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Commission approves rezoning to create four large lots for family compound on Doris Street
Summary
The planning commission approved rezoning of a five‑acre parcel in the Helenburg area from R‑1 to L‑1 to allow subdivision into four large lots for a family compound; opponents raised drainage concerns but commissioners relied on staff flood-zone mapping and required subsequent engineering at the building‑permit stage.
The St. Tammany Parish Planning Commission approved a rezoning request to reclassify a five‑acre parcel on the west side of Doris Street (Helenburg subdivision) from R‑1 (rural residential) to L‑1 (large‑lot residential), enabling the petitioner to create four roughly one‑acre parcels intended for a family compound.
Applicant attorney Jeff Shane said prospective purchasers plan a family compound with individual homes for the family and that L‑1 zoning is consistent with some surrounding parcels. Staff noted the parcel’s flood zone designations and that final floor elevations and drainage will be reviewed at the subdivision and permitting stage.
Opponents told commissioners they experience flooding on Doris Street and urged that drainage infrastructure be improved before further development. One neighbor said recent rains produced standing water that reaches yards and the roadway. Shane said the parcels will need individual drainage profiles and building permits, and that the contractor client would not build where conditions created unsafe conditions for residents.
Commissioners voted to approve the L‑1 rezoning. Several commissioners and staff urged neighbors to coordinate with Public Works for culvert and ditch maintenance; the commission noted that staff will review drainage, culvert and elevation details during the subsequent subdivision and building‑permit processes.
Why it matters: the parcel lies near areas with documented drainage concerns; a zoning change will allow the landowners to subdivide the five‑acre tract into smaller large‑lot parcels, increasing the number of buildable home sites while triggering engineering review at later stages.
