Meeting Summary

The St. Charles Parish Council held its regular meeting amid preparations for Tropical Storm Francine, with Parish President Matthew Jewell providing detailed storm-readiness updates on sandbag sites, pump stations, and drainage checks. The council heard the parish's 2023 financial audit, which found a clean overall opinion but flagged a material weakness tied to federal COVID relief fund accounting and two minor compliance issues. The council also approved a rezoning in Hahnville, formally withdrew a contested rezoning application tied to an IMTT expansion near Davis Heights in Luling, and passed a resolution asking the state to install climb-deterrent barriers on the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge.

Watch Items

• Public hearing scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2024, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers, Courthouse, Hahnville will consider final passage of the following ordinances:

- An ordinance creating the "Highway 90 Economic Development District No. 1 of the Parish of St. Charles, State of Louisiana" - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, to revise Chapter 3, Alcoholic Beverages, Article I., In General, Sec. 3-1., Location restrictions, regarding waivers of the 500-foot distance requirement for package liquor licenses - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of Change Order No. 2 (Final) for the Primrose Canal Cleaning and Improvements - Phase 1A - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Contract with NCMC, LLC for the Destrehan Wastewater Treatment Plant Aeration Basin Rehabilitation - An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a Contract with Jones Construction Solutions, LLC, for the East Bank Bridge Park Improvements - An ordinance to amend the St. Charles Parish Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8, Elections, Sec. 8-2, to permanently change polling places for Precincts 4-1 and 4-1A

• Luling Exchange, LLC rezoning near Davis Heights (IMTT-related): The applicant withdrew this request, citing pending litigation, and the council voted to postpone it indefinitely. Council staff confirmed that if the applicant wants to pursue this again, the process would have to start over from the beginning, including a new Planning Commission review.

• Zoning notification practices: A council member asked whether the parish could require broader public notice (beyond immediately abutting property owners) for future rezoning applications, following complaints about limited notice for the Davis Heights matter. Staff indicated any change would need to be based on objective criteria to remain legally defensible, but no changes were adopted at this meeting.

• Carbon capture and industrial land leases: A resident raised concerns during public comment about large-scale land leases for carbon capture and storage projects reportedly covering roughly 25% of the parish, tied to three companies with active leases in areas including Bayou Gauche and near Lake Cataouatche. He asked the council to research the technology and hold public town halls on the topic. This has not yet been placed on a council agenda.

• Highway 90 Economic Development District No. 1: Residents raised questions during public comment about the district's boundaries near wetlands and its potential relationship to future industrial development, including possible eminent domain authority. Parish officials stated there are currently no development plans for the wetland areas in question and that the district is intended to create an aesthetic overlay and tax incentive for existing Highway 90 businesses, not to authorize new industrial projects.

• Concrete panel replacement project: The parish's roughly $1 million street panel replacement project (targeting Milling Avenue, Talbot Drive, Post Drive, Corville Drive, Hall Drive, and Celia Drive) came in well under budget. Parish administration said it may return to the council with a request to expand the scope using the savings.