First subdivision approved since nearly year-long moratorium in Ascension Parish

The 36-unit Moss Side Villas subdivision along Hwy. 74 in the Dutchtown area was approved for development during the last planning commission meeting.

The development has been slated for about 12 acres of open land next to Elisar Road, between Interstate 10 and the intersection of Hwy. 73 near Dutchtown primary, middle, and high schools. That area has seen rapid growth in recent years.

The Dutchtown area of northern Ascension Parish has become a popular community, but some residents in the area have growing concerns about flooding and traffic issues. Many residents from the area spoke about their concerns over the development during the commission meeting.

The approval of the new neighborhood was the first under new rules following a nearly year-long moratorium on new developments on the growing east side of the parish. The moratorium spanned from roughly the July 2021 to the middle of 2022.