Commission approves Maison Du Village plans despite neighbors' concerns about a Timber Ridge cut-through

The St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission approved final construction and subdivision plans for the Maison Du Village development and granted the developer permission to enter the Tammany Trace right-of-way for a sidewalk and to enter parish right-of-way for utility connections, staff and developers said at the meeting.

Developer representative Paul Marrone, speaking for Mid South Developers LLC, told commissioners the two right-of-way requests are related: the Tammany Trace request would allow a concrete sidewalk to connect a proposed recreation area to the Trace, and the parish right-of-way request would allow utility work and a water-line connection that the developer said would improve pressure and redundancy for the area. "These 2 requests . . . are related and apply to the Maison Du Village subdivision," Marrone said, asking the commission to approve both requests subject to staff comments.

Residents from Timber Ridge and nearby Silver Road urged commissioners to delay action and seek further drainage and traffic analysis. Christine Narcisse, representing a majority of Timber Ridge neighbors, said a vehicular cut-through would significantly increase traffic on a neighborhood street with a single entrance and posed safety risks for children. "The request to create a cut through road through Timber Ridge would significantly increase traffic volumes on the street that is already experiencing high traffic," Narcisse said.

Candice Poland said her street floods frequently and described repeated loss from flooding; she and others cited the parish's Coastal Resilience Overlay and asked the commission to deny or pause the preliminary subdivision request until comprehensive drainage and traffic studies are completed.

Staff responded that the specific ROW requests on the agenda were for sidewalk access and utilities; the larger issue of a vehicular cut-through is part of the subdivision review and was addressed later in the meeting. Staff recommended several modifications for the subdivision plans, including preserving green space, adding a 10-foot buffer and an arborist report, and relocating the Silk Road access as shown on the updated plans. Staff also noted a funded maintenance obligation of $10,000 for the subdivision in accordance with Saint Tammany Parish code of ordinances.

Marrone said the developer can either construct the roadway connection or dedicate the strip without constructing it; he said the developer had proposed dedicating the right-of-way after community meetings because Timber Ridge residents objected to vehicular connectivity. "If it is the will of the commission that the connection should be made as staff has suggested, then we will make that connection. If it is the will of the commission that we dedicate it but not construct it so that there is not a roadway there, we will comply with that as well," Marrone said.

Commissioners voted to approve the two right-of-way requests (enter Tammany Trace right-of-way; enter parish right-of-way) and later approved the final subdivision and construction plans for Maison Du Village, each motion recorded as "Motion to approve carries." Several commissioners noted staff conditions and said impact fees or other funds could be used to address needed Silver Road improvements; the developer said it has an engineering design for Silver Road improvements and that impact fees could be used for that purpose.

Discussion versus decision: the commission's approvals allowed the developer to proceed subject to staff conditions; they did not require the developer to construct a vehicular cut-through to Timber Ridge (the developer said it would comply with whichever option the commission preferred). The commission also instructed staff and the developer to follow the listed staff comments and conditions before a work order is issued.

Votes on the three related items were recorded at the meeting as approved by the commission.