LIVINGSTON - Livingston Parish leaders are getting the ball rolling on plans to build an airstrip in Satsuma.

Thursday the parish council is expected to announce plans to create an airport commission that would go over ordinances related to the proposed airstrip. Parish President Layton Ricks says the airstrip is still six or seven years away from happening, and it will not cost tax payers a penny.

"Well I think ultimately it will bring in economic development, because a lot of these corporate sponsors and these executives and CEOs want to be able to fly into the region and look at the different pieces of property that they may want to invest to build commercial and industrial type businesses. It will allow for that," said Ricks.

The Navy jet along I-12 in Satsuma sits near the land where the proposed airstrip will be, according to Ricks. Ricks says the Livingston Parish airstrip will be for smaller planes and will look similar to the airports in Hammond and Gonzales. The Livingston airstrip has been in the works for several years.

"It's just another step forward in the process," he said. "Again, we've got a long way to go, but you have to take these steps to move forward."