Opinion ID: 1697758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Land-Use Map Should be Controlling.

Text: ¶ 30. The majority recognizes that the most recent zoning change did not comply with the future land-use map, which was part of the City's 2004 comprehensive plan, but affirms the trial judge's determination that the zoning change complied with the comprehensive plan. I cannot agree. ¶ 31. Mississippi Code Annotated Section 17-1-9 states in part that [z]oning regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan. (Emphasis added). Furthermore, in Barbour v. Gunn, 890 So.2d 843 (Miss.2004), this Court held that a map was controlling where it was attached to an inconsistent Joint Resolution of the Mississippi Legislature. ¶ 32. I recognize that where a zoning map reflects the current zoning, any amendment necessarily conflicts with the map. In order to avoid this inconsistency the governing authority should seek contemporaneously to amend both the zoning and any land-use map. Such action would allow the governing authority to exercise its liberal powers granted in Mississippi Code Annotated Section 17-1-11(2) in adopting and amending the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances, while complying with Mississippi Code Annotated Section 17-1-9's mandate that zoning regulations be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan. ¶ 33. For the above-stated reasons, I cannot agree with the majority's opinion to affirm. It is inappropriate to allow the aldermen simply to change their vote because they failed to appreciate the consequences of their votes when cast. Such a failure does not represent a mistake for the purposes of justifying a zoning change. Finally, where a governing authority's comprehensive plan includes a land-use map, I would require any zoning amendment to occur contemporaneously with the amendment of any land-use map. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent. DICKINSON, J., JOINS THIS OPINION.