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Parish board rejects request to double boathouse size on state-designated scenic river
Summary
The St. Tammany Parish Board of Adjustments voted down a variance that would have increased a boathouse from 800 to 1,560 square feet on a scenic river; the motion failed 3–1 and the applicant was told an appeal can be filed with the 22nd Judicial District Court.
The St. Tammany Parish Board of Adjustments rejected a variance request to increase the maximum allowable boathouse size along a state-designated scenic river from 800 square feet to 1,560 square feet. The motion to approve the variance — conditioned on receiving a coastal-use permit and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval and submitting revised dimension and setback plans — failed on a 3–1 tally when fewer than five voting members were present.
Applicant representative Joe Impastada told the board the single larger boathouse would be more economical and would “reduce the total number of pilings, walkways, and shoreline impact,” arguing the shared structure would lessen environmental disturbance compared with three separate boathouses. Board members raised concerns about navigation and massing on the waterway — one committee member said the structure could occupy roughly one-third of the channel’s width — and legal staff clarified that a private agreement among parcel owners would be a civil matter the board could not enforce. The chair noted that the decision can be appealed to the 22nd Judicial District Court.
