<p class="p1">Calcasieu Parish police jurors on Thursday rejected a request to rezone property at 7300 Tom Hebert Road to accommodate nearly 400 mobile homes, a development several residents in the area opposed.</p><p class="p1">The panel denied a request by WSM Development LLC to rezone more than 78 acres of land from single-family residential to manufactured home-park. The decision upheld a 6-1 vote Tuesday by the parish Planning and Zoning Board recommending the request be denied.</p><p class="p1">During the planning board meeting, several residents said building a mobile home park would cause other homes to flood, increase traffic and crime, and lower property values. </p><p class="p1">Tom Gayle, who spoke on the applicant’s behalf, told the board that a mobile home park would be in line with other development in the area. No one representing the applicant attended the Police Jury meeting.</p><p class="p1">District 7 Police Juror Chris Landry represents the area where the rezoning request was made. He said police jurors received several phone calls and emails from residents who opposed the development.</p><p class="p1">“I can’t blame them,” Landry said. “I put myself in their position. Would I want that next to me? No, I wouldn’t.”</p><p class="p1">Landry said other mobile home parks in the area have problems with crime. One located on Gulf Highway had more than 40 visits from the Calcasieu Sheriff’s Department last month.</p><p class="p1">Landry said the applicant has to wait one year before they can reapply for the rezoning.</p><p>7300 Tom Hebert Road</p>Google Maps