Coastal Zone Advisory Committee · Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Coastal Zone Advisory Committee
St. Charles Parish Informer · Meeting coverage · 12:00 PM · Council Chambers, Courthouse
Meeting Summary
The SCP Coastal Zone Advisory Committee met on January 13, 2026, to receive a comprehensive presentation on Davis Pond freshwater diversion operations and monitoring, review coastal zone management updates, and advance planning for the parish's local coastal program. The committee approved adoption of its 2025 meeting rules and introduced three environmental management units (EMUs) for lakes within St. Charles Parish as part of a broader update to the local coastal program, which had not been revised in over a decade.
Decisions & Votes
Approved
Approval of previous meeting minutes
The committee approved the minutes from the previous meeting as attached in the packet.
Approved2025-5-CZAC
Adopting rules for regular meetings of the St. Charles Parish Coastal Zone Advisory Committee
The resolution adopts general rules for regular meetings of the committee, which are scheduled through 2026 at 12 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.
deferred
Introduction of Ecological Management Units 15, 16, and 17
Staff introduced three lake Ecological Management Units for review, with the intent to vote on them at a future meeting after committee review and comment.
deferred
Introduction of coastal use brochure for changes and approval
Staff presented an updated, stylized version of a coastal use brochure intended to help parish residents understand the joint permit application process, for committee review before final approval.
Watch Items
The committee will vote on the three lake EMUs (15, 16, and 17) at its February meeting after members have time to review them. The remaining 14 EMUs in the local coastal program will be introduced sequentially over subsequent meetings, with a target completion date of September or October 2026. The committee learned that the West Guide Levee at Davis Pond requires repairs expected to begin in June 2026, which will allow increased diversion operations once complete. The parish is awaiting review of a joint permit application for Christmas tree pens in Bayou Cuba from the Department of Conservation and Energy. A mid-year Davis Pond Advisory Committee meeting is planned for June or July 2026 in St. Charles Parish to discuss operations and research relevant to both the Barataria and Breton Sound basins.
Published August 12, 2026