BJ's in Gonzales? Council Pauses Veterans Blvd District

A BJ's Wholesale Club in Gonzales? Not so fast. On Monday night, October 12, the Gonzales City Council voted down a proposed economic development district on Veterans Boulevard, the first step toward a big new retail project on the east side of I-10. The good news: it isn't dead. Here's what happened, the numbers behind it, and what to watch next.

What happened at the council meeting

The Gonzales City Council voted against creating a Veterans Boulevard Economic Development District, WBRZ reported. All but one council member voted no.

The district would have covered a vacant lot east of I-10 that's being considered for a BJ's Wholesale Club. Attorney Adam Parker, who represents the Ascension Economic Development Corporation, says the group plans to revise the proposal and bring it back. Council members said that could take about two months.

The numbers behind the proposal

Parker laid out the project at a September council meeting:

• About 30 acres total, with an anchor retail tenant on about 20 of them.

• About $47 million in project cost, paid for up front, with no taxes, bonds or obligations to the city, according to Parker.

• About 130 jobs.

• The funding piece: the district would have set aside the increase in sales tax revenue (the "increment") from the 1% sales tax Gonzales voters approved in 2005 for economic development. Parker said only incremental revenue would be used, with no tax increase.

So why did the council say no?

The biggest sticking point was paperwork that wasn't on the table yet. Councilwoman Terri Lambert questioned the lack of a cooperative endeavor agreement (a CEA, the contract that spells out how a public-private deal works) and asked where about $600,000 a year would be spent. Parker said the CEA would have come before the council at its October 26 meeting if the district had passed. Lambert said she wasn't comfortable with the proposal and would have preferred to see the CEA first.

Traffic came up too. Some Gonzales residents told WBRZ they support more businesses but are worried about congestion from the ongoing construction along Highway 30 near Veterans Boulevard. One resident said the construction should be finished first.

Why it matters if you live in Gonzales or Ascension Parish

A project this size would be a big deal for this part of Ascension Parish: new jobs, a new shopping option right off the interstate, and more sales tax activity in the city. It also comes with real questions about traffic and how public dollars are handled, which is exactly what the council wanted answered before signing off.

For homeowners, new commercial development nearby can change your day-to-day, from how far you drive for errands to how busy Highway 30 and Veterans Boulevard get. It's worth staying in the loop as the details come out.

What to watch next

• A revised plan. Ascension Economic Development says it will rework the proposal and bring it back, possibly in about two months.

• The cooperative endeavor agreement. Expect the CEA, and where that roughly $600,000 a year would go, to be front and center next time.

• Highway 30 construction. Progress on the road work near Veterans Boulevard could shape how residents feel about adding a major retailer.

I'll keep tracking this one and let you know when it's back on the agenda.

Want the deeper dive?

Comment the word "Report" on the video, or reach out to me directly, and I'll add you to my weekly newsletter. It digs into local news like this every week so you're always in the loop on what's happening around Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish.

— Brian Mackey, here in the trenches gathering the news in the Baton Rouge area.

Featured photo by Ximin Lin on Unsplash.