Council clarifies Dollar General at Jefferson and Pines is outside city limits; zoning lies with Caddo Parish

A resident asked the Shreveport City Council what recourse residents have to stop or delay a new Dollar General being built at the southeast corner of Jefferson Paige and Pines Road. Council and staff clarified the site is outside Shreveport city limits, within Caddo Parish, and already zoned for commercial use; as a result the city council and the Metropolitan Planning Commission had no jurisdiction to deny a site that is legally entitled to development.

Derek Henderson, a District G resident, told the council he and neighbors were surprised to see clearing begin for the Dollar General and said they wanted to know whether they could delay or stop the development and how to get earlier notice in future projects. Council members and staff told Henderson the property is in Caddo Parish and was already zoned commercially, so the parish commission—not the Shreveport City Council—would have been the jurisdiction to address zoning or delays.

City staff said when property is already zoned, a developer can proceed by submitting a site plan for approval and the city has no authority to deny a lawful use that complies with existing zoning. Council members reminded residents that when property is zoned for commercial use, the city’s review does not require a zoning hearing to authorize the project.

Why it matters: The exchange clarified jurisdictional limits for residents seeking to influence land-use decisions and underscored the role of Caddo Parish when parcels lie outside city boundaries. Council staff encouraged residents to contact Caddo Parish Commission and the appropriate planning body for appeals or further action.

The transcript shows the council provided procedural guidance but no retrospective action to halt the development; staff and council members directed residents to the parish where the property is located.