Judge rules for county in dispute over sand drying plant

POPLARVILLE — A Pearl River County judge has ruled against a group of residents who sought to block development of five acres near the construction site of a sand drying plant in Pearl River County.

The Alliance Consulting Group is locating the plant on 30 acres between Nicholson and Picayune. The $30-million plant will service the oil industry. It will create 40-to-50 jobs.

At issue, according to the Picayune Item, was a five-acre area near the industrial site that residents of the Raven Wood subdivision claim the county allowed to be built up during construction of the plant and that has caused flooding in the subdivision.

Circuit Judge Prentiss Harrell ruled this past week that the county has not violated any regulations governing use of the five acres.

Harrell said the residents failed to show the county violated of its duties in connection with the maintenance of the five acres and have to show that they will suffer actual damage.

The five-acre plot was acquired by the county during a FEMA hazardous mitigation process by acquiring an old trailer park named Shady Oakes.

The trailer park was later torn down. The land reverted to what is called “open space use.” No structures can ever be built on the land, according to federal statutes governing the land’s acquisition and future use.

Raven Wood residents said dirt was hauled in to build it up and a road constructed across it so Alliance would have access to its property.

The residents have 30 days to appeal the judge’s decision.