Commissioners debate 500-foot setback and noise standards for new power plants

A central point of contention during the planning commission's public hearing was whether a proposed 500-foot setback and a 60-decibel fence-line limit adequately protect nearby residents from industrial generator noise. One commissioner flagged noise ranges for power plants, saying they can operate "80 to a 120 decibels," and asked if 500 feet would be sufficient.

Other commissioners and staff responded by emphasizing that sound attenuates with distance and that vegetative buffers can reduce decibels. A technical speaker noted that generator noise frequency differs from routine community noise — "It's the frequency of the noise is the problem" — and recommended tailoring measurement and mitigation language to address generator-specific frequencies rather than relying solely on the parish's receiving-property noise standards. Commissioners asked staff to clarify measurement methods and to reconcile any conflict between the proposed fence-line standard and the parish’s existing ordinance.