St. Charles Parish residents concerned about zoning can access some information on the GIS system upgraded last year by the parish, but there is still a ways to go before they can access actual planning features on the website.
“Right now, residents can log onto the website and access what zoning is in their community, but it’s not enough,” Earl Matherne, interim director of planning and zoning, said. “I’d like for them to be able to go to the council’s agenda, click on a permit that was issued and be directed to the map to see exactly what’s coming into their community and who filed for the permit.”
Matherne says there’s some inter-office technology that the planning and zoning officials have access to, but the system isn’t where it needs to be.
“We do have the ability to view permits online, and the documents attached to the permits,” he said. “But the public should have access to this information too, but not all of it.”
Matherne says some documentation lists personal information like social security numbers.
“Another concern I have is that we need to be properly linked by addresses,” he said. “Right now, we are in the process of making sure all of the data matches across the board.”
Matherne says a river road address currently listed by planning and zoning in the permit office may have a different listing with the census bureau’s information.
“We have to make sure the information is the same because we want to know that when you type your name into the website it directs you with the proper link to the proper address to view your property description and other pertinent information,” he said. “The best way to make those upgrades is to work with the information provided by the Census Bureau to make sure it’s current, accurate and the same.”
And while the system may not be up to speed yet, Matherne is still proud of what the parish is able to offer the citizens right now.
“We’ve at least come this far with it, and I hope we can get some other things straightened out so the public will know what their community is zoned for and who applied for what,” he said. “This might eliminate and help people like Ama, Luling and Montz residents who didn’t know what certain people had applied to do in the area where they live.”
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