LACOMBE, La. – There’s a new development on a hot button topic in St. Tammany Parish. The issue is a proposed landfill.

Residents are trying to block the landfill from being built in their area. They thought this idea had already been put to rest when the St. Tammany Zoning Commission denied the landfill corporation’s request for a zoning change but, that wasn’t the end.

The landfill corporation isn’t giving up just yet. They are appealing the denial.

Let’s back track a little to give you a background.

In August 2020, a group requested a zoning change for an area zoned as suburban. The zoning change would’ve allowed for a landfill.

Hundreds of residents were furious, saying it’s dangerous. Since the proposed location is on Highway 36, which is just 2,200 feet from Bayou Lacombe, and the site would be near neighborhoods, it posed a threat to the safety of the public, according to residents opposing the idea.

“The site sits right next to aquifers where we get our drinking water from. This has the potential to pollute our wells. We’re all on well water out here And anything you put into that landfill will eventually make its way down into the soil and make it into our drinking water,” said Lindsey Capdepon, Lacombe resident.

The Zoning Commission listened to the concerns and saw the 2,000 person petition. Then, heard arguments from the landfill corporation. Later, they denied the zoning request for the landfill but, now the corporation is appealing that denial.

On October 28, the St. Tammany Parish Council is expected to hear the landfill corporation’s appeal at a council meeting.

“I just do not want our air poisoned. I don’t want our water poisoned. We deserve clean air, we deserve clean water,” worried Capdepon.

“My concern with this proposed landfill is this part of the parish is beautiful. We have clean air, clean water and it’s really poised to be a growth place for the parish and we think that this landfill if it were to become a reality, would ruin it,” reasoned Max Yuratich, Lacombe resident.