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Ascension Parish planning commission approves Arrowhead Industrial Park preliminary plat with waivers and DOTD turn‑lane conditions
Summary
The commission approved a 14‑lot Arrowhead Industrial Park preliminary plat, granting two waivers (rear alley requirement and asphalt streets instead of concrete) and requiring developer‑installed left and right turn lanes recommended by DOTD before occupancy/final plat actions.
The Ascension Parish Planning Commission on Dec. 10 approved the preliminary plat for the Arrowhead Industrial Park first filing, granting two variances but attaching conditions that the developer build DOTD‑recommended turn lanes.
Zach Smith of CSRS, representing the property owner Harvest Company, described the proposal as “14 industrial lots” intended for light industrial and commercial uses, and said the application includes two variance requests: a rear‑alley waiver and permission to construct asphalt streets in lieu of concrete. Smith said there are no plans for heavy industrial uses or manufacturing in the development.
Planning staff and review consultants told commissioners that traffic and drainage studies had been completed. Rebecca Murray of Gresham Smith, the traffic engineer, said the full build of the development warranted a left and a right turn lane on LA Highway 30 at the project driveway under standard NCHRP 457 warrants. Staff and the applicant said the developer would construct the turn lanes through DOTD permitting.
Eric Poche, director of planning and development, said review comments on the preliminary plat had been addressed but that one off‑site drainage analysis (ODA) comment remained outstanding; he noted the parish typically will not allow a project to proceed until ODA comments are resolved.
Commissioners asked why the waivers were appropriate for this industrial development. The applicant and staff said rear alleys are typically intended for commercial main‑street situations where on‑street loading is a concern, and that large industrial lots provide sufficient truck access without rear alleys. Staff also said the parish prefers asphalt for local maintenance reasons and has typically approved asphalt streets on comparable recent projects.
The commission’s final action approved a substitute motion that granted the two waivers (removal of the rear alley requirement and use of asphalt streets) and required construction of the left and right turn lanes recommended by the traffic study. The substitute motion also included compliance with any additional traffic improvements DOTD requires as part of access permitting and required that turn‑lane construction be completed prior to certificate of occupancy/final plat approval as appropriate. The substitute motion passed by voice vote.
The commission’s approval remains subject to outstanding permitting and the resolution of the remaining off‑site drainage comment; staff said the DOTD access permit and a cleared ODA will be prerequisites to final plat or occupancy actions.
