Mississippi Supreme Court rejects zoning for Jackson area Costco store

Published 9:43 am Friday, April 20, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A unanimous Mississippi Supreme Court says a suburb acted improperly in rezoning property for what would be Mississippi’s first Costco store.

The court on Thursday reversed a lower court ruling. It ruled that the city of Ridgeland hadn’t proved that the rezoning was justified and had illegally tailored its decision to aid the developer.

The plan for the 45-acre site just north of Jackson has been subject to repeated rounds of litigation. Homeowners in nearby affluent subdivisions say they’re worried about traffic and other nuisances.

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It’s unclear whether the city can amend its zoning ordinance is such a way to legally allow Costco Wholesale Corp. to operate. The site has already been cleared and graded.

The developer had qualified for state tax incentives to help finance the project.