St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - January 15, 2026
St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - January 15, 2026
The Zoning Board of Adjustment met on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the St. Charles Parish Courthouse. The meeting was called to order, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The board considered three variance requests, elected a new Chair and Vice Chair, and approved minutes from prior meetings.
Case 2025-47-ZBA – Christopher & Yvonne Nesbit
- Request: Reduce the rear-yard setback for new residential construction at 423 W Easy Street, Destrehan (R-1A district).
- Applicant testimony: The lot is 80 feet deep; the required 20% rule would mandate a 16-foot rear setback. The proposed house would have a 19-foot setback, but the porch eave would be 11 feet 1.5 inches from the rear property line. The applicants own the adjacent property and spoke to neighbors, who had no objections.
- Board action: Motion to accept the variance as written (Maddox, seconded by Bleakley). Motion passed unanimously.
Case 2025-48-ZBA – Alvin Eugene
- Request: Reduce the rear-yard setback for new commercial construction at 10632 River Road, St. Rose (C-3 district).
- Applicant testimony: The metal building is within three inches of the required setback. The applicant sought a variance to avoid future problems.
- Board action: Motion to accept the variance (Lambert, seconded by Lorio). Motion passed unanimously.
Case 2025-49-ZBA – Holden Loper
- Request: Allow a residential fence exceeding 4 feet in height within the front yard setback, allow a residential accessory building within a front yard, and reduce the required front yard setback at 476 Apple Street, Norco (R-1A district).
- Applicant testimony: All three sides of the house are considered front yard. The applicant wants a six-foot fence along the back for privacy and a shed. The fence will start from the back corner of the house, leaving the front corner visible. No sight obstruction at corners. The fence will be set back about one foot from the sidewalk. The applicant also plans to resubdivide a side lot for a future shop.
- Board questions: The fence setback from St. Charles Street was clarified to be approximately 9-10 feet from the street to the sidewalk, with the fence 1 foot off the sidewalk. Board member thanked applicant for his service.
- Board action: Motion to accept the variance as written (Lambert, seconded by Lorio). Motion passed unanimously.
New Business – Election of Chair and Vice Chair
- Nominations for Chair: Clyde Maddox nominated David Bleakley; seconded by Willamina Simmons. No other nominations. Board cast votes; David Bleakley was elected Chair.
- Nominations for Vice Chair: Clyde Maddox nominated Mr. Lambert; seconded by David Bleakley. No other nominations. Board cast votes; Mr. Lambert was elected Vice Chair.
Minutes – November and December 2025
- Motion by Clyde Maddox to dispense with the reading and approve the minutes as written; seconded by Willamina Simmons. Motion passed.
Adjournment
- Motion to adjourn by Mr. Lambert, seconded by Mr. Martin. The meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to call the zoning board of adjustment meeting to order on today, January 15th, 2026 at 6 p.m. Would you please rise to the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Okay, when I'm uh I'm gonna call the first uh case and when I call you when I call your case and you come up, I need you to tell me your name, your uh address, and what you're about to say is true. The first case is 25 2025-47 ZBA requested by Christopher and Ivan Nesbit to reduce the rear yard setback for a residential for a new residential construction at 423 West Easy Street in Destrahan Zoning District R-1A Council District 6. If um if the applicant is present, please come forward Hi, my name is uh Christopher Nesbitt, uh 416 West Easy Street in Destrahan. And I'm Evan Nesbitt, 416 West Easy Street in Dexter Hand. And what you're about to say is true? Yes, yes, what we're about to say is true. Okay, tell us what you're interested in doing. So we're asking for uh an exception to the 20% rule on shallow lots in the parish. Uh these are 80 feet, uh 80 foot deep lots, and we're asking for an exception to go the uh instead of the 16 foot uh setback that would be required. Uh 11 in this particular case, 11 foot uh one and a half inches. Uh the actual structure of the the home itself uh will be closer to 19, but the porch which is under Eve uh would would be uh you know it would spread out to that where it would be 11 feet and uh one inch. Okay. Um do you have you talk speak have you spoken to your neighbors? Yes, ma'am. Are they uh in favor? Uh so we own one of the adjacent properties and uh on one side and the rear of us, we have spoken to them, and uh there's no issues. You know, they've they've said that they're okay with it. Oh does anyone on the board have any questions? Okay, all right. Oh, you can be seated. Thank you. Public hearing is now open. Is there anyone here to to speak in favor of this variance? Is there anyone here to speak against the variants? Okay, public hearing closed. Can I get a motion from the board? I have a motion by Mr. Maddox. Yes, I made a motion to accept the variance as written. Okay, and this is seconded by Mr. Bleakley. Everyone cast your vote. Okay, this motion passed yet with planning in zoning. Thank you. Okay, our next case is 2025-48-ZBA requested by Alvin Eugene to reduce the risk yard setback for new commercial construction at 10632 River Road, St. Rose, Zoning District C3, Council District 5. If the applicant is present, please step forward. Please state your name, your address, and what you're about to say is true. Albert L. Eugene, 319 Northwest 2nd Reserve, Louisiana. Uh what I'm about to say is true. Okay, tell us what you'd like to do. Uh I'm in a process of uh building the metal building at this location, and the north west corner of the building is off by three inches within three inches, and I just want to get a clearance through the uh adjustment bowl so I don't have any problem in the future. Okay, just three inches. Yes. Okay. Within, you know, two and a half, depending on who measured out of measures.
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