LEONARD GRAY

HAHNVILLE – The future of housing and subdivisions in St. Charles Parish came under close scrutiny at Monday’s meeting of the Parish Council. In one discussion, the panel voted down a proposal to allow a style of modular houses in subdivisions. In another, a request to waive subdivision regulations for a small, four-lot development was approved. Parish President Albert Laque requested approval of a change in the regulations governing single-family residential houses to allow system-built, modular homes constructed to the Southern Building Code standards. At present, the parish’s zoning ordinance allowed modular houses only by special permit on a case-by-case basis. Laque proposed such houses, built on site and placed on permanent foundations, be permitted as a matter of course, aiming to provide the opportunity for more citizens to own their own homes. However, after brief discussion during which Council members Lance Marino and G. “Ram” Ramchandran voiced their opposition, the council defeated the proposal in a 5-4 vote. Council members Barry Minnich, Clayton Faucheux, April Black and Desmond Hilaire voted in favor. In the next proposal, John and Melissa Martindale asked for waivers of subdivision regulations to permit them to establish four rural lots on their O-L (open land) zoned property off Bayou Gauche Road. In their planned development, the large lots would front a shell road. Utilities would be installed by the Martindales, but parish services such as trash pickup and school-bus stops would be on Bayou Gauche Road. The parish Department of Planning and Zoning advised against approval, calling it detrimental to future development. Director Bob Lambert was joined in this opposition by Richard Bordner, a neighbor of the Martindales, who said it would open up the possibility of any open-land use such as livestock raising and allowing trailers next to his property. Similarly, developer Huey Rivet said it would be detrimental to his future subdivision marketing plans, and Monte Arabie said he made a similar request but was denied. The council approved the Martindale request in a 5-4 vote, with Ramchandran, Faucheux, Black and Terry Authement voting in opposition.