The city of Jackson won’t be going it alone in efforts to fend off two attempts to annex city-owned land around the airport.
On December 17, the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) voted unanimously to oppose plans by the cities of Flowood and Pearl to annex property around the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.
The vote was taken one day before the Jackson City Council approved bringing on three law firms to fend off the annexation plans.
Jackson-Evers sits on approximately 3,800 acres of land, of which 1,100 is the airport proper. That is located in the city of Jackson’s corporate limits.
The remaining 2,700 is in the unincorporated part of Rankin County, bordered by Lakeland Drive, the East Metro Parkway, Airport Road and Old Brandon Road.
The petitions are expected to be presented in Rankin County Chancery Court on January 24.
Flowood is hoping to bring property northeast of the Jackson-Evers along the East Metro Corridor and Lakeland Drive, and the strip that runs on the eastern side of Airport Road.
Pearl is petitioning the court to take in acreage on the southeastern side of the airport along the parkway and Old Brandon Road.
The land has become more valuable in recent years, with the completion of the East Metro Parkway, which opened up the airport property for development.
It was not clear exactly how much land each city hoped to annex.
JMAA Chief Executive Officer Carl Newman declined to comment.
The text of the resolution can be found on the Sun’s website.
