To support the growth of its RiverPlex MegaPark, Ascension Parish is taking steps toward buying residents who live on the 17,000-acre industrial site out of their properties.
The buyout area is called the West Bank Industrial Overlay. While the vast majority of the area’s acreage is zoned for industrial use, some residential pockets remain.
The parish issued a request for qualifications last week. It’s seeking a firm to develop the relocation and buyout plan, which will be voluntary. The deadline for qualifications is Thursday, Sept. 11.
The selected firm will be tasked with developing a comprehensive program that offers residents incentives to relocate, implements strategies to encourage residents to remain in the parish and addresses long-term revitalization goals. A minimum of three public meetings will be held to keep residents up to date throughout the process.
It’s currently unclear how much the relocation and buyout program might cost the parish. It’s also unclear how many residents live in the buyout area.
A number of major projects have been announced for the RiverPlex MegaPark in recent months, including Hyundai’s $5.8 billion steel plant, CF Industries’ $4 billion low-carbon ammonia facility and Linde’s $400 million air separation unit.
