IN GENERAL

Meridian Code of Ordinances ch. 20, art. I

in effect

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-1 Method of naming streets.

Sec. 20-1. - Method of naming streets. The general plan of designating the streets north and south and of the avenues both East and west shall be by numbers. The streets north of the designated point, being a common section corner of Sections 16, 17, 20, and 21 of Township 6 North, Range 16 East, Lauderdale County, Mississippi and also being the Southwest corner of the Bonita Lakes Mall plat as recorded in Map Book 11 on page 13 in the office of the Chancery Clerk of Lauderdale County, Mississippi, shall be numbered therefrom northward in regular and consecutive order to the northern limits of the city; while the streets south of said point shall be numbered therefrom southward in regular and consecutive order to the southern limits of the city and shall include the designation "South", for example, "2 nd Street South". The avenues west of said point shall be numbered therefrom westward in regular and consecutive order to the western boundary of the city; while the avenues east of said point shall be numbered therefrom eastward in regular and consecutive order to the eastern boundary of the city and shall include the designation "East", for example, "2 nd Avenue East". All existing street or avenue designations prior to the date of the ordinance shall remain. (Code 1962, § 20-1; Ord. No. 4358, § 1, 10-6-09)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-2 Official map adopted.

Sec. 20-2. - Official map adopted. That certain map on file in the office of the city engineer, styled the official grid map of the City of Meridian, Mississippi, dated December 18, 1962, is hereby adopted as the official map of the city. (Code 1962, § 20-1.1; Ord. No. 3188, § 1, 12-18-62)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-3 Director of public works to clean, maintain paved streets.

Sec. 20-3. - Director of public works to clean, maintain paved streets. It shall be the duty of the director of public works to direct and superintend the cleaning, preserving and protecting of the streets and avenues of the city that are paved. (Code 1962, § 20-2)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-4 Duty of owners, occupants to clean and maintain sidewalks and adjacent areas.

Sec. 20-4. - Duty of owners, occupants to clean and maintain sidewalks and adjacent areas. It shall be the duty of all occupants or owners of any business, residence, or vacant property to keep the grass cut to the edge of pavement or curb and to keep the sidewalk free from dirt, trash, yard debris, overgrowth of shrubs and growth of grass and weeds. (Code 1962, § 20-3; Ord. No. 4577, 9-5-23)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-5 Changes in streets, sidewalks—Petition by property owner.

Sec. 20-5. - Changes in streets, sidewalks—Petition by property owner. When the owner of any real estate abutting on a street, alley or sidewalk or any other persons shall apply to the city council to open or widen such street, avenue, alley or sidewalk, or to change the existing grade thereof by excavating or by filling the same, such application shall be presented in the form of a written petition addressed to the city council, designating with particularity the street, avenue, alley or sidewalk, or portion thereof, and the alterations and work which the petitioners desire and request to have done. Such petitions shall be signed with ink by the owners of the real estate abutting that portion of the street, avenue, alley or sidewalk, the opening, widening, excavation or filling of which is petitioned for, and similarly signed by the owners of any other property that may be affected thereby, who may be of those petitioning. Each person signing such petition shall agree to make no claim against the city for any damages that may be done to his property by reason of the doing of the work petitioned for. (Code 1962, § 20-4)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-6 Same—Recording, filing petitions.

Sec. 20-6. - Same—Recording, filing petitions. All petitions for changing street and sidewalk conditions, as provided for in section 20-5, must be entered in full by the city clerk on the minute book of the city council, and the original placed on file and carefully preserved. (Code 1962, § 20-5)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-7 Requirements for opening of streets dedicated but not presently opened or improved.

Sec. 20-7. - Requirements for opening of streets dedicated but not presently opened or improved. (a) The expense of physically opening and improving any street, avenue, alley or other public thoroughfare in the city which, prior to March 7, 1972, was dedicated for use as such street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare and not physically opened or improved shall be borne by the adjoining property owner or owners requesting that such street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare be physically opened. (b) Whenever any such dedicated but physically unopened or unimproved street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare is opened or improved, the property owner or owners requesting that such street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare be opened or improved shall, before such street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare shall be accepted as a public street of the city, make such improvements to such dedicated street, which shall at the time of such request be in force and effect respecting the streets of any new subdivision of the city, including grubbing, grading, paving, construction of curbs and gutters, culverts and bridges, water mains and sanitary and storm sewer mains as required by the subdivision ordinances in effect at that time. (c) After the making of such improvements in such dedicated public street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare as required herein and the acceptance of such street by the city, all of such improvements within the right-of-way of such street, avenue, alley or public thoroughfare shall become the property of the city. (Code 1962, § 20-5.1; Ord. No. 3396, §§ 1—3, 3-7-72)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-8 Permit to excavate, perform work on, place building material or structure on streets, sidewalks; indemnification of city—Required.

Sec. 20-8. - Permit to excavate, perform work on, place building material or structure on streets, sidewalks; indemnification of city—Required. (a) Every person desiring to make excavation in any street, alley or avenue in the city, or to perform work upon any such sidewalk, curb, gutter or paving therein, or to pile any building material or erect any structure therein shall before so doing obtain from the director of public works a permit so to do. Every person obtaining such permit shall by the acceptance thereof become bound and obligated to the city to save it harmless on account of all injury to persons or property or any injury to any pavement, curb, sidewalk or gutter occasioned by any such excavation or work in the streets, alleys and avenues, the piling of building material or erecting of structures therein. (b) Before such a permit is granted therefor, such person shall deposit with the city clerk a sum of money as, in the judgment of the director of public works, shall be sufficient to cover the costs of replacing permanent pavement or improvement, the surplus, if any, to be returned when the work is completed. (c) Every such permit issued by the director of public works shall be executed in duplicate and shall be signed by the director of public works and also by the person obtaining the same. Immediately upon the execution of the permit and the bond, as required in the following section, the director of public works shall deliver the duplicate permit to the applicant. (Code 1962, § 20-6)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-9 Same—Bond prerequisite to issuance.

Sec. 20-9. - Same—Bond prerequisite to issuance. (a) Every person obtaining a permit, as provided for in section 20-8, shall at the time of receiving the same make, execute and deliver to the director of public works a good and sufficient bond, payable to the city with a surety company doing business in the state as surety thereon, in such amount as the director of public works may require, not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). Such bond shall be conditioned to save the city harmless on account of all injury or damages which it may suffer by reason of injury to persons or property, or injuries to any pavement, sidewalk, curb or gutter occasioned by the making of any excavation, the doing of any work or the piling of any building material or the erecting of any structure in the streets, alleys or avenues, as provided in the preceding section. (b) Any regular contractor or public utility using the streets, or any part thereof, may execute a like bond, general in its terms, to cover any and all work that may be done by such contractor or public utility in the streets for such sum as may be fixed by the city council, not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). Such bond when executed and delivered shall be in lieu of the bond hereinabove required in each case. (Code 1962, § 20-7)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-10 Filling excavations; lighting barricading required.

Sec. 20-10. - Filling excavations; lighting barricading required. Any person making an excavation in any street, alley or sidewalk or under the pavement thereof pursuant to a permit issued as provided in section 20-8 of this chapter, shall thoroughly ram all fills with heavy rammers and shall replace any paving or curbing torn up so as to leave such street, alley or sidewalk in the same condition it was prior to such excavation. Any such excavation that is left overnight in an unfinished condition shall be made safe by placing danger lights in the manner prescribed in section 20-11 and, if necessary, by barricading, as may be directed by the director of public works. (Code 1962, § 20-8)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-11 Danger lights on excavations, unfinished fill, other obstructions.

Sec. 20-11. - Danger lights on excavations, unfinished fill, other obstructions. Any excavation, unfinished fill or any obstruction of any kind whatever placed in any street, alley or sidewalk and permitted to remain overnight shall be marked on each side by a lamp or lantern with good and sufficient light therein and in such manner as to plainly show the place and extent of such excavation, unfinished fill or obstruction. Such lamps or lanterns shall be erected and lighted not later than sunset each evening and kept burning continuously until sunrise next morning. (Code 1962, § 20-9)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-12 Barricades across unsafe bridges, streets.

Sec. 20-12. - Barricades across unsafe bridges, streets. In case any bridge or any part of a street shall at any time become unsafe or dangerous for use as a public street, the same shall be closed to public travel by the erection of a substantial barricade, on which red lights shall be placed at night, until such bridge or street shall have been rendered safe for public travel. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or attempt to use any such bridge or street until such barricade shall have been removed by order of the director of public works. (Code 1962, § 20-10)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-13 Dropping materials, debris from buildings under construction.

Sec. 20-13. - Dropping materials, debris from buildings under construction. It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in the construction, alteration, repair or removal of any building or other structure anywhere in the city, to cast, to drop or permit to be cast or dropped from any elevation of such building or other structure any building material, rubbish or debris of such structure upon any street or sidewalk; provided, that it shall be lawful to lower and remove from such structure any timber, material, debris or other similar substance, by the use of machinery, buckets, baskets or such other safe appliances as by the building inspector may be deemed best adapted to insure against injury to persons or property or annoyance to the public. (Code 1962, § 20-11)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-14 Wrecker or automobile towing services to remove debris from streets.

Sec. 20-14. - Wrecker or automobile towing services to remove debris from streets. (a) All persons engaged in the business of offering wrecker service or automobile towing service within the city are hereby required to clean and remove from the streets of the city all broken glass and other debris resulting from automotive collisions served by wrecker or automobile towing businesses. (b) The removal of all such debris shall be done by such wrecker service or automobile towing service at the time that such towing service is performed. (c) Any person violating any provision of this section may upon conviction be punished as provided in section 1-9 of this Code. (Code 1962, § 20-11.1; Ord. No. 3375, §§ 1—3, 4-6-71)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-15 Discharging waste water into streets, sidewalks.

Sec. 20-15. - Discharging waste water into streets, sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to allow any slop, wash or waste water of any kind to flow from his yard or lot over the surface of a sidewalk, street, avenue, alley whether the same be paved or unpaved, or over a gutter, ditch or drain, whether the water be clean or foul. (Code 1962, § 20-12)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-16 Conducting roof and other clean water to gutters.

Sec. 20-16. - Conducting roof and other clean water to gutters. All water from the roof gutters of houses and all clean water from other sources on premises that is permitted to enter the street gutters, except surface waters, shall be carried from such houses or premises through drain pipes entirely beneath such pavements to the outer edge of the curbing and discharged into the gutters beyond the curbing; provided that, in cases where the above requirement is impracticable, the director of public works, may, if in his judgment necessary, grant a special permit for house-gutter water and other clean water to be allowed to flow over the surface of a sidewalk pavement. (Code 1962, § 20-13)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-17 Damage to streets, sidewalks by abutting owner or occupant prohibited.

Sec. 20-17. - Damage to streets, sidewalks by abutting owner or occupant prohibited. In all cases where a sidewalk or street improvement, curbing or gutter is disturbed or damaged by the wilful acts of the owner or agent of the property adjacent thereto, or by such owner or agent permitting to be disturbed or damaged by the unlawful acts of another, or by the gross or wilful neglect on the part of such owner or agent, for such acts, or gross and wilful neglect, such owner or agent shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. (Code 1962, § 20-14)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-18 Driving across sidewalks.

Sec. 20-18. - Driving across sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle across a paved sidewalk, except at a point where the pavement is provided with a driveway, unless it is absolutely necessary and unavoidable, in which event there shall first be laid over the pavement a complete covering of planks or other suitable material of sufficient thickness and width and strength to make the pavement secure against injury liable to result from the weight of the vehicle, and over which covering the vehicle must be driven. Such covering shall be removed immediately after the vehicle has crossed it. (Code 1962, § 20-15)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-19 Dragging articles over streets, sidewalks.

Sec. 20-19. - Dragging articles over streets, sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to drag or move over or along any street or sidewalk in the city that is paved or improved with brick, chert or any other kind of paving material, any article the weight or character of which is liable to displace or loosen the paving material or otherwise damage the pavement or improvement; provided, however, that, such article may be dragged or moved over or along such streets and sidewalks if such article is supported and conveyed on wheels or rollers of sufficient width to do no damage to the pavement or improvement. (Code 1962, § 20-16)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-20 Trees, shrubs obstructing intersections or view of traffic signs.

Sec. 20-20. - Trees, shrubs obstructing intersections or view of traffic signs. (a) The planting of shrubbery or trees on the right-of-way of any street or avenue within the city at any point which is within fifty (50) feet of the intersection of any street or avenue of the city with any other street or avenue of the city is hereby prohibited. (b) Any person or corporation violating any provision of this section shall be punished as provided in section 1-9 of this Code. (Code 1962, § 20-17)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-21 Obstructing streets or sidewalks—Prohibited acts.

Sec. 20-21. - Obstructing streets or sidewalks—Prohibited acts. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to place goods, wares, merchandise, fruits, vegetables, boxes, barrels, containers, dispensers, signs, basketball goals or any obstruction of any kind in or upon any street, avenue, alley or sidewalk within the city. (b) It shall likewise be unlawful for any person in charge of or occupying any property to permit goods, wares, merchandise, boxes, barrels, containers, dispensers, signs, basketball goals or other obstructions to remain on the street, alley, avenue or sidewalk adjoining the property or building in his charge or control, whether the same was placed thereon by such person or not. This shall include the exposing of goods or other property for sale, display, advertisement, or for other purposes, in such a manner as to rest upon or project over the sidewalks of the city, or to be suspended between the awning post or upon wires, ropes or frameworks suspended between the awning posts, the allowance of the act of basketball or in any manner to obstruct the free use of such sidewalks and passage thereon by the public. (c) It shall be unlawful for any person to obstruct vehicular traffic in any city street or pedestrian traffic on any sidewalk, participate in the act of basketball or any activity that obstructs the free use of any street, avenue, public place, or sidewalk within the city. Penalties. Any person guilty of committing any of the above acts shall face a penalty of: a. A find not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for a first offense; b. A fine not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for a second offense; and c. A fine not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for any subsequent offense. (Code 1962, § 20-18; Ord. No. 3202, 6-18-63; Ord. No. 4244, §§ 1, 2, 4-20-04; Ord. No. 4503, 11-6-18)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-22 Obstructing sidewalks with signs, advertisements.

Sec. 20-22. - Obstructing sidewalks with signs, advertisements. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, or cause to be placed in, or on the area between the sidewalk and curb of the streets of the city, any obstruction, sign or advertisement of any kind. (Code 1962, § 20-19)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-23 Stands for sale of merchandise prohibited on streets, sidewalks.

Sec. 20-23. - Stands for sale of merchandise prohibited on streets, sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or operate any box or stand for the keeping or sale of merchandise in or upon any street or sidewalk of the city. (Code 1962, § 20-20)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-24 Foreign material, debris, dirt, etc., falling from load, or wheels or body of trucks, tractors, etc.

Sec. 20-24. - Foreign material, debris, dirt, etc., falling from load, or wheels or body of trucks, tractors, etc. (a) No person shall drive or move any truck, tractor, recreational vehicle, other motorized vehicles of trailer or equipment within the corporate limits unless such motorized vehicles or trailer or equipment is so constructed or loaded and operated as to prevent and avoid any load, contents, litter, debris, dirt, rocks, limbs, mud, man-made materials, trash, vegetation or other materials foreign to the improved roadways, from being blown, or deposited upon any street, alley or other public place. No person shall drive or move any vehicles, trailer or equipment within the city, the wheels or tires of which carry onto or deposit in any street, alley or other place, any mud, dirt, debris, litter or foreign matter, if he or she removes such within a reasonable time shall not be deemed in violation of this section. "Reasonable time" is defined as before the conclusion of that days' activities or more often if directed by the public works director or his designee. (b) Any person violating subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each such violation. (Ord. No. 3911, §§ 1, 2, 8-6-91)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-25 Obstructing streets, sidewalks with commercial activities or exhibitions.

Sec. 20-25. - Obstructing streets, sidewalks with commercial activities or exhibitions. It shall be unlawful for any person to obstruct or permit to be obstructed any street, avenue, alley or sidewalk by selling, advertising, showing or disposing or offering for sale, or offering to show, advertise or dispose of any goods, wares or merchandise or by giving or taking part in any kind of entertainment or exhibition in a street, avenue, alley or sidewalk for any of the above purposes whereby persons are induced to collect together so as to obstruct free passage on and along such street, avenue or sidewalk. (Code 1962, § 20-22)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-26 Skating, playing on streets, sidewalks.

Sec. 20-26. - Skating, playing on streets, sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to skate on roller skates, or to ride any velocipede, tricycle, "scooter" or "pedo-car," or to loiter or engage in any play or game, on any paved street of the city, or on any sidewalk in the downtown section, or adjacent to any church in the city. It shall also be unlawful for any parent or guardian to knowingly allow or permit his minor child or ward, under the age of twelve (12) years, to violate any of the provisions of this section. (Code 1962, § 20-23)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-27 Wires crossing streets in fire limits.

Sec. 20-27. - Wires crossing streets in fire limits. It shall be unlawful for any person to place any telephone wire, wires for the purposes of conducting electricity, guy wire or any wire for the purpose whatsoever, across any street, avenue or sidewalk in the fire limits in the city; provided, that such wires may be placed across such streets, avenues, and sidewalks at right angles therewith at an intersection. (Code 1962, § 20-24)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-28 Gates, doors opening across sidewalks.

Sec. 20-28. - Gates, doors opening across sidewalks. It shall be unlawful for any person to erect or maintain any gates or doors, except self-closing screen doors, to structures bordering on sidewalks, to be erected or constructed so as to open outward, onto, or across any sidewalk. All such gates, and doors are declared to be nuisances, constituting obstructions to sidewalks, and any person so erecting, or causing to be so erected, any gate or door, except self-closing screen doors, after this Code goes into effect, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Code 1962, § 20-25)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-29 Post-office letter boxes authorized on sidewalks, lampposts; defacing.

Sec. 20-29. - Post-office letter boxes authorized on sidewalks, lampposts; defacing. The post-office department of the United States government is hereby granted permission to erect, under the supervision and direction of the director of public works, posts on the sidewalks of the city and to attach and fasten post-office letter boxes thereto, or to attach and fasten such boxes to any lampposts with the consent of the person owning such lampposts. It shall be unlawful for any person to deface or in any way injure any post-office letter box attached to any such post or erected in any hotel or elsewhere in the city. (Code 1962, § 20-26)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-30 Trees and shrubs within street right-of-way.

Sec. 20-30. - Trees and shrubs within street right-of-way. The city may move or trim, or cause to be moved or trimmed, any tree or shrub within the right-of-way of any street, avenue, or public way within the city, when the mayor has determined that it is in the best interest of the health, welfare and safety of the public. (Code 1962, § 20-27; Ord. No. 3204, 8-7-63)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-31 Closing and vacating streets and alleys—Generally.

Sec. 20-31. - Closing and vacating streets and alleys—Generally. The public streets, avenues and alleys of the city and portions thereof may be closed and vacated or quit-claim deeds granted from time to time, by the city council on petition of all of the abutting landowners of the street, avenue or alley or portion thereof. A hearing on the petition shall be held before the Meridian Planning Commission, serving as an advisory committee of citizens. After such hearing, the planning commission shall make its recommendation to the city council, which recommendation may be accepted or rejected by the council, or may be accepted in part and rejected in part, or may be sent back to the planning commission for further consideration and/or hearing. The recommendation of the planning commission shall be considered by the city council at its next regularly scheduled council meeting in the time and manner prescribed by the city's agenda ordinance. (Ord. No. 3891, 10-2-90)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-32 Same—Contents of petition.

Sec. 20-32. - Same—Contents of petition. No petition for closing or vacating a street, avenue or alley or for a quitclaim deed to same will be considered unless it is under oath, signed by all abutting or affected land owners and contains the following: (1) The name and address of each adjoining land owner. (2) A certification from an attorney stating that everyone signing the petition is a bona fide abutting property owner and that they constitute all of the abutting or affected land owners to the street or alley described in the petition. (3) A map or plat showing the street or alley proposed for closing or to be conveyed by quitclaim deed and the affected surrounding properties. (4) A legal description of the street, avenue or alley proposed for closing or to be included in the quitclaim deed. (5) A written certification from all public utilities including but not limited to electric, gas, telephone and television cable companies certifying that there are no utilities in, on or under the subject property; that they do not have any easements thereto; and that they have no objection to the closing and vacating of such street or the conveyance thereof. (6) A statement whereby all of the persons signing the petition waive their right to any compensation for the closing and vacating of the street, avenue or alley. (Ord. No. 3891, 10-2-90)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-33 Reserved.

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-34 Same—Costs.

Sec. 20-34. - Same—Costs. All administrative costs and fees incurred by the city in connection with a petition to close and vacate a street or alley or for a quitclaim deed shall be paid by the abutting landowners, including, but not limited to, all publication costs, recording fees and appraisal fees. The landowners shall deposit a sum sufficient to cover the above administrative costs upon filing of their petition. The amount of the fee shall be determined by the city clerk. (Ord. No. 3891, 10-2-90)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-35 Reservation of easements.

Sec. 20-35. - Reservation of easements. The city council, in its discretion, may reserve a utility easement over and across the street or alley being closed and vacated or a portion thereof. (Ord. No. 3891, 10-2-90)

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 20-36 Southern Way Boulevard.

Sec. 20-36. - Southern Way Boulevard. The road currently named 46th Avenue East, also known as Handy Boulevard, which has its northern terminus at Highway 11 and 80, and its southern terminus at a cul-de-sac is hereby renamed Southern Way Boulevard. (Ord. No. 4559, 4-5-22)

Source: City of Meridian, Mississippi, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ms/meridian/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH20STSI_ARTIINGEFetched: 11/1/2026