The Livingston Parish Council met for their regular meeting on September 10th, 2026 during which they introduced several new regulatory policies and ordinances while also voting to rezone a large parcel of land from agriculture to heavy industrial despite public concerns.
Social Media Policy for employees of the Council
First, the council held a discussion on an introduction of a Social Media Policy resolution that affects anyone who is employed/appointed by the Livingston Parish Council.
The policy extends to social media in general, not a specific social media website or platform, and lists what cannot be posted online by appointees of the council.
Prohibitions for posts include commenting on information referring to Livingston Parish government, using an appointed position to help or hinder the Livingston Parish Council, using false or defamatory speech that is not protected under the first amendment that impairs working relationships, impedes the performance of duties, and affects the public perception of Livingston Parish Council or the parish government, and finally posting information that is only accessible due to the poster’s appointed position.
“Appointees must always remember that anything posted through social media is public, even if it’s posted to a so-called private group or restricted page,” the policy read. “Appointees must think before they post.”
Repercussions for violations of the policy include warnings and/or termination of position as the council sees fit, although exact outlines for the methods by which these repercussions will be enacted or concluded were not discussed by the council.
“This particular policy… gives us a little more clout on what the cause is, so we’re establishing a policy that basically says ‘this is conduct’ and if they violate that policy/conduct, that creates our cause that we could remove them… with the vote of the board,” Councilman Ricky Goff noted. “At the end of the day, this gives us more credibility of what the cause is, so if we want to remove someone… we can remove them with cause.”
“This is a very slippery slope,” Councilwoman Erin Sandefur stated. “If somebody says something that offends you… you might take that as defamatory… but they might not intend it that way and now we’re down to interpretation and this takes away the freedom of speech.”
“You’re encouraging people on boards to create fake profiles to attack us,” Councilman Ryan Chavers added. “And also this is not a law, this is done by resolution, so really it holds no weight.”
“We also have people out there who do give sound input about things going on in the parish and you would not want to discourage that,” Councilman Dean Coates explained.
Ultimately, no action was taken on the policy as it was simply introduced. The policy may appear at a future meeting if it is added onto the agenda as an ordinance or resolution for council action.
Ordinances for security cameras and power plant regulations
Following this, the council heard the introduction of a proposed ordinance to amend the Livingston Parish code of ordinances to prohibit private security/surveillance cameras in Parish maintained rights-of-way. This ordinance was previously discussed, and pushed back, at a past council meeting and will be voted on during the next meeting held on September 24, 2026.
Another ordinance was introduced, which was also discussed at a past planning and zoning meeting, to establish power plant (Electricity Generation Plant) regulations and to require Special Use Permits for all power plants and to limit power plants to I-2 (Heavy Industrial) zoning classification. The council meeting to vote on this ordinance will be held September 24, 2026.
“The purpose of this ordinance is really about being proactive,” Councilwoman Sandefur stated. “Our parish is growing, technology is changing rapidly, and we’re seeing new types of large scale industrial development that our current regulations were not necessarily designed to address.”
43 Acres of Agricultural Land rezoned heavy industrial
Afterwards, an ordinance re-zone a parcel of land on Line Drive, Denham Springs, LA from AG (Agriculture) to I-2 brought several citizens before the council, each voicing their concerns about Livingston Parish moving towards heavy industrial development in or around or residential areas.
The request comes from Brad Albin who seeks to use the property for the relocation of his company’s traffic control products, office, and warehouse materials and equipment storage.
“This is 43 acres of agricultural land that you are proposing to put into an I-2 Industrial zone,” one citizen stated after the ordinance was read. “We already have a lot of traffic and a lot of issues around this area.”
Another citizen noted that “10 to 40 acres is the average size site for a data center” continuing to ask “what’s to say once it’s converted to this I-2 that it couldn't, in the future, be converted into a data center?”
Councilman Mangus explained that the area will simply be used for Albin’s sign company storage, adding that the parcel is located in an area that has been designated as an economic and industrial corridor in the parish’s zoning master plan.
Councilwoman Sandefur explained that this is simply a rezoning request and “not the final stop in the process for them to do whatever they want to do,” noting that “we have regulations in place for a build. We have codes and whatnot for them to meet.”
Councilman Chavers then assured the crowd that “if I find out that there is [a data center] coming to Livingston Parish, everyone will know at that point.”
“We do have to have industry come to Livingston Parish, but I think data centers – we don’t know enough about them,” Chavers added.
Councilman Joe Erdey noted his own hesitance to the booming rise of industry in the parish, stating “maybe we need to back up and take our time on this before we heavy industry this parish.”
“I want us to be in control of this, not them in control of us. We tell them what to do and we set the guidelines and we don’t change it either,” Erdey added.
Ultimately, the motion to rezone the parcel passed with only Councilman Erdey voting against it.
Three candidates appointed to Industrial Development Board
Livingston Economic Development Council President Melody Lockwood then approached the council to introduce Travis Tharp, Chad Foster, and Josh Prejean as candidates to fill three positions on the Industrial Development Board (IDB).
Tharp was nominated for the position by Councilman Mangus, Foster by Councilman Billy Taylor, and Prejean by Councilman John Wascom. The averaged scores for the candidates based on the scoring matrix was a 96 for Tharp, 97 for Foster, and 98 for Prejean.
The council voted unanimously to appoint the selected candidates and the meeting concluded.
