Frequently Asked Questions

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Speaking with the Judge about your case outside of open court is defined as ex-parte communication. Judges are strictly prohibited from engaging in ex-parte communication as dictated by the Judicial Cannons of Ethics. This communication includes email, text messages, phone calls, and personal contact. Therefore, any communication with the Judge concerning a matter that is before his court or any matter that will be before his court may only occur in open court in front of the bench.

Municipal Court Staff can only answer questions concerning procedures. We are strictly prohibited from providing you with legal advice. If you have questions concerning legal matters, we recommend that you consult with an attorney.

• If an individual misses a court date for a traffic citation, the case is automatically continued for 2 weeks and our office mails a letter to the address on your driver’s license advising you of the missed court date. If you fail to appear for your second court date, 2 weeks after your initial court date, the court will issue a warrant for your arrest and suspend your driver’s license.
• If you posted a bond through a bonding company for any type of charge and miss the court date that is listed on the bond, the court issues a Judgement NISI to the bonding company and immediately issues a warrant for your arrest. Further, if you miss any continued court date while you are on bond, an arrest warrant will be issued immediately. C.
• If you received a citation for a misdemeanor such as possession of beer by a minor, simple possession of marijuana, etc, and were not required to post a bond, you are expected to appear at the date and time listed on your summons. If you fail to appear, the court will notify the police officer to establish probable cause for an arrest warrant. Once that occurs, the police department will have an active warrant for your arrest.

• If you have proof of valid insurance at the time of the stop but simply did not have your proof, you can appear at the municipal court Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and provide a copy of your valid insurance card. The insurance must show valid on the date you received your citation on either the defendant or the vehicle that was being driven at the time of the stop. In this scenario, the court may consider a dismissal of the charge.
• If you did not have valid insurance at the time of the stop but have it now, you must show proof to the court on your scheduled court date. The proof must show either valid insurance on the vehicle you were driving or valid insurance under the name of the defendant on any vehicle. In this scenario, the court may consider suspending a portion of the $500 fine.

• Contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS) that issued your driver’s license. For Mississippi inquiries please refer to the DPS link on this site.
• Contact the Court that requested your driving privileges to be suspended.

If you have been contacted by American Municipal Services (AMS), please contact this agency at 800-555-5160. The court can not take or make payment arrangements.

Brownfield properties are diverse. For example, an abandoned factory, a boarded-up corner gas station, or a run-down mill. In communities across the country, we see brownfields of every shape and size-from a fraction of an acre to hundreds of acres. They are located in urban, suburban, and rural locations. Some properties may have little to no contamination, while others require cleanup to ensure the protection of the community and environmental health. Contamination at these properties, whether perceived or actual, can cause them to lay idle, underused, abandoned, or vacant; this can lead to blight and disinvestment in neighborhoods.

In many cases, brownfield properties remain vacant or idle because of a lack of funding to assess or clean up the property.

Investment & Development Opportunities

Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment is a primary driver for attracting investment and business to communities that may otherwise be overlooked. With environmental uncertainties addressed, property owners face reduced liability and new incentives for property redevelopment. The successful transformation of one property may encourage interest and development in the surrounding area.

Jobs Creation Potential

Brownfields redevelopment also demonstrates significant potential to generate new green jobs for environmental professionals who assess and clean up properties. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) investment in communities through its Brownfields grants helped to leverage more than 54,000 jobs related to property assessment, cleanup, and reuse.

Community members play an important role in identifying brownfields. Once citizens have a good understanding of what constitutes a brownfield, they often realize they know of potential sites within the community. Citizens can notify their municipality or regional planning agency of these sites, which may then be included in the brownfields assessment process.

Citizen involvement is critical to the success of any brownfield redevelopment project. Public participation begins during the initial stages of a brownfield assessment with the formation of a Brownfields Advisory Committee. This committee works with the agency leading the assessment to oversee the brownfields inventory process, establish criteria to rank contaminated sites and select sites for detailed grant-funded assessment. Advisory Committee members also assist in public outreach and help to promote brownfield sites as potential opportunities rather than neighborhood problems.

Brownfields that are left idle and contaminated pose environmental risks, threaten public health, and tarnish a community’s image. Fortunately, they do not have to remain this way. Once a brownfield site has been identified, it is typically targeted for redevelopment.

Generally, brownfields cannot have levels of contamination that would place them on either the National Priority List (Superfund sites) or a State priority list. As such, they are not likely to cause immediate or serious health effects to individuals involved in the cleanup and redevelopment process. Revitalized brownfields provide opportunities that are far broader than their original uses. Former brownfields can become anything from golf courses and public parks to mixed-use developments, housing, or retail space.

Brownfields can be successfully redeveloped into a number of uses. Minute Maid Stadium home of the Houston Astros, was once a contaminated brownfield.

A list of work requiring permits is available in the office.

• A completed construction permit application (can be filled out in the office).
• The estimated cost of construction, including electrical.
• Completed construction permit application (can be filled out in office).

The funds from a bond are used to cover legal expenses and repair building code violations. The building inspector notifies the contractor of the corrections that need to be made and then sets a deadline for them to be corrected. The bond is "called" when all methods to correct the problem are exhausted.

All lot dimensions with setbacks and coverage for each zoning district are found in Appendix A of the City of Columbus Zoning Ordinance.

There are three major zoning uses residential, commercial, and industrial. Each district has specific standards for developments and uses permitted. These are found in the Columbus Development Code.

To determine if a property is in the flood plain, the Flood Plain Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), which is located on the FEMA website, would need to be consulted. Alternatively, please call and speak with the Flood Plain Manager for the City of Columbus located in the Inspection Department at 1621 Main Street and can also be reached by calling 662-245-5055.

Anyone in the City of Columbus may purchase flood insurance, regardless of where the property is located. Local insurance agents will know how to sign people up for flood insurance. The basic requirement will be an elevation certificate furnished by a registered surveyor or engineer which gives basic elevation information about the structure to be insured.

You may check with the Inspection Department when you apply for your building permit and there may be situations where that the following could apply:

• A Major Conditional Use
• A Minor Conditional Use
• A Variance
• A Zoning Change

Each has specific requirements and you should check with the staff in each case. These procedures are found in Appendix A of the City of Columbus Zoning Ordinance.

All in-ground pools require a building permit. Above ground pools connected to any electrical device, such as a pump, must have a building permit.

The General Contractor’s license in Columbus carries with it a bond that helps provide funds to aid with the enforcement of the building codes. The state license does not provide for individual restitution.

City of Columbus law does not allow the transfer of a license to Columbus from outside the State of Mississippi.

Complaints about dilapidated buildings are checked by a building inspector to see if there appear to be any code violations. If so, the owner is notified and a hearing scheduled. At the hearing, the hearing officer decides whether to issue an order for the building to be closed, repaired, or demolished. A court hearing may also be needed.

The Planning Commission usually meets at 5:30 pm on the second Monday of each month. Applications for their review must be submitted to the planning commission by 5 pm, 25 to 30 days prior to the meeting.

There are tax abatement programs for housing improvements, and a similar program available for new developments. The City of Columbus has adopted several development code amendments that will also benefit residential builders.

1. A completed construction permit application (can be filled out in office).
2. The estimated cost of construction, including electrical.
3. Completed construction permit application (can be filled out in office).

The funds from a bond are used to cover legal expenses and repair building code violations. The building inspector notifies the contractor of the corrections that need to be made and then sets a deadline for them to be corrected. The bond is "called" when all methods to correct the problem are exhausted.

All lot dimensions with setbacks and coverage for each zoning district are found in Appendix A of the City of Columbus Zoning Ordinance.

There are three major zoning uses - residential, commercial, and industrial. Each district has specific standards for developments and uses permitted. These are found in the Columbus Development Code.

(FIRM), or call and speak with Kenneth Wiegel. Mr. Wiegel will determine if your property is located in a flood hazard area. The Inspection Department is located at 1621 Main Street and can be reached by calling 662-245-5055.

Anyone in the City of Columbus may purchase flood insurance, regardless of where the property is located. Local insurance agents will know how to sign people up for flood insurance. The basic requirement will be an elevation certificate furnished by a registered surveyor or engineer which gives basic elevation information about the structure to be insured.

You may check with the Inspection Department when you apply for your building permit and there may be situations where that the following could apply:

1. A Zoning Change
2. A Major Conditional Use
3. A Minor Conditional Use
4. A Variance

Each has specific requirements and you should check with the staff in each case. These procedures are found in Appendix A of the City of Columbus Zoning Ordinance.

All in-ground pools require a building permit. Above ground pools connected to any electrical device, such as a pump, must have a building permit.

The General Contractor’s license in Columbus carries with it a bond that helps provide funds to aid with the enforcement of the building codes. The state license does not provide for individual restitution.

City of Columbus law does not allow the transfer of a license to Columbus from outside the State of Mississippi.

Complaints about dilapidated buildings are checked by a building inspector to see if there appears to be any code violations. If so, the owner is notified and a hearing scheduled. At the hearing, the hearing officer decides whether to issue an order for the building to be closed, repaired, or demolished. A court hearing may also be needed.

The Planning Commission usually meets at 5:30 pm on the second Monday of each month. Applications for their review must be submitted to the planning commission by 5 pm 25 to 30 days prior to the meeting.

There are tax abatement programs for housing improvements, and a similar program available for new developments. The City of Columbus has adopted several development code amendments that will also benefit residential builders.