BOA postpones decision on after‑the‑fact bathroom addition at 880 Cross Gates Boulevard

The St. Tammany Parish Board of Adjustment on March 11 postponed action on an after‑the‑fact variance for 880 Cross Gates Boulevard (Case BOA20254125) after the applicants said the addition was built for accessibility and health reasons.

Michael Lewis and Isiola Chaney Lewis told the board the 360‑square‑foot addition — an outdoor accessible bathroom attached to the residence — was constructed to help Mr. Lewis, a retired, disabled veteran who said he suffers from anxiety, depression and PTSD. “For convenience and peace … I just thought maybe having a bathroom on the back would be the thing,” Michael Lewis said.

Board response and rationale: Planning staff’s report noted the addition was an after‑the‑fact request and that no evidence of a practical difficulty had been submitted. Several board members and staff told the applicants that neighborhood buy‑in matters for after‑the‑fact requests; board member Mr. Swindell said letters from adjacent neighbors are especially persuasive because they are the most impacted parties.

Outcome and next steps: The board voted to postpone the case to the April 1 meeting and recommended the applicants seek signed letters of no objection from immediate neighbors and their homeowners association. Staff and board members also suggested obtaining letters from a veterans’ organization or other medical/advocacy groups to document the medical rationale if available. The applicant stated that a building permit had already been applied for; the board indicated any inspection or permitting steps would proceed as appropriate after the BOA decision.

Context: Miss Lambert’s staff finding described the addition as 360 square feet and said no evidence of practical difficulty had been provided. The board noted that many after‑the‑fact variance requests are ultimately approved if neighbors do not object and if mitigation or reconfiguration is not required.