Variance issue leads to disagreements among council members

Published 6:00 am Friday, December 11, 2020

A discussion over a proposed variance to setbacks for the developer of the East Side Estates subdivision led to some disagreements Wednesday night — and ended with one council member calling out other councilmen for changing their position on variances.

Iberia Parish Council Chairman Eugene Olivier placed the item on the agenda for the council’s committee hearings, but then opted to push for a suspension of the council rules so it could be decided immediately, instead of going through the committee process.

One of the votes in favor of the suspension of the rules came from District 4 Councilman Lloyd Brown, who has adamantly refused to bypass the committee process in the past. In October, Brown, along with Olivier, voted against a variance that would have allowed for a substitution of materials for drainage pipe in a proposed subdivision project in Coteau, possibly nixing additional portions of that endeavor.

That could result in The Ridge, a proposed three-phase, 225-lot subdivision, being downscaled to a single 88-lot development.

Olivier cited increased tax revenues from the nine parcels in the East Side project as a reason to move forward with reducing the drainage easement from the required 50 feet to 35 feet.

Crystal Sonnier, representing the developers, said that the initial site plan had been drawn measuring the easement from the centerline of the drainage ditch rather than the bank, as required.

“With the easement at 50 feet, we can’t build sufficient house (square footage) to sell the lots,” Sonnier said.

She also said that “someone” in parish government had advised her on that, but would not say who.

“You said someone told you from parish government,” said District 5 Councilman Warren Gachassin. “It was not someone from Planning and Zoning?”

“No, it was not,” Sonnier said.

Iberia Parish Planning and Zoning Director Reed Boudreaux said he had not approved a plan that showed the easement from the center of the 13-foot-wide drainage canal.

“I do distinctly remember reviewing her site plan and remember it showing 50 feet from the edge of the bank,” Boudreaux said.

Even after the discussion, Napier circled back to the shift in position from his fellow council members.

“We’re setting a precedent for this one,” Napier said. “Was this picked by you?” he asked Olivier.

“No, it was brought in by the landowner,” Olivier said.

“No, it was put on the agenda by you?” Napier responded.

“Yes, it’s in my district,” Olivier said.

“I want to hear it, I want to vote on it, but I am not going to support expanding the agenda,” Napier said.

When the vote to add the item to the agenda was taken, Napier voted no. Adding an item to the agenda without first going to committee requires a unanimous vote.

During the committee hearing, when the variance was brought up again, Planning and Zoning Board Chairman Brock Pellerin spoke about his board’s visit to the site of the requested variance.

“When it first came to us, the request was for 25 feet,” he said. “Asking for 20 feet, I don’t know if that would work with (Public Works).”

He indicated that a smaller variance of 15 feet might work, with a caveat that no structure or fence could be built within five feet of the edge of the easement.

But when the final resolution came up for committee approval, Olivier moved to strike that requirement.

“We have a substitute motion for a 15-foot reduction,” Olivier said. “There’s no need to add the five-foot restriction.”

The council voted 12-1, with Napier the lone no vote, to move the variance to its next regular meeting, on Wednesday night, for final consideration.

“No nays? No nays?” Napier asked. “It is 2020. Wow. That is amazing.”