PLAQUEMINE — Iberville Parish continues work on its new master plan, as the parish has been using its current master plan since 2005.

The parish aims to make sure it meets the needs of its residents while also making sure it stays on pace with its surrounding parishes when it comes to economic and industrial development.

Wednesday night, it held its fourth open house this month for parish residents to see and make comments on their draft for the new, updated master plan.

It's been over 20 years since Iberville Parish updated their plan to address development, but in just the last few years, neighboring parishes have seen industrial opportunities come their way.

"There's so much industry trying to locate here right now. I mean, we got from natural gas facilities to lithium battery storage to solar panels; there's so much growth along the river," Iberville Parish District 9 Councilman Terry Bradford said.

Ascension Parish has Hyundai-POSCO constructing a multi-billion-dollar steel plant, and in West Feliciana, the Hut 8 data center is being built.

"There are potential projects that are looking to invest in Iberville right now that the council is very open to," Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle said.

However, just a few days ago, a plan for Entergy to bring a solar farm to the Plaquemine area was denied by the parish council for a second time.

While supporters said it would've brought economic benefits, residents were mostly against the proposed farm.

"Now we had some residents that were concerned about the location, and I understand, but we want jobs for our grandkids and future people who move into Iberville Parish," Bradford said, who told WBRZ that he had abstained from that vote.

Daigle says the parish government wants to keep the parish having a country feel, but understands they need to move the parish forward. He was asked if recent developments heightened the need to update the master plan.

"Being the first new administration in Iberville in 26 years, we're behind. We're behind in economic development; we're behind in approaches; we need to go out there and create these industrial overlays."

The parish is currently working to create its own industrial development board to assist as well, while also hosting meetings, like the one tonight, to get feedback from the public.

"We went to the public, and we got a chance to get in front of them and ask them what the wants and needs of the parish residents," Daigle said.

Many residents told WBRZ that they are clear on what they don't want brought to the parish.

"I would not want a data center; I don't want the bridge. The bridge is going to offer more things that we currently have problems with industry along that stretch." Iberville resident Roxanne Traigle said.

"These additional chemical plants. I think we have enough of that right now in Iberville Parish," Iberville resident Erica Allen added.

Parish president Daigle says that industrial growth is happening in the parish, including a multi-billion-dollar expansion for Shintech's chemical plant near Plaquemine.