NEW IBERIA — New Iberia city council members last week voted to approve a zoning change that paves the way for a new trailer park within city limits.
The zoning change applies to a piece of land on West Pershing and South Lasalle Streets.
District 5 council member Ron Davis said he was “not on board” with the proposal, saying the current plan could become a catalyst for future similar projects and alleging trailer parks bring in “transient people back and forth.”
District 4 council member David Merrill said building trailer parks would not “uplift the community.”
“I have trailer parks in my area,” Merill said. “It’s horrible. Horrible.”
District 2 council member Warren White, whose district the trailer park would be in, pushed back, saying he only heard from two people and received only one phone call with concerns about the rezoning plan.
“One phone call wasn’t enough for me to say no, not have the trailer park,” White said.
In response to concerns that a potential trailer park would bring down property values, White offered reassurance.
“They have trailer parks in Broussard and Lafayette and they look real nice. It’s all how you have it and keep it up. So I don’t feel they’re going down to bring down the value of any property.”
Council members voted 5-2 to move ahead with the proposal.
