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Planning commission debates definition, density for interstate economic corridor
Summary
The commission split over how prescriptive to be in updating the economic corridor section of the master plan, with members disputing whether to emphasize industrial/commercial preference or allow higher-density residential and mixed use; a motion to send the draft back to the master plan review committee passed.
Commissioners spent extended discussion July 8 on a Master Plan Review Committee proposal to refine the parish’s economic corridor — an area along I‑12 that review members want to define more clearly to attract jobs and infrastructure improvements.
Gerald Burns, presenting the committee’s letter, said the existing master plan lists what should not be allowed in the corridor but “does not say what should be in a corridor.” The draft proposal lists uses the committee would like to encourage or permit, including manufacturing, major warehouses, retail centers, training and technical colleges, industrial parks, and “high‑density” residential (townhouses, multifamily, garden homes) intended to house workers near jobs.
Several commissioners and residents pushed back on the emphasis on high‑density housing. John Mangus, a resident, said the commission should state a preference for job‑generating uses because in his view some high‑density residential development would not provide the sales‑tax base to support parish services unless it is mixed‑use. Commissioner Mike Dana and others favored mixed‑use (MU) language that would require a percentage of commercial uses rather than unrestricted residential density.
Commissioner Gerald Clemons and supporters argued the committee had vetted the draft and that delaying it risks missing the window to include the language in the master plan update. Other commissioners said more work is needed to avoid conflicts with zoning and future land‑use maps; one commissioner suggested clarifying garden‑home standards because the parish currently lacks an active zoning category for them.
Faced with divided views, Commissioners voted to send the economic‑corridor draft back to the Master Plan Review Committee for revision so the committee can address concerns about density, mixed use and language clarity. The motion to return the item passed on roll call; commissioners voting yes included Clemons, Wack, Dana and Farris; Engler, Guidry and Burns voted no. The action sends the item back for refinement rather than adopting corridor rules tonight.
The record shows the commission discussed process questions — whether to forward the draft now to WSP for inclusion in the update or to refine it first — and legal counsel confirmed the master plan is amendable and that the commission will have advertised public‑hearing opportunities on the update. No zoning changes or reclassifications were adopted at the July 8 meeting.
