A proposal to change how new businesses develop their properties along four major corridors in the Moss Bluff area would boost property values and improve the look of the area, Calcasieu Parish officials said Tuesday.

The Police Jury’s Public Works Committee heard from parish planning officials on the changes, which would affect parts of U.S. 171, La. 378, Parish Road and North Perkins Ferry Road.

The standards would apply to areas that border a corridor’s right of way and are zoned commercial, industrial, mixed-use or multi-family residential, along with manufactured homes or RV parks. It would not apply to areas zoned residential or agricultural.

Jennifer Wallace, assistant director of advanced planning/grants, said some of the changes would affect architecture, parking, signs and a structure’s placement along property lines.

“They are basically a higher standard than what we have for every other place in Calcasieu Parish,” she said. “This is a very simple, minimal step forward.”

For instance, the front yard of a new business would have to be set back 20 feet from the right of way line. Setbacks would not apply to the side or rear yards. Parking must be hard surfaced, and shared parking is encouraged. Monument or wall signs would be allowed, but the signs could not flash or blink.

Accepted materials on a building’s exterior would include brick, masonry, vinyl, textured concrete and stucco. Landscaping requires a minimum 10-foot landscape strip along the public right of way and a tree for every 15 parking spaces.

Only “motorized, operable vehicles” can be displayed in front of buildings, Wallace said. Any other products for sale would have to be behind a screen or indoors.

New businesses that want to make alternative design standards that vary less than 25 percent from the proposed standards must get approval by the parish planning director after a seven-day review period. Changes that are more than 25 percent would require a 14-day review period by the corridor overlay district review team. The team includes three police jurors and two planning and zoning members.

The new standards would not affect existing businesses unless they are “damaged, destroyed, repaired or renovated to 75 percent or more of the fair market value of the structure,” according to a draft report. Another exception is when a building that is used for residential purposes is converted or replaced with “business-type use.” District 1 Police Juror Shannon Spell said the initial proposal called for the standards to apply if the structure was changed by 50 percent.

Matt Young with the Chamber Southwest Louisiana Quality of Life Committee told the panel that the proposed standards “will improve property owner values” and will help the area develop “in a sustainable, aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective way.”

“We’ve got tens of thousands of new workers coming to our region in the near future, and most of the new development will occur in the unincorporated areas where gateways are perhaps most effective in building, or hurting, a community’s perspective,” he said.

Planning officials began work on updating the development standards at the request of some residents in the Moss Bluff area. The Ward 1 Economic Development Board released a statement supporting the proposed changes.

Wes Crain, parish planning director, said the department notified existing real estate and homebuilder groups on the proposed changes.

The parish Planning and Zoning Board approved the proposal Nov. 18. It will go before the full Police Jury for final consideration Dec. 4. If approved, the changes will take effect Jan. 1.

After the report, District 7 Police Juror Chris Landry asked the planning staff to consider reviewing development standards along Gulf Highway and Gauthier Road after a decision is made on the Moss Bluff standards.(Google Earth)