Southaven, MS Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)

Article III of Chapter 7, Title IX, Stopping for Loading or Unloading, has two operative sections in the City of Southaven, DeSoto County, Mississippi. Section 9-452 governs passenger curb loading zones: no person stops, stands or parks a vehicle for any purpose or period of time other than the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers in a place marked as a passenger curb loading zone during the hours when the regulations applicable to that curb loading are effective, and then only for a period not to exceed three (3) minutes.

Section 9-453 governs freight curb loading zones. In a place marked as a freight curb loading zone, during the hours the provisions applicable to such zones are in effect, no person stops, stands or parks for any purpose or length of time other than the expeditious unloading and delivery or pickup and loading of materials. In no case does the stop for loading and unloading of materials exceed thirty (30) minutes. Both rules turn on two facts: the place is marked as a zone, and the zone's hours are in effect.

The two sections print no hours and no zone locations. Former Section 9-451, which dealt with the designation of curb loading zones, was repealed by an ordinance adopted March 7, 2006. Article II, which covers designated streets, has its own designation and sign rule: Section 9-432 has the mayor and Board of Aldermen or the traffic committee designate streets or places where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited, prohibited during certain hours, or limited to a specified time, and Section 9-433 makes the public works director responsible for erecting the signs, with no such regulation effective unless the signs are in place at the time of the alleged offense.

Loading does not excuse other violations. The exception for taking on or discharging passengers or freight in Section 9-401(a) appears in item (15) alone, which covers the area within twenty (20) feet in front of a theater or public building entrance during a meeting or public gathering and caps the stop at ten (10) minutes. Section 9-435 adds that a time limit does not relieve anyone from other and more restrictive provisions prohibiting or limiting stopping, standing or parking in specified places at specified times.