THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, F e b r u a ry 5, 2025
11TH YEAR, NO. 17
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Council delays action on zoning changes BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
Taking up a pair of agenda items that had already been tabled since early December, the Zachary City Council once again delayed voting on a moratorium that would temporarily ban most new home construction in the growing suburb. The decision to table came at the council’s Jan. 28 meeting on a 3-2 vote, and sharp divisions between two factions of the panel — coincidentally positioned on opposite sides of the dais — were on full
display at the meeting. On one side of the dais was Brandy Westmoreland, who spearheaded the moratorium measure and a related proposal to increase minimum lot sizes in two zoning districts. Sitting nearby were John LeBlanc and Ambre DeVirgilio, who backed her move to table the items. They were separated from their other two colleagues by Mayor David McDavid, who moderated the meeting from a seat in the middle. Those other two colleagues — James Graves and Jennifer
Landry — were frustrated by the move to table the items. They noted that the issues have been discussed at length at previous council meetings and were addressed in a recent report and maps by the city’s planning and zoning staff. When Westmoreland put the moratorium on the agenda in late November, she cited a feeling of unease that she shares with many residents: that Zachary needs a clearer plan for how the city should develop and is struggling in the meantime without one. She also has aired frustrations about
it sometimes taking a long time to get answers when she has planning and zoning questions. Interestingly, most of the discussion at the recent meeting wasn’t about a possible moratorium — a controversial idea that Zachary politicians have talked about on and off for several years as the city grapples with infrastructure challenges and other side effects of an increasing population. Instead, much of the tension was over another ordinance proposed by Westmoreland that would enlarge minimum lot sizes in the
city’s residential estate, or RE, zoning classification from 1 to 3 acres and from 3 to 10 acres in the residential rural, or RR, category. Westmoreland believes the changes could curb the pace of development and offer homebuyers more options beyond small subdivision lots. Westmoreland also has taken issue with the fact that, when the RR zone was created years ago, some of the ensuing paperwork — like official maps — was never com-
ä See ZONING, page 2G
ZHS girls basketball rolls over Central
Ava Raymond with the put back during last week’s game against Central.
PHOTO BY WARREN BRADY
The Zachary High girls basketball team (19-3) has been on an absolute tear earning a No. 2 spot in the power rankings in Division I Non-Select and along the way riding a seven-game winning streak when familiar rival Central traveled to Zachary for a District 4-5A game. The Wildcats entered the contest Warren with a 5-6 record Brady and a 36th power ZACHARY ranking that would SPORTS have them on the outside looking in for the playoffs later this month. Nonetheless, Central entered the game on their own streak where they had won four of their last five contests. Don’t ask Broncos coach Tami McClure about streaks. I inquired before the game if she was excited about the girls’ seven-game winning streak, and she quickly replied that “I don’t look at that. I need to see how we are playing now.” Make it eight in a row, and yes, the Broncos are playing very well right now as Central found themselves on the wrong end of a bulldozer in a 66-13 Zachary win. Ava Raymond started the scoring and a put back by Cimiya Rideaux got the Broncos going at a fierce pace. Tiarra McPipe made two steals under the basket as the Broncos pressed that re-
ä See BRADY, page 2G
City auctioning surplus items Zachary resident flows with safety, convenience with transportation business Mammogram coach coming
The City of Zachary partners with Municibid.com, an online government auction platform, to sell surWoman’s Hospital’s Mammogplus items. Bidding is open raphy Coach will offer 3D to the public. The auction is mammograms Wednesday conducted entirely online at Zachary United Methodand available 24/7. ist Church, 4205 Church St., Zachary is offering eight Zachary. automobiles, filing cabinets, Physician’s orders are reoffice printers, a TV, a Genquired and appointments are Leila strongly encouraged. Call erac generator, a commercial refrigerator, two zero Pitchford (225) 924-8268 to schedule turn lawnmowers, and two AROUND Charity golf tournament Honda four-wheelers availZACHARY able for auction. The Baker Community Visit tinyurl.com/yxayCharity Golf Tournament is April 11 with an 8 a.m. start time at 6bca. BREC Beaver Creek Golf Course, Register for baseball 110 Plains-Port Hudson Road, Zachary. 2025 Spring baseball registration Visit tinyurl.com/vft8aw4k or is Feb. 17-March 13. The fee is $75. contact latoya@bakercoco.com or Practices are March 31-April 24, (225) 412-4311 to get details or to and games are April 28-June 5. sign up. Make a check payable to Divisions include T-Ball ages 4-6; Baker Chamber of Commerce, 3439 coaches’ pitch 6-8, 10 under, 12 under and 14 under. April 30 is cut off Groom Road, Baker, 70714. date for age determination. Dog parade set Register at www.zacharyyouthpark.org. Must Luv Dogs will hold Pawdi Also, coaches and assistant coachä See AROUND, page 2G es are needed.
BY LEILA PITCHFORD Staff writer
On Jan. 26, a blue golf cart stopped people in the parking lot, offering tip-based rides to the LSU women’s basketball game against Texas A&M. The service was offered by Zachary resident Major Jones. His company GuberFleux is available for events in the area. Jones said he was a lifelong resident of the area and “I am always striving to find different ways that I can help our community be a better, safer place. “Safety has always been an important issue for me. For the past 22 years, I have been a corporate health, safety and environmental specialist, and I was in law enforcement for 10 years previous to that,” he said. Jones said his commitment to safety is grounded in him being the father of four and a grandfather, and he said GuberFleaux is “an asset for our beautiful city.” He said low-speed vehicles, essentially street-legal, four-wheeled golf STAFF PHOTO BY LEILA PITCHFORD carts, provide residents and tourists a service that makes travel at events Major Jones, of Zachary, provides golf cart rides across the safe, convenient and eco-friendly. parking lots to LSU’s Pete Maravich Center on Jan. 26 before the He can be reached at guberfleaux@ women’s basketball game against Texas A&M. gmail.com and (225) 202-9384.