Thibodaux seeks input from public on zoning plans

Published: Monday, October 15, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 15, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.

Thibodaux will hold a public meeting Wednesday to gather ideas on revamping the city's zoning ordinance that affects land use, community character and parking.

The meeting will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Hook and Ladder Fire Station at 802 Canal Blvd.

Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Ryan Perque said gathering public input on zoning is vital because it affects everything from parking, signs, noise and the overall character of individual neighborhoods.

Mayor Tommy Eschete called the effort “a restructuring of land use within zoning” because many areas won't see a change in their zoning designations.

The city, through the assistance of city planning specialists, is primarily looking to retool the specific land uses allowed within certain zoning classifications such as industrial, commercial and residential.

Perque said a number of individual problems presented by the city's dated zoning ordinance have created a larger problem that is requiring an overhaul of the rules.

The zoning ordinance has been amended through the years but has remained largely the same since the 1970s. Since then, much of the city has evolved. For example, north Thibodaux has become a commercial center.

Perque used an example of an old, unoccupied home near downtown that is too big to rent out for a residence. The owner of that home would like to lease or rent it for a business such as a law firm but is prohibited because it is zoned residential.

“The neighbors across the street want to keep it residential, but they wouldn't mind something like a law firm being there,” Perque said.

Eschete said the goal is to have more flexibility so the ordinance doesn't hinder business while still adhering to a zone's intended use.

“If the majority of your residential population used to be on the east side of town, now the majority of it might be in north Thibodaux or east Thibodaux, you don't want that inventory of structures to wither and die. It might mean that inventory of structures might be potential commercial locations,” Eschete said.

Eschete said the need for the revamp is intensified by the city Board of Adjustment's inability to grant land variances. A few years ago, the city established a moratorium on variances.

He said this makes the code overly rigid. If the specific use is not found within the code, it can't be allowed, though it might be appropriate for the zone it is in, he added.

Perque said this has caused individual businesses to ask for their specific plot to be rezoned, which isn't good practice in city planning.

“How variances will be granted or not granted will also be addressed in this process,” Perque said.

As an example, Perque said a city dessert shop had to close because it wanted to start selling sandwiches but was not allowed because of an existing ordinance and inability to get a variance.

Perque said the intention of making changes is not to take areas zoned for residential and turn them into areas for commercial use.

“You aren't going to see any of that going on. That isn't the intention,” Perque said.

Perque said the public meeting is one of the final steps in the information-gathering process before the codes are revamped. Those changes will be overseen by a board of local property owners and will have to be approved by the City Council.

“People need to come to the meeting and express their opinion,” said Councilman Chad Mire. “This is a good time for them to express their opinions on the problems they face regarding zoning on a day-to-day basis.”


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