoothly and that its residents are protected from harm. They help to establish clear rules and expectations for behavior, and provide a framework for resolving disputes and enforcing penalties when necessary. By working together to develop and enforce ordinances and regulations, a city can create a safe, healthy, and vibrant community for all of its residents.

Records & Resources →

There will be a storm water  meeting on Wednesday January 31, 2024 beginning at 9:00 am and will be held at the Clinton Vistor Center. City officials and the City Storm Water Official will be available to talk to and answer questions from Clinton Residents regarding storm water runoff issues, the topics of this meeting will be Sediment control, erosion control, and illicit discharge.  For more information please call Community Development at (601) 924-2256.

Notice is hereby given to those parties in interest that there will be a public hearing on Tuesday November 28, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the Police & Municipal Court Building at 305 Monroe Street in Clinton, Mississippi with intent to consider proposed adoption of the City of Clinton Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. View the ordinance here: https://clintonms.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Clinton-Zoning-Ordinance-Dec2023.pdf

Click the link to view the Proposed Amendment for Commercial Farming: Proposed amendment commercial farming

Click the link to view the Proposed Amendment for Sewer Use Ordinance: Proposed amendment Sewer Use Ordinance

What is Environmental Court?
The City of Clinton strives to protect the quality of life for all residents. The Environmental Court will provide a means to expedite the handling of historic and property maintenance and preservation issues for our community, including criminal and code violations involving private, commercial, and residential properties throughout the City.

Why Environmental Court?
Recognizing the importance property maintenance issues and code violations have on the quality of life and health of a community, the city of Clinton environmental court deals with derelict properties, tree ordinance violations, vandalism, building- and fire-code violations, and other issues.

Environmental Court will provide a means to expedite the handling of historic and property maintenance and preservation issues for our community, including criminal and code violations involving private, commercial, and residential properties throughout the City. Current City Judge and City Attorney, William Purdie, will hear environmental cases. Community Development Director Roy Edwards will continue to serve as the point person for inspections and resident complaints that could result in environmental cases through the Community Development Office at 961 Highway 80 East. Mayor Fisher said the city needs the court because property maintenance and code enforcement issues often get bogged down under the current structure and sometimes take six months to bring a resolution.

The focus in Municipal Court is on crime. Environmental (code enforcement) issues, he said, will have a higher priority with a separate court.Clinton is joining a trend toward municipal environmental courts. Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and Biloxi operate environmental courts.

Under the current administration, the city has “addressed some procedures that have helped speed up the process, but it is an interminable process. For a problem property, it becomes a never-ending cycle of citation after citation with no long-term solution.”

Environmental Court Proceedings →

The City of Clinton has adopted a Rental Property Ordinance in order to insure the health, safety and welfare of the community. This Ordinance will include manufactured homes, single-family houses, multi-family units and any residential property that is leased to an individual other than the property owner.

The intent of this Ordinance is to establish a base standard to prevent or correct slum and blighted conditions that presently exist or could exist in the future.

This Ordinance will address the following:
Registration of all rental property by persons owning, managing, leasing or renting property.
Licensing of the rental property will be required for persons renting one or more rental units.
Annual registration will be required for each rental unit.
Inspection of the rental unit must be performed before a rental license is considered valid.
By the nature of this Ordinance all owners and managers are agreeing to allow an inspector from the City of Clinton to inspect their rental property. Inspections will be performed with prior notice to the owner or manager of the rental unit with sufficient time to notify the lessee. Violations found during the inspection of the rental unit will be given ample time to be corrected. A Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until all non-conformities found during the inspection are repaired and a re-inspection of the rental unit is performed.
A rental housing standard is set forth in this Ordinance as being the basic human needs to insure the comfort and well being of the lessee.

What Is The Rental Housing Inspection Program?
The ordinance simply requires that all rental housing in the City of Clinton be registered with the City. The program is based on an ordinance which requires the inspection of all rental housing within the City of Clinton. The properties are inspected for compliance with state and local laws involving property maintenance. Once an inspection is complete the owner is notified of any deficiencies found and asked to correct them in a timely manner.

Why Does The City Have A Rental Inspection Program?
For years the City responded to complaints from tenants, other nearby rental property owners, and residents about the lack of property maintenance on many rental properties. Nearby property owners complained that as a result of poor property maintenance on rental properties, their property values were being adversely affected. This same complaint was echoed by other rental property owners who believed that their ability to rent, and even their ability to increase rents, was being adversely affected by other errant rental property owners in their neighborhoods.

What Happens If There Are Violations?
Where violations are found you will receive an inspection report showing the problems and location. The notice will also include a date for compliance.

What Will The Inspector Be Looking For?
The inspector will be looking for a number of things including: junk cars, dead vegetation, accumulations of junk and debris, landscape maintenance, building maintenance, graffiti, adequate refuse facilities, illegal/unpermitted construction, dilapidated structures and substandard housing conditions.

Learn more →

Clinton Next is a community-driven initiative that will help identify the opportunities that will positively impact the future of the city of Clinton. Clinton NEXT will provide a framework for how the city will implement these opportunities and position the city for future success.

2022 Comprehensive Plan →

Planning & Zoning Review Board Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Municipal Court Room ( 305 Monroe St. ) at 6:00 P.M. unless notified of a change.

Planning & Zoning →

Connect

961 US-80, Clinton, MS 39056
Roy Edwards
Director of Community Development
Roy Edwards
Director of Community Development