St. Bernard Parish · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Commercial variance for Arabi restaurant
Opelousas Chicken and Seafood sought to sidestep landscaping, parking count, parking-lot design, and dumpster-storage rules at 7606 W. Judge Perez in Arabi. Neighbors may care about how the site looks and how traffic and trash are handled on the corridor.
Fire Department Personnel Plan budget requirement
A proposed ordinance would require the Fire Department's Personnel Plan to appear in every budget at introduction and adoption, boosting transparency on fire staffing costs.
Homestead exemption for essential emergency personnel
Essential Public Works emergency responders living in the parish were slated to be recognized as qualified First Responders, asking the Assessor to grant them an additional homestead exemption.
Parish employee pay scale and retirement leave changes
An amendment is proposed to the ordinance that sets the Clerk of Council's pay by formula under the parish Home Rule Charter.
Service station expansion at 2601 Paris Road
A Chalmette corner gas station will be rebuilt with roughly double the store space, moving the C-store to the Judge Perez side and keeping pumps on Paris Road. The rezoning recommendation now goes to the Parish Council.
New borrow pit on rural parish land
A new borrow pit will be dug on land chosen specifically because it isn't wetlands, avoiding costly mitigation. The Robins say it's invisible from roads or waterways, surrounded by 8,000 acres they own with no neighbors.
Faster temporary housing after disasters
A new state GOHSEP program gets temporary housing units to displaced residents in a week or two instead of the slow FEMA process — the council formally joined it.
Parish housing market rebound
The quarterly report shows St. Bernard leading the metro area: prices up 8.4%, sales up 16%, new construction at 12% of sales, but a two-speed market with affordable homes selling in 21 days and rentals over $2,000 flying off the shelf while cheaper units sit.
Port Terminal Development
St. Bernard Parish is getting a new Port of New Orleans terminal now that federal officials have cleared construction. It could mean jobs and economic activity, but also construction disruption and long-term changes for nearby neighborhoods and infrastructure.
Requiring written justification for site deficiencies
Applicants with deficient site plans would have to explain in writing why each deficiency exists. Supporters say it's free transparency since BZA requires it anyway; staff countered that demanding full plans early burdens small applicants.
Food truck operations in business districts
A new ordinance would let food trucks operate in commercial districts from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., sponsored by a Parish restaurant. Board members questioned whether 9 p.m. is too early for events like pool tournaments, and clarified 24-hour facilities like the refinery could host trucks outside the ordinance.
Higher fines for zoning violations
The maximum fine for breaking parish zoning rules would jump from $500 to $1,500, with the $100 minimum unchanged. Backers say the current fine is no deterrent given limited compliance staff.
Event rental facility rate changes
A newly introduced ordinance would update rental rates for parish event facilities, including a drop in the Val Riess sno-ball stand fee from $500 to $300. It still needs a hearing and final vote.
Surplus electronics recycling
The parish can now recycle its old electronic devices rather than discarding them, a small environmental and disposal-cost measure.