ROSEDALE - Residents in Iberville Parish gathered Wednesday evening to learn and ask questions about One Iberville, a master plan for the parish first announced in 2025.

The last time the Iberville Parish government developed a master plan was back in 2005. Over 20 years later, parish officials say the needs of the community have changed.

"The meetings starting tonight and going into the next few weeks across the parish is to highlight and discuss what are the parish's needs, what are the community's needs and where do they want to see the parish grow," Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle said.

Some people living in the north end of the parish say they need more jobs and economic development.

"We have no jobs here. We have none of that here," one resident said.

Residents Cynthia Forman says she supports economic growth in the parish, but is concerned about what types of businesses could develop near her home.

"I'd rather not have any massive AI centers, or anything like the spaceport that they are building. I'd just rather it stay kind of rural, and quiet," Forman said.

Planning consultants involved with the master plan say there are several goals they look to accomplish with the master plan, like preserving wetlands and bayous, and enhancing traffic operations and safety.

"Thirty percent of our parish is swamp. It's in the Atchafalaya Basin, so a lot of that will never be developed. But what's important is we take what is around our communities, around our cities, and how can we develop them," Daigle said.

He says property taxes in Iberville Parish have doubled in the last ten years.

"But how can we attract residents to live here, stay here, instead of coming into our parish and working and then leaving the same day cause all those taxes are leaving Iberville Parish," Daigle said.

Daigle says they hope to have the final master plan approved by the parish council by the end of this year or at the top of next year.

There are three more community open houses scheduled over the next few weeks, which will take place at following locations from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.:
- White Castle on Sept. 23 at 32725 Bowie Street
- St. Gabriel on Sept. 28 at 1400 Gordon Simon Leblanc Drive
- Plaquemine on Sept. 30 at 24700 J Gerald Berret Boulevard