Planning commission approves two dozen minor subdivisions and multiple drainage waivers

The St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission approved 17 agenda items Thursday, carrying motions to subdivide and resubdivide multiple parcels across the parish and granting several waivers related to lot width, cul-de-sac design and drainage.

Commissioners approved routine requests early in the agenda, including right-of-way and revocation petitions and several minor subdivisions in Mandaville, Covington, Madisonville and Pearl River. For example, petitions to open portions of Carlson Street and to revoke an unopened portion of 20th Street were approved without opposition.

More contested or technically complex items came later. The commission granted a cul-de-sac design waiver and a fee-in-lieu-of-detention reduction for Forest Lake Estates (phase 4), approved private drainage servitude waivers for Vincent Heights and Lake Hills subdivisions, and allowed finished-floor elevation adjustments in the River Club/River Ridge matter after the petitioner amended the request to include an additional lot.

Public comment produced two notable concerns. Carol Rico urged commissioners to consider drainage and traffic impacts for a Mandavville resubdivision, noting localized flooding and urging attention to stormwater plans. Resident Keith Jenneron raised two issues during the Lake Hills item: reported hauling of field dirt onto the site before approvals and several recent boil-water advisories for a nearby well. Commissioners asked staff to investigate possible code-enforcement and utility issues.

Staff repeatedly emphasized that approvals remain conditional on final engineering, recorded servitudes and required permits. Multiple items were approved subject to staff conditions or the developer recording servitude/access agreements and paying required fees prior to issuance of work orders.

The commission concluded the meeting after voting to approve all presented motions.