VIDALIA, La. – A zoning plan that would spell out uses for land in unincorporated Concordia Parish is still about three to five years away – but the time to start working on that plan is now, one parish police juror believes.

&uot;I’ve always believed that we needed to go ahead and do this,&uot; said Juror Cathy Darden, who last mentioned the issue in a March meeting.

The issue of zoning will be discussed in the Concordia Parish Police Jury’s Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Getting land uses down on paper now could prevent confusion when and if a large development, such as a manufacturing facility, decides to locate in Concordia Parish, she added.

A representative of the Kisatchie-Delta Planning and Development District is still researching grants that may be available to help Concordia Parish develop a zoning plan.

Kisatchie-Delta staff member Heather Urena recently wrote a set of guidelines for the parish to consider when drawing up such a zoning plan, and those guidelines are set to be discussed in tonight’s meeting.

Such guidelines include forming an active Concordia Parish zoning board and working together with the parish’s town officials in each step of the process to make sure the zoning ordinances of the towns and the parish complement each other.

Other items scheduled for Monday’s Police Jury meeting include:

–Discussion of bills for recent autopsies.

–An appearance by Wanda Crane of cable television provider Charter Communications.

–An update on property the jury owns near Black Lake.

–Hiring of an employee for the jury’s maintenance unit.

–Purchase of an ice machine for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office.