Coastal Zone Advisory Committee · Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Coastal Zone Advisory Committee
St. Charles Parish Informer · Meeting coverage · 12:00 PM · Council Chambers, Courthouse
Meeting Summary
The St. Charles Parish Coastal Zone Advisory Committee reviewed the manager's briefing on recent Joint Permit Applications, most notably a contested proposal from Modern American Recycling Services (MARS) to build a barge-cutting and recycling operation on the batture across from the Highland Oaks subdivision in St. Rose. Residents and the Highland Oaks HOA raised extensive concerns about safety, levee stability, flooding risk, and equipment already being staged on site before permitting is complete. The committee also recommended denial of a separate application by Karvon Mitchell to fill wetlands for future residential use, citing missing justification information, and heard updates on coastal restoration and outreach programs including the new outdoor classroom, Trash Bash cleanup results, and the CWPPRA task force's project selections.
Decisions & Votes
unknownP20260261
St. Charles Parish Public Works canal debris removal, Destrehan to Cross Bayou pump station
St. Charles Parish Public Works proposed excavating vegetative debris from the Destrehan pump station to Cross Bayou pump station canal on an annual basis to maintain water flow and storm protection.
unknownP20260270
St. Charles Parish Public Works vegetative debris removal, Peterson Canal
St. Charles Parish Public Works proposed removing vegetative debris from the Peterson Canal on an annual basis to maintain water flow and drainage and storm protection.
unknownP20260280
Shell anomaly dig on Delta Pipeline near Norco
Shell proposed an anomaly dig along a 20 inch Delta Pipeline near Norco involving excavation and placement of material on site.
unknownP20260343
Entergy wooden electrical pole maintenance replacement
Entergy proposed maintenance replacement of two wooden electrical poles as part of Louisiana resiliency improvements, involving minimal excavation.
deferredP20260326
Modern American Recycling Services barge recycling facility
Modern American Recycling Services and Corporate, known as Mars Inc, proposed a barge recycling facility on the batture near Highland Oaks where barges would be cut and recycled on land.
unknownP20260073
Carbone Mitchell wetland fill for future residential use
Carbone Mitchell requested to fill swampland with recycled concrete and sand on East Harding Road for future residential use, but the coastal program recommended denial due to lack of a needs and justification submission.
unknownP20260251
Joe's Rentals cabin construction near Pier 90
Joe's Rentals, associated with Joe Ancona, sought an after the fact permit for construction of rental cabins south of the Pier 90 marina, determined to have no direct or significant impact.
unknownP20260357
Express Container Services relocation and expansion
Express Container Services proposed relocating and expanding its truck cleaning and storage operations to an 18 acre site on Airline Highway in St. Rose, determined to have no direct or significant impact.
Approved$210,000.00
Norco outdoor classroom completion
The parish completed an outdoor classroom in the Bonnet Carre Spillway at Norco Park, formerly called the Dow Discovery Deck, to support environmental education programs like Swamp School.
Watch Items
- The public comment period for the MARS barge recycling facility application (P20260326) remains open through June 2. A modification to the application, submitted to the state, is expected to be posted publicly this week, and residents raised unresolved questions about site elevation and flood risk, levee and riverbank stability near the proposed ramp, truck traffic damage to HOA-maintained property, and equipment already staged on site ahead of approval.
- Staff has not yet received comments from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the MARS application, which will factor into a final determination.
- The application from Karvon Mitchell to fill wetland property (P20260073) is recommended for denial pending submission of a required needs-and-justification statement; no development plan has been provided.
- The EMU 1 management goals, introduced at a previous meeting, remain open for further comment, with a final discussion and vote expected in October or November.
- EMU 5 (New Sarpy Swamp) and EMU 6 (Ormond Swamp) were newly introduced for committee review; members were asked to bring questions or comments to a future meeting.
- The BTNEP Quarter 2 Management Conference on May 14th was noted, with a fuller report promised at the next committee meeting.
Published August 13, 2026
Public Comments