Livingston Parish zoning commissioners denied three proposed rezonings on DeBriars Avenue after sustained public testimony from residents about chronic draining problems, repeated post‑storm standing water and worsening traffic that they say would be aggravated by higher‑density development.

Melissa Holt, who lives off Robbie Lee Drive near DeBriars, told the commission: “My neighbors and I were trapped for 4 days” after flooding following a 2016 storm and said a recent rain left the same stretch of road slow to drain for “2 to 3 days.” Several other neighbors described school‑traffic backups that lengthen commutes and argued the existing street network and drainage cannot support additional units. Summer Langois, who works for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, told the commission that adding impervious parking area for a multifamily development would “make flooding worse.”

Zoning staff emphasized that the current hearing addresses only zoning classification; technical issues such as drainage, traffic counts and site plans would be reviewed later in the planning process if rezoning were approved. Commissioners repeatedly asked whether applicants had provided a site plan; staff said mixed‑use and site‑plan requirements apply once a rezoning advances.

After questions from commissioners about neighborhood character and whether the case met the parish master plan guidance, a motion to deny was made and recorded. Roll call in the meeting transcript shows commissioners Engler, Clemens, Erdy, Wax, Dana, Burns, Miss Farris and Miss Long voting to deny the requests.

The denials keep the parcels at their current classifications; residents said they would return to the parish if a new application is filed.