BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Metro Council will take on an amendment to the unified development code that would create a 1,000 foot buffer between a forensic facility and a community like a school, park, or neighborhood.

The measure comes about a year after a forensic psychiatric hospital tried to open in Glen Oaks, which would have been just feet away from a school.

Metro councilman Darryl Hurst and Senator Regina Barrow have been working to put legislation in place that supports what the community has been asking for - planning and zoning criteria for forensic mental health hospitals.

"There is no law," Hurst said.

Following a study, the changes have already been approved by the Planning Commission. They will now be up for a vote Wednesday, March 20 at the Metro Council Zoning meeting.

"I'm not against mental health, I'm for mental health treatment being done the right way - where it belongs - it belongs at least 1,000 feet away from a school, a neighborhood, or a park," Hurst said.

The amendment calls for any future forensic facility to be zoned heavy commercial and must get the council's approval. Hurst is encouraging supporters to be in attendance at Wednesday night's meeting.

"It happened in this neighborhood, but it could be your neighborhood next," he said.

The zoning meeting is at 4 p.m. at City Hall.