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Record of Proceedings

St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – March 19, 2026

Parish Council & Boards — Thursday, March 19, 2026
BodySt Charles Parish, Louisiana
SessionParish Council & Boards
DateThursday, March 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 34:11

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:06

Good evening.

0:07

I'd like to call this meeting the order of the central parents.

0:38

I'd like everyone to do that.

1:01

I'd like to see if anybody would like to put more of a motion to take the item of the opposed that was tabled with the last meeting off the table and bring up the I'll make a motion to remove it from uh table status and bring it up for consideration.

1:24

Trying to second it.

1:26

How come it's not reacting?

1:28

Because sometimes I we struggle with this technology.

1:33

I'm trying to second it, but it's not reacting.

1:36

So we have a motion and a second.

1:37

Motion by Clark.

1:38

Second by.

1:39

Motion by Mr.

1:41

Maddox.

1:42

Mr.

1:42

Maddox, second by Mr.

1:44

B.

1:44

Cole.

1:45

Mr.

1:45

B.

1:46

Cole.

1:46

Okay.

1:47

I'm horrible with names.

1:48

So there's a preemptive apology, okay?

1:51

I'm horrible with names.

1:53

So with that, uh all in favor say aye.

1:58

Aye.

1:58

Uh the book voice vote.

2:00

Do we have to do it on here?

2:01

We have to do it on the screen.

2:03

So sorry.

2:09

All right.

2:10

So the motion is passed.

2:12

It's off the table.

2:14

Would anyone like to make a motion regarding the motion that was tabled last time?

2:21

Yes.

2:22

Mr.

2:23

McCole.

2:23

Okay.

2:25

I'm trying to gather my thoughts.

2:26

We've uh the motion that we tabled last time was to include the oath as uh basically we all have this letter from Corey, and uh so basically it's to use the oath stated in the letter from the legal department.

2:46

Correct.

2:47

Uh the the parish legal attorney sent this to the board members earlier this week that uh advising us that we we can use this and we should use this uh this this oath and he recommended that we use the one that the 29th Judicial Court uses.

3:03

So that might my motion is for the the board to adopt this and and use it.

3:08

Motion by Mr.

3:09

Bucola that the motion uh that the that the ZBA adopts the oath as specified by Corey in the memo.

3:17

Is that correct?

3:17

That is correct.

3:18

Second uh second.

3:21

Mr.

3:21

Maddox seconds.

3:23

Um any further discussion?

3:27

Please vote.

3:31

I vote yay.

3:32

Well, on your screen, we have to do it.

3:35

Okay.

3:38

So it all passes.

3:39

All right, so it passes, so we'll begin using.

3:42

Do you solemnly swear the testimonies about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

3:47

I hope you got it.

3:48

Okay.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████33%
Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████33%
Floodplain Management███████████████████████23%
Permit Applications███████████11%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting – March 19, 2026

The Zoning Board of Adjustment met on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers, Hahnville, LA. The board considered four variance requests, adopted an oath for witnesses, and discussed revisions to the prior meeting's minutes. All four variances were approved unanimously by members Bucola, Martin, Maddox, and Lambert.

Unfinished Business

  • Adoption of Oath for Witnesses: The board voted to remove a tabled item from the previous meeting and adopted the oath recommended by parish legal counsel (Corey), which is the same oath used by the 29th Judicial Court. Motion by Mr. Bucola, second by Mr. Maddox, passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • For each variance case, the board opened a public hearing. No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition. (One individual raised a hand but did not speak.)

Discussion Items

  • 2026-8-ZBA (Carl Dufrene) – 117 Luke Drive, Des Allemands: Request to reduce the minimum building elevation from 6 ft NAVD88 to 12 inches above the centerline of the street for a mobile home. Applicant stated a handicapped resident lives with him and cannot climb stairs. Board discussed the lot's elevation (negative 3.5 ft) and the street elevation (negative 4.5 ft), and encouraged the applicant to go higher if feasible. Approved unanimously.
  • 2026-10-ZBA (Michael Palamone) – 577 Cypress Drive, Luling: Request to increase the maximum square footage for wet floodproofing a residential accessory building from 600 sq ft to approximately 800 sq ft. Applicant plans a utility shed for equipment and a boat. Planning staff explained that FEMA allows up to 600 sq ft without elevation; the applicant will install required flood vents (one square inch per square foot). Approved unanimously.
  • 2026-11-ZBA (Evan & Lacey Schaubhut) – 430 Grand Bayou Road, Des Allemands: Request to increase the maximum square footage for wet floodproofing a residential accessory building. The applicant described a barndominium with a living portion elevated to the required flood elevation and a garage/shop area at a lower elevation for safe vehicle access (including a 37-foot boat). The building is already engineered and purchased. Approved unanimously.
  • 2026-12-ZBA (Rhonda Falgout) – 405 Wisner Street, Paradis: Request to reduce the minimum building elevation from 6 ft NAVD88 to 12 inches above the centerline of the street to replace a mobile home. Applicant stated no flooding history in 30 years and that his mother will live there. Board encouraged going higher if possible. Approved unanimously.
  • Training Session: The chair announced that legal counsel Corey recommended a training session for board members on functionality and compelling testimony, to be held 45 minutes before the April or May meeting. Board agreed.

Key Outcomes

  • All four variance requests (2026-8, 2026-10, 2026-11, 2026-12) were approved unanimously by members Bucola, Martin, Maddox, and Lambert.
  • A motion to accept the minutes of February 19, 2026, as written failed (3 nay [Bucola, Maddox, Lambert] to 1 yay [Martin]). The chair directed the planning department to revise the minutes to include omitted motions and votes, and to present them at the next meeting.
  • The board adopted the oath for witnesses as specified by legal counsel.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'd like to call this meeting the order of the central parents. I'd like everyone to do that. I'd like to see if anybody would like to put more of a motion to take the item of the opposed that was tabled with the last meeting off the table and bring up the I'll make a motion to remove it from uh table status and bring it up for consideration. Trying to second it. How come it's not reacting? Because sometimes I we struggle with this technology. I'm trying to second it, but it's not reacting. So we have a motion and a second. Motion by Clark. Second by. Motion by Mr. Maddox. Mr. Maddox, second by Mr. B. Cole. Mr. B. Cole. Okay. I'm horrible with names. So there's a preemptive apology, okay? I'm horrible with names. So with that, uh all in favor say aye. Aye. Uh the book voice vote. Do we have to do it on here? We have to do it on the screen. So sorry. All right. So the motion is passed. It's off the table. Would anyone like to make a motion regarding the motion that was tabled last time? Yes. Mr. McCole. Okay. I'm trying to gather my thoughts. We've uh the motion that we tabled last time was to include the oath as uh basically we all have this letter from Corey, and uh so basically it's to use the oath stated in the letter from the legal department. Correct. Uh the the parish legal attorney sent this to the board members earlier this week that uh advising us that we we can use this and we should use this uh this this oath and he recommended that we use the one that the 29th Judicial Court uses. So that might my motion is for the the board to adopt this and and use it. Motion by Mr. Bucola that the motion uh that the that the ZBA adopts the oath as specified by Corey in the memo. Is that correct? That is correct. Second uh second. Mr. Maddox seconds.

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