Commission approves Dollar General preliminary and final site plans after public comments on traffic and drainage

The Livingston Parish Planning Commission approved preliminary and final site plans for a proposed Dollar General on Highway 16 in French Settlement on Jan. 8 after a public hearing in which neighbors raised traffic and drainage concerns.

Kyle Hagler of SJB Group presented the project: the site is about 2.5 acres, the building would be roughly 10,500 square feet and the design relies on an on‑site detention pond sized to provide a 20% reduction in runoff for a 100‑year storm, per the materials presented to staff. Hagler said the applicant had obtained DOTD permitting and that DOTD determined a traffic‑study was not required for the driveway because the sight‑distance triangles fit within DOTD right of way; he also said delivery trucks will be able to pull into the site from either direction without backing onto the highway.

A nearby property owner, Paul Gaines of 17225 LA Highway 16, spoke at the public hearing with concerns about the driveway location in a curve, vehicle speed (posted 55 mph), water runoff and the effect of raising the finished grade to meet the new flood elevation. Hagler and the developer’s representative, Greg Bivin of Dorsey Development, replied that DOTD had reviewed sight distance and issued the permit without requiring turn lanes; Hagler said the detention pond was sized per staff comments and that the project stays outside a shown pipeline right‑of‑way.

Planning staff told the commission that Morgan and other reviewers had no outstanding comments and recommended approval. Commissioners recorded roll‑call approvals for both preliminary and final site plans; Miss Farris recorded a “No” vote on both final motions, and all other members voted yes. The commission noted the applicant had talked with the mayor of French Settlement and the developer offered to exchange contact information with neighbors to address post‑construction maintenance concerns.

Staff said the project had completed required drainage and DOTD reviews and that final construction permitting will proceed after engineering sign‑offs and the applicant addresses any required conditions in the staff report.