St. Tammany commission approves coastal resilience land‑use study, adopts notations to report

The St. Tammany Parish Zoning Commission on Monday approved a coastal resilience land‑use study and the associated rezoning recommendations after debate and public comment, voting to carry the motion "to approve as amended." The consultant team recommended rezoning low‑lying parcels north and south of Highway 190 and creating two mapped resilience overlays with higher construction standards to reduce future flood exposure.

Alex Carter, president and CEO of Desire Line, told commissioners the study covers parts of Districts 7 and 11 and that roughly 30 percent of the study area—about 1,900 acres—lies in a critical flood plain, while roughly 50.7 percent falls within FEMA flood zones. Carter said the study responds to existing moratoriums and aims to limit dense development where drainage and tidal or storm‑surge risks are greatest.

The study recommends extending the parish's "coastal conservation" future land‑use designation north to undeveloped tracts near Ozone Woods, Belterra Acres and Bayou Paquette Estates, rezoning some parcels from lower‑density or commercial districts to less dense residential or public‑facility/estate designations, and applying two resilience overlays. Resilience Overlay 1, mapped in the highest‑risk areas south of I‑12, would require pier or piling foundations and a minimum of three feet of freeboard for new construction and restrict hazardous‑materials storage; Resilience Overlay 2, in moderate‑risk areas north of Highway 190, would permit limited, encapsulated fill and maintain a three‑foot freeboard requirement.

Carter said the recommendations are intended to preserve wetlands that act as flood storage, to reduce pressure on existing drainage infrastructure and to align with the parish's Directions 2040 comprehensive plan. He emphasized that approved final plats and previously approved development plans would continue to be buildable; demolition‑and‑resubdivision cases would be required to meet new setbacks and standards.

Public commenters urged stronger attention to drainage and cultural sites. "May flood was the worst I had ever seen," said Chief Warhorse, who said he represents residents in the Dixie Ranch and Honeybee areas and urged keeping moratoriums in place until drainage improvements are made and tribal cultural sites are protected. "We're willing to fight anybody coming in until we see some improvement," he said.

Another speaker, Mr. Hernandez, said he generally supported the recommendations but asked for clarification about revisions since a previously shared draft. He flagged inconsistent cost estimates for the Manville Bypass (two figures around $34 million appeared in the materials) and asked what the ordinance's reference to the Department of Engineering's "designee" would mean in practice.

Commissioner Rivera thanked council members and the consultant team, and a motion to "approve with amendments" was placed on the record by Commissioner Roberts and seconded by Commissioner Arcimoto. The clerk announced the motion carried. Carter clarified on the record that the "amendments" referenced were not changes to the motion text but notational updates recorded in the revised report.

Next steps in the transcript: the commission approved the study and related materials, with the expectation that the overlays would be adopted by ordinance and that staff and engineering would carry forward implementation details. The special meeting was adjourned and the Zoning Commission meeting was set to convene shortly thereafter.