Southaven, MS Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Southaven, MS, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Residential districts listing ADUs
- PUD only, marked S
- Blank Chart 3 columns
- A/ER, R-30 through R-6, RM-8
- Chart 4 districts marked S
- C-3, C-4, PBP, M-1, M-2, PUD
- Minimum PUD tract
- 5 acres
- PUD single-family density cap
- 5 dwelling units per acre
- Storage buildings as dwellings
- Barred by Sec. 13-13(d)
Summary
In the City of Southaven, Mississippi, an 'Accessory dwelling unit' is listed as a site plan review use in only one residential district, the PUD. The A/ER, R-30 through R-6 and RM-8 columns of Chart 3 are blank. In Chart 4 it is listed in C-3, C-4, PBP, M-1, M-2 and PUD.
Uses Permitted A/ER R-30 R-20 R-15 R-12 R-10 R-9 R-8 R-6 RM-8 PUD ... Accessory dwelling unit S ... C is conditional use, S is site plan review (site plans may be formal or administrative per city planner) ... Uses Permitted O RO C1 C3 C4 PBP M1 M2 PUD ... Accessory dwelling unit S S S S S S
Full Breakdown
Southaven lists accessory dwelling units on two use charts in Sec. 13-12, and neither one puts them in an ordinary neighborhood. On Chart 3, the residential chart, the 'Accessory dwelling unit' row sits under Other Housing and prints a single S at the far right, under PUD. The A/ER, R-30, R-20, R-15, R-12, R-10, R-9, R-8, R-6 and RM-8 columns are empty. On Chart 4 the same row prints S under C3, C4, PBP, M1, M2 and PUD, and leaves O, RO and C1 empty. The Chart 4 legend reads 'C is conditional use, S is site plan review,' and Sec. 13-8(a) says site plan review ensures appropriate site development for the uses listed in Charts 3 and 4.
A PUD is a tract of at least five (5) acres under single ownership, planned and developed as an integrated unit under an approved general site plan. Sec. 13-12(m) caps residential density there at five (5) dwelling units per acre in single-family areas and twenty (20) in multifamily areas, and it requires fifteen (15) percent of the gross residential area to be set aside as parks and playgrounds.
The code's definitions decide what counts as a unit. A dwelling unit is one or more rooms constituting a separate, independent housekeeping establishment with independent cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities, and an accessory building is a subordinate building incidental to the principal building on the same lot. Sec. 13-13(d) bars using a storage or temporary building for dwelling purposes. Chart 5 footnote 9 separately lets the A agricultural district hold more than one residential structure on a lot if all requirements of an actual subdivided lot are met and everything is in single ownership. The code contains no garage apartment or granny flat entry.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 13-12(a) says no building shall be erected or altered for any purpose other than one allowed in its district, so an apartment added over a garage in an R district is a Title XIII violation. Sec. 13-2(c) lets the proper authorities seek to restrain it and to prevent occupancy, with fines according to state law, up to thirty (30) days in jail, stop work orders and revocation of certificates of occupancy for a knowing and willful violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a garage apartment behind my house in Southaven?
In which Southaven districts is an accessory dwelling unit listed?
Can I convert a shed into a dwelling in Southaven?
What counts as a dwelling unit under the Southaven code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southaven
How Southaven compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·Compare Southaven to another location·View the Mississippi accessory structures overview
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