Caddo Parish committee pauses noise-ordinance update, asks administration for data and consultant briefing

The Caddo Parish Special Projects Committee on Wednesday voted to pause further action on a proposed update to the parish noise ordinance, asking administration to supply monitoring data, a report on Bossier Parish’s updates and a briefing from the consultant who prepared the draft ordinance.

Commissioner John Paul Young, who sponsored the ordinance, told the committee the draft stems from a 2023 consultant study intended to bring Caddo’s noise rules into parity with Bossier Parish. “But this applies to any any business that makes noise as part of their business,” Young said, describing the proposal as a rule of general applicability rather than a targeted restriction.

Several members raised concerns about the ordinance’s potential legal exposure and requested more empirical evidence. One commissioner warned that singling out data centers could prompt litigation and said the committee should “ensure that we have the advice of our legal counsel before we proceed” and avoid moving forward “blindly.”

Administration staff member Josh told the committee that the northern data-center project had completed parish permitting steps but had not yet finished building permits, and offered to provide the parish’s monitoring data and other paperwork. “As far as our addressing and everything required through the parish through us, we’ve given them all that flat done,” Josh said.

Parish attorney Frazier described the consultant’s approach as measurement-based and grounded in health-and-safety considerations: “What can people safely hear and tolerate,” he said, explaining the ordinance’s technical underpinnings and noting it was not written to single out a single industry.

Commissioner Thomas moved to request that administration deliver the monitoring data Josh referenced, provide Bossier’s update and arrange an update from the consultant; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded votes in favor from Commissioner Jones, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Lazarus and Commissioner Greg Young; one commissioner was absent. The committee scheduled follow-up work and added the request to the agenda for an August 3 meeting.

The committee’s action leaves substantive changes to Ordinance 66-17 pending until staff and the consultant present the requested evidence and the committee has an opportunity to review any updated technical findings.