New shipyard proposed for Perry

Bill Best, a resident of Perry, addressed the Vermilion Parish Police Jury last Wednesday night at the bi-monthly committee meetings with concerns about a new shipyard proposed to be installed next door to his residence.

He and other residents were informed of the new land acquisition of 52 acres when they received notification from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers that a company, operated by Jade Marine, Inc. out of Belle Chasse, LA, had applied for a permit to build a shipyard with, according to the plans, at least eight buildings.

“We are concerned about the sandblasting,” Best told the jury.

The residents completed a complaint process that was forwarded to the Corp for review. Whether or not the construction of the shipyard will move forward is in the hands of the Corp.

Best asked the jury if there were any ordinances on the books that would keep the company from building on this site, but parish legal representation, Paul Moresi III explained that the issue is one of zoning, which doesn’t exist in the parish.

“The only thing I can see as far as an ordinance,” Moresi stated, “is that we have a noise ordinance that could apply.”

Without any zoning, the Police Jury has no jurisdiction over the creation of a business in a residential area.

Moresi followed up the initial meeting’s discussion with some investigation into Lafayette Parish’s policies.

The ‘Good Neighbor Ordinance’ addresses areas that may be outside of zoning, but can create a buffer zone or greenbelts for such situations, hence the name of the ordinance.

“The idea of this ordinance is to make it (the business) less intrusive on its neighbors,” Moresi stated.

“It’s not always popular to say, but a lot of us have talked about economic development, talked about jobs in Vermilion,” Juror Nathan Granger said.

“There is a process within the Corp that the residents have already filed and I think that we have to let that course play out. Until we have comprehensive zoning in the parish, I don’t think it’s fair to punish this company. They are on the river.”

“I agree with the investment in the parish, but we have people who live there and we have to take their views into consideration also,” Juror Wayne Touchet said.

The jury will not adopt any ordinance at this time.

Jade Marine currently builds crew boats at another facility. Crew boats are generally around 80 feet long and two and a half stories tall.

Best is concerned about his property that is next store to the proposed shipyard.

“No matter what intentions they have (the company) this type of operation will not be contained to their property,” Best stated.

Attempts to contact Jade Marine went unanswered as of press-time.