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Commission advances accessory‑structure ban to parish council; modular‑home rules left for further discussion
Summary
Planning staff proposed adding a definition for 'modular home' and tightening rules to prohibit shipping containers, portable storage units and office trailers as permanent accessory structures. Commissioners split: they voted to forward Article 4 (accessory structures) to the parish council and deferred broader modular‑home policy for further consideration.
Planning staff presented proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance that would define “modular home” and treat modular homes differently across residential districts, and that would explicitly prohibit certain permanent accessory structures such as shipping containers, portable storage units and office trailers.
Staff said modular homes would be defined as prefabricated structures built to International Building Code standards and assembled on site from factory modules, and staff proposed that modular homes be a special exception in R‑1 and R‑2 (requiring Board of Adjustment review) but a permitted use in R‑3. Staff also proposed amending supplementary yard regulations to prohibit permanent accessory structures including but not limited to portable storage units and shipping containers.
Commissioners debated the proposals at length. Some members expressed concern that a broad ban on modular homes would unfairly limit homeowners’ choices or block affordable options. Commissioner Wayne Thibodeaux, referencing a resident on a fixed income who might rely on modular construction, said the proposal raised fairness concerns and at one point said he would oppose a blanket restriction. Planning staff emphasized that the Board of Adjustment’s special‑exception review would allow commissioners to weigh neighborhood character when applications arise.
A motion to adopt the full package as presented by staff failed for lack of a second. Commissioners then voted to split the package: they approved forwarding the proposed Article 4 revisions (the ban on permanent use of shipping containers, portable buildings and similar structures as accessory uses) to the parish council for consideration while continuing discussion of the modular‑home language.
The action means the accessory‑structure changes will move forward for council review; the modular‑home language remains under discussion and may return to the planning commission for refinement before any recommendation to the council.
