WALLACE — A Louisiana appellate court on Wednesday upheld a decision barring the development of a 56-silo grain terminal in the middle of a historically Black community that was rezoned as "heavy industrial" in 1990.

The Descendants Project had sued to stop construction after Greenfield Louisiana LLC said in 2021 that it would build a $400 million grain elevator and terminal at the site. The property was initially rezoned after Formosa Chemical Corp. said it would build a rayon pulp facility there. The rayon plant was never built.

The grain elevator's opponents said the facility would have displaced Black residents and disturbed historic landmarks tied to slavery. In a statement, the group's said it hoped Wednesday's decision would be the last word.

“For too long, residents have feared that polluting industry will industrialize this land in our historic Black community despite opposition from residents, and this affirms our right to protect our community over corporate greed," it said.

Greenfield had argued that St. John the Baptist Parish officials validly passed ordinances allowing the rezoning. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeal said the parish didn't follow its administrative procedures despite Greenfield's argument that it had.

"Accepting Greenfield's contention that the amendment ... did not need to be reviewed by the (planning) commission effectively renders the parish's zoning ordinances meaningless," the three-judge panel wrote in a unanimous decision.

A lower court had ruled against the elevator last year. Wednesday's decision upheld that ruling.

The initial zoning change from three decades ago was riddled with accusations of corruption, and ultimately led to a successful criminal case. 

Greenfield told WBRZ last year it would no longer build a grain elevator at the site but has not ruled out other development.