In a follow up to a story that the Daily Business News originally covered in February, the Iberia Parish, Louisiana Parish Council voted last week to adopt a new ordinance to regulate the development of manufactured home communities and subdivisions. This appears to be the end of the road for the development of new manufactured home communities in the parish.
Per the Daily Iberian, the ordinance has been passed back and forth between the Iberia Parish Zoning Commission and the council for months, with the Zoning Commission approving an amended version of the ordinance.
That ordinance is the one that was up for discussion last week.
The Zoning Commission decided to add two new zoning classifications, T-1 and T-2, specifically for manufactured home communities and subdivisions. One of those classifications would have to be obtained before a developer could establish a community.
There are no T-1 or T-2 districts in the parish.
This means any property to be used as a manufactured home community will need to be rezoned. Rezoning will require public hearings that will allow neighboring landowners the opportunity to quash any proposed development before it gets off the ground.
“I think this will kill mobile home park [sic] development in Iberia Parish,” said Council Chairperson Natalie Broussard.
“If it requires a zoning change, it’s never going to happen.”
Broussard said that her comments are based on a long running battle between the landowners of the proposed Safe Haven Mobile Home Park and nearby neighbors.
Neighbors managed to stall the development, even though many of the homes in the neighborhood already have manufactured homes on site.
On of those neighbors commented on the new regulations.
“This would eliminate the problems we had,” said Emily Ransonet Kyzar.
The stalling prompted the developer, Shawn Pourciau, to file suit against the Iberia Parish Government after his preliminary approval was denied. That case is still pending in state court.
In addition to the zoning requirement, the ordinance also calls for all manufactured home communities to secure an occupational license.
“Does this regulation duplicate existing laws that stated mobile home parks [sic] were required to have a license?” asked District 10 Councilman Eugene Olivier.
“They are, but they don’t,” said Parish Legal Counsel Andy Shealy. “Most don’t bother to get an occupational license.”
The license question became an issue for another councilman.
“If they are required to get an occupational license, won’t this apply to existing developments?” asked District 5 Councilman Warren Gachassin Jr.
“Yes, they must be reviewed yearly,” said Shealy. “That is the key.”
“Then it does not affect just new developments like we have been told,” said Gachassin.
“There are teeth in the law. It will affect existing trailer parks [sic].”
When Shealy confirmed that it would have an effect, Gachassin made his point clearly.
“When we started this, it was about public safety,” said Gachassin.
“It wasn’t about the all-out war on trailer parks [sic] it has become. It is an overreach in government regulation. It is a bit much.”
The eventual motion passed, 9-4. Before the vote, one community owner voiced his concern.
“You can’t overregulate, or parks [sic] will leave town,” said community owner Randy Theriot. ##
(Image credits are as shown above.)
Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.
