DENHAM SPRINGS - An attorney who served as an advisor for the Livingston Parish Council as it fought with a developer over a controversial housing development has been fired. 

A letter obtained Wednesday by WBRZ shows that Parish President Layton Ricks notified Steve Irving of his firing earlier this week.

Read the letter here

Ricks' letter blames Irving for giving legal advice to one councilmember -- Erin Sandefur -- without communicating with the parish president's office or other members of the council. In his response, Irving argues the firing was unfair and alleges that he was never told to avoid speaking with individual councilmembers.

The parish council is planning to discuss the firing at its next meeting on Thursday.

Irving was hired with the council's unanimous approval back in May as councilmembers sparred with developer Ascension Properties over the approval of an extensive new subdivision that raised concerns for neighbors in Denham Springs.

The fight over the Deer Run project led to arguments over the implementation of the parish's zoning rules and precipitated a lawsuit that was settled by the parish last month. That agreement allowed Ascension Properties to move forward with the development, albeit with a smaller footprint. 

"We closed a case that our lawyer, the District Attorney and the Council's hand-picked zoning expert told us we could not win," Ricks said when announcing the settlement. "The Council agreed it was time to put this case behind us, get out from under the attorney fees, legal expenses and possible damages and restart work on zoning."

The parish's zoning drama escalated in recent weeks after the council voted 5-4 to approve a 12-month moratorium on residential developments, which was in turn vetoed by the parish president.

In his veto letter, Ricks said he couldn't sign off on the ban as it was approved by the council, arguing that it could be susceptible to a legal challenge and that it would outlast the current term of those councilmembers who approved it.

While some councilmembers agreed, others were dissatisfied with Ricks' explanation.

"I feel that Layton Ricks is more committed to his developer friends than the citizens of Livingston Parish,"  said Sandefur, who represents District 5. "Why is he fighting so hard for these developments five months before he leaves office? In my district alone we have roughly between 5,000 to 6,000 homes specced to come through already. We can't take it."

The council is set to discuss a reworked moratorium, as well as Irving's firing, during Thursday's council meeting.