LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 22, 2000

HAHNVILLE – A 52-lot extension of Ormond Country Club Estates is planned by Dorvin Developments Inc., which originally developed the upscaleDestrehan neighborhood.

Howard Raymond, president of Dorvin Developments, said he is willing to do whatever it takes to get parish approval of the extension, which is planned to run west-to-east, parallel to Oakley Drive.

The plan, however, didn’t meet with universal approval, as Howard Bonck Jr.

of Oakley Drive pointed out with 95,000 cubic yards of fill on the new lots, drainage would be blocked with the new houses 2 feet higher than the Oakley homes, which would flood.

Not so, Raymond claimed, and added that with the drainage system planned, “we’ll be taking their water.”Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran likewise urged a traffic study to makesure the additional traffic wouldn’t adversely affect the existing neighborhood, though it is not required under parish regulations for subdivision developments of that size.

Raymond agreed to this and said later that a cross-street was planned, according to parish specifications, at Longview Drive. He also agreed toperform a drainage study, though he qualified for a waiver from a mandated study.

Councilman Lance Marino pointed out that even though the proposal met with approval from the Coastal Zone Management Section of the Department of Planning and Zoning, it met with unanimous objection by the CZM Advisory Committee members present.

At that meeting, Steve Plauche of Oakley Drive similarly stated his objection based on drainage concerns. He pointed out that the parish has not dredgedthe canal which abuts the property in question.

For this reason, Marino said he would vote against the project’s approval and was joined by council members Barry Minnich, Dee Abadie and April Black.

However, the remaining five council members voted in favor and the project was narrowly approved.

In other business, the St. Charles Parish Council:Confirmed the appointment of Lorrie Toups as director of finance, succeeding Roland Becnel.

Heard a report from Kevin Belanger of South Central Planning and Development on a proposed update of the parish Strategic Plan for Economic Development.

Heard a report from parish attorney Bobby Raymond on his department’s activities, including servitude acquisition and providing legal opinions.

Approved a home occupation license for Cabrera’s Cigars at 103 E. ClubDrive, St. Rose.Approved a home occupation license for Southside Mortgage Co. LLC at 18Stanton Hall Drive, Destrehan.

Approved the final change order on the Destrehan Wastewater treatment plant by adding $18,105.33 and 43 days of contract time. The originalcontract price was $16.9 million. With change orders, the final amount was$16.1 million.Approved a change order for the Paul Maillard Road/Boutte Canal crossing to decrease the amount by $4,569. This removed the sidewalk from thecanal crossing, with plans to include the sidewalk cost with the state grant funding.

Approved a change order for the Montz/Norco pump station and force main by $171,085.61. The original contract price was $4.1 million. Thepresent price is $4.4 million.

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