Terrebonne council introduces moratorium on recreational-vehicle permits amid local dispute and pending litigation

The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government council introduced an ordinance July 16 to place a moratorium on recreational-vehicle permits and scheduled a public hearing on the matter for Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

The moratorium’s scope was contested during public comment. Resident Jerry Smitko said he was unclear whether the proposal targeted the limited allowance of “1 to 3 RVs” on private property or full-scale RV parks. “I’m not sure whether it’s on RV permits for the 1 to 3 RVs that are allowed on a piece of property are RV parks,” Smitko told the council, and he urged members to consider whether the resolution cites appropriate code sections before sending it to public hearing.

Attorney April Tronha of Duval Law Firm, representing landowners in the matter, told the council she supports the moratorium and said her clients recently obtained court orders preventing construction linked to an alleged RV park and related activities. She said an injunction and temporary restraining order were granted on behalf of her clients and described the court action as restraining the defendant and anyone acting on the defendant’s behalf from taking further steps toward construction. “I fully support the moratorium,” Tronha said.

Smitko also alleged ethics concerns tied to an ongoing dispute between neighbors and urged the council to “take heed of the ethical conflicts involved.” Tronha responded that some matters involved ongoing litigation and that she had filed an injunction and preliminary relief; she urged the council to adopt measures that prevent a rush of filings while zoning changes are developed.

The council did not adopt a final ordinance at the meeting; it introduced the moratorium and set a public hearing on July 30. The transcript records questions from speakers about the precise ordinance language and which sections of the parish code the ordinance would amend. The council’s introduction moves the matter toward a public hearing where the ordinance’s scope and any proposed definitions (for example, whether the moratorium would apply to small residential RV counts versus commercial RV parks) are expected to be clarified.

The council packet and the motion recorded at introduction do not fully spell out the scope of the moratorium; interested parties should review the July 30 public hearing materials for the ordinance text and any staff reports or planning- and-zoning recommendations.