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Commission debate stalls proposed rules for temporary workforce housing amid zoning constraints
Summary
Commissioners debated ordinance 66‑35, which would set standards for temporary workforce housing for incoming data‑center workers. Legal counsel said regulating such housing outside the five‑mile planning zone would require a master plan and zoning authority; a motion to refer the measure to committee failed.
The Caddo Parish Commission spent more than an hour debating ordinance 66‑35, a proposed set of regulations for temporary workforce housing that supporters say is needed ahead of anticipated data‑center construction.
Commissioner John Paul Young moved to send the ordinance to committee, saying large numbers of temporary workers expected for regional data centers could require dedicated, regulated sites that meet fire, sanitation and remediation standards. "We need common‑sense regulations — fire precautions, water and wastewater plans and a remediation plan when the site is closed," he said.
Legal counsel, Attorney Frazier, told commissioners the commission’s current authority is limited. Frazier said the parish lacks the master plan and zoning framework needed to regulate housing uses in unincorporated areas: "Under your current legal framework, no — you would need to set up zoning in the unincorporated areas. You have to do that pursuant to a master plan," Frazier said. She added that within the five‑mile planning area the commission may act only after a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Several commissioners acknowledged the practical concerns but emphasized legal constraints. Commissioner Ken Epperson and others urged caution and recommended committee review to gather facts; other commissioners warned that advancing regulation without the appropriate statutory process would create public perception problems if the body lacks authority.
A motion to refer the ordinance to a committee at the president’s discretion was put to a vote and failed (5 in favor, 7 opposed). A separate motion to table the item also failed. The commission took no formal action to adopt the ordinance at the meeting; the sponsor said he would continue pursuing the issue.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff agreed workforce housing is a foreseeable consequence of major industrial projects; how and whether the parish can regulate temporary housing in unincorporated areas depends on adopting a master plan and zoning framework or limiting regulation to the five‑mile planning area. The commission scheduled additional committee meetings and said staff would report on procedural options.
