The Acadiana Addiction center is expanding to a new town, Sunset.

The center filed a federal lawsuit against the St. Landry Parish Government in March. This came after the council passed an ordinance last August which prevented the center from building in the area which was three months after the center purchased 10 acres of land for over one million dollars.

On Wednesday, the council voted not to enforce the ordinance.

Bill Fontenot, St. Landry Parish President says, “It’s a matter of not having zoning in place or land use policies in place prior to Acadiana Addiction Center moving into St Landry Parish. Based on best attorney advice is that it would be something very costly to defend and not likely to be won by the defendants”.

Since this land is located in a rural subdivision, residents in the area are highly upset.

Resident Herman Stanford says, “My biggest concern is that they’re bringing these people in here, but they never had any courtesy of telling any of us if these people have criminal backgrounds.”

Posie Carrier is a 36-year resident of the Choctaw subdivision and she’s felt this facility could disrupt their quiet neighborhood. “We named this house dernier menage, which means last move, and it’s built to take us into our old age with the two stories and this is just alarming to me. At this age and stage of my life we’re traveling a lot and don’t feel safe my home is going to possibly be safe.”

Carrier, along with other residents, said they should have been informed about the use of the facility before the land was purchased. The center’s attorney, Brent Barrier, agreed more conversation could have helped residents have a better understanding of the facility. Some residents in the area said with this facility moving in they’re considering moving out.