The St. Charles Parish Informer

Planning & Zoning Commission

St. Charles Parish Informer · Meeting coverage · 6:00 PM · Council Chambers, Courthouse

Meeting Summary

This was the St. Charles Parish Planning & Zoning Commission's regular meeting on May 7, 2026. Commissioners approved four routine minor-subdivision/waiver requests with little discussion, but the meeting's main event was a lengthy, often contentious public hearing on a proposed ordinance (2026-3-ORD) to define "data centers" in the zoning code and permit them in the M1 (light industrial) and M2 (heavy industrial) districts. Parish President Matthew Jewell and Planning & Zoning staff said no data-center project is currently proposed for the parish, but residents, an ex-officio commission member, and a council member pushed back hard on noise, buffer, and enforcement gaps before the commission voted to forward the ordinance to the Parish Council with staff-proposed changes.

Decisions & Votes

Approved2026-3-MIN

Resubdivision of Lot 13A into Four Lots at 12238 River Road, St. Rose

Approval of a minor resubdivision dividing one lot into four lots (L13A1, L13A2, L13A3, L13A4) in the R1A and OL zoning districts, with waiver of the requirement that all lots have direct public street access. Landlocked lots will have access via a 60-foot servitude through adjacent lot 13B.

Moved by Mr. PriceSeconded by Mr. Key

Approved2026-4-MIN

Resubdivision of Lot 943 into Three Lots at 9943 Highway 306

Approval of a minor resubdivision separating lot 943 of the Sunset Drainage District into three separate lots in the OL zoning district. All lots meet zoning requirements and geometric standards.

Moved by Mr. KeeneSeconded by Mr. Ross

Approved2026-5-MIN

Resubdivision of Lot 944 into Three Lots at Highway 306

Approval of a minor resubdivision separating lot 944 of the Sunset Drainage District into three separate lots in the OL zoning district. All lots meet zoning requirements and geometric standards.

Moved by Mr. Price

Approved2026-6-MIN

Resubdivision with Geometric Variation at 12225 River Road, Luling

Approval of a minor resubdivision separating lot LS1A into two lots (LS1AA and LS1B) in the R1A zoning district. Geometric standards are not met as the line separating the proposed lots is not at a right angle to the street; however, it follows the angle of an existing multifamily structure on-site, and the variation does not require a waiver.

Moved by FalseSeconded by Mr. Keene

Approved2026-3-ORD

Amendment to St. Charles Parish Zoning Ordinance of 1981 to Add Data Center Regulations

Approval to amend the zoning ordinance by adding a definition for data centers, permitting data centers as uses in M1 (light industrial) and M2 (heavy industrial) zoning districts with different requirements based on power source, and establishing supplemental use and performance regulations including setbacks, landscaping, buffering, noise limits, and screening requirements. M1 data centers must operate on grid power; M2 data centers may have on-site power generation. The ordinance includes a notwithstanding clause making the Parish's 55-decibel noise limit enforceable for data centers.

Moved by Mr. KeeneSeconded by Mr. Frangelo

Watch Items

Council vote on 2026-3-ORD: The data center ordinance now goes to the full Parish Council for a vote on introduction/adoption, incorporating the three staff-proposed amendments. Residents should watch for the council hearing and whether Pillar's and O'Daniels' noise concerns get incorporated before that vote.
Noise standard for low-frequency/"infrasound" noise: Raised by Walter Pillar and Michelle O'Daniels as unaddressed in the current draft; staff acknowledged the ordinance could be amended later ("ordinances can be amended, we can take further action later" [00:56:42]).
No pending data center application: Staff confirmed there is no current project, application, or pre-application meeting for a data center in the parish, but the ordinance is being adopted preemptively. Whether/when an actual project emerges should be tracked.
Sewage/utility connection requirements for 2026-3-MIN (12238 River Road subdivision), staff said this would be addressed later "during the building permit phase," not resolved at this meeting. [00:02:15]
Ambiguous or garbled vote/motion attributions on multiple items (2026-3-MIN, 2026-5-MIN, 2026-6-MIN, and notably 2026-3-ORD), the official written minutes should be checked to confirm exact movers, seconders, and whether the ordinance vote was actually unanimous or had a dissenting/abstaining vote from Mr. Price.
Speaker name inconsistencies, several speakers' names were transcribed inconsistently (e.g., "Milton Alamo" vs. "Talamo"; "Michelle Berg" vs. "Mrs. Barrow") and should be verified against the sign-in sheet or official minutes before being reported as fact.

Published July 7, 2026 · Last updated July 9, 2026