St. Tammany board grants after‑the‑fact fill variance at 517 Carr Drive with drainage conditions

The St. Tammany Parish Board of Adjustments on Sept. 2 approved an after‑the‑fact variance for 517 Carr Drive in Slidell that allows the applicant to retain fill placed on the house pad, provided the owner submits a sealed drainage plan from a Louisiana civil engineer and an as‑built drainage plan after construction.

The variance covers work that increased the slab elevation for a 3,479‑square‑foot single‑family residence from 8.5 feet to 11.3 feet, according to materials and testimony presented to the board. Parish staff had issued a cease‑and‑desist order July 7 after determining the work did not match the originally approved fill plan.

The owners, Jolene "Tina" Farge and Doug Farge, told the board they obtained a building permit in April 2025 and relied on subsequent inspections and an elevation certificate that they say did not flag the extra fill. ‘‘Ed admits he made a mistake, and he should have known better,’’ Tina Farge said of the contractor, and she said the couple is willing to work with parish engineering to resolve drainage concerns.

Parish staff and engineering representatives told the board that the Car Drive area is designated an "area of special concern" that allows fill up to 24 inches above the road centerline, but that additional fill can be accepted only if a drainage plan demonstrates no adverse impacts. Theodore Reynolds, assistant director of engineering, explained that engineered solutions such as swales, subsurface drainage or inlets typically can be designed to prevent runoff onto neighboring properties.

Board members questioned risk and precedent. One member said the area’s proximity to bayou and lake makes drainage unique but also easier to move water off site if engineered properly. Another member, after hearing the staff explanation and the applicants’ willingness to provide stamped plans, indicated they would vote for the variance.

The motion approved by the board requires (1) submission of a sealed drainage plan prepared by a Louisiana civil engineer showing the fill will not adversely affect abutting or nearby properties or the street (the plan must include pipe sizes, invert elevations and inlet areas) and (2) submission of an as‑built drainage plan confirming construction followed the approved drainage plan. The vote was carried unanimously by the members present.

The board discussed—without directing immediate removal—an alternative the board could impose if it denied the variance: removal of the added fill before the cease‑and‑desist could be lifted. Staff said removal would be required to return to the original approved fill plan if the variance were denied.

The director of the building permits office noted a recent policy change ending routine acceptance of third‑party inspection reports in special flood hazard areas; the change was made after repeated problems with relying on third‑party reports. Staff said the revised process is intended to reduce recurrence of issues like the one before the board.

The board’s approval advances the project contingent on review and acceptance of stamped engineering plans by the Department of Engineering and follow‑up permitting.