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Council allows action to proceed on land‑use amendment after contested debate
Summary
St. James Parish Council voted to allow action to proceed on Ordinance 26‑08, which would amend the land‑use designation for the Shady Grove area; council members split over changing the land‑use map without a known project and correspondence from plaintiffs in Inclusive Louisiana warned of pending litigation.
The St. James Parish Council voted on June 17 to allow action to proceed on Ordinance 26‑08, a proposed amendment to Section 82‑25 of the parish land‑use ordinance that would alter the generalized future land use for the Shady Grove area.
Legal counsel Vic Frankiewicz told the council the ordinance had been amended since its first introduction to change a recital from "West Bank" to "East Bank." On a motion by Councilman Neal Poche and a second by Councilman Ryan Louque, the council voted unanimously to move forward with action on the ordinance. The council also acknowledged receipt of a June 11 letter from counsel for Inclusive Louisiana, Mount Triumph Baptist Church and Rise St. James noting the plaintiffs intend to ask a federal court to invalidate any approved redesignation of the Shady Grove area.
Debate centered on whether changing the land‑use map in advance of a specific project was appropriate. Councilman Louque said the change would position the parish to attract industry where large tracts and river access exist and noted unanimous Planning Commission support plus endorsements from the Town of Gramercy, the Town of Lutcher and the school board. "Industry supports every major thing in our Parish — schools, sheriff's department, hospitals," Louque said, adding the change does not guarantee jobs or revenue but could create opportunities.
Other members pressed for procedural consistency and resident notice. Councilwoman Vondra Etienne‑Steib said she "could not vote to change any part of the Land Use Plan without knowing exactly what I was voting for," and stressed her statement was not a vote against industry but a call to follow the established planning process. Councilman Donald Nash urged fairness and long‑term caution, saying once land is designated industrial "there is no turning back."
Counsel confirmed planning and zoning details such as setbacks and buffer zones would be evaluated by the Planning Commission on a case‑by‑case basis if an industry applies. The council did not record final adoption of Ordinance 26‑08 at the June 17 meeting; the motion on June 17 authorized the council to proceed with action on the ordinance rather than a final enactment.
The next procedural steps referenced by council members include the ongoing comprehensive plan rewrite the parish has commissioned, with a possible public vote or action expected around December 2026 per counsel's timeline.
