St. Martin Parish, LA Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

Article XI of Chapter 20, adopted March 7, 2023 as Ord. No. 23-03-1386-OR, regulates the licensure, operations, and siting of solar farms within the unincorporated areas of St. Martin Parish. Section 20-401 defines a solar farm as a use of land with photovoltaic generation capacity of at least 50 kilowatts direct current. One or more collectors serving a single residential dwelling or a single commercial establishment are not a solar farm, so this permit does not reach a system on one home.

The application goes to the parish supervisor of permits. It must include a site plan showing all property in the project, all access roads, and the buffer zones, plus a drainage study, environmental study, maintenance plan, and traffic plan. Before filing, the applicant holds at least one public meeting under the planning and zoning director or a designee, with notice published in the official journal at least ten days and no more than 30 days beforehand and posted on the parish government website. The applicant pays the publication costs.

The fee is $1,000.00 for a solar farm of 500 acres or less, and $1,000.00 plus $1.00 for each acre over 500 for a larger one, measured on the entire project including buffer zones and access roads. The permits supervisor checks completeness, the director of public works reviews next, and the parish president finishes administrative review within 30 days of submittal. The president then presents the plans and studies to the parish council within 90 days for approval or denial, decided by majority vote of the entire council.

A denial comes with a written statement of reasons, and the applicant has 30 days to submit more information or an amended plan. A final denial can be appealed to the parish president, who acts within 14 days, and then to the council within 90 days of the president's decision. A permit expires one year after issuance unless construction has commenced or an extension is requested at least 30 days before expiration. Section 20-411 classifies every solar farm as I-1 (Light Industrial) under the Zoning Ordinance, reverting to the original class on decommissioning.