Residents press jury for fences, traffic plans as developers win approvals for multiple RV parks

Several Cameron Parish residents urged the Police Jury on Aug. 10 to slow the pace of new RV and camper parks until traffic, sewer capacity and privacy concerns are addressed. "You're gonna crowd another 200 vehicles in a neighborhood that's already probably overloaded," said BJ Cole, a resident who said additional parks would strain a single access road and emergency response.

Developers and applicants responded at the public comment period. Brandon DeBarge of Landmark LLC said he had proposed a fence ordinance earlier and asked the jury to move that forward: "I sent in to Miss Katie for y'all to review and see about doing a fence ordinance...but it just gets ignored," he said. Landmark and another applicant, identified as Luke with Landmark's 163-space park project, described site access points and said they would work with neighbors and the permitting office. "If it decides that we need a fence, we'll put a fence up. No problem there," Luke said.

Permitting staff told jurors they require an approval letter from the water and sewer district showing capacity before issuing permits. Robin Morales of the permitting office said, "Before we issue a permit, we contact the water district for an approval letter to make sure that they have sewer and water and the number of spots that they're permitting." Jurors said they will condition some 25-plus-space permits on case-by-case requirements such as fences or other mitigations and revisit sites if complaints arise.

The jury later voted to approve a group of local-concern permits covering several projects (including Landmark LLC's 163-space proposal and other 48- and 20-space projects) with the proviso that adjacent landowners' concerns be considered and that permits remain subject to sewer-approval conditions. The County's action documents the jury's expectation that developers coordinate on traffic, privacy and sewer matters as projects proceed.