LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 9, 2000

LULING – Construction start-up for Ashton Plantation Estates, the largest residential development in St. Charles Parish history, is apparently delayeduntil early 2001 when the kinks are ironed out with the parish’s planning commission.

The first phase of construction, 106 homesites, is ready to be marketed once the final plans are approved by the parish government and the school board.

However, where the plan originally was to begin selling lots in the third quarter of 2000, now the projected date is the second quarter of 2001, according to Planning and Zoning Director Bob Lambert, one of those in discussion with the developers.

The developers hope to build an average of 80 residences per year, priced at an average of $162,153 at first, over a period of 20 years, according to Rathborne Land Co..The 1,625-acre Ashton Plantation adjoining Luling was purchased in September 1997, by a partnership including Rathborne and J.B. Levert LandCo. for $2.2 million from St. Charles Holdings Inc.However, concerns remain on several fronts.

Larry Sesser, executive director of physical plant services for the St.

Charles School System, said one concern they had was the acreage set aside for schools.

Sesser said, with 2,022 homesites planned it was estimated by their consultant, Paul Murray Jr. of Destrehan, that 700 to 900 new elementaryschool students would be added to the system over the 20-year developmental time of Ashton.

That would require a new primary and a new upper elementary school, likely placed side by side, as part of the Ashton site.

The acreage formula, Sesser added, is 10 acres plus an additional acre per 100 additional students. By Murray’s calculations, Sesser said, 29 acreswould be needed.

One concern as well is the sewer system planned for Ashton. Originally,developers planned small, low-pressure lift stations for each home, similar to those used in Bayou Gauche.

“St. Charles Parish was not even amused,” commented Planning Director BobLambert.

However, the developers have already agreed to tie in the development to the parish sewer lines with a redesign of its sewer system, Public Works and Wastewater Director Steven Fall said.

Another sticking point is the amount of acreage to be set aside for recreation, following the standard procedure with new subdivision development. Lambert said Ashton developers are disagreeing with theformula for the amount of acres to be set aside versus acres available for development.

The parish’s ordinance outlining the formula in use, approved in 1994, states the amount of land dedicated to recreation in a new major subdivision development (10 lots or more) must be 15 percent of the net area developed, minus existing and proposed streets and street rights-of-way, or $300 for each 6,000 square feet of residential area, up to a maximum fee of $1,500 per lot.

The revenue from such fees are dedicated to capital improvements and equipment for new or existing park and recreational facilities.

Lambert said Ashton hopes to deduct the planned commercial area, drainage rights-of-way, school sites, lakes and 18 acres of jogging trails and apply the recreation formula after the deduction of all those acres.

“The code is very clear,” Lambert said, adding only streets and their rights- of-way may be deducted. “The Planning Commission needs to be satisfied inthis case.”The ordinance continues that credit for private recreational facilities is available, if maintained by the future subdivision residents, with Planning Commission approval.

If those facilities are dedicated to the parish maintenance becomes the parish responsibility, something the parish isn’t up to handling, Lambert added. Not dedicating them to the parish means that additional acres wouldbe needed elsewhere for recreation purposes, cutting back on available homesites for sale.

“They’re begging for construction approval,” Lambert commented.

Information on the development’s long-range plan can be found on the internet at www.ashtonplantation.com.

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