The West Baton Rouge Parish Council adopted two rewrites of the parish's land-use code Thursday night, tightening the rules for signs and billboards and drawing clearer lines between different kinds of subdivisions. Both ordinances cleared public hearings with no one from the public speaking, and both passed on council votes. The sign ordinance passed on a motion by Councilman Gary "Shaq" Joseph; the subdivision ordinance passed on a motion by Councilman Brady Hotard.

The bigger of the two changes is a new set of sign regulations. The rewrite replaces what Public Works Director Brandon Bourgoyne described as a "very light" existing ordinance with a detailed code covering building signs, freestanding signs, billboards, maintenance, nonconforming signs and enforcement. Sections 106-224 through 106-229 of the parish's Unified Development Code now spell out size, height and setback limits for everything from wall signs to 75-foot pole signs, along with a 200-square-foot cap on billboards and a 1,000-foot minimum spacing between them.

Bourgoyne, who presented both ordinances, said the update grew out of billboard companies asking what the parish's rules were, and that much of the new language was modeled on Port Allen's sign ordinance. "It also kind of makes sense for us to have something that matches theirs, because they are in West Baton Rouge Parish," he told the council.

Before the vote, the council adopted a floor amendment cleaning up the enforcement language. As read into the record by Council Clerk Michelle Tullier, the amended provision now reads: "If any sign is not removed as required by this section, the administrator may initiate enforcement proceedings in accordance with Article 9 of Chapter 111." The change swaps in the correct internal cross-references. The ordinance passed as amended.

The second ordinance reworks how the parish defines subdivisions. It creates a new "major subdivision" definition split into two types. Internal street subdivisions include new public or private streets and function like a conventional neighborhood. Frontage subdivisions are ones in which every lot fronts an existing public road with no new internal streets. Bourgoyne offered a plain-English version, describing a frontage subdivision as taking "one large piece of property" and cutting "it up as piano keys" along an existing state or parish route.

The same ordinance also limits the parish's temporary special use permits to temporary occupancy only, such as a lay-down yard for energy company trucks. It bars using such a permit as a foot in the door for a permanent business or a future zoning change. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended the package unanimously, 8-0. The council approved it.

Brusly golfer honored

Parish President Jason Manola presented a proclamation honoring Maci Williams, a Brusly High School golfer and member of the class of 2028, recognizing her as one of the state's top prospects.

The proclamation notes Williams is a two-time reigning Louisiana state champion in girls golf and was named the 2025 Louisiana Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year. She is currently the No. 1 ranked girls golfer in Louisiana, ranked No. 129 by the American Junior Golf Association and among the top 1,200 in the world amateur golf rankings. She recently finished second at the Ochsner Health AJGA New Orleans Classic and captured her second consecutive state championship shooting two under par. Manola added that Williams had shot a 67 the day before and a 66 that morning.

Williams thanked the council and introduced her parents, Hollie and Brent Williams, her father doubling as her caddy, along with her grandfather.

President's report: two amendments on the November ballot

Manola briefed the council on two proposed state constitutional amendments headed to voters in November, both flagged in a legislative recap from the Police Jury Association of Louisiana.

House Bill 514 would create an additional property tax exemption for homeowners 65 and older, on top of the existing homestead exemption, worth up to $30,000 in assessed value on a scale that grows with age. House Bill 300 would raise the household income cap for the existing age-65 assessment freeze, which locks in a home's assessed value, from $100,000 to $150,000. Both go before voters on the November 3 ballot.

Manola said he still has questions about how the exemptions would be implemented locally, specifically whether adoption would require a ballot vote or a council action. He said he is seeking clarification before bringing the matter back to the council, and is working with the assessor to estimate the fiscal impact on the parish.

Roads, drainage and the Intracoastal bridge

Chief of Administration Phillip Bourgoyne walked the council through project updates, including digging and culvert work along Raymond Labauve Drive, North Palmer Lane, several other roads, and a major drainage effort to clear the Port Allen (LA 415) Canal, where culverts are more than halfway full of dirt. He also read a resident's thank-you note praising the parish's ditch mowing and spraying, and introduced Lisa Hubble, the new administration office clerk.

Public Works Director Brandon Bourgoyne told the council the Intracoastal Waterway bridge project has slipped, with completion now expected in the middle of 2028 instead of the end of 2027. He said a traffic switch is expected in mid-2027, when the new northbound bridge is far enough along that Baton Rouge-bound traffic would be diverted onto it while Port Allen drivers continue on the current pattern.

Other business

A subdivision plat item involving the former Elie Babin property, now the Walter LeBlanc property (PJ #25-0011), was pulled from the agenda after the owner came into compliance with all applicable code requirements, subject to the requested waivers, as of June 29. The council took no action.

There were no resolutions and no new ordinances introduced. The next regular meeting is set for Thursday, July 23.