As of Jan. 1 of this year, Caddo Parish property is no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC). Prior to this date, the five-mile zone contiguous to the Shreveport city limits was subject to regulation by this agency.

This change is the result of 2020 legislation sponsored by House Representative Danny McCormick.

Thus, the MPC now only oversees property within the city of Shreveport as regulated by the Shreveport Unified Development Code.

Currently, the MPC board is composed of nine members. Four of these were appointed by city of Shreveport, four by Caddo Parish and one joint appointee.

One of the parish appointees lives in the parish, outside the city limits.

This means that zoning decisions by the MPC will be decided by four persons not appointed by the city of Shreveport, one of which does not live in the city.

Good-government advocates question the composition of what is now a city-only board that includes representatives not appointed by the city and not living in the city.

They also question why the MPC and the city of Shreveport have not addressed this issue long before now.