By Richard Meek
Contributing Writer

LAPLACE – A foul odor permeating a Reserve neighborhood has left residents angry and parish officials scrambling for solutions.
Residents along West 19th Street said they have filed complaints with the parish and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality about the stench, of which the source appears to be piles of wheat from a company that may or not be operating.
What is certain is the company, Agri South, a cattle feed company that lists a Garyville address as it business domicile with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office, has not obtained an operational license.
However, parish Planning and Zoning Director Angelic Sutherland said during the St. John the Baptist Parish Council meeting Tuesday night a business does not have to obtain the license until it opens.
“You need an occupational license to operate,” she said. “They don’t have one.”
She added that two code officers and a building official have visited the site and did not smell the odor.
Sutherland also said it does not appear the business, located near the Marathon refinery, is operating but noted there is unsheltered grain outside.
“We are not there, 24/7,” she said. “The last time we checked was Jan. 11, and no odor was observed.
“They have grain stored, but they can’t do any other operation,” Sutherland said, adding DEQ officials have also visited the site and did not observe an odor.
That came as little consolation to Lonnie Vicknair and his wife, Mary, who live on West 19th Street near the facility.
“The smell is unbelievable,” Lonnie Vicknair said. “We’ve called DEQ. We’ve called the code officers. We have received no report.
“We can’t be inside. We can’t go outside. What are we supposed to do?”
Vicknair said the odor smells like burnt grain, and at times smoke has been reported coming from the piles. On those occasions the owners of the business, according to Councilman Ranney Wilson, have been summoned to the site by fire officials and have snuffed out the fire by turning over the grain.
Also seemingly unknown is if the business is operational. At least one resident said she has witnessed the business operating during various times of the day, but even if the doors were open minus the license the penalties appear to be light.
Sutherland said if the business were operating, a misdemeanor summons would be issued and the Sheriff’s Office contacted to serve it on the owners. Then, the owners would have to appear in criminal misdemeanor court, she said.
“If you rely on (the owners’) word, they will continue to operate,” Councilman Lennix Madere said. “To have grain stored in an open field is definitely a problem. This can’t go on like this.”
Sutherland said according to the parish’s current code, grain is not required to be stored. However, there are strict regulations for storage of materials from other industry, notably the petroleum industry.
“It seems like we need an ordinance (to regulate grain storage),” Councilman Lucien Gauff III said, adding he visited the area and also did not observe an odor. “It seems as this is something we are not used to dealing with.”
Some residents are calling for a fulltime air monitoring system, especially since a school is nearby. The area is also plagued with dust from a nearby grain elevator, causing some neighbors to fear for their health.
Parish President Natalie Robottom said she will instruct building officials to look further into the matter, adding the business is planning to open.
“They are killing us,” one resident told council members.