TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS OVER THE PROPOSED LANDFILL
On October 28, 2020, the St. Tammany Parish Council will decide the rezoning request on approximately 105 acres of property on Highway 36. In September, the Zoning Commission unanimously denied the request and the developers have appealed that decision. The rezoning case is 2020-1915-ZC.
If the Parish Council overturns the Zoning Commission’s decision, almost 105 acres of property currently zoned for residential and highway/light commercial development will be rezoned to a solid waste management classification and the developers propose it to become a C&D landfill.
This site is dangerously near the head of Bayou Liberty and Bayou Lacombe. Both bayous are designed Natural and Scenic Rivers.
Property surrounding the site will remain residential, but the property owners will suffer great financial harm when their properties lose value because of the proximity of the landfill. Many of the residents near this proposed landfill have owned their properties for decades, some even for generations.
The BLA fears heavy environmental impacts including direct contamination of the bayous from run off, pollutants leaching into the soils and the aquifers, air borne contamination from the decomposing materials and toxins. In addition birds are highly attracted to landfills - this site is too near the Slidell Airport and future expansion to allow larger and more sophisticated aircraft could be jeopardized - birds are hazardous to aircraft.
The BLA has asked the Parish Council to UPHOLD the Zoning Commission’s unanimous decision to deny the zoning change in 2020-1915-ZC.
If you agree with this position, please do two things.
Contact your Parish Council member and request he or she vote to UPHOLD the denial to rezone the property. If you have relationships with other Parish Council members, please contact them also.
Go the the website www.nosttammanylandfill.com and sign their petition against the landfill. This group was largely responsible for bringing the rezoning proposal to the public’s attention. Please note - you cannot sign the petition from your phone.
This case is extremely important, and probably many people will try to attend the hearing. Audience space will be limited and full COVID protocols will be followed, including face coverings and temperature checks. Also, each SIDE (the developers and those opposed to the project) will only have TEN MINUTES to present their case. That isn’t very much time for the number of residents opposed to speak.
However, PHONE CALLS and WRITTEN OPPOSITION - email or USPS mail - is completely safe, unlimited in time or length, and will make your voice heard.
Time is running out! Please contact your Parish Council immediately