Zoning commission recommends rezoning 196 Peachtree/Petrie Street to allow mobile home

The Terrebonne Parish Zoning and Land Use Commission on March 20 recommended that the parish council rezone 196 Peachtree (Petrie) Street from R-1 single-family residential to R-2 two-family residential to permit placement of a mobile home, following a staff recommendation and limited public comment.

The recommendation matters because rezoning would allow the applicant to seek permission to place a mobile home on the property, but it would not remove subsequent steps: a special-exception application to the Board of Adjustment is required before placement, and the applicant may need a structure variance if standard setbacks cannot be met.

Applicant Judy H. Carter said she was "here to, trying to get my property resonde to be able to put a trailer on there on Peachtree Street." Staff told commissioners the request was based on the zoning ordinance's allowance for rezoning when there is a change in conditions and noted the site abuts an existing R-2 district, which exempts it from the minimum-size requirement for establishing a standalone R-2 district. Staff stated, "All public notice requirements have been met and staff didn't receive any calls regarding the request. Staff recommends approval." The staff presentation also warned that the parcel's 78-by-62-foot size may prevent placement of a standard mobile home without setback variances.

Commissioners and members of the public discussed the practical implications. A nearby resident objected, citing property-value concerns. Staff and commissioners noted several practical constraints: the lot's shallow depth would likely force a mobile home to be oriented parallel to the street rather than perpendicular, and the applicant would need to return to the Board of Adjustment for a special exception and possibly a structure variance. Staff said the Board of Adjustment often places conditions on mobile-home placements, including model-year requirements; staff commented that "they usually will say 2015 or newer." Commissioners discussed whether the zoning recommendation could include conditions; staff replied approval at this stage is a recommendation to the council and that any detailed conditions are typically handled by the Board of Adjustment when the special exception and any variances are considered.

Commissioner Wayne Thibodeau moved to recommend approval per staff recommendation; Commissioner Terry Gold seconded. The motion passed with all present commissioners voting in favor. The commission recorded the action as a recommendation to the Parish Council; staff said the rezoning introduction and public hearing before council would be scheduled in late April or early May and that specific dates would appear in the applicant's approval letter.

The commission's recommendation does not by itself authorize placement of a mobile home. The applicant must obtain a Board of Adjustment special exception and any required setback or structure variances, and those subsequent reviews may impose additional conditions or deny relief.

The council will receive the commission's recommendation and set the item for a public hearing. The applicant and staff will be notified of the council hearing date in the approval letter.