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St. Mary Parish committee votes to seek bids to lease 240-acre Bateman Island parcel
Summary
A St. Mary Parish land and building committee voted to release a 240-acre parcel on Bateman Island (Section 16) for lease by competitive bid and took no action on a neighboring parcel still undergoing cleanup.
A St. Mary Parish Section 16 Land and Building Committee meeting voted to release a 240-acre parcel on Bateman Island for lease by competitive bid and deferred action on a neighboring parcel that is still in cleanup.
Parish staff described the parcel, identified in meeting materials as the tract ending in 04200, as "approximately 240 acres" on the south side of the Intracoastal and along a river. Mr. Regard, a parish staff member, said the larger site includes four distinct pieces: the Berwick Landing (which the city maintains), a former Texaco field area undergoing cleanup, a section where wildlife fisheries operate, and a pasture-like area north of the levee that is not yet being offered because of access issues.
The committee voted, by voice, to put the 240-acre parcel ending in 04200 out for lease by bid; members responded "aye," with no recorded opposition and the motion carried. Meeting comments specified the lease would be for hunting purposes. The committee recorded no action on the parcel ending in 06500 because cleanup is ongoing and access remains restricted.
In outlining site conditions, Mr. Regard said Chevron (identified in the meeting transcript) has removed many pipelines and wellheads formerly on the land; remaining wellheads are "marked and barricaded" with wooden structures and sit at the ends of dead-end canals. He said the main canals are open. Staff also noted some portions of the property are difficult to access because use would require crossing other private lands.
Committee members did not record a roll-call vote with individual yea/nay names for the lease motion; the roll call earlier in the meeting indicated four members present. No additional restrictions on leasing around remaining wellheads were formally adopted during the meeting. The committee adjourned after approving the motion to seek bids and taking no action on the other parcel.
A parish staff member or the committee will have to complete any required environmental, safety, or access reviews before leasing, and the parcel undergoing cleanup will remain off the leasing schedule until staff reports it is ready for consideration.
