DANIEL TYLER GOODEN

CONVENT – Though St. James Parish population increased only 2 percent, according to the census study, the parish is poised on the brink of expansion. Located directly between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the parish has seen its neighbors, Ascension Parish grow 32 percent and St. John Parish 8 percent. It’s easy to see that more and more individuals are heading out of the big cities, trading a longer commute for more living space. St. James Parish is the next logical step. “People will migrate eventually to St. James as St. John and Ascension fills up,” said Dale Hymel, parish president. In the next 10 years is almost guaranteed that St. James Parish will see a higher population increase than 2 percent, he added. Though the parish president’s office has yet to receive the official results of the census, no serious district readjustment is expected. “I don’t anticipate much change with what we’ve seen so far. Certainly no changes on the west bank, and maybe a little in Grand Point and Paulina,” said Hymel. Though no serious increases have occurred so far, the parish isn’t standing by until it hits. Currently there are a few programs in the works to prepare the parish for a population swing in the next 10 years. A land study determined the parish consists of 164,998 acres; 6,409 acres are residential, 1,213 acres are used for commercial or governmental purpose, 7,957 acres are industrial, 47,085 acres are agricultural, 3,673 acres are open land, 6,358 acres are water and 92,303 acres are wetlands. The next phase, now that the land study has been completed, is to begin a parishwide zoning plan. Though it’s a major undertaking, a parishwide zoning would help prepare for a population jump. Already along Louisiana Highway 3125, which may eventually become a major thoroughfare in the parish, homes have sprung up. The area is not zoned, so instead of setting the homes a few hundred yards off the highway they are sitting where the most profitable commercial lots could be. With a zoning plan the parish can better focus the growth of the parish into the most profitable and logical directions. A permit and planning office has also been established, helping keep track of where the parish is growing. Permits are required “of all commercial and residential growth, giving us a better idea of where we’re growing,” said Hymel. In the long run, as more businesses and industries are interested in moving into the parish, the office can help them find the right location to move and get their permit, added Hymel. Working to put the land use study, the zoning plan and a myriad of other information together, Greg Simon is working to complete a mapping system for the parish. The system would give information from a simple layout of roads, to an intricate overlay of utility, gas and other underground lines, district lines, property lines and any other information the parish has concerning its land.