Cottage at Cypress Ridge Phase A tabled after engineering finds multiple noncompliances

The Houma-Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission on Sept. 11 tabled action on the Cottage at Cypress Ridge Phase A subdivision after the parish engineering division reported multiple areas where the plans did not comply with subdivision and drainage requirements.

The Engineering Division of the Terrebonne Parish Department of Public Works told the commission the plans "failed to comply with parish ordinances and subdivision regulations in the following areas: Flood hazard area not shown on the plat; developer must submit architectural elevations; Lot 2 Block 1 is not within 250 feet of a fire hydrant; access needs to be provided to both sides of the outfall east of the CCC Ditch; does not conform to the storm drainage design manual; all lots are not graded to drain to the street or to a major drainage artery; inlet spacing exceeds 250 feet; plat needs to show entire servitude for outfall ditch; approval letters from utilities and Department of Health and Hospitals are required." That summary was read into the record by the Engineering Division representative.

Jay Milford of Milford and Associates, representing the developer, told commissioners the team is revising calculations and plans and asked to work with engineering staff to resolve items including hydrant spacing and inlet spacing. "We think that we at least comply with the spirit of that," Milford said of the hydrant layout and asked the commission to allow staff and the developer to work through items where engineering requested revisions.

Planning administration noted the subdivision qualifies for a drainage exception that allows up to 60 percent of lot depth to drain to the rear when certain conditions are met, but that calculations and a plat amendment are required. Administration recommended approval conditioned on full compliance with the engineering punch list and submission of required utility approvals; several commissioners said they preferred to see the revised materials before voting.

Commissioner Thibodeaux moved to table the matter until the next regularly scheduled planning commission meeting; Commissioner McGuire seconded. The motion passed.

Clarifying details provided at the meeting included the need for architectural elevations and graphic depictions, a requirement to show flood hazard areas on the plat, inlet spacing concerns (engineering noted 250-foot maximum spacing), and outstanding approval letters from water, gas, electric, Department of Health and Hospitals and parish utilities for streetlight benchmarks.

Next steps: the developer will submit revised calculations, updated plats showing the required servitude and raw land labels where applicable, and the outstanding utility approval letters; staff and engineering will work with the developer and bring the item back for formal action at a subsequent meeting.