ST. MARTINVILLE — The St. Martin Parish Council voted to adopt an ordinance restricting the dumping and burning of tree stumps and yard waste that had been transported into the parish, but not without some pushback.

Billy Broussard, who operates a tree service, said that he was not sure the intent of the ordinance was clear enough to prevent future councils from enforcing it more harshly.

“What was the intent?” Broussard asked rhetorically. “What were they trying to accomplish? If I want to bring my trimmings to a place in St. Martin Parish, where do I bring it to?”

Broussard had bought a property in November that he was using to dump and burn material from his business. Neighbors complained, which brought parish regulators into the picture. Because the property is zoned for multifamily residential use, commercial activity like disposing of trash and waste from Broussard’s tree trimming business was not allowed.

Later, when parish officials learned that not only was Broussard burning his own leavings but was also accepting dumps of material from other contractors, the parish began working on an ordinance to prevent the practice overall.

Broussard insisted that he had improved property values in the area when he cleaned up the property. He also denied any commercial use of the property, saying he never accepted any money for dumping or burning at the site.

Broussard went well over his five-minute time limit in presenting his defense. When he finished, Parish President Chester Cedars launched into a searing, excruciatingly detailed dismembering of Broussard’s arguments, including a timeline, in many cases down to the minute, of the interactions between Broussard and the parish.

“FIrst off, the issues with Mr. Broussard’s property is twofold,” Cedars began. “One is if this ordinance is passed. Two is that he is using it as part of his business endeavors. It’s zoned multifamily residential. He’s been told that. He was told that last year.”

Cedars said complaints began arriving after Broussard bought the property in September. He began bringing tree trunks and vegetation to the lot, first to dump, then to burn.

“Complaints were made, and they were investigated,” Cedars said. “There is an email in that file to Mr. Broussard which states the parish government has received complaints. Parish government spoke to you by telephone and informed you that your property is zoned mixed residential. That zoning classification does not allow burning or dumping at any time without rezoning.”

Cedars went through many other incidents, detailing the conflicting and changing stories Broussard had offered for his use of the property, including his intent to create a mushroom farm and that the activity on the site was part of some research. At the end, he repeated that, even without the new ordinance, Broussard could not legally continue with the activity on his lot without seeking and securing a rezoning.

“You have to go through the process,” Cedars said. “To pause in the process, you have no rule. To pause in the process, you play politics.” 

When Cedars finished, Broussard began to remunerate his complaints when Council Chairman Chris Tauzin stopped him.

“We are not here to talk about issues at your property,” Tauzin said. “We are here to consider an ordinance that affects the whole parish.”

Broussard tried to continue, but District 6 Councilman Brook Champagne interceded.

“You are violating the zoning ordinance,” Champagne said. “You are hauling and dumping or burning in a residential area. You have been doing it for a year.”

“I wish I could talk to you, but I can’t,” Broussard told Champagne. “My attorney told me not to.”

The council eventually passed the new ordinance in a 7-0 vote, with District 4 Councilman David Poirier abstaining and District 7 Councilman Byron Fuselier absent.