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Livingston Parish Council approves rezoning to mixed use for Louisiana Highway 22 parcel, contingent on site master plan
Summary
The council voted unanimously June 26 to rezone a parcel on Louisiana Highway 22 to MU (mixed use) but made final approval contingent on an approved site‑specific master plan to be reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Commission.
The Livingston Parish Council on June 26 approved rezoning a parcel at Louisiana Highway 22 (case no. 25‑213016) to MU (mixed use), but the council conditioned its action on the property owner submitting a site‑specific master plan that the Planning & Zoning Commission must approve before the change becomes final.
Council members and staff said the vote was intended to recognize existing uses on the parcel while protecting the parish from opening an uncontrolled pathway for future mixed‑use conversions. Parish attorney Irving told the council that the zoning code (section 117.205) allows mixed use only with a site‑specific master plan, and that the procedures referenced in section 127.1 (chapter 127) for adopting such plans have not been adopted. “Mixed use is a particular concern,” Irving said, “because the mixed use is so broad that it has to have a site specific plan as part of the approval process.”
The parcel in question includes existing buildings and uses the council heard described as a convenience store, restaurant, strip shopping center, travel trailer/RV park and a planned wedding venue and dress shop in an existing house. Mr. King, present in the meeting to discuss the request, said the rezoning would make the existing uses conforming. Council members said they were sympathetic to the owner’s desire to have current uses reflected in the zoning map, but several members voiced concern that approving MU zoning without requiring and reviewing a master plan could create a precedent for other properties.
To address that concern, Councilman Mangus moved to approve the zoning change with the condition that the property owner present a master plan that must pass through the Planning & Zoning Commission; Councilman Wascomb seconded. Councilman Mangus later amended his motion on the floor to explicitly tie the zoning approval to the master plan review process. The motion passed unanimously.
Planning staff and several council members said they would run the draft procedures for adopting site‑specific master plans (chapter 127) in parallel with the rezoning so the rules are in place for future MU requests. Planning staff indicated the process could move relatively quickly: the code requires advertising and Planning & Zoning review, but the parish attorney said section 127 could be drafted and introduced to the council promptly.
The council’s action approves the zoning change contingent on an approved master plan; the parcel will remain subject to the Planning & Zoning Commission’s review and any required advertising and notices before the plan is finalized.
Ending: The council recorded the rezoning vote as unanimous and instructed staff to coordinate the parallel adoption of the master plan procedures so future mixed‑use proposals follow the newly clarified process.
