Chapter 3. LAND USE  

Introduction  

St. Mary Parish's location along the coast and its abundance of natural resources have resulted in its unique linear development along the Teche Ridge. With over six hundred miles of intercoastal waterways, swamp and marsh lands, rivers and bayous, wetlands, floodplains and wildlife preservation areas, the Parish faces unique opportunities and challenges in land use planning. The region's natural setting and resources require careful management and impose constraints on the type and extent of development and growth within the community.

Through effective land use planning and management including the provision of affordable housing, parks and recreation amenities and facilities, and conservation and protection of environmentally sensitive lands, the Parish can promote a vital and attractive community, which will enhance the quality of life of St. Mary Parish residents, making it a great place to live and work and ensuring opportunities for future generations.

Land use planning will serve as a basis for achieving orderly growth for housing and employment needs, maintaining a strong tax base and an efficient system of streets and infrastructure, all of which will contribute to economic development in the Parish through attracting and retaining businesses and industries.

The purpose of this element is to identify the existing land use patterns and conditions in the community and envision a desired future arrangement of land uses based on the Parish's historic growth patterns and current physical characteristics in terms of type, scale, density and location of residential, commercial, industrial and other public and private land use types. A key component of this element is the identification of land use policies that will form the basis for future economic development of the Parish and that are designed to guide decisions on future development and redevelopment.

KEY LAND USE ISSUES

The following land use issues were identified through the comprehensive plan development process, which included extensive input of citizens and key persons.

Effective and well-managed pattern of land uses

Providing for an efficient, diverse and balanced pattern of land uses will allow for quality and attractive development and ensure adequate and appropriate uses for current and future residents, all of which will contribute to quality of life and economic development in the region.

Quality Affordable Housing

The lack of available affordable housing in the Parish is one of the key issues confronting the leadership and management of St. Mary Parish. Having an adequate supply of affordable housing will provide for the needs of current residents and help attract potential employers and their employees.

Image and Appearance

Resident's of the Parish have expressed concern over the quality and condition of their neighborhoods, trash and litter along the streets and negative perception and image of the region. Residents have the desire to enhance the Parish's image and negative perception, and make their community an attractive and desirable place to live and work.

Parks and Recreation Facilities

Parks and Recreation facilities are important to the quality of life of residents and should be available and accessible to all citizens of the Parish. Their type and location should be coordinated and compatible with surrounding developments, ensuring they are easily accessible from neighborhoods and schools and interconnected with other parks, schools, neighborhoods and other public facilities. As a vital component of the regional tourism market, visibility and promotion are also considerations.

Conservation and Protection of the Natural Environment

Careful planning and management of land uses within the Parish is important to ensure the preservation and protection of these resources. Future development should be coordinated with the physical and natural environments, placing a premium upon developing in harmony with existing natural features.

Technology

Residents have expressed concern over the lack of technological infrastructure in the Parish, which is important in improving the Parish's economic competitiveness in the region and state. As the Parish invests in infrastructure, assurances should be made that it is placed appropriately and within the context of the surrounding environment.

LAND USE GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS

A clear statement of goals and objectives is a necessary step in the process of defining the vision of the Parish pertaining to the type, scale, location and density of future development and regulatory provisions enacted by the Parish. The following goals, objectives, and specific action statements are based on the issues identified by the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and through a series of key person interviews conducted with the following interests: agriculture and seafood; developers and real estate investors; small business owners; bankers, realtors and attorneys; business and industry; government officials and staff; architects, landscape architects and engineers; major land owners; the Cajun Coast Visitors Bureau; athletic groups and parks and recreation organizations; neighborhood and civic organizations and interested citizens. These goals, objectives and actions should be used as the basis for development review recommendations, and potential zoning or other ordinance revisions.

Effective and Well Managed Pattern of Land Uses

Through effective land use planning and associated regulations, development activity can be strengthened in St. Mary Parish through development that is cost effective, well designed, and sensible. One of the key components of the St Mary Parish Comprehensive Plan is the development of land use goals, objectives and actions that will serve as the basis for a Parish Zoning Ordinance. The zoning ordinance (as adopted) will serve as a tool to implement these statements of intention.

Goal 3.1: Achieve an efficient, diverse and balanced pattern of land use within the Parish.

Objective A: To the extent practical, mix different yet compatible land use types in suitable locations, densities and patterns consistent with the land use policies established in this Comprehensive Plan.

Objective B: Encourage compatibility among land uses and eliminate negative impacts through a variety of buffering and screening techniques, use transitioning and development standards.

Objective C: Coordinate the location, type and density of land use activity with utilities and transportation planning to ensure desired development outcomes.

Objective D: Promote growth and development in appropriate and designated areas of the Parish so as to guide future development in a well-managed and fiscally responsible manner.

Objective E: Utilize implementation tools including subdivision regulations and zoning to ensure an efficient, orderly and sustainable pattern of growth.

Action 3.1.1: Prepare, adopt, implement and update a zoning ordinance and official map based upon the policies and guidance outlined in this Comprehensive Plan.

Action 3.1.2: Coordinate with the incorporated municipalities in the development of the Parish's zoning ordinance to ensure compatibility and consistency with their current zoning districts and requirements.

Action 3.1.3: Identify areas where the character and land use types may be changing or are anticipated to transition over time and zone these areas appropriately.

Action 3.1.4: Review and update the subdivision ordinance and other regulations to ensure compatibility with the goals outlined in the land use element.

Action 3.1.5: Ensure that municipalities in the Parish have input into requested zone changes for areas on the periphery or within one mile of their boundary.

Action 3.1.6: Use buffers as a transition between incompatible land use intensities such as limited-impact, low intensity commercial office or multiple-family uses between high intensity retail shopping centers and residential areas.

Action 3.1.7: Monitor the changing allocations of land uses, avoiding mixtures of incompatible uses in close proximity to each other.

Action 3.1.8: Encourage development and redevelopment through provision of appropriate zoning and flexible regulations in areas that are adequately served by public facilities and services.

Action 3.1.9: Utilize financial and economic incentives, including tax abatements, tax increment financing and enterprise zones to encourage the adaptive reuse of vacant or underutilized buildings in the Parish.

Action 3.1.10: Provide regulatory flexibility, to allow for the use of vacant or underutilized buildings and for the expansion and improvement of buildings within "tired" areas of the Parish.

Action 3.1.11: Encourage the development of appropriate, compatible and environmentally sensitive land uses, through zoning and other development regulations and guidelines, around the Parish's lakes, bayous, marshes and other natural resource areas.

Action 3.1.12 Develop additional recreational uses around Lake Palourdre that will complement the existing character of the area.

Action 3.1.13: Encourage industrial and commercial land uses near the Port of West St. Mary. This may include expansion of the wharf to increase the capacity and use of the port.

Action 3.1.14: Encourage the development of retail and retail service areas in appropriately zoned areas that attract customers for shopping, civic events, and recreation. Encourage this development in nodes along major thoroughfares, including U.S. 90 and LA 182.

Action 3.1.15 Encourage development of entertainment uses near the Parish's rivers and bayous and encourage these uses to utilize river views and amenities while not encroaching upon the natural aspects of the river corridors.

Adequate, Affordable Housing

Attractive neighborhoods and quality housing affect the appearance and image of a community and contribute to the quality of life of its residents. Quality of life is a primary consideration in business location or relocation. Housing and neighborhood amenities play a major role in establishing local quality of life and thus are important in retaining existing businesses and employees, as well as attracting new people and economic activity. Past studies have indicated that many people are commuting to rather than living in the Parish, which can be attributed to the lack of available housing choices and amenities in the Parish and its communities. New development could further add to the diversity of housing in the Parish and better meet the needs and desires of the potential workforce by addressing affordability, accessibility, character, choice and amenities.

Another important issue facing the Parish is the appearance of the housing stock and area neighborhoods. The current housing stock is aging and many neighborhoods throughout the Parish are in need of reinvestment. Revitalization is a necessary component of economic development and there is a strong need to update and maintain the existing housing stock in the Parish. Revitalization of older neighborhoods will help meet housing needs as well as creating attractive neighborhoods.

Strengthening neighborhoods through organization, communication, coordination, and education is a key to maintaining and improving a livable neighborhood environment. Established, stable neighborhoods must be preserved and protected from encroaching incompatible development while new neighborhoods are developed in a sustainable manner. Neighborhoods that are declining need a focus of efforts between the Parish, local cities and residents to rehabilitate the public infrastructure as well as private property investments. In coordination with the municipalities, the Parish's role includes provision and maintenance of adequate public facilities such as streets, drainage, sidewalks, parks and recreation areas, streetlights, and water and wastewater infrastructure. Public services such as police and fire protection and solid waste collection are also important ingredients, as are other community services and programs for youth and seniors. Condemnation and demolition of derelict property and strict enforcement of zoning and housing codes, as well as standards for new construction, are also necessary to preserve stable neighborhoods and redevelop deteriorating neighborhoods.

The Parish can greatly enhance the quality of life for its citizens by enacting ordinances and incentives to protect and enhance the integrity of its neighborhoods. Mechanisms to improve the quality of neighborhoods may include zoning, subdivision or building regulations; provision of adequate public facilities and services such as streets, sidewalks, neighborhood parks, street lighting, drainage, pedestrian amenities, traffic control, neighborhood policing and fire protection; strict enforcement of codes and ordinances; providing support to qualified neighborhood organizations by assisting in their organization, providing technical assistance with private restrictions, and conducting special neighborhood studies; providing funds for neighborhood improvements; and, generally investing or reinvesting in neighborhoods.

Through revitalization, renovation, and new development, the residential areas should strive to be well maintained; pedestrian-friendly; provide focal points such as schools, parks and other neighborhood centers and facilities; have well defined edges; offer a variety of housing styles, types and densities; and, include a mixture of convenient and accessible uses.

Goal 3.2: Provide for a variety of housing opportunities to accommodate the future housing needs of the Parish and its municipalities.

Objective A: Encourage the availability and development of a varied selection of housing alternatives that address affordability, accessibility, location, size, style, and amenities.

Objective B: Promote a variety of forms of affordable housing throughout St. Mary Parish including varying densities and types such as small lot residences, multiple-family developments and appropriately regulated manufactured home developments.

Objective C: Seek a variety of funding sources to promote affordable housing.

Action 3.2.1: Establish flexible subdivision provisions and land use regulations to encourage a mix of residential development within new and existing neighborhoods that will increase the availability of housing alternatives for working families.

Action 3.2.2 Ensure adequate infrastructure is available in appropriate locations for new residential development. To encourage new development the Parish or its municipalities may extend facilities and services to offset the up-front development costs.

Action 3.2.2: Coordinate with local banks to establish reduced down payment and closing cost assistance for first time, low and moderate-income homebuyers seeking quality housing.

Action 3.2.3: Consider application for Community Development Block Grant funds to implement projects and programs aimed to improve neighborhood conditions in areas of low to moderate income. Projects may include infrastructure repair, park and recreational opportunity development/improvement and removal of unsafe structures.

Action 3.2.4: Partner with nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity in development of infill housing that complements surrounding homes.

Action 3.2.5: Develop a financial assistance program for low-to-moderate income households.

Action 3.2.6: Partner with potential employers in providing housing assistance with closing costs and down payments, for employees.

Goal 3.3: Preserve the integrity and appearance of existing neighborhoods and create a livable and safe neighborhood environment.

Objective A: Require neighborhoods to become or remain pedestrian friendly through the provision of sidewalks, trails and other pedestrian courses, particularly those that link neighborhoods to destinations and open space.

Objective B: Maintain the quality of housing and neighborhoods in the Parish and reinvest and rehabilitate substandard dwellings and areas of the Parish.

Objective C: Establish and utilize organizations, programs and activities that can aid in neighborhood protection, preservation, revitalization and improved quality.

Objective D: Require new development to incorporate concepts found in successful, traditional neighborhoods, such as definitive edges, a central focal point, neighborhood conveniences, walkable areas, and adequate open space.

Action 3.3.1: Support planned developments, which include a mix of residential types and sites for commercial uses and recreation.

Action 3.3.2: Support the establishment of neighborhood associations that would be involved in maintenance of neighborhood facilities and amenities

Action 3.3.3: Revise, review as necessary and enforce existing codes to encourage adequate property standards and enforcement in all parts of the Parish.

Action 3.3.4: Identify criteria for siting manufactured housing within both urbanized and rural areas of the Parish to ensure their compatibility with adjacent residential development and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Action 3.3.5: Maintain and enforce standards pertaining to the appearance of manufactured housing developments, including provisions for landscaping, skirting, foundation specifications and sidewalks.

Action 3.3.6: Engage participation in neighborhood improvement and revitalization efforts from entities such as churches, civic organizations, schools and businesses through programs such as neighborhood clean up, home improvement and beautification.

Action 3.3.7: Provide information and assistance to homeowners for correcting code violations and substandard conditions.

Action 3.3.8: Explore the feasibility of utilizing financial incentives such as tax abatement and fee waivers to encourage rehabilitation or replacement of substandard homes.

Action 3.3.9: Pursue grant opportunities for housing rehabilitation.

Action 3.3.10: Partner with community non-profit organizations and neighborhoods to engage in redevelopment efforts in older neighborhoods.

Image and Appearance

A region's appearance and image is important to its appeal and desire as a place to live, work and visit. An attractive appearance and positive image will instill pride among local residents, attract businesses and their employees and draw visitors to the community, thus contributing to enhancing the local economy. Resident's of the Parish have expressed the desire to enhance its image and negative perception.

Enhancement of the Parish's image may be accomplished through strengthening and improving its residential and commercial character, encouraging quality development and redevelopment, beautifying major roads and corridors, developing architectural controls and guidelines, billboard and signage regulations and enforcing litter control.

LA 182 through St. Mary Parish has been designated as part of the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway. The scenic byway is designed to provide heritage tourism and ecotourism experience to residents and visitors. The Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan was prepared in 2000 to preserve the byway's intrinsic qualities. One of the key goals identified in the plan is improving the physical appearance of the byway to ensure a positive image and perception of the region.

Goal 3.4: Enhance the image and appearance of the Parish making it an attractive and desirable place for residents, business and visitors.

Objective A: Assure quality development in residential and nonresidential areas.

Objective B: Encourage rehabilitation of substandard buildings.

Objective C: Require all areas to be pedestrian friendly through the provision of sidewalks, and trails particularly those areas that link directly to common areas and open space.

Objective D: Use funding to improve programs and activities that can aid in the protection, preservation and revitalization of residential and nonresidential areas.

Objective E: Review and amend as necessary existing codes and standards related to appearance.

Objective F: Promote quality design along the Parish's corridors that promotes a cohesive and aesthetic environment, while allowing for innovation and creativity.

Action 3.4.1: Consider zoning overlay districts along specified enhancement corridors to enact unique design guidelines and include enhanced provisions for signage, landscaping, lighting, building facade design and materials.

Action 3.4.2: Create, adopt and enforce a Parish sign ordinance, including signs in public places to control placement, type, materials, size, style and lighting of signs and billboards throughout the Parish.

Action 3.4.3: Continue to develop parks and recreation areas for area neighborhoods.

Action 3.4.4: Protect existing and future residential development from encroaching or adjacent incompatible land uses through buffering, open space easements, and design regulations.

Action 3.4.5: Limit strip development and cluster industrial and commercial development in areas with sufficient public facilities and services, and access to major transportation corridors.

Action 3.4.6: Encourage appropriate and sensible land uses in floodplains and adjacent to streams.

Action 3.4.7: Identify and enhance existing neighborhoods through improvements to the public right-of-way (pedestrian scale street lights, street trees), protection of open spaces and scenic areas, and maintenance of attractive entrance areas utilizing quality signage, monuments, landscaping, sidewalks, subsurface drainage and lighting.

Action 3.4.8: Ensure that manufactured housing parks are designed to provide many of the same amenities found in other residential areas.

Action 3.4.9: Establish design standards for commercial and industrial buildings including standards regulating building materials, signs, setbacks and landscaping.

Action 3.4.10: Review and revise as necessary an ordinance to condemn and tear down vacant and dilapidated buildings.

Action 3.4.11: Implement a property maintenance code to provide minimum standards for property and building upkeep and maintenance.

Action 3.4.12: Encourage and coordinate with civic organizations, businesses and DOTD to adopt a stretch of highway to improve its attractiveness and appearance.

Action 3.4.13: Implement strategies outlined in the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan related to screening of industrial and commercial uses, and signage and landscaping along LA 182.

Parks and Recreation Facilities

Parks and recreational facilities are instrumental in attracting and sustaining quality development and contributing to the quality of life of residents. A parks and recreation system is also a significant attraction for visitors, which contributes to local tourism and economic development. With its geographic location along the coast and its abundance of natural resources including lakes, rivers, bayous, swamp and marshlands, a range of opportunities for recreation including, eco-tourism exist in the region. In land use planning and development, the Parish government should ensure the availability of adequate parks and recreation facilities in the region and capitalize on its existing natural resources in providing for these recreational opportunities. Parks and recreation will be furthered addressed in the Natural Resources, Tourism and Recreation element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Goal 3.5: Provide for a variety of active and passive recreational opportunities to meet the needs and desires of residents and visitors to the Parish.

Objective A: Enhance tourism opportunities and experiences by building upon natural amenities and recreation opportunities, and expanding cultural and historical tourism.

Objective B: Provide an even distribution of parks and recreation facilities throughout the Parish. Parks should be easily accessible to residents and within close proximity to neighborhoods and community facilities.

Objective C: Develop a pedestrian and bicycle network of sidewalks, trails and bikeways, which connect neighborhoods to parks, schools, shopping centers, public buildings, open spaces and other destinations.

Objective D: Coordinate parks and recreation planning and development with the municipalities in the Parish.

Action 3.5.1: Develop active and passive parks and recreation facilities for area neighborhoods, including those within the urbanized areas as well as those located within the Parish.

Action 3.5.2: Expand local emphasis on existing recreational amenities and ecotourism, including Lake Palourde, swamp tours and the State Park.

Action 3.5.3: Utilize flood prone areas along the bayous and rivers for regional trails, open space and greenbelts.

Action 3.5.4: Pursue opportunities for parkland dedications through new land development proposals.

Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources

There are an abundance of natural resources within the Parish that contribute to its uniqueness and are instrumental to the well being of the local economy. St. Mary Parish's natural resources contribute to the tourism, oil and gas, agriculture and fishery industries. The Parish's natural resources, including its many lakes, rivers and bayous should be preserved and protected to ensure their continued use and enjoyment by current and future generations. Through land conservation, open space preservation and parkland acquisition, these resources can continue to be a valuable asset to the community to provide scenic beauty, enhance the local economy and contribute to floodplain and wildlife management and provide a variety of recreational and tourism related opportunities.

Careful planning and management of land uses within the Parish is important to ensure the preservation and protection of these resources. Future development should be coordinated with the physical and natural environments, placing a premium upon developing in harmony with existing natural features.

Goal 3.6: Conserve and protect valued environmental and cultural resources in the Parish and ensure development is compatible with the natural environment.

Objective A: Guide future development patterns within the context of the physical environment and natural features of the community.

Objective B: Continue to promote environmentally sound access to and use of lakes and bayous including Bayou Teche and Lake Paloudre.

Objective C: Preserve the 100- and 500-year floodplain areas for use as conservation areas, public open space and linear linkages between neighborhoods and community activity areas.

Action 3.6.1: Conserve natural resources and open spaces through park and recreation land acquisition, open space preservation and environmentally sensitive planning.

Action 3.6.2: Evaluate floodplains, soils, vegetation and other physical and natural features to identify the most appropriate sites for various land uses and development types.

Action 3.6.3: Promote the use of floodplains as natural areas and open space buffers between differing uses.

Action 3.6.4: When reviewing proposed developments consider the extent to which the land has the capacity to handle the type and intensity of the proposed development including soil capability, stability, permeability and other relevant soil characteristics.

Action 3.6.5: Ensure development within the 100-year flood plain is in conformance with all applicable federal, state, regional and local development regulations.

Action 3.6.6: Coordinate with the state and other government agencies in natural resource conservation and protection.

Action 3.6.7: Support initiatives of Coast 2050 and the Atchafalaya Basin program in protection of coastal resources.

Action 3.6.8: Minimize the impact of commercial and industrial operations on the surrounding natural environment through best management practices and storm water management requirements.

Action 3.6.9: Identify marsh and swamp and other areas not appropriate for development as conservation areas.

Technology

Telecommunications infrastructure is a necessary component to a region's growth and development. Adequate infrastructure is important to economic vitality and increasing the Parish's economic competitiveness. All infrastructure should be placed appropriately and within the context of the surrounding environment. Residents of the Parish have emphasized technology and the lack of adequate infrastructure as an important issue facing the community.

If implemented properly, a successful telecommunications policy will mean that: 

• The Parish will maintain regulatory control over its rights-of-way within the confines of state and federal legislation and exercise that control consistently for telecommunications service providers while promoting interoperability among service providers.

• The Parish will retain franchising authority for the use of public property and will receive similar fair compensation from providers offering similar services. The Parish will also promote a telecommunications infrastructure that ensures universal accessibility to all Parish residents and businesses.

• The Parish will encourage competition in the provision of voice, video and data services in an effort to keep service prices affordable for residents.

• The Parish will engage in an ongoing review of opportunities for implementation of telecommunications technology to improve customer service to residents, promote public participation in local government, encourage communication among residents, and increase staff productivity while reducing operating costs.

• The Parish's application of telecommunications will be guided by its service and information needs rather than a desire to find uses for novel technology. The Parish will actively seek out opportunities for partnerships with public and private organizations as a means to meet service needs and actively pursue state, federal and private grant funding for partnerships that offer substantial public benefits.

• The Parish's use of telecommunications should be linked to economic development strategies that will encourage private sector investment in the construction of the telecommunications infrastructure and the use of telecommunications in the provision of services to attract economic activities.

Goal 3.7: Ensure adequate telecommunications infrastructure to enhance the lives of St. Mary Parish residents and the economic vitality of the community.

Objective A: Build upon and expand telecommunication services in the Parish.

Objective B: Use telecommunications to enhance information resources and services provided to residents.

Objective C: Encourage telecommunication technology advances.

Action 3.7.1: Adopt an ordinance that addresses telecommunication towers and antennas.

Action 3.7.2: Develop guidelines, which regulate the appropriate design standards and siting of telecommunication infrastructure.

Action 3.7.3: Pursue federal funds and grants to assist with provision of telecommunication services.

Action 3.7.4: Use telecommunications services as a source of economic development and competitiveness.

Action 3.7.5: Encourage the development of telecommunications infrastructure and investments to expand telecommunications services available in the Parish.

Action 3.7.6: Encourage the installation of telecommunications infrastructure as part of new developments.

Action 3.7.7: Identify areas of special concerns, such as areas adjacent to river, bayous and other environmentally sensitive areas and develop specific guidelines for the provision of telecommunication facilities in these areas

EXISTING LAND USE

Land Use Categories

The following land use classifications were used for the inventory of existing land uses in the Parish: 

Single-family Residential:

Conventional detached dwellings.

Multiple Family Residential:

Tri-plexes, four-plexes, apartment buildings, townhouses, rooming/ boarding houses, and group quarters (nursing homes).

Manufactured Homes:

Mobile homes (constructed prior to June 15, 1976) and other manufactured residences (HUD-Code Manufactured Homes constructed after June 15, 1976).

Light Commercial:

Shopping and service facilities for the retail sale of goods and services - including small shops, larger retail stores, restaurants and neighborhood convenience stores - as well as low-intensity office and professional uses.

Heavy Commercial:

Heavy retail, wholesale and service uses, some of which may involve outdoor activity or storage, including cabinet/furniture/plumbing shops, equipment sales, and welding/machine shops.

Light Industrial:

Light manufacturing and/or assembly/warehousing/distribution of products.

Heavy Industrial:

More intensive manufacturing or processing/distribution activities, often accompanied by outdoor activity areas or storage.

Public and Institutional:

Public schools and government buildings, offices, facilities and non-park properties (including public cemeteries) and Institutional uses (churches, hospitals) and non-government facilities where people frequently gather (private schools, meeting halls).

Parks and Open Space:

Public parks, outdoor recreation areas, golf courses, and undeveloped reserves.

Agriculture:

Cultivated cropland, orchards /vineyards, pasture and sparsely populated areas that are still distinct from more urbanized areas.

Undeveloped:

Swamp, marsh, forested areas and undeveloped parcels with no current use.

Table 3.1
Existing Land Use

Numbers reflect land use within the unincorporated areas of the Parish.

Existing Land Use Pattern

Existing land use for the unincorporated areas of St. Mary Parish is shown in Table 3.1 - Existing Land Use. As shown, the majority of St. Mary Parish, 44 percent, is undeveloped and consists of marsh (no trees), swamp (forested wetlands, generally cypress or cypress-tupelo swamp) or vacant land. Forty-two percent of the Parish is rights-of-way and water, i.e., the Atchafalaya River, the Wax Lake Outlet, associated bayous (natural), and canals and bays along the coast (this does not include any water or roads in the municipalities). Agricultural use comprises approximately 13 percent of land while residential, commercial, industrial and public uses (those considered "developed") comprise 3.7 percent.

The predominant physiographical feature forming this landscape is the Teche Ridge. This band of rich alluvial soils provides land ideally suited for urbanization and agriculture. The ridge consists of the natural levees formed along what is now Bayou Teche. The Parish is situated on parts of three separate deltas, each formed from alluvial deposits left by the Red and Mississippi Rivers during the periods when these streams flowed through the region. The resulting alluvial soils are on slopes ranging in elevation from sixteen feet at the western end of the Parish to sea level along the coast.

The widest, highest, and longest ridges of the Parish are in the northwestern sector. From west to east in the western end of the Parish are the incorporated communities of Baldwin and Franklin.

Within the boundaries of St. Mary Parish, these alluvial ridges are over six miles wide. As the ridges extend from northwest to southeast, they become progressively more narrow and lower in elevation. At Franklin, the Teche Ridge narrows to 3.5 miles with a twelve-foot elevation, while at Amelia in easternmost St. Mary Parish, it is only four-tenths of a mile wide with a maximum elevation of six feet.

Extending southward from the Teche Ridge are the smaller natural ridges formed by Bayous Sale and Cypremort. These bands are similar in soil composition as well as in their use by man, i.e., agriculture and light urbanization. The bands extend from Bayou Teche to the bays of the Gulf of Mexico.

As the east-west oriented Teche Ridge narrows as it extends eastward and intersects with the north-south oriented system of the Atchafalaya River, developable land (i.e., urban, undeveloped, and agricultural) takes the form of industrial sites most of which cater to the oil and gas industry of the Gulf of Mexico. As the ridge narrows in the east end of the Parish, more dense commercial and residential concentrations exist. The communities of Patterson, Berwick, Morgan City, and Amelia are located in this eastern end. For the most part, industrial and heavy commercial sites follow the banks of water bodies such as the Atchafalaya River (north-south), the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which traverses the Parish from east to west, and Bayou Boeuf, which provides waterborne commerce to some of the largest oilfield fabrication, oilfield service industries, and boat building facilities in the southern United States.

While most urban concentrations are located in the municipalities, a relatively large residential and commercial center is located in Bayou Vista between Berwick and Patterson. The community, though unincorporated, has the third largest residential population and is the non-industrial commercial and retail center of the Parish. Amelia, at the east end of the Parish, is another unincorporated community with a significant residential concentration. While light commercial and services development is limited in the Amelia area, a dominant concentration of light and heavy industry is present predominately along the Bayou Boeuf waterfront.

Other residential areas outside of the municipalities include strip and clustered settlement patterns along LA 182 and Bayou Teche as well as a significant and growing residential, resort, and fishing community at Cypremort Point located at the end of the Cypremort ridge on the coast. This area is considered a high growth area with a resort connotation and dwelling units being constructed.

While the Teche Ridge is the dominant landform from an urban and agricultural context, the Atchafalaya River dominates the Parish relative to water and wetlands, which makes up the majority of land cover. In contrast to the Bayou Teche system, the Atchafalaya system is oriented north to south, in essence splitting or cutting the Teche Ridge as it narrows in the eastern end of the Parish.

The Atchafalaya system—The Basin, (along the Parish's northern perimeter), the Atchafalaya River and its two outlets (the main channel and the Wax Lake Outlet), marsh and swamp south of the Teche Ridge, and the bays (Atchafalaya Bay, East Cote Blanche Bay, and West Cote Blanche Bay) constitute a geographical dynamic unique to the locale and the state.

The Atchafalaya Basin is the largest riverine swamp in the United States. It is exponentially more productive as an ecosystem and wildlife habitat than Florida's everglades, yet it serves as a major Mississippi River flood control feature within the jurisdiction of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (New Orleans District, Vicksburg Division). The basin within the man-made levee system covers more than 800,000 acres. From its northernmost point at the Old River Structure, where the Corps of Engineers controls and diverts the Red and Mississippi Rivers into the Atchafalaya, to Morgan City and the southern end, the length of the spillway is approximately 100 miles long. Its average width is about 15 miles east to west.

The effects of the Atchafalaya River and the Parish's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico form the determining factors and resulting make up of the southern reaches of the Parish. Land use in this region consists of swamp and marsh while natural and man-made waterways permeate the generally flat landscape. Marsh types are fresh, brackish, and salt and contain some of the most fertile estuaries in the nation. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway traverses the Parish from its eastern boundary to the western boundary along this reach as it intersects with the Atchafalaya River, the Wax Lake Outlet, the Bayou Sale ridge, and the Bayou Cypremort ridge.

Because of the managed landscape of the region by the government of the United States as a matter of national security and the prevention of flooding, man-made levees and other flood control structures such as locks, floodgates, and floodwalls are dominant feature of the landscape. Much of the Parish's drainage system is controlled by pumps, and riverine traffic is controlled by the U. S. Coast Guard.

Because of the influence by man in the management and control of the Atchafalaya Basin for (a) flood control to relieve pressure on the Mississippi River levees along its southernmost reaches, i.e., Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and (b) to prevent the Atchafalaya from capturing the main channel of the Mississippi River at Old River, resultant sedimentation at the mouth of the Atchafalaya River and the Wax Lake Outlet have formed, beginning immediately after the flood of 1972, two of the largest and fastest growing river deltas on earth. These deltas, which continue to grow, are the focus of international study and the habitat for abundant wildlife and fisheries resources. While the Atchafalaya Delta is managed by the Corps of Engineers to maintain a navigable channel, the Wax Lake Delta remains in its natural form.

Two final landscape (land use/land cover) features in St. Mary Parish are two salt domes. The largest dome, Cote Blanche Island, covers approximately 1,600 acres and is situated in the southwestern end of the Parish. Maximum elevation of Cote Blanche Island is approximately 100 feet MSL. The other salt dome, Belle Isle, is located in the southern part of the Parish just east of Belle Isle Point near the mouth of the Wax Lake Outlet. Maximum elevation here is approximately 80 feet MSL, and the area of the dome is approximately 240 acres. The extraction of salt and oil and gas reserves was significant during the last half of the twentieth century, and limited exploration and production continues today.

DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS

There are an abundance of natural resources in the Parish that impose development constraints on future growth and development within the community. Wetlands, marsh areas, flood hazard zones, bayous, lakes and rivers, endangered species, wildlife management areas and coastal resources impose limitations on the type and extent of development. These natural resources hinder development primarily south of U.S. 90 and north of LA 87 and have resulted in the Parish's linear development along the Teche Ridge. Access and development is also limited to the north of Bayou Teche due to the limited number of water crossings along the Bayou.

Displayed in Figure 3.1 - Development Constraints are the natural resources that may impose constraints on development in the Parish. As shown, most of the Parish is not developable as it consists of swamp or marshlands. Most of the Parish also lies within the 100-year floodplain including developed areas within the municipalities. Areas in the Parish that are developable are those just north and south of LA 182 and LA 87. Natural resources will be further discussed in the Natural Resources, Tourism and Recreation element of this Comprehensive Plan.

Figure 3-1 Development Constraints

LAND USE POLICIES

Land use policies form the basis for future economic development of the Parish and are designed to guide decisions on future development and redevelopment. The policies address the future pattern of land use throughout the Parish while providing for adequate residential areas and commercial/industrial areas needed for economic development. The land use policies are to be used by the Parish as decisions are made concerning proposed new development, redevelopment and requests for zone changes (subject to adoption of a zoning ordinance). Some policies are more general in nature and related to buffering between incompatible uses, provision of adequate public facilities and services and development within environmentally constrained areas. Others address the land use pattern in specific areas of the Parish, such as adjacent to the railroad or at specific intersections.

These policies reflect a consensus vision for the growth and improvement of the Parish in the coming decades, particularly in terms of the type, scale, location and density of future development. Together with the goals and objectives outlined above, the policy statements will serve as a guide for decision making by the Parish Council as development proposals are considered and the Parish's ordinances are implemented, particularly when reviewing requests for zoning classification changes (subject to ordinance adoption).

Through the involvement and input of residents and leaders, the following policies were formulated to provide direction toward improved land use management.

General Policies

• Potential negative land use impacts (noise, odor, pollution, excessive light, traffic, etc.) should be considered and minimized.

• Neighboring land uses should not detract from the enjoyment or value of properties.

• Transportation access and circulation should be provided for uses that generate large numbers of trips. Pedestrian and bicycle access should be addressed where appropriate.

• Compatibility with existing uses should be maintained. Well-planned, mixed uses that are compatible are to be encouraged.

Residential Policies

• Residential development should be located near existing residential areas where adequate facilities and services are available. Areas suitable for residential development in the Parish include the following: 

1.

East and west of Amelia Road and north of U.S. 90 in Amelia;

2.

West of Baldwin and South of U.S. 90;

3.

Around Bayou Vista;

4.

Northwest of Patterson;

5.

West of Wax Lake Outlet (south of LA 87 and north of U.S. 90); and,

6.

The area east of Baldwin, west of Franklin and north of U.S. 90.

• Appropriate locations for single-family and multi-family residential development should be provided based on accessibility, site suitability, utility availability and environmental factors

• Residential areas should not be situated next to current or future industrial areas without provisions for increased separation and buffering.

• The natural environment and agriculture areas in the Parish should be protected through infill development and locating future development near and in existing developed areas.

• Schools, parks and community facilities should be located close to or within residential neighborhoods.

• Residential areas should be adequately buffered and screened from industrial and commercial uses.

• Houses should have direct access to residential streets but not to primary streets.

• Neighborhoods should be buffered from collector or arterial streets through landscaping, fencing, setbacks, and other protective measures.

• Residential developments should include adequate area for parks and recreation facilities, schools and churches.

• Manufactured homes should be clustered at appropriate sites and provided the same amenities as other single-family residential areas including parks, linkages, connectivity, edges and gateways.

• Manufactured home parks and subdivisions should be accommodated in suitable locations to encourage clustering of this residential land use type and provision of recreation space and other amenities.

• Housing should be developed to meet all needs of the community in terms of affordability, availability, adequacy and accessibility.

Neighborhood Retail and Office Policies

• Neighborhood retail and service uses should be located at intersections of arterial or collector streets or at the edge of logical neighborhood areas unless appropriately placed within a planned development.

• Retail development should be clustered throughout the Parish and convenient to residential areas.

• Buffers should separate retail/office uses and residential areas.

• Office and professional uses should be compatible with nearby residential areas and other uses through appropriate building height limitations and adequate buffering and landscaping.

• Low-intensity office and professional uses should provide a transition between more intense uses and residential areas.

• Low-intensity office and professional uses should provide a transition between residential areas and more intense uses, with reasonable building height limitations and adequate buffering and landscaping to ensure compatibility.

Commercial Policies

• The Parish's commercial areas should include a range of development types to serve regional as well as local needs, from large commercial developments to smaller, freestanding commercial sites.

• Commercial development should be concentrated in nodes at intersections and along major thoroughfares that are designed and constructed to accommodate heavy traffic. Intersections suitable for commercial development in the Parish include: 

1.

U.S. 90 and LA 318 in west St. Mary Parish;

2.

U.S. 90 and LA 83 in west St. Mary Parish;

3.

U.S 90 and LA 3215;

4.

LA 318 and LA 83 in west St. Mary Parish; and,

5.

U.S. 90 and LA 317 in west St. Mary Parish.

• Parcels should be large enough to accommodate commercial use.

• Commercial uses with more intensive operational or traffic service characteristics should be located away from most residential areas.

• Buffers should separate commercial uses from residential areas, especially where the commercial use involves visible storage or display of merchandise or materials.

• Tourism related commercial uses including hotels and restaurants should be clustered along major thoroughfares in the Parish including along U.S. 90 and LA 182.

Industrial Policies

• Industrial uses should be targeted in selected industrial development areas including the following: 

1.

the Port of West St. Mary (around the intersection of LA 83 and LA 319);

2.

along Bayou Boeuf and South of LA 182 in Amelia;

3.

intersection of LA 182 and U.S. 90, west of Berwick;

4.

along LA 317;

5.

along Wax Lake Outlet;

6.

Avoca Island; and,

7.

around the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport.

• Portions of the Parish should be reserved strictly for industrial activity to accommodate the most intensive manufacturing and warehousing uses with the least likelihood of disturbing non-industrial land uses in the City.

• Water dependent and/or water related uses should be located near the Parish's ports and waterways including the Port of West St. Mary and Avoca Island.

• Development around Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport should include airport related commercial and industrial activities with attention to limiting any encroaching incompatible development.

• The impact of industrial uses on the surrounding environment including the Parish's waterways should be minimized.

• Industrial development should be located in selected areas and have good access to the Parish's ports and waterways, truck routes, hazardous material routes and railroads.

• Industrial development should be encouraged to be located within an industrial park that can address many of the negative impacts associated with industrial activity including visual aesthetics, noise, excess light, truck traffic, hours of operation and parking.

• Industrial development should have good access to primary streets and major highways.

• Industrial development should be separated from other uses by buffers, screens, distance and vegetation as is necessary to address negative impacts.

• Industrial development should not be directly adjacent to residential areas.

• Industry should occur in clusters with similar needs to maximize efficiency and competitive advantage. Efforts to entice new industry should be based upon local strengths, including relationships with existing industries. Care should be taken to ensure that more than one cluster is created to buffer against single-sector downturns such as have historically occurred in the automobile, oil and gas, and telecommunications industries.

• Aesthetic features such as street access, signage, landscaping, and storm water use/retention should be designed to positively impact the long-term economic strength and efficiency of industrial sites.

Natural Resources

• Floodplain areas should not be encroached upon by future development unless there is compliance with stringent floodplain management practices. These areas should be used for parks or recreational or related purposes, or for agricultural uses.

• Environmentally sensitive areas including floodplains, wetlands, and wildlife habitats should be conserved to the extent practical and used to enhance the natural amenities of the area.

• Land uses should take advantage of unique features of the region. For example, land uses around the lakes and rivers should utilize the waterway as a development amenity.

Policies for Public Facilities

• Public uses that are industrial in nature (e.g., public works facilities/yards, vehicle storage and maintenance sites, treatment plants, utility substations) should be located appropriately to minimize impacts on other nearby land use types and include effective screening and buffering.

• Public facilities should be located adjacent to major streets to accommodate traffic.

• Public facilities should be centrally located in easily accessible areas within the Parish.

• Public facilities should be well buffered from nearby residential areas.

KEY DEVELOPMENT AREAS

Avoca Island

A study was prepared to examine the feasibility of industrial and commercial development on Avoca Island to accommodate the expected growth in the economy and need for waterfront land with access to the Gulf of Mexico. Avoca Island, located south of Morgan City, is ideal for future commercial and industrial development due to its close proximity to the Port and available land along Bayou Boeuf and the Intracoastal Waterway.

The study evaluated alternative scenarios of Avoca Island, including minimal development, 325 acres along Bayou Boeuf, development of an 800-acre plan, and development of a 1,300-acre plan. The study recommended that the feasibility of such plans should be further studied and a master plan prepared for the Island.

The study also recommended the development of a bridge to replace the existing ferry across Bayou Boeuf, which will be necessary to improve access and encourage development of the island. Development of a road system would also be needed to support industrial development on the Island.

Currently there is a significant amount of abandoned river front land in the Parish to fulfill any immediate industrial needs. However, as growth occurs in the future, development of Avoca Island for commercial and industrial uses may be necessary and suitable.

Port of West St. Mary

Land use around the Port of West St. Mary, (LA 318 and LA 83) consists primarily of vacant and agriculture uses with some industrial development. This area is ideal for industrial and commercial uses, as this location provides access to major roads, waterways and railroads. The impact of these industrial uses on the surrounding environment, including the Parish's waterways, should be minimized.

Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport

Land that is currently vacant around Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport should be designated for commercial and industrial uses that are compatible with and complement existing airport operations. Residential development and noise sensitive industries should not be located near or around the airport.

Natural Areas

A vast majority of the Parish, south of U.S. 90 consists of natural areas including swamp and marshlands, floodplains and wetlands. These sensitive areas should be protected from development and maintained as natural areas. These natural areas should be used as open space or for parks and recreational uses. Preserving and protecting these natural areas will allow the Parish to market them for tourism-related activities.

Amelia

Amelia, located on the east side of the Parish, consists primarily of industrial uses south of U.S. 90. Residential development in this area consists primarily of manufactured homes, the majority of which are in poor condition. It is advisable to revitalize and enhance these residential areas and to install appropriate buffering to protect the neighborhood integrity.

Industrial development should continue to be the primary land use south of U.S. 90 and along Bayou Boeuf due the areas proximity and access to the Parish's waterways and major highways. Residential development should be revitalized and enhanced and future new residential development should be located near existing residential development along Amelia Road and north of U.S. 90.

Neighborhood retail and service uses should be located at intersections of arterial or collector streets in this area appropriately placed within any future planned developments.

More intense commercial and tourism related uses should be located in clusters along the area's major highways including U.S. 90 and LA 182.

Bayou Vista

As an unincorporated community, protection of this area from encroaching incompatible development should be a priority, particularly since the area is without land use regulations. Buffering and building setbacks should be utilized along the common property lines to the parcels fronting on U.S. 90 to protect the value and enjoyment of these affected residents. Future development should continue to be concentrated around Bayou Vista where the infrastructure is in place to accommodate new growth. Annexation is a future consideration, which would extend municipal facilities and services.

Agriculture Areas

A large percentage of the existing land uses in the Parish consists of agriculture uses. Although future development will encroach upon some agriculture uses in the region, these areas should be protected and conserved through encouraging residential and commercial development to be clustered and located in and around existing developed areas.

LAND USE ALLOCATION

Calculations of future land use needs based on expected population growth are compiled in Table 3.2—Future Land Use. This table focuses on the various types of developed land use as well as the parks and open space acreage in the unincorporated areas of the Parish. The first set of columns includes the existing acreages and percent share of each land use type as documented through the land use inventory conducted for the Parish. A measure of land use "intensity" is also provided through the "Acres per 100 Persons" statistic, which indicates the amount of acreage that each land use type includes for every 100 persons in St. Mary Parish. For example, there are 35 acres of residential development for every 100 persons in the region compared to 0.88 acres of commercial use, 17.44 acres of industrial use, and 1.88 acres of parks and open space.

The next set of columns are the result of projecting the developed acreage that could be added in each land use category by Year 2020 based on anticipated population growth within the Parish. This is a "straight-line" projection method in that it assumes that the percentage distribution of acres by land use type will be the same in 2020 as in 2000 (and the land use intensities, or Acres Per 100 Persons, also stay the same). While market trends and public policies and capital investments will affect the actual land use allocation and development intensities over the next 20 years, the projected numbers provide a benchmark for assessing whether adequate acreage has been identified for each type of land use to meet anticipated needs.

Table 3.2
Projected Future Land Use Requirements