IMTT withdrew its current rezoning application for about 250 acres of its Luling property to a light industrial district in a Sept. 5 letter to St. Charles Parish Council.
Matthew Rosenboom, chief financial officer of IMTT, said the company wanted to regroup after an Aug. 28 town hall with Luling residents and the parish council. Over 250 people attended the town hall, with many Luling residents voicing their opposition and concerns over IMTT’s rezoning request.
Rosenboom said IMTT will continue to market the property to find partners to develop the area already zoned as a heavy industrial district.
“We do anticipate developing the property with some kind of industrial development,” Rosenboom said. “We are certainly not going to please everyone. Those [residents] that don’t want any development, I don’t know if there’s much we can do about that.”
He said IMTT wants to make sure it continues to communicate with residents and ensure they have all of the information. IMTT is deciding how to proceed with the areas of its property currently zoned for commercial and residential.
“Whether that means we come back immediately with a different plan or a similar plan or whether we wait and do it in connection with an actual development project,” he said. “I know one of the big concerns was that we don’t have a plan for the property yet. The thought process is do we go ahead and continue to try to rezone it and find a solution that works, or do we wait until we have some type of development plan in the future.”
Dani Huffman, a Davis Heights resident who has been vocal about her opposition to IMTT expansion in the area, said the neighborhood will stay vigilant.
“The fight is not over,” she said. “I’m positive they have a plan and will present another proposal.”
Councilwoman Michele deBruler said she thinks IMTT’s decision to pull its rezoning request was in the best interest of the community.
“There are far too many concerns and questions than answers from IMTT,” she said.
