Council narrows proposed RV-permit moratorium to District 7 amid water-pressure concerns

Council members and members of the public on Oct. 24 debated an ordinance that would place a six-month moratorium on issuing temporary RV and RV-park permits while the parish studies whether further regulation is needed.

Council member LaFrance offered an amendment to limit the moratorium to District 7. Public commenters from the District asked for clarification; LaFrance and others explained heavy concentrations of RV parks in District 7, ongoing low water pressure and fragile sections of the water system that serve multiple downstream communities. "Right now, there are no RVs period based on the same merge," a council moderator noted during the discussion about emergency authority; District 7 supporters said the area is "overwhelmed." Opponents urged clear rules so residents elsewhere could still pursue permits.

Council members discussed operational and public-safety reasons for the amendment: concerns included low clear-well capacity, numerous saddle clamps on water mains that add stress to aging lines, and workforce changes at local suppliers. Multiple council members said renewals and conditional approvals would remain subject to administrative review and that renewals would still return to the council if complaints arise.

The council offered and accepted the amendment limiting the moratorium to District 7; the moratorium-related ordinance and related code changes proceeded through the council process and were placed on the agenda for further action. Record votes on several related RV-permit code-change items were taken during the meeting.

Next steps: The council will consider final language and related code amendments in subsequent meetings and will conduct further outreach and hearings as needed in affected districts.