Planning commission delays decision on Lakes Hill rezoning after residents raise drainage, sewer and well concerns

The St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 25 voted to postpone for 30 days a petition to rezone a 20.81-acre parcel at the intersection of Highway 25 and Bennett Bridge Road in Folsom from ML (low multifamily) and HC-2 (highway commercial) to S-2 (suburban single-family residential).

The petitioner, attorney Paul Marrone, told the commission the parcel currently contains about 16.85 acres zoned for multifamily and roughly 4 acres zoned HC-2. He said that under existing multifamily zoning the owner could develop up to 183 apartment units on the 16.85-acre portion; staff noted that if rezoned to S-2 the applicant could later apply for a concept subdivision with a gross density the staff report described as up to 120 lots. Marrone also said the developer’s plan would produce far fewer vehicle trips and less drainage impact than full build-out under current zoning and characterized the request as a “downzone.”

Residents and experts who spoke questioned that characterization and pressed the commission on infrastructure and public-safety consequences. Bryant Laird and other neighbors asked who had missed the parcel’s multifamily zoning in the 2009 comprehensive rezoning and pressed for clear information about ownership and condition of the local water and sewer system. Kim Core cited historical enforcement actions and told the commission that the former private operator (referred to in public comments as SELA) previously pled guilty in a Federal Clean Water Act case; she urged the commission to ensure the parish understands any legacy environmental liabilities before allowing more development. Timmy Singleton, a licensed well driller, said a municipal well near the site is about 45 years old and that registration records for older wells are incomplete, meaning upgrades or replacement could be required.

Marrone answered that Tammany Utilities is now owned and operated by St. Tammany Parish and that, according to the petitioner’s conversations with the utility, there is currently capacity for sewer and water in the system; he also reiterated that single-family development would likely generate less runoff and traffic than multifamily apartments or multiple highway-commercial lots under existing zoning.

Commissioners repeatedly told speakers that some design and infrastructure questions (drainage plans, sewer connections, required elevations) would be addressed at the planning stage if the rezoning proceeded, and that tonight’s vote would be a recommendation to the parish council rather than the final decision. After discussion the commission voted to postpone the zoning recommendation for 30 days to allow additional information and stakeholder engagement to be developed.

The postponement means the petition will return to the commission at a date set in the next month for further review. The parish’s director of utilities (identified in the meeting as Christopher Tissue) was noted as the appropriate official to answer detailed technical questions about inspections and recent work on the sewer system.

Ending

The commission did not vote on the rezoning itself; the matter was postponed for 30 days. The petitioner and several residents agreed to continue conversations outside the formal meeting and to supply additional technical information for the commission and staff prior to the next hearing.