Residents oppose Lewisburg lot split as St. Tammany planning panel approves rezoning

The St. Tammany Parish Planning Commission voted to approve a rezoning that will allow a 1.01-acre parcel in Lewisburg to be split into two roughly half-acre lots, despite prolonged community opposition.

Samantha Moyes, who said she and her family want to return to Mandeville to raise children near relatives, told the commission the plan "is limited to a single parcel" and that the applicants "are not asking to develop a subdivision." Moyes said the property would be subdivided through the parish's minor-subdivision process if rezoned.

Opponents argued the change would set a damaging precedent in Lewisburg, which they said lacks central utilities and has narrow streets and aging drainage. Cove Aguirre, speaking for residents who submitted expert reports, said: "The issue is coming into the neighborhood and trying to change the rules," and warned that cutting larger lots into smaller parcels could overload infrastructure.

Several residents described traffic and emergency-response concerns on Copal Street and said most lots in the area were historically one acre for reasons of drainage and septic capacity. "Copal Street is inadequate to handle the existing traffic," said an opposition speaker citing an engineering opinion; others raised the lack of hydrants and repeated septics problems.

Commissioner Walker, summarizing his review of parcel data, said he had counted rooftops in the area and found the majority of lots are under an acre, noting the factual basis he used to support his stance: "From Monroe Street all the way down to the lake, there are 352 total parcels; 302 of those parcels are less than an acre," he said. Commissioners discussed flood elevation and building requirements, with staff noting that any new home will need elevated foundations and a drainage review prior to permitting.

After rebuttal from petitioners — who emphasized this was a single, family-driven request and not a broad subdivision plan — the commission moved and voted to approve the rezoning. No amendments or conditions were recorded in the commission's announcement of the vote.

What happened next: The commission's approval allows the owners to pursue the minor-subdivision and permitting steps required to create two legal lots; engineering and drainage approvals will be required before construction permits can be issued.

Why it matters: Opponents said the decision could open the door for similar split requests across older neighborhoods with limited infrastructure, which would increase traffic, septic loads and stormwater runoff. Supporters contend the request is narrow and consistent with existing surrounding parcel sizes.

The planning commission concluded discussion and recorded a vote in favor of the rezoning.