Harrison County, MS Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Small retail (<5,000 sf)
- 1 space, min. 10 ft by 35 ft
- Larger retail
- 1 space per 20,000 sf, 10x55 ft, 15-ft clearance
- Wholesale/industrial
- 1 space per 10,000 sf, min. 2 spaces
- Residential buffer
- 50 feet, or screened by 6-ft fence/wall
- Backing out
- Prohibited directly into a public road
- Review
- Plans reviewed by county Building Inspector
Summary
Any business, trade, or industrial use in unincorporated Harrison County that receives or ships merchandise has to provide off-street loading space under UDC § 701: sized by square footage, kept at least 50 feet from residential property unless screened, and barred from backing straight into a public road.
Off-street loading space with access to a public street or alley shall be provided on every lot on which is hereafter established a business, trade, or industrial use which customarily receives or distributes material or merchandise. All retail sales facilities, having less than five thousand (5,000) square feet of floor area, shall provide at least one (1) loading space which shall not be less than ten (10) feet by thirty-five (35) feet. Any loading/unloading space shall not be closer than fifty (50) feet to any other lot located in any residential district unless wholly within a completely enclosed building or unless enclosed on all sides by a wall, fence, or compact planting not less than six (6) feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
01 requires plans and specifications for the loading and unloading spaces, including ingress, egress, and interior circulation, to go to the Building Inspector for review at the time of the Building Permit or Certificate of Occupancy application. 03 requires wholesale and industrial users to provide one 10-by-55-foot space per 10,000 square feet of floor area, with a minimum of two spaces regardless of size. 05. 06 sets the residential buffer: no loading or unloading space may sit closer than 50 feet to a lot in a residential district unless it's fully enclosed in a building or screened by a wall, fence, or dense planting at least six feet high. 07 flatly prohibits any loading facility that requires vehicles to back directly out into a public road.
Violations & Fines
Operating a business without the required off-street loading space, or running loading operations that back directly into a public road, is a zoning violation under § 701. The county can require a correction, issue a Cease and Desist Order under § 1409.01, and pursue a misdemeanor under § 1409.03 with a fine of up to $100 per offense, assessed daily for continuing violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every business in Harrison County need a loading dock?
How big does a loading space have to be for a small store?
How close can a loading dock be to a residential neighborhood?
Can delivery trucks back straight out into the street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harrison County
Compare Harrison County to another location·View the Mississippi parking rules overview
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