St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - November 20, 2025
St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - November 20, 2025\n\nThe St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment met on November 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers to consider four variance requests and a waiver of buffer fence requirement. The board voted on each item, approving three of the four requests after hearing public testimony on the first case.\n\n### Public Comments & Testimony\n- Case 2025-40-ZBA (Anna Vieages): Speakers in favor included Gary Go Bear, who supported lowering the elevation to blend with the existing structure and maintain drainage, and Lawrence Pierce, who stated it would look better lower. Speakers against included Buddy Boone (117 Zachary Drive), who expressed strong opposition citing subdivision covenants and property values, and James Plazons (120 Zachary Drive), who opposed the elevation lowering as a variance and noted potential covenant violations. The board clarified that it does not enforce private covenants and the vote was only on the elevation variance.\n- No public testimony was offered for Cases 2025-41-ZBA, 2025-42-ZBA, or 2025-43-ZBA.\n\n### Discussion Items\n- Case 2025-40-ZBA: Anna Vieages requested a reduction in the minimum building elevation from 6 ft NAVD88 to 4 ft NAVD88 for an accessory structure at 101 Zachary Drive, Boutte. The board discussed that the variance pertained only to elevation, not covenants. After a motion and second, the vote initially caused confusion but was clarified as passed by a majority of members present.\n- Case 2025-41-ZBA: Keith Pollet requested a reduction from 7 ft NAVD88 to 12 inches above the centerline of the street for a single-family residence at 140 Michael Drive, Des Allemands. The applicant cited knee troubles of family members and consistency with the neighborhood. The motion passed.\n- Case 2025-42-ZBA: Ray Vanacor (represented by Derek Candies) requested a reduction from 6 ft NAVD88 to 12 inches above the centerline for a single-family residence at 17065 Old Spanish Trail, Des Allemands. The applicant cited medical conditions (cardiomyopathy, back surgeries) and loss of primary home in a fire. Neighbors provided letters of support. The motion passed.\n- Case 2025-43-ZBA: Randy Gaspard for CIG, LLC requested a waiver of the required opaque buffer fence at 559 Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway, Luling. The applicant noted adjacent properties have chain-link fences and that Louisiana Cat received a similar waiver a month prior. A revised landscape plan was submitted. The motion passed.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- Case 2025-40-ZBA: Motion to approve the elevation variance passed (majority of members present). Applicant to proceed with planning and zoning.\n- Case 2025-41-ZBA: Motion to approve the elevation variance passed.\n- Case 2025-42-ZBA: Motion to approve the elevation variance passed.\n- Case 2025-43-ZBA: Motion to approve the buffer fence waiver passed.\n- Minutes from the October 16, 2025 meeting were approved as read.\n- Meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Calling the zoning board of adjustments meeting on this November 20th, 2025 to order. Please rise for the pledge. Alrighty, we have four cases on the docket uh today. Whenever we call your case number, please come up, state your name, your address, and what you're about to say is true, and then give us a little story about your case. Alright, our first case this evening is 2025-40-ZBA requested by Anna Vegas to reduce the minimum building uh elevation from six foot to four foot for an accessory structure at 101 Zachary Drive Booty Zoning District R1A Council District 4. If the app clin is here, please come forward and stay your case. Alright, state your name, your address, and then what you're about to say is true. My name's Anna Vegas, 101. Oh, I'm sorry, can you start over? The mic wasn't on. Anna Viegos 101, Zachary Drive, Booty, Louisiana. Yes, ma'am, and what you're about to say is true. I'm sorry. And what you're about to say is true. It's true. Yes, ma'am. You may as well wear the light. Sure. Just uh that you're telling the truth. Oh, that's telling the truth. The whole truth. All right, go ahead. Tell us a little bit about what you uh what you're applying for, mate. Yes, uh um trying to build a building, and the flood elevation is high, so trying to have it reduced so that it will be more flush with uh current house situation, and then that way we can lower the elevation and not have any flooding issues. Okay. All right. Let's see, does anyone on the board have any questions? Yes, I do. Uh, so what are you planning to store in this uh building? Not really storage, um, just boxes, things of that nature, um just tools. All right, thank you. And I see in your uh your package you did sign the notice of uh uh the acknowledgement and indemnication and indemnification form. It just states that if the parish does uh take on the FEMA um elevations that your insurance could go up, right? Yes. Okay. All right. All right, you may have a seat. All right, if anyone uh here is in favor or here to speak in favor of this case, please come forward. Good evening. Gary Go Bear. Um 135 Gobert Lane, Lulin, Louisiana. And what I'm gonna say is true. Okay, thank you. Um I'm assisting a friend just trying to help her build a uh detached structure in a backyard, and the elevation requirement now in the parish is so high. Just trying to blend it in with the existing structure, build it at the finished floor level of uh the existing house on the property. That way we can maintain the drainage of her property as well as the surrounding properties, so we're not blocking off getting the water back to the uh drainage system at the street. Yes, sir. Does anyone have any questions for? All right, thank you. Is anyone else here to speak in favor of this case?
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