Council hears Coastal Resilience Land Use Study, public split on building standards and affordability

The St. Tammany Parish Council on March 6 heard a staff briefing and multiple public comments on a Coastal Resilience Land Use Study that proposes a resilience overlay and revised building standards for parts of Wards 7 and 11. Supporters said the overlay aims to reduce repetitive flood losses for homeowners; local builders and industry representatives cautioned that elevated construction standards could raise upfront costs and affect housing affordability.

Why it matters: The study targets low‑lying, frequently flooded parcels where repeated claims to FEMA have driven high insurance costs and persistent damage. Any overlay or building‑standard change would affect where and how houses are built in affected neighborhoods and could raise the cost of new construction.

Public comment and technical overview: Lee Domingue, speaking for the Bayou Liberty Association, urged adoption of the recommendations, saying residents face increasing flood frequency and need a temporary pause on dense development in sensitive wetlands and drainage areas. Donna McDonald, representing neighbors in the study area, said the overlay provides “methods that will help prevent trapping homeowners in unsustainable situations where their valuable homes flood” and described the overlay as “not opposed to development — we want it to be sustainable.”

Builders and developers raised affordability concerns. Bubba Jenkins, immediate past president of the North Shore Homebuilders Association, said the study estimates a 15–20% increase in construction costs if slab‑on‑grade buildings are replaced by elevated pier foundations, and that those upfront costs could deter affordable homebuilding. He urged the council and planners to work with builders to find balanced solutions. Alex Carter of Starline and other industry representatives discussed the study's ties to regional flood communications programs and insurance rating efforts.

Staff and council discussion: Councilmember Jeff Laughlin called for clarity on the share of severe repetitive loss properties in the study area and asked the consultant to explain tradeoffs; staff said roughly one‑third of the study area properties met the severe repetitive‑loss definition used in federal programs. Staff and the consultant said the overlay snaps to individual parcels and would not blanket entire districts; higher, drier parcels would be excluded. The presentation noted FEMA and best‑practice guidance supporting elevating structures in repeatedly flooded locations as a long‑term mitigation approach, while acknowledging tradeoffs for housing costs.

Procedural note: Councilmember Laughlin moved to adopt study recommendations and Improvements; the motion was seconded by Councilmember Phillips during the meeting record. The transcript records the motion and second but does not record the final roll‑call outcome for adoption of a particular ordinance at that meeting. Councilmembers and members of the public asked the administration to continue outreach and to consider targeted assistance or incentives where higher up‑front building standards could reduce long‑term flood risk and insurance costs.

Ending: The study will likely form the basis for zoning overlays and code changes affecting flood‑risk neighborhoods; the council and staff indicated additional public engagement and technical work will follow before any ordinance is finalized or enforced.