Grand Champions gets OK to build

Betsy Veach MANDEVILLE nn After months of debate and controversy, the tentative subdivision review for the proposed Oak Harbor development known as Grand Champions has been approved by the St. Tammany Parish Planning Commission. At an ad hoc meeting last month between the developer and concerned Oak Harbor/Eden Isles residents, four matters were brought up for review concerning the proposed subdivisionnnlot sizes, minimum square footage of residences, restrictive covenants, and the ultimate fate of the property to the rear of the parcel in question. David Vey, general manager for developer Azalea Lakes Partnership, addressed all four of these issues at last night's Planning Commission meeting. "We have no desire to develop that property at this time," said Vey of the rear property whose zoning allows for multifamily apartments. "This multi family area is not part of our application." Vey went on to say that after considering residents' requests for larger lot sizes, Azalea Lakes would leave the lot sizes as originally planned, measuring 50 feet by 150 feet. "We have increased the minimum square footage for the living area to 1600 feet heated and cooled," he continued, excluding garages and porches from this minimum. "We will have strict and stringent guidelines on materials," he said. Parish Councilman Joe "Coach" Thomas opened opposition to the development by bringing to the commission's attention a failure on the part of Azalea Lakes Partnership to acquire a traffic impact analysis (TIA) regarding the proposed development. According to parish law, a TIA must be obtained before tentative subdivision review can be approved, said Thomas. "I was advised no traffic impact study was required," said attorney William J. Jones, representative for Azalea Lakes. "At the last meeting the matter was raised, and Mr. (Sidney) Fontenot (Director of Planning) advised that no traffic study was required." Fontenot later confirmed the position of the planning staff that no TIA was required for the development. "I'm sitting here troubled by what we've asked the developer to do at the last meeting," said Commissioner Adriel "Sparky" Arceneaux. "I'm troubled to throw in this issue (of the TIA) at the last minute." "This could have been settled a long time ago," said an obviously agitated Commissioner Meridel L. Lewis. "We've had all these meetings to try to get the developer to jump through hoops... I don't think we should ever do this again. I don't think we should ever spend this much time trying to get a developer to change something that is already correct." Commissioner Wayne Collier responded, " I have nothing but the greatest respect for Mr. Vey's development at Oak Harbor, but I have great reserve of taking action that flies in the face of the law... I think this committee has the authority to require a traffic impact analysis... It is not a burdensome process. My opinion is that this application should be denied for failure to meet technical regulations." Commissioner Earl Wilson, Jr. responded, "at this time, it is burdensome and unfair (to require a TIA of the developer) when they were told no' it didn't have to be done." Collier moved to deny the application, and the motion was seconded by Martin W. Gould, Jr. The motion failed, however, with Gould abstaining and Collier's vote the only one to deny. Immediately following the failed motion was a vote to approve the application. The motion carried almost unanimously, with Collier the only "no" vote.