Luling leads parish’s hot spots for residential development

St. Charles Parish’s hot spot for residential development points to the Luling area.

A report by the South Central Planning & Development Commission (SCPDC) was recently presented to the St. Charles Parish School Board to aid future development of the school system, said Josh Manning, the commission’s planner II.

Of the system’s eight districts, District 2 in Luling stands far above the rest with 455 building permits and 344 lots approved, as well as 201 lots available for future development based on numbers reported since April 2010.

“District 2 is the fastest grower and still has lots available for development,” Manning said. “I would anticipate if that trend holds that the area of the parish will have growth for new homes being built.”

Manning singled out the Ashton Plantation neighborhood, which is expanding in Luling, as a substantial driver to the area’s residential expansion.

Several factors are driving the growth, including fluctuating oil and gas prices that are a benefit to the parish’s refineries; interest rates at 1.75 percent, down from last year’s 2.5 percent; and infrastructure investments in projects like the 310 access road, transit system and levee system, according to the report.

Additional benefits come with the new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport; near normal storm predictions; improved health care, including Ochsner providing more local services; consistent and predictable code enforcement, and the school system ranking in the top 5 percent of Best School Districts in America and rated second in Louisiana.

Parish population, which is at 52,728 people, has remained stable since 2010.

The report further outlined upcoming industrial developments as drivers, including Valero’s $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion investment to double its site and create 105 jobs, and Bayer completing its $1 billion expansion that is also adding 100 jobs.

Additionally, the report states the St. Charles Economic Development and Tourism Department is actively recruiting several new employers that could create 100 to 200 jobs.