LIVINGSTON, La. — The Livingston Parish Planning and Zoning Commission gave preliminary approval Nov. 4 to a site plan for a Neighbor’s Market on Strawberry Lane, where a parish councilman and a church deacon raised concerns about alcohol sales across the street from a historic Catholic Church.
The commission also voted to approve three rezoning requests.
Planning
Livingston Parish Councilman Joe Erdey was the first to speak on the proposed convenience store. He noted that the St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Catholic Church across the street is listed on a historic register.
“I don’t ever want to see this gigantic store there looking across the road at the Catholic Church,” Erdey said.
Erdey called the request “illegal,” saying the two buildings would be only 70 feet apart under the proposed plan. He said parish code requires at least 500 feet between the property lines of a church and a business that sells alcohol.
“It’s land to land, not building to building,” Erdey told the commission.
“We don’t even need that store. We’ve got four stores on the other side of the interstate and one right down the road,” Erdey added.
Tim Messenger, a deacon at the church, raised concerns about the store’s plans to sell alcohol and said increased traffic could discourage people from attending services.
Commissioner Brian Clemmons said the community has consistently pushed back on development along Strawberry Lane. He suggested residents come together to “rezone that whole corridor” so they would no longer have to fight proposals one by one.
Commissioners said their review focused on whether the proposal complied with parish ordinances. They said the preliminary plan would need further study and approvals before construction could begin.
The motion passed, with Commissioner Jacob Erdey casting the only vote against it.
The commission also approved four other planning items.
A preliminary site plan for an addition to Judson Baptist Church on La. 447
A final site plan for Destination Diversion and Joe Moore Event Center on Pointe of Isle Boulevard
A final site plan for Aurorium on Eden Church Road
A second filing for a preliminary plat for Ashland Trace on Ashland Place Avenue
Zoning
The commission first considered a request to rezone the property at 32123 Pea Ridge Road from R-1 to R-1.5.
Councilman Erdey said the commission had previously tabled the request because the landowner’s plans were unclear.
Erdey asked the commission to grant a family partition in place of the rezoning. The engineering department said a family partition allows up to three homes on lots of at least half an acre each and noted that the owner might sell part of the property to a neighbor.
The owner, Lee Monroe, said he plans to leave part of the property to his great-grandchild and another part to his granddaughter.
“I’m 82 years old plus, so I’m trying to get all my ducks in a row,” Monroe said.
The commission unanimously approved the request.
The next request was to rezone part of the property at 16138 Magnolia Bluff Road from AG to R-1.
Paul Vidacovitch, a project manager for McLin Taylor, said his client bought a 22.6-acre tract zoned for agricultural use and “wanted the option to develop some of the river-front property into smaller lots.” Agricultural zoning requires lots of at least three acres, and residential zoning allows smaller lots.
The commission unanimously approved the request.
The final request was to rezone the property at 29835 South Café Line Road from R-1 to R-1.5.
Mason Hase and Trevor Williams told the commission they plan to clean up the property, place two new mobile homes on it, and sell it.
Councilman Erdey said a church on the same road was running out of space in its cemetery.
“They’re interested in buying that land,” Erdey said. “Instead of negotiating what it’s going to be zoned, the church seems to be ready to buy this land… we should allow them to have that opportunity first.”
“We’re aware of that, but it’s nothing set in stone,” Williams said. “We’re open to it, but our first option is putting trailers on it… and selling it.”
Caroline Gilmore, who lives in the area, asked the commission to postpone its vote to give the church time to meet and make an offer to the property owners. The church would use the land to expand its cemetery.
The commission approved the request, with Commissioners Brian Clemmons and Jacob Erdey voting against it. The request still goes before the Parish Council, and the property could still be sold to the church if it is rezoned.
