Parish Council receives web mapping update

     Ascension Parish Technology Manager, Brandon O'Deay, updated Parish Council on the new web mapping application that was released on Feb. 1, at the council meeting on Feb. 4. He added that the system was built in house, without hiring any outside consultants, and with existing software that the Parish already owned.

     With the new system, the public can easily search Parish maps and governmental services. Some of the new features available include the ability to put in a address and find specific polling locations, complete with turn by turn directions, assessor data, LADOTD traffic counts and flood zones in the Parish, among other things. 

     “One of the objectives that President Matassa had for our department was to use technology to increase the efficiency of the workforce and to increase transparency,” O'Deay said.

     The mapping application can be found at Maps.APGov.US.

     Parish President Kenny Matassa gave a breakdown of the number of Parish government vehicles in use and an employee headcount during his report. There are 132 vehicles in use for employees, 91 service trucks and 129 bulldozers and forklift type of vehicles. There are also 395 full-time and 37 part-time employees in various departments.

A motion was passed to accept the approval recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission to amend the zoning map from medium intensity residential to mixed use for Lois James’s Lot D-1, located on the south side of La. 621, approximately 1200 feet west of airline highway.

     An ordinance was introduced to amend the 2016 budget.

     The council approved two ordinances for Grady Melancon to amend the Ascension Parish zoning map from traditional neighborhood development to medium intensity residential to 408.11 acres located on the north side of La. 22 approximately 6,000 fest west of La. 44, and to amend the map form traditional neighborhood development to mixed use corridor on the south side of La. 22, 6,000 feet west of La. 44.

     The next Parish council meeting will be held on Feb. 18 in Gonzales.