Historic commission approves circular driveway at 943 Washington Street with landscaping condition

The Natchitoches Historic District Commission approved a circular turnaround driveway at 943 Washington Street, with a condition that the new and existing paved areas be screened by landscaping and that permits from the Department of Transportation and Development be obtained for any widening on the state highway.

The proposal was presented by Chase Collins of CRC Works Construction on behalf of property owner Gregory Cornelis. Collins said the work is intended to “help him by achieving, maybe a safer turnaround in his front driveway,” and showed commissioners site drawings and dimensions for a front circle and a secondary driveway that would reach a gate on the south side of the property.

Commissioners questioned the size and visual effect of the proposal. One commissioner said the combined width of the existing neighbor driveway and the proposed work would total “34 and a half feet wide,” calling that “a parking lot” and warning “you can’t have all of this concrete” in the historic district. Commissioners discussed alternatives, including a shorter turnaround or a rear backing area, and emphasized disguising expanded paving with planting.

Staff and commissioners noted regulatory steps beyond the commission’s review: because the street is a state highway, any driveway widening requires permission from DOTD. A commissioner said that if DOTD permits for the access are provided, the commission’s review would be satisfied and no separate zoning pull would be required.

After discussion, the commission voted to approve the circular turnaround as presented, with the explicit condition that the circle and the existing driveway be shielded by landscaping. Commissioners also suggested the applicant return with final materials or revisions after construction if additional adjustments are needed once neighboring construction and parking pressures subside.

The commission did not adopt design specifics beyond the landscaping condition; measurements discussed at the hearing included the applicant’s on-site dimensions (the proposed turnaround measured from the bottom step to the driveway was described as “32 inches” and the driveway as “11 feet,” and a later exchange recorded the neighbor’s existing driveway at 19.5 feet and the applicant’s proposed new driveway at 15 feet, yielding a combined width the commissioner described as 34.5 feet). Those figures were discussed for planning context at the hearing and were not recorded as permit conditions by the commission.

The commission’s approval is conditioned on the applicant obtaining any required DOTD approvals and meeting the landscaping/screening expectation the commission placed on the paving.