St. Tammany Board of Adjustments approves multiple variances, forwards manufactured‑home setback resolution to council

The St. Tammany Parish Board of Adjustments on an unnamed January meeting approved variances for four properties, postponed one request to February and voted to send a resolution about setback rules for manufactured homes to the St. Tammany Parish Council.

The board approved a request from property owners Garth and Stacy Hernandez to reduce a rear-yard setback from 25 feet to 11 feet at 700 North Lehi Drive in Covington to allow for an enclosed spa. Garth Hernandez told the board the enclosure is intended to ease maintenance and support his and his wife’s recovery after lumbar fusion surgeries. “Both my wife and I have had two lumbar fusions,” Hernandez said. Staff reported that Lake Ramsey Homeowners Association and adjacent neighbors submitted letters of no objection. The board voted to approve the variance.

Board members also approved a request at 51 Camellia Drive in Covington by Jacob Daigle to place an accessory guest house in front of the primary residence because terrain and a river behind the lot limit rear-yard construction. Daigle said the guest house is intended for his aging parents; he and staff noted that neighboring property owners and the local association had submitted letters of no objection. The board approved the variance and required the accessory structure to meet applicable height and setback limits for the L1 (large lot residential) district.

A request for a rear-yard reduction at 181 Morningside Drive was postponed to the board’s February meeting after the applicant asked for more time to provide engineering drawings and additional information requested by parish staff.

In Mandeville, the board approved multiple setbacks and waiver requests for a single‑family house on Marina Drive (BOA case 2024‑4081). Applicant Jeff Montalbano said the parcel is only about 60 feet deep, borders about eight acres of wetlands that will not be developed and includes a 20‑foot easement along an adjacent parcel. The staff report noted the irregular lot shape and the need to retain sufficient space for off‑street parking and driveway access; the board approved the requested reductions and waivers.

The board also approved an after‑the‑fact variance at 60214 South Oakland Drive in Lacombe to keep a roughly 575–600 square‑foot carport and attached breezeway that sit closer to the side property line and front line than allowed. Applicant Eric Silvane said the structure was built to shelter household members from rain while entering the house and described efforts to obtain permits after construction began. Board members repeatedly noted that while they prefer applicants obtain permits before construction, they often treat after‑the‑fact requests as if the work were proposed, and approved the variance while noting the applicant will owe after‑the‑fact fees.

Separately, the board voted to forward a resolution asking the St. Tammany Parish Council to review and consider changes to setback requirements for manufactured homes. Board members said similar variance requests have come to the board repeatedly and that forwarding the resolution would allow the council to consider whether the current ordinance needs revision. The motion to forward the resolution carried.

The board closed the meeting by noting its next scheduled session on February 4 at 2 p.m.

Votes at a glance - BOA case 20244061 (700 North Lehi Drive, Covington): Variance to reduce rear-yard setback from 25 feet to 11 feet — approved. Applicant: Garth Hernandez. - BOA case 20244076 (51 Camellia Drive, Covington): Variance to allow accessory guest house in front yard (subject to height/setback limits) — approved. Applicant: Jacob Daigle. - BOA case 20244077 (181 Morningside Drive, Mandeville): Requested reduction of rear-yard setback — postponed to February. - BOA case 20244081 (Marina Drive, Mandeville): Variances/waivers for front, side and rear setbacks to allow single‑family residence — approved. Applicant: Jeff Montalbano. - BOA case 20244083 (60214 South Oakland Drive, Lacombe): After‑the‑fact variance to retain carport/breezeway closer to side/front lines than allowed — approved. Applicant: Eric Silvane. - Resolution regarding manufactured‑home setbacks: Motion to forward resolution to the St. Tammany Parish Council for review — approved.