LIVINGSTON PARISH - Residents in Livingston Parish say they're left feeling like city leaders aren’t making proper decisions after a neighborhood development sought approval from the planning commission, even though the parish is under a moratorium. 

“The parish has been able to conduct business unchecked for a long time. A lot of things are going on and they all want it to be passed over and over it, but we’re not going away as people,” Livingston resident Scott Lobell said.

Lobell was one of a few people who reached out to WBRZ concerning Wednesday’s meeting. 

“I can tell you tonight that I’m not paid for anyone,” Deric Murphy, who was at the meeting on behalf of the developers, said. "I’ve not played dirty politics, cashed in anything shady or cut any corners to get back here tonight."

Residents couldn’t understand how the commission was considering the proposal if the parish is currently under a moratorium. 

“This is a brand new design. It is a brand new submission. It is a brand new application."

Residents believed a new application was submitted after the moratorium, but the parish’s attorney argued it wasn’t new.

“We’re talking about the same piece of property with the same developer. I know the plot looks different, but this plot and this development and this subdivision was already in front of this commission prior to the moratorium going into effect,” he argued. 

It was locked four to four on a vote to deny the application, because it wasn’t in compliance with the new ordinances set from the current moratorium.

After the meeting on Wednesday, the development was brought back to the council in another council meeting Thursday. It was sent back to the planning commission after being deferred.