JOHN E. SETTLE JR
The Caddo Commission has a backlog of zoning issues in the so-called five mile zone to be resolved.
The Caddo Commission is not longer a party to the former Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC). House Bill 697 of the 2020 regular session removed the parish from the jurisdiction of the MPC.
The Commission's current Unified Development Code (Caddo UDC) applies to the "five mile zone." This ordinance is still in effect.
The Caddo Commission has contracted with the MPC to provide zoning and planning functions at a cost of $29,000 plus per month.
As written the Caddo UDC requires zoning matters first be heard by the Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission and then approved/disapproved by the Commission. But the Shreveport Caddo MPC is no longer in effect. Thus the backlog because of the lack of a planning group to initially review the zoning applications.
Litigation was filed by this author concerning the composition of the now Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission naming the city of Shreveport and the MPC as parties. This litigation is still pending.
The Shreveport city council enacted a new ordinance creating a Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission at its Tues. meeting.
Friday's FOCUS SB/The Inquisitor will have extensive coverage on both the Caddo zoning conundrum and the new Shreveport ordinance.
This will include a detailed explanation of the the Commission's legal issues, the Commission's request for an Attorney General's opinion, and comments on the new Shreveport ordinance.