Ascension Parish Board of Adjustments denies one variance after neighbor privacy complaint, grants five others with temporary-use stipulations

Ascension Parish’s Board of Adjustments on July 8 denied a variance for a proposed roof change in Stony Pointe Estates after a neighboring homeowner said the design would intrude on her privacy, and approved five other variances — several with stipulations that temporary mobile homes be removed when no longer needed.

The board took up zoning review PZ-3922 for Rodney Vincent after no representative appeared for the applicant. Courtney Laborde, who said she owns the property adjacent to the proposed build, told the board the new roof’s high peak included a window that “will overlook my property, which we’ve fenced in. My concern is privacy.” After discussion the board made and seconded a motion to deny the variance; the chair announced the variance was denied.

The meeting then moved through a series of applicants requesting setbacks and temporary placements. For PZ-3965, applicants Ron and Tony Chachadi asked to place a mobile home next to their house so an elderly family member could live nearby. The applicants said a trailer had been on the lot while their house was built and described a proposed site and porch/ramp for accessibility. Board members pressed on siting and setbacks and asked for assurances the unit would not become a rental. A motion to approve the variance as written with a stipulation that the mobile home be removed when no longer needed passed.

At PZ-3968, Tracy Gallagher requested a variance for a workshop after pouring a slab and framing the structure; board members confirmed the building currently lacks finished interiors and no public commenters signed up. The board voted to grant the requested setback variance.

Applicant Lisa Dunning sought a 10-foot variance at PZ-3978 to place a 30-by-40 shop on a half-acre lot; she told the board the house’s placement and an intended patio constrained buildable area. After clarifying a discrepancy in the paperwork and drawings, the board approved the 10-foot variance as requested.

Pastor David Hereford and architect Philip Kern (Kern Architects) presented PZ-3979 on behalf of Galvez Pentecostal Church, seeking to expand with a pre-engineered metal building to add roughly 100 seats. Kern said the team sought an adjustment measured from the road center line to achieve the seating goal while honoring the 25-foot front-yard property-line setback. The board discussed a prior, more invasive request and state-road setback rules (75 feet from center line or 25 feet from the property line) and approved the variance as requested.

At PZ-3980, Michael Landry’s family requested placement of a trailer so his mother could live adjacent to the house. Marie Alleman described her health and mobility challenges and asked for the unit to be allowed while she needs it. Alleman also raised concerns that a city gas service installation runs across the backyard where the trailer was proposed. Staff and board members clarified the board cannot authorize encroachment on the pipeline servitude and advised coordinating with utility locators (811) and utilities before placement. The board approved the variance with stipulations limiting the trailer to temporary personal use and requiring removal when it is no longer needed.

Most motions were made and seconded by board members during the meeting; actions were decided by voice vote with the chair announcing outcomes. Several approvals included the common stipulation that temporary mobile homes be removed once they are no longer needed and not be used as rental or investment properties. The board adjourned after noting applicants may return with revised requests for items previously denied.

Meeting action summary: the board denied PZ-3922 (Rodney Vincent) and granted PZ-3965 (Chachadi mobile home, with removal stipulation), PZ-3968 (Tracy Gallagher workshop variance), PZ-3978 (Lisa Dunning shop, 10-foot variance), PZ-3979 (Galvez Pentecostal Church expansion), and PZ-3980 (Michael Landry trailer, with servitude and temporary-use stipulations).