The Caddo Commission's Long Range Planning Committee requested the establishment of a Citizen's Advisory Committee to Study Ruural Planning and Zoning. The committee passed the following resooution at its last meeting, which will be reviewed by the Long Range Planning Committee.
"RURAL PLANNING AND ZONING CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE IN REGULAR MEETING ON NOVEMBER 16, 2021
1. The Caddo Parish Commission formally acknowledges that property lawmaking involves and affects the regulation of private property rights in kind and that private property constitutes an asset of unique value, as well as the foundation of individual liberty for American citizens.
2. If any part of the lawmaking process shall potentially impact any property rights, property owners, or the value of their private property, those affected property owners shall:
a. Be provided full, timely disclosure directly notifying the owner or owners of the property regarding potential effects to their private property rights and/or the value of their private property.
b. Be provided an opportunity to join public discussions and deliberations on proposed policy.
3. Property shall not be taken or damaged by the state or its political subdivisions except for public purposes and with just compensation paid to the owner.
4. Further, all affected property owners shall be notified directly of any potential change to their rights by the Commission before beginning any program that affects the following:
a. Land use policy that intensifies or in any way adds restrictions to existing rights,
b. Implementation of conservations or easements.
5. Homeowners’ associations, Covenant rights and all properties in the parish that are for residential use, shall be placed in the highest priority of consideration during the lawmaking process. The Commission should keep residential, commercial and industrial uses separated by ordinance.
6. No Commission representatives or their assigned planning agents, will come onto and remain on private property for any planning purpose without the written and or verbal consent of the owner.
7. It is the recommendation of this committee to reject the creation of an in-house Planning and Zoning Commission for the Parish of Caddo, as well as rejecting the idea of outsourcing this responsibility to the Metropolitan Planning Commission board, staff, or any other appointed board for that matter. In order to better protect the private property rights of landowners in unincorporated Caddo Parish, the Commission should abolish the current Unified Development Code.
8. Any land use policy needed shall be declared via official ordinance, voted on by the Caddo Parish Commission as a full body and enforced, when necessary, by law enforcement.
9. The Commission should abolish the Great Expectations Shreveport-Caddo 2030 Master Plan to ensure the obvious negative consequences of said plan can no longer unjustly affect property owners in unincorporated Caddo Parish."