A City of Hammond Zoning Meeting held last night seems to indicate that a medical supply distribution project that failed in St Tammany Parish is moving across to Tangipahoa Parish. The committee, before a packed house of residents, voted to rezone 41 acres from RS 8 Residential to IL Industrial Light, for a piece of property located on the northeast corner of the Hammond airport at the intersection of Industrial Park Road and Vineyard Road. After numerous public comments from local residents, officials confirmed to those in the audience that Medline Industries, if the rezoning was successful, would like to construct a distribution center of 500,000 square feet or greater at the site. The main concerns voiced by those present dealt with flooding, traffic, and noise and light pollution.
The recommendation will be presented at the Hammond City council meeting on October 13th. And at the October 27th meeting the council will receive public comment.
Medline’s recent attempt to acquire land and build a large facility in St Tammany near LA 1077 met widespread resistance, including from St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper. His administration denied a permit to clear 47 acres of land for that project, saying it posed adverse impacts for the surrounding area. The medical supply company wanted to build an 800,000-square-foot distribution center to replace a much smaller facility it has operated nearby for more than a decade. The proposed project in St Tammany drew intense criticism from residents of nearby subdivisions, who claimed the large center would create traffic and drainage problems.
