Jackson requires grading permits for disturbance over 50 cubic yards or changes to drainage patterns. Mississippi common law (sufficient-cause doctrine) prohibits diverting surface water onto neighbors. Erodible loess soils require extra care.
Jackson Code Chapter 18 and the Hinds County Land Development Code require grading permits for excavation or fill exceeding 50 cubic yards, slope cuts over 4 feet, or any work that alters natural drainage. Site drainage must be directed to public storm systems or on-site retention - not sheet-flowed onto adjacent properties. Mississippi follows a modified civil-law rule with a reasonable-use exception: upper landowners may not materially increase the flow or change the location of surface water onto lower neighbors without liability (see Hall v. Hudson and subsequent cases). Retaining walls over 4 feet require engineered drawings and separate permits. Compaction testing (typically 95% standard Proctor) is required for structural fill under foundations. Work in the Pearl River or Big Black River floodway also requires no-rise certification.
Unpermitted grading: stop-work order plus $250-$2,500 fines. Redirecting drainage onto neighbor: civil suit plus code enforcement correction order. Failure to stabilize bare slopes: MDEQ sediment violations.
Hinds County, MS
Jackson restricts overnight on-street parking in designated areas. Unincorporated Hinds County generally allows overnight street parking on public roads. No ...
Hinds County, MS
Residential EV charger installation requires an electrical permit in Hinds County. Mississippi has no state EV-ready building code mandate. Entergy Mississip...
Hinds County, MS
Mississippi prohibits inherently dangerous wild animals under MS Code §49-8-1 through §49-8-9. Permits from MDWFP required for restricted species. Hinds Coun...
Hinds County, MS
Outdoor burning in Hinds County is regulated by MDEQ Air Quality rules, the Mississippi Forestry Commission, and Jackson Code Chapter 46. Open burning within...
Hinds County, MS
Rainwater harvesting is fully legal in Hinds County. Mississippi has no state restriction on collection. Given JXN Water's post-2022 crisis capacity issues, ...
Hinds County, MS
Hinds County permits artificial turf with no specific restrictions. Drainage must comply with county stormwater rules. HOA restrictions enforceable — no Miss...
See how Hinds County's grading & drainage rules stack up against other locations.
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