A.

The West Bank Industrial Overlay.

1.

The purpose of the West Bank Industrial Overlay is to encourage and promote orderly industrial development along the west bank of the Mississippi River, west of the City of Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish which will strengthen the economic viability of Ascension Parish while maintaining adequate separation from other zoning classifications.

2.

Permitted Underlying Zoning Districts.

a.

The following underlying zoning districts shall be permitted in the West Bank Industrial Overlay:

i.

Heavy Industry (HI);

ii.

Medium Industry (MI);

iii.

Light Industry (LI);

iv.

Mixed Use (MU).

a.

Eligibility.

(i)

Parcels with existing residential;

(ii)

Parcels up to 1,320 feet from La Hwy 405 or the limits of the existing parcel, whichever is less;

(iii)

See Exhibit 1—Allowable Zoning Plan—for a graphic that depicts the eligible parcels at the time of adoption of this ordinance.

v.

Mobile Home/RV Parks (MHRV).

a.

Eligibility.

(i)

Only allowed on parcels eligible to be zoned Mixed Use (MU) within the overly;

(ii)

May only be located on parcels ten acres or greater;

(iii)

Must follow all applicable rules of Appendix VIII and Appendix IX.

3.

Permitted Uses.

a.

All uses listed under the Permitted Underlying Zoning Districts above in Appendix I, Tables A, Permitted Uses by District, will be allowed in the West Bank Industrial Overlay EXCEPT:

i.

From Table A Residential Uses - the following uses will NOT be allowed:

a.

Townhouses;

b.

Multi-family residential, apartments.

ii.

From Table A Commercial Uses—the following Uses will NOT be allowed:

a.

Bed and breakfast;

b.

Daycare;

c.

Motels and hotels.

4.

Additional Residential Density Restrictions in the West Bank Industrial Overlay.

a.

The maximum residential density in the West Bank Industrial Overlay shall be ONE unit per acre.

b.

No new major subdivisions will be allowed within the West Bank Industrial Overlay.

5.

Established Boundaries.

a.

The boundaries of the West Bank Industrial Overlay shall be the areas shown on the official zoning map and shall be contained in the records of the Office of Planning and Development.

6.

Continued Uses.

a.

Uses existing within the West Bank Industrial Overlay that were allowed as permitted, special, or conditional uses on the effective date of this ordinance, but which would otherwise be made non-conforming uses by this chapter, are hereby deemed continued uses.

b.

Commentary. The intent of the Continued Uses section is to allow residential use where residential uses existed at the time of the passage of this overlay ordinance.

7.

Buffers.

a.

The buffer between property zoned Heavy Industrial (HI) and any zoning district that may contain residential use and is within Ascension Parish shall be at least 1,320 feet, except as outlined in Section A, Subsection 2, Items b and c below. This buffer shall be at least 660 feet of zoning district Medium Industry (MI), then at least 660 feet of zoning district Light Industry (LI). This buffer may be increased depending on the heavy industrial use and will be located entirely on the parcel(s) requesting Heavy Industry (HI) zoning designation.

b.

Within the 1,320-foot zone parallel to La Hwy 405, the buffers between properties that may contain residential uses and Heavy Industrial (HI) zoned properties shall be a single 660-foot buffer of Light Industrial (LI) zoning. See Exhibit 1—Allowable Zoning Plan—for an illustration of allowable buffers and Exhibit 2—West Bank Industrial Overlay Buffers Map(s).

c.

The buffer between Heavy Industrial (HI) zoned properties and properties that may contain residential use which are beyond the 1,320-foot zone parallel to La 405 shall be a single 660-foot buffer of Medium Industry (MI) zoning adjacent to properties zoned Heavy Industrial (HI). This buffer may be increased depending on the heavy industrial use and will be located entirely on the parcel(s) requesting the Heavy Industrial (HI) zoning designation. See Exhibit 2—West Bank Industrial Overlay Buffers Map(s).

8.

Infrastructure.

a.

Reserved for future study of ROW, port, rail and other infrastructure needs.

9.

Renewal of Overlay.

a.

In order to address the possibility that there will be no interest in industrial development in this overlay, the overlay will need to be renewed by the Ascension Parish Council two (2) years after creation. Before the Council takes action to renew, the Ascension Economic Development Corporation will make a recommendation to the Ascension Parish Council stating whether the overlay should be renewed or not.

b.

If any Heavy Industry (HI) zoning change has been approved within the overlay according to these regulations, then the overlay will remain in place until the Parish Council takes an action to amend or remove the overlay.

10.

Amendments with the Overlay District.

a.

Regulations, restrictions, boundaries and other provisions of the West Bank Industrial Overlay ordinance may, from time to time, be amended, supplemented, changes or repealed in the manner herein stated.

b.

Amendments to the zoning map may be initiated by:

i.

The Ascension Parish Council;

ii.

The verified affected by such amendment to the zoning map.

c.

All proposed amendments to the overlay zone map shall be submitted to the Ascension Parish Council on forms provided by the Planning Director. The Planning Director, with consent of the Council Chair, shall place the proposed amendment on the agenda of the Ascension Parish Council and the Council Secretary shall take all steps necessary for the council to hold a public hearing on the proposed amendment.

d.

No change or amendment shall be considered by the Council until due notice has been given of a public hearing, as set forth in the Ascension Parish Charter and/or Code of Ordinances as required for the passage of an Ordinance, however, advertising for the public hearing on the Ordinance must be in Compliance with the relevant Revised Statute(s) for a public hearing to rezone property.

e.

No proposal for zoning change or amendment affecting particular property or properties shall contain conditions, limitation or requirement not applicable to all other property in the district to which the particular property is proposed to be rezoned.

11.

Form of Application.

a.

The verified petition of the owner for a change or amendment to the zoning map shall include the legal description of the property involved prepared by a Louisiana registered land surveyor and accompanied by a map of the property at a scale of one inch equals 200 feet, or such other scale as may be required by the Planning Director.

12.

Public Notice Requirements.

a.

Notice shall be in compliance with requirements of an Ordinance with the Ascension Parish Charter/or Code of Ordinances.

13.

Fees and Charges.

a.

Fees as specified in the fee schedule as adopted by the Ascension Parish Zoning Commission shall be paid to the Ascension Parish Governing Authority for the following:

i.

Applications for development permits;

ii.

Application for change or amendment to the zoning map;

iii.

Application for variance.

b.

No permit or certificate shall be issued, and no inspection, public notice or other action relative to zoning, petitions for changes in zoning, or appeals shall be instituted until after such fees, costs and charges have been paid. When in accordance with the provisions of this section a fee is paid and application provisions of this section a fee is paid and application is filed, there shall be no return of any funds, regardless of the governing body's determination in the matter involved.

14.

Commentary. The West Bank Industrial Overlay places a limitation of uses of land within the Overlay and is for a limited time period, unless extended by the Ascension Parish Council on the recommendation of the Ascension Economic Development Corporation or a rezoning takes place. The voluntary limitation of uses is a benefit to the Parish, in general, and thus an expedited process of amendment within the Overlay is warranted to stimulate the goal of economic development in the Overlay.

15.

Exhibit 1. Map(s) depicting parcels eligible to be rezoned to Mixed Use (MU) at the time of adoption of this ordinance.

16.

Exhibit 2. Map(s) depicting the buffers between Heavy Industrial (HI) zoned properties and properties that may contain residential uses.

(DC15-03, 8/6/15)

(Ord. of 6-17-2021, Exh. A)