Terrebonne Council adopts rezoning, code changes, budget amendments and traffic measures; several appointments approved

The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government Council on May 28 approved a series of ordinances, budget amendments, traffic measures, committee minutes and appointments.

Key votes and actions included:

- Rezoning and zoning hearings: The council called a public hearing for a proposed ordinance to amend the parish zoning map to rezone 132 Armor Drive from R-3 (multifamily residential) to C-2 (general commercial); the public hearing was scheduled for July 16, 2025 at 6:30 p.m., with the Terrebonne Children’s Advocacy Center listed as applicant. Separately, the council approved rezoning 196 Petrie Street in Houma from R-1 (single-family) to R-2 (two-family) on first reading or by final motion (transcript shows the motion adopted), vote recorded as 8-0.

- Budget and capital outlay amendments: The council adopted an ordinance amending the 2025 operating budget and five-year capital outlay budget to add or revise several projects and allocations. Items listed in the meeting included FEMA flood mitigation ($452,025); pollution control ($155,000); wastewater implementation Village East (approximately $2,500,000); a boat-launch/Activate the Bayou phase 1 ($1,500,000); Main Street improvements ($3,000,000); housing and human services facilities ($2,000,000); an east water line redundancy project ($1,500,000); and a pump station project listed at $10,547,426. The council adopted the changes by recorded motion reported as passing (motion passed recorded as 7-0 in transcription for the ordinance adoption sequence).

- CDBG and large project allocations: During the budget-and-finance committee report the council announced proposed CDBG-funded items and other large allocations for public hearing on June 11, 2025, including: Bayoucane stormwater/detention pond ($5,750,000); garbage collection relocation ($20,000,000); Bayou Lafourche pump station/waterworks ($8,500,000); school relocation for Terrebonne Parish School District ($3,000,000); and a series of other CDBG-identified projects.

- Code and fee changes: The council adopted an amendment to Article 2, Chapter 11, Section 11-34 of the parish code to increase disposal charges and to add recycling disposal charges for firms, corporations and other commercial entities; the ordinance also provides for an annual increase tied to the consumer price index. The motion was recorded as passed (voice vote recorded in transcript as passing).

- Traffic ordinances: The council approved an ordinance establishing a 15-mph speed zone along the length of Aback Street and an ordinance establishing a four-way stop at Church Street and Magnolia Street. The Aback Street item was recorded as passing 6-0 in the transcript; the four-way stop passed 8-0.

- Routine approvals and committee ratifications: The council approved minutes of previous sessions (special session 04/29/2025 and regular session 04/30/2025 and minutes distributed for 05/14/2025), accounts payable lists for 05/19/2025 and 05/27/2025, and ratified minutes of the Public Service and Budget & Finance committees. Those motions were recorded with unanimous or near-unanimous tallies in the transcript.

- Appointments: The council opened, closed and appointed Raymond E. McGuire to a parish communications district board vacancy (motion approved 7-0 in the transcript). The council also appointed Randy P. Hawthorne to the Downtown Development Corporation seat; multiple other board terms and vacancies were listed for later action.

Most votes were taken by voice or recorded by the meeting's voting machine; the transcript records the frequently used phrase "members of your machine" and shows multiple unanimous or near-unanimous tallies. The council did not adopt the draft Recreation Advisory Committee ordinance that night; that item was discussed separately and staff were directed to schedule advisory board meetings and refine ordinance language for future action.