OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/St Charles Parish, Louisiana/Parish Council & Boards
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - September 17, 2026

Parish Council & Boards — Thursday, September 17, 2026
BodySt Charles Parish, Louisiana
SessionParish Council & Boards
DateThursday, September 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 18:26

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:07

All right.

0:07

Call in the zoo the St.

0:08

Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustments meeting on September 17, 2026 at 6 p.m.

0:14

to order.

0:15

Please rise for the pledge.

0:36

Alright, we have three cases on our docket for tonight.

0:39

When I call your case, uh please come forward, state your name and your address, and then we'll swear you in, and then you'll be able to tell us a little bit about uh about what you want to do.

0:49

So our first case tonight is 2026-30-ZBA requested by Jorge Marillo to allow a residential accessory building within a front yard and reduce setbacks at 701 Oak Street St.

1:04

Rose, zoning district R1 a.m.

1:07

Council District 5.

1:08

If the applicant is here, please come forward.

1:17

All right, please state your name and your address.

1:19

My name is George Morilla, 701 Oak Street, St.

1:22

Rose.

1:23

Alright, Mr.

1:23

George, can you raise your right hand, please?

1:26

Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

1:29

So I hope you got I do.

1:30

Alright, thank you.

1:31

Tell us a little bit about uh about what you want to do.

1:34

Um I apologize to the zoning board.

1:38

Uh I was a new homeowner left.

1:40

I'm there and knew of the permits and about that stuff.

1:44

Uh talked to a contractor, he said.

1:47

He said he would take care of it.

1:49

I went with him to the board, but then uh we didn't have the information I needed.

1:54

So he said, No, don't worry about just give it to me and I'll do it.

1:56

Blah blah blah.

1:58

And when he built it prior to they said my setbacks was in a good speaker, so from probably line it's supposed to be five feet and it's actually three feet.

2:10

Okay.

2:11

And that's pretty much I'm acting for a variance for that.

2:14

Okay.

2:14

All right.

2:15

Do we have any questions from the board?

2:20

All right, seeing none, you may have a seat.

2:25

All right.

2:26

The public forum is now open.

2:28

If there's anybody here to speak in favor of this uh variance, please come forward.

2:34

Is there anybody here to speak against seeing none?

2:39

Public hearing is now closed.

2:40

Do we have a motion by the board?

2:43

I make a motion to uh to accept the variance as written.

2:49

Motion by Mr.

2:49

Maddox, seconded by Father Lambert.

3:01

All right, please cast your votes.

3:06

All right, that motion is passed.

3:07

You may please give with uh planning and zoning.

3:10

Okay, our next case is 2026-31-ZBA requested by Billy and John all to reduce the required setback for a generator at 131 Riverwood Drive, St.

3:23

Rose, Zoning District R1A, Council District 5.

3:27

All right, please state your name and your address.

3:30

Billy all 131 Riverwood Drive, St.

3:33

Rose.

3:33

Yes, ma'am.

3:34

And are you gonna speak to John?

3:38

That's my husband, John.

3:40

John.

3:41

I'm Jacob.

3:41

We're the uh works prior to actual.

3:43

We're actually gonna be doing the installation of the generator.

3:46

All right.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Procedural███████████████████████26%
Floodplain Management███████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████7%
Personnel Matters██████7%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting - September 17, 2026

The St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustment met on September 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers to consider three variance requests. All three variances were approved unanimously. The board also discussed reimbursement issues for members and approved the minutes from the August 20, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Case 2026-31-ZBA (generator setback): A neighbor (115 Duke Drive, Destrehan) spoke in favor, praising the contractor and clarifying the role of South Central Planning in inspections for electrical and gas connections.
  • Case 2026-32-ZBA (accessory building size): A public commenter spoke in favor of the variance but warned about elevation datum differences (NGVD 29 vs NAVD 88) and advised careful verification of the required elevation.

Discussion Items

  • Case 2026-30-ZBA (Jorge Murillo, 701 Oak Street, St. Rose): Request to allow a residential accessory building within the front yard and reduce the required setback from 5 feet to 3 feet. The applicant explained that his contractor built the structure before permits were obtained. The board voted unanimously to approve the variance as written.
  • Case 2026-31-ZBA (Billy and John All, 131 Riverwood Drive, St. Rose): Request to reduce the required setback for a whole-house generator. The installation location is an 8-foot-wide alleyway. The contractor noted all codes would be met, with exhaust pointing away from the house and the generator more than 30 feet from the neighbor's house. Board members questioned whether alternative locations existed (driveway or front lawn were mentioned) and about the role of South Central Planning in building code approval. The planning director clarified that a variance does not supersede state building code and that South Central must also approve the generator placement. A board member expressed frustration with external oversight. The board voted unanimously to approve the variance.
  • Case 2026-32-ZBA (Jeremy Seyfert, represented by Elizabeth Seyfert, 561 Cypress Drive, Luling): Request to increase the maximum square footage from 600 sq ft to 900 sq ft to allow wet floodproofing for a residential accessory building (shop/garage). The applicant stated the building would be used for storage of lawnmowers, vehicles, and tools, with no living space. The board voted unanimously to approve the variance as written.
  • Unfinished Business: Board member Father Lambert inquired about delayed reimbursements (per diem) for board service. The planning department staff acknowledged the issue, noting a new electronic expense system and the need to coordinate with finance. Staff promised to follow up.
  • Minutes Approval: The board approved the minutes from the August 20, 2026 meeting after a brief display error showed an incorrect date (January 16, 2025) on the screen. The motion specified the correct date.

Key Outcomes

  • Variance granted for Case 2026-30-ZBA (unanimous vote)
  • Variance granted for Case 2026-31-ZBA (unanimous vote)
  • Variance granted for Case 2026-32-ZBA (unanimous vote)
  • Minutes from August 20, 2026 meeting approved
  • Meeting adjourned after all business

Meeting Transcript

All right. Call in the zoo the St. Charles Parish Zoning Board of Adjustments meeting on September 17, 2026 at 6 p.m. to order. Please rise for the pledge. Alright, we have three cases on our docket for tonight. When I call your case, uh please come forward, state your name and your address, and then we'll swear you in, and then you'll be able to tell us a little bit about uh about what you want to do. So our first case tonight is 2026-30-ZBA requested by Jorge Marillo to allow a residential accessory building within a front yard and reduce setbacks at 701 Oak Street St. Rose, zoning district R1 a.m. Council District 5. If the applicant is here, please come forward. All right, please state your name and your address. My name is George Morilla, 701 Oak Street, St. Rose. Alright, Mr. George, can you raise your right hand, please? Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? So I hope you got I do. Alright, thank you. Tell us a little bit about uh about what you want to do. Um I apologize to the zoning board. Uh I was a new homeowner left. I'm there and knew of the permits and about that stuff. Uh talked to a contractor, he said. He said he would take care of it. I went with him to the board, but then uh we didn't have the information I needed. So he said, No, don't worry about just give it to me and I'll do it. Blah blah blah. And when he built it prior to they said my setbacks was in a good speaker, so from probably line it's supposed to be five feet and it's actually three feet. Okay. And that's pretty much I'm acting for a variance for that. Okay. All right. Do we have any questions from the board? All right, seeing none, you may have a seat. All right. The public forum is now open. If there's anybody here to speak in favor of this uh variance, please come forward. Is there anybody here to speak against seeing none? Public hearing is now closed. Do we have a motion by the board? I make a motion to uh to accept the variance as written. Motion by Mr. Maddox, seconded by Father Lambert. All right, please cast your votes. All right, that motion is passed. You may please give with uh planning and zoning. Okay, our next case is 2026-31-ZBA requested by Billy and John all to reduce the required setback for a generator at 131 Riverwood Drive, St. Rose, Zoning District R1A, Council District 5. All right, please state your name and your address.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com