By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Council will hold its regular meeting Tuesday to continue discussions on community matters.

One of the new topics about a possible gated community on Woodland Dr. in LaPlace with 40 new town homes was to be discussed, but will in turn be tabled.

“I am going to table it,” said Councilman Sean Roussel. “I will ask for no action on this topic until I meet with the community.”

The problem with this new development by Joey Scontrino with Landcraft Homes are the residents.

The residents have come to think that this development will consist of an apartment complex and section eight homes, which is not the case, said Roussel.

“Ninety percent of the calls I have received are about it bringing in crime in the neighborhood, ” Roussel said. “This will be a gated community, they will sell between $100,000 to $125,000. There are a lot of things that could go up there that would be worst. The is the best use of this location.”

Roussel said he wanted to meet with the community and local residents on Thursday to discuss these matters.

“My job is to do what the people of this area want,” Roussel said. “But I cannot justify going against this development when the residents are not basing their concerns on fact. I want to explained everything to the residents and then if they have a valid reason not to want this development in that location, then I will support that.”

Other matters on the agenda include Ralph Bean’s letter relative to a moratorium and litigation against Kansas City Southern Railroad and Illinois Central/Canadien National Railroad concerning Parish drainage, and District Attorney John Crum’s employees insurance. These items have been placed continuously on the agenda in case any new information comes available, therefore; they will be able to discuss them at the meeting without having to wait to put them on the agenda again.