PRESIDENT COOPER PROPOSES PARISHWIDE MORATORIUM ON DENSITY
PRESIDENT COOPER PROPOSES PARISHWIDE MORATORIUM ON DENSITY
ST. TAMMANY, LA. – St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper proposed a parishwide moratorium on rezoning parcels to restrict increasing density for residential development.
The ordinance would restrict applications for rezoning of properties to densities greater than one (1) unit per acre.
“One of my top priorities is addressing traffic and critical infrastructure, which will provide a better quality of life, in the near future and long-term,” said Cooper. “We are finalizing and implementing sustainable plans focused on development, drainage, transportation, wetlands and overall growth. We must limit high-density residential applications in order to accurately plan, address the glaring needs and preserve the quality of life that we are accustomed to in St. Tammany Parish.”
The ordinance is expected to be introduced at the February 3 Parish Council meeting, before being considered for adoption at the March 3 meeting. The proposed moratorium, which would be in effect for six (6) months after adoption, can be viewed here.
St. Tammany Parish Government is currently conducting multiple studies and drafting long-range plans in order to accommodate growth including, revisions to the Unified Development Code (UDC), updates to the St. Tammany Parish Comprehensive Plan (New Directions 2040), development of the parishwide Comprehensive Drainage Plan, development of a parishwide Comprehensive Transportation Plan, development of a Parish Wetlands Plan, and development of a Sustainable Growth Pilot Study.
Development of property which has already been approved by the Parish Department of Planning & Development will not be affected.
Upon adoption, any requests to rezone any property or parcel to residential zoning shall be limited to densities of no greater than A-2, resulting in no greater density than one (1) unit per acre.
In addition to applications for traditional zoning changes, the moratorium shall likewise apply to applications for PUD Planned Unit Development Overlays, TND-1 Traditional Neighborhood Development Zoning Districts, and TND-2 Traditional Neighborhood Development Zoning Districts. The moratorium does not apply to property zoned for nonresidential uses and does not apply to the issuance of building permits in any zoning classification.