The City of New Iberia is on its way to incorporating property into city limits after both the New Iberia City Council and Iberia Parish Council signed off on annexing property south of U.S. 90.

Resolutions regarding the annexation went to both the city and parish councils last week for an 11-acre tract of property that is currently used for farmland.

Legal counsel for the City of New Iberia Jeff Simon said at Tuesday’s council meeting that the property owners have the intention of creating a Love’s Travel Stops once the property becomes part of the city.

Simon said that the owners of the property filed a petition to be annexed into the city, and once a public notice is filed in the legal journal the council will be able to vote on an amendment expanding the limits of the city of New Iberia.

Adding more property into the city of New Iberia has been a long-term goal of Mayor Freddie DeCourt. DeCourt said that adding the property into city limits would be a “win-win” for the city, parish and landowners.

“It’s been a very long time since the city’s annexed and our finances are good and we’re finding creative ways that’s enticing people to do it,” DeCourt said.

That enticement stems from a tax increment financing district that was activated in 2018 by DeCourt and the City Council. About $1 million has accumulated in the city’s TIF District funding since then, and DeCourt said about half of that will be used to help bring infrastructure to the newly annexed property so commercial development can begin.

“People are becoming interested because we have skin in the game,” DeCourt said. “The only carrot I have to convince people is that we can help pay for the infrastructure.”

However, DeCourt said he is unsure if the new commercial development will pay into TIF funds. The location of the property is already located with an Iberia Parish TIF District, and DeCourt said he did not want to overtax the new business.

“This company is already paying one cent (for the parish TIF District),” DeCourt said. “I do want them to succeed. I want the jobs and the sales taxes, that’s what I’m after.”

The Iberia Parish Council quickly passed a resolution of no objection to the annexation during Wednesday night’s executive committee meeting. Councilman Warren Gachassin also called the decision a win-win and would benefit the parish government as well.

“Our tax base is preserved and this is a win-win,” Gachassin said. “We’re going to collect more money at the end of the day and there will be some new commercial development.”