Flowood Pledges $5 million TIF for Pinelands

Jul. 12, 2023

Source: Rankin County News by Charles Bailey

FLOWOOD – A 132-acre site consisting of a mix of commercial, residential, and professional office space development has been proposed in Flowood.

The Pinelands would include a 50-acre parcel adjacent and to the east of Hugh Ward Blvd., and an 82-acre parcel on the west side of the road.

The larger of the two parcels would front Lakeland Drive, while the 50-acre portion would not extend that far south.

At their July 3 meeting, Flowood aldermen approved the city’s intent to issue up to $5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bonds to spur the development.

TIF bonds are typically used to assist in the development of infrastructure for proposed sites.

The land where The Pinelands would be located is currently bare and undeveloped, which generates very little in annual property taxes. If the development is built out as planned, the value of that land would dramatically increase, and the city would repay the TIF bonds over a period of years with the increased tax revenue.

Flowood Director of Economic Development, Daniel Lang, said that the 50-acre parcel, which abuts with the Gardens of Manship subdivision, would consist mainly of residential lots, with a string of professional office space development along the western end.

“It would be mostly residential,” Lang said. “The part that is along Hugh Ward Blvd. would be for office space development. As you get closer to Gardens of Manship, that would be residential.”

Within the 82-acre parcel west of Hugh Ward Blvd., it’s likely that the land that fronts Lakeland Drive and Hugh Ward would be more commercial or retail in nature, with potentially a mix of residential development included.

The East Pineview Drive frontage road on the north side of Lakeland Drive would also be extended and called West Pineview Drive to accommodate businesses that front Lakeland within the 82-acre parcel.

A public hearing will be held Monday, July 17 at Flowood City Hall on the proposed Partridge Development project.