Harrison County planning commissioners on Thursday, cognizant of a drastic oversight by the zoning department, approved the construction of a modular unit inside an established subdivision of brick- and wood-built homes.

Modular units are not allowed inside the Deerwood subdivision off Firetower Road, a few miles north of Interstate 10. But the builder failed to acknowledge to county officials that it was a modular home, and the zoning department failed to see the fine print saying it was a modular home.

County officials said the planned modular unit bears a striking resemblance to those that are stick-built. Hancock Bank appraised it for $299,000.

Deerwood residents will get to appeal the decision to county supervisors next month.

Dozens of residents huddled into the board room Thursday, barking at the planning board that their home values will now depreciate and asking them why residents should bear the brunt of a county mistake. County officials said it slipped through the cracks.

Proponents, though, stressed lenders would not issue loans to $300,000 homes that will depreciate, and the average person would not know it was a modular home.

The 2,800-square-foot home, which is built to withstand 130-mph wind gusts, now sits as two units at 11421 Katie Drive. When workers wheeled the units in, neighbors, fearing it was two trailers, flooded the planning department with complaints. County officials then issued a “cease and desist” order.

Dennis Hartshorne and his wife have already invested thousands for this, their first house. They lost their Slidell, La., apartment during the storm and wanted to live closer to their family.

Hartshorne’s mother, Jenny, lives two houses down from the site. She said the young couple chose modular because it is quicker to construct.

Though several neighbors believe quicker isn’t better in this case, the board disagreed.

“I don’t see it as an inferior product going on out there,” said board member Rev. Eddie Hartwell.

source : www.sunherald.com