ZACHARY - Along Highway 61, just north of the Comite Diversion Canal, a developer is eyeing a large piece of property for an industrial warehouse. Neighbors to the land say they're unhappy since no one came to talk to them about the project prior to it going before the Planning Commission. Now, it appears to be moving on to the next step despite their input.

Several property owners opposed the project at last week's Planning Commission meeting. Even so, the commission approved the changes and it now goes to the Metro Council. 

Clovie Strickland has lived next to the property for decades and feels like he's been left in the dark about what could happen feet from his front porch.

"A little in the dark, I would have liked to have heard about it earlier. None of the neighbors heard about it," Strickland said.

Two weeks before the Planning Commission meeting, some neighbors surrounding the property received postcards in the mail alerting them to the agenda items. The Beau Box listing of 217 acres of land along Highway 61 is under contract. Right now, it's home to livestock.

"It's quiet and peaceful," Strickland said.

The property at 18510 Samuels Rd. went before the commission March 17 and it was recommended for approval to rezone it from rural to light industrial and change the land use plan from agricultural rural to employment center.

Developer Scott Sanders of Ambrose Property Group and Zach Schmidt of CSRS spoke before the Planning Commission regarding the requests to rezone the property. Ambrose is a nationwide developer that develops e-commerce distribution-type warehousing.

"Our goal is to develop warehousing, distribution-type facilities that attract large businesses, that attract jobs, and attract investment," Sanders said.

The Ambrose Property Group representative says the buildings they develop are clean and have sustainable features. The developer is eyeing the site because of the location, which is important to some of their traffic.

"Really the only use of these buildings is automobiles, people coming to work, and trucks moving goods in and out of these facilities," Sanders said.

No site plan documents have been submitted, but the people involved in the project say the main access will be off Highway 61. The road on the east side of the property is Barnett Road, where residents including Strickland live, and Carney Road. If required for emergency use, another access point could be added to Barnett Road or Carney Road could be extended. That is concerning to Dale Aucion, who says he and his neighbors have complained to the City-Parish for years about Barnett Road's inadequate conditions.

"Nothing was brought up about contacting the maintenance group about existing problems with this road," Aucion said.

Kathy Rogillio has two properties adjacent to the 217 acres, which flooded in 2016. She tells 2 On Your Side she's not only concerned about what could happen to Barnett Road but also the increase in traffic along Highway 61 and surrounding roads.

"It's gridlock sometimes now," Rogillio said. "We would like to be left alone and continue to live a quiet life."

The neighbors would have liked to have had a meeting with the developer before it went to planning, but hope that their concerns are addressed before dirt is turned.

The developer intends to submit a drainage impact study, as well as a sound and lighting reduction plan. It's set to be on the mid-April Metro Council agenda. The property is in Councilman Brandon Noel's district, who says the item will be deferred until project plans are submitted and the council has time to review them.

Both Sanders and Schmidt were contacted for further comment before the airing of this story but did not respond to requests.