Caddo Parish committee asks for more data before advancing noise ordinance update

The Caddo Parish Special Projects Committee voted 4–0 to request more information on a proposed update to the parish noise ordinance, Ordinance 66 17 of 2026, and to schedule a follow-up meeting at noon on Aug. 3 to review the data.

Commissioner John Paul Young, who introduced the draft ordinance to the committee, said the ordinance was prepared with a consultant and was intended to bring Caddo Parish "into parity with the Bossier Parish noise ordinance," which the commission discussed earlier because of industrial drilling and other loud operations. "It applies to any business that makes noise as part of their business," Young said.

Members pressed administration and staff for clarification on whether the draft would effectively target specific facilities such as data centers. One commissioner warned that singling out an industry after permits are issued could invite litigation under equal-protection principles, saying, "If we're proposing legislation just to target data centers, then it opens us up, I think, for litigation." The speaker urged the committee to obtain legal counsel and industry input before proceeding.

Parish counsel, Attorney Frazier, told the committee the consultant's recommendations were grounded in a public-health and nuisance framework: "It's about what can people safely hear and tolerate," Frazier said, noting the study's recommendations were based on measurements and public-safety thresholds rather than an intent to single out an industry.

Committee members also asked staff to obtain impact information from Bossier Parish, which updated its noise rules previously, and to have the original consultant brief the committee (by Zoom if necessary) on why the recommended levels were chosen. The motion to request that material was made by Commissioner Victor Thomas and seconded on the floor; the motion passed with Commissioners Jones, Thomas, Lazarus and Greg Yell voting yes and one member absent.

The committee did not adopt the ordinance; instead it asked administration to provide the requested data and consultant input at the Aug. 3 meeting so members could assess legal risk, technical feasibility and practical enforcement before deciding whether to advance the draft.

Next steps: administration will compile the parish's noise-monitoring data, any recent compliance records, Bossier Parish's update and a consultant briefing for the committee's Aug. 3 follow-up session.