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Council approves series of infrastructure and grant measures, endorses scope changes for flood projects
Summary
At its Aug. 4 meeting the St. Charles Parish Council approved multiple ordinances and resolutions covering sewer feasibility studies, drainage and culvert work, park change orders, and grant-related actions for pump-station projects; one zoning amendment was postponed indefinitely.
The St. Charles Parish Council on Aug. 4 voted on multiple ordinances and resolutions involving capital projects, engineering agreements and grant-related certifications and passed the measures as presented, with several unanimous votes recorded.
Key actions and outcomes at the meeting (votes were recorded as passing unanimously unless noted):
- File 2025-0197: Approved a professional services agreement with Fairway Consulting and Engineering LLC for a Circle K sewer force main extension feasibility study (project S250601) in the lump sum amount of $100,000. Council discussion said the extension would route sewer to the new Turtle Pond lift station to reduce backups during heavy rain events.
- File 2025-0199: Approved Amendment No. 1 to add resident inspection funds ($109,750) to the professional services agreement with H. Davis Cole & Associates LLC for Murray Hill Industrial drainage improvements (increasing contract to $434,418). Staff said resident inspection funds were needed for construction oversight.
- File 2025-0200: Approved Amendment No. 1 to add engineering and resident inspection services for the Evangeline Road and CN Railroad box culvert project with Volker Inc., not to exceed $202,712.50 (increasing overall contract to $389,718.34). Staff said utility conflicts required additional railroad coordination.
- File 2025-0201: Approved change order No. 1 (final) for the Bethune Park renovations project (see separate article) to decrease the amount by $500 and increase contract time by 84 days.
- File 2025-0202: Approved a professional services agreement with Crescent Engineering and Mapping LLC for the Riverbend Subsurface Drainage Project (P250702) in the lump sum amount of $86,544.40. The council amended the ordinance language to correct a wording error (changing “elevate” to “alleviate” in a whereas clause) and approved the ordinance as amended.
- File 2025-0203: An amendment to exempt single-family residences in the R1AM zoning district from a permanent dust-free paving requirement (allowing crushed stone) was postponed indefinitely after council discussion expressing concerns about potential permanent-residence development without poured driveways.
- File 2025-0204: Approved a professional services agreement with Crescent Engineering and Mapping LLC for JCJR outfall ditches (P250701) in the lump sum amount of $70,248. The work follows donated servitudes and will survey ditch alignments to improve drainage away from railroad tracks.
- File 2025-0205: Approved amendments to reorganize the Coastal Zone Advisory Committee, including staggered initial terms so the council would not appoint the entire committee at once.
- File 2025-0206: Approved Amendment No. 1 to the Lakewood Drive reconstruction engineering contract to add $80,000 for construction closeout work required by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), increasing the closeout amount to $280,000 and overall contract to $799,380.24.
Resolutions passed included: support for Muntz Pump Station grant compliance (file 2025-0214) to certify public-bid compliance for a $10 million Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority grant; approval of amended scope and local funding commitment ($3.9 million) for the Fairfield and Oakland watershed flood-improvement work under the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (file 2025-0215); and council support for an Economic Development Administration disaster-recovery application for the same Fairfield and Oakland project (file 2025-0218).
Appointments, confirmations and administrative housekeeping items were also approved, including planning and zoning waivers, appointment confirmations for regional task forces and communications districts, and acceptance of several committee resignations. One zoning text amendment (file 2025-0203) was postponed indefinitely after council debate.
The council’s meeting minutes and agenda list the file numbers and short descriptions; staff said additional contract documents, change orders and project-specific engineering approvals will be returned to the council for formal execution and recordation as needed.
Votes, by file, are summarized below in the actions array. Where the meeting record did not include a roll-call tally, the article reflects the meeting’s recorded outcome and notes absentee members.
