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Commission recommends Lacombe corridor-enhancement overlay, postpones higher-density town-center proposals
Summary
After public concern about notice and density, the commission voted to recommend a corridor-enhancement overlay for Lacombe (Highway 190/434) that tightens streetscape and sign standards and postponed town-center and garden-home components for two months for further community input.
The St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission advanced a corridor-enhancement component of the Central Saint Tammany Overlay District study for the Lacombe portion of Highway 190/434 while postponing higher-density town-center and garden-home proposals to allow additional community engagement.
Staff summarized outreach dating to an August special meeting and a November roundtable, saying they mailed 400 letters to property owners in the study area, and that a community group (Keep Bush Rural) opposed the earlier town-center proposals. Staff said the town centers were removed from consideration and that garden-home proposals and environmentally sensitive-town-center elements would be postponed for two months to work with surrounding neighborhoods; the corridor enhancement piece would proceed for consideration and recommendation to the council.
During a multi-speaker public comment period, Lacombe residents repeatedly said they had not received notices and asked clarifying questions. James Blazek said, "I learned of this program at the library 2 days ago," and others voiced concern that references to billboards or density might signal new permissions rather than restrictions. Staff clarified the corridor overlay does not change base zoning or affect residentially zoned property, applies to commercially zoned parcels in the corridor, and would tighten sign standards (staff cited an example increasing required separation between billboards from 500 feet to 1,000 feet). Staff also confirmed the corridor enhancements would limit building height in the area to two stories/50 feet.
Commissioner Narcisse moved to approve the Lacombe corridor-enhancement overlay recommendation and stressed the item is a recommendation to the parish council and that community meetings would follow before council action. The commission voted and the motion carried; town-center components and certain garden-home proposals were postponed for further community meetings and revision.
The commission’s approval sends the corridor-enhancement regulations as a recommendation to the parish council; additional community meetings and a council-level decision will follow.
