JOHN E. SETTLE JR
The delays in obtaining zoning changes and variances in the parish Unified Development Code five mile area have been well documented.
Basically, the UDC ordinance requires initial action by the Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission. However, effective Jan. 1 of this year the parish was no longer a party to this entity.
Caddo Commissioners Lyndon Johnson and Mario Chavez are cognizant that action needs to be taken on planning and zoning matters within the five mile zone---like yesterday.
They have sponsored an ordinance to establish a temporary parish planning and zoning commission to handle the backlog of applications pending for these matters.
The legislation will create a five member commission that shall be in existence from Mar. 3 until June 30 of this year. This is an anticipated time frame to resolve several legal issues concerning the five mile zone.
The ordinance is to be introduced at today’s work session--Mon. Feb. 14. This is a two-reader, which means it can not be enacted until Mar. 1.
Hopefully this interim action, which is sorely needed, will be enacted.