ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 8, 2000

LAPLACE – In an effort to improve the appearance of major business areas like Airline Highway and Belle Terre Boulevard, the St. John Parish Counciloverwhelmingly passed an ordinance called the Major Corridor Overlay Districts.

However, like all changes, the passage of this ordinance did not come without some controversy and heated words.

Two weeks ago, when the ordinance was first put up for a vote, St. JohnParish citizen Paula Joseph addressed the council with her objections to the plan. She felt the ordinance was just another attempt at spot zoning andwould ruin the residential areas of the parish.

However, before the council could vote or even discuss the matter, the ordinance was amended and deferred until the June 27 meeting of the council.

The Major Corridor Overlay District ordinance concerns five major areas in LaPlace: U.S. Highway 61 between Ellen Drive and the St. Charles Parish line. U.S. Highway 51 from Interstate 10 to U.S. 61. Louisiana Highway 3188, (Belle Terre Boulevard) Louisiana Highway 54 from U.S. 61 to Louisiana Highway 44 Woodland Drive The ordinance calls for businesses the have buildings in these five districts abide by certain regulations that govern parking, set backs, building height, signs and landscaping.

Tim Jackson, a planning consultant hired by the parish to come up with the plan, said the idea came up after a discussion about getting rid of giant billboards.

“We wanted to clean up LaPlace,” Jackson told the council. “This plan providesmore landscaping and less signs than in other C3-zoned areas in the parish.”The ordinance even tells businesses what kind of trees and bushes that can be planted around a building. All businesses must have at least a 10-footvegetative green area within the property and “shall contain trees, shrubs and other landscaping elements.”The ordinance also severely restricts the type of signs that can be used in the major overlay districts.

When the ordinance was introduced at the June 27 council meeting it had been changed from 2000-19 to 2000-29 because of some amended changes placed there by several councilmen. They wanted to expand the allowableparking spaces and increase the distance from schools in which a business that sold alcohol could be located.

Joseph said that because the number of the ordinance was changed, the council could not vote on 2000-29.

“This ordinance shouldn’t even be up for a vote,” Joseph told the council.

However, her biggest fear about the ordinance was why there had to be a major overlay district. Joseph felt that the council was forming anotherzoning district without the input of the people or the Planning and Zoning Board.

“Why do we need an overlay district?” asked Joseph. “Can anybody explainthis to me?” Council President Duaine Duffy told Joseph the ordinance actually put more regulations on businesses and that the ordinance had gone before Planning and Zoning. Tim Jackson said there was no spot zoning involved, and ParishPresident Nickie Monica told Joseph that with the new ordinance the administration will be able to stop zoning violations before they can occur.

However, Joseph replied, “This affects our community as a whole. It is spotzoning no matter what you call it. We don’t need another district; we needbetter enforcement.”Cleveland Farlough asked Joseph, “Are you saying that if we enforced the present codes as they are now, we wouldn’t have these problems?” Joseph replied, “We wouldn’t have these problems and we wouldn’t need an overlay district.”Steve Lee, one of the proponents of the ordinance, tried to placate Joseph’s fears.

“I want more restrictions on business,” Lee said. “I want to stop the hugesigns and force businesses to clean up their act. This ordinance will improveproperty values. I’ve read the ordinance; my lawyer says it is a goodordinance. It is a win-win situation. This is not spot zoning.”However, Dale Wolfe backed up Joseph and said of the ordinance, “This needs to be clear. What are we doing? Until this can be cleared up, I can’t vote forit. It is still confusing.”Job Boucvalt said the public seems to be in favor of the plan.

“I asked anybody who has a concern with this to please contact us,” Boucvalt said, “I haven’t heard from anybody. We have to do business and moveforward.”Duffy brought up another asset of the ordinance – enforcement.

“This gives us the ability to enforce zoning regulations,” Duffy told the council. “The council didn’t have that power before. We’re trying to betterthe area, and this is good legislation.”Melissa Faucheux moved that the ordinance be tabled until the next meeting.

“I just want to make sure that we are not liable as far as spot zoning is concerned,” said Faucheux.

However, the vote to table the ordinance was 4-4 and the motion died.

The motion to adopt the major overlay district ordinance passed 5-2 with Wolfe and Faucheux voting against it. Lester Rainey was absent for bothvotes.

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