Meeting Summary

The St. Charles Parish Council met to recognize local artist Lorraine Gendron and musician Kevin "Sonny" Gullage, proclaim National Night Out, and hear updates from the River Parishes Tourist Commission, the Department of Economic Development & Tourism, and Parish President Matthew Jewell on Hurricane Francine recovery, drainage projects, and road repairs. The most consequential business was a lengthy public hearing on a proposed rezoning near River Road in Ama that would allow a recreational-vehicle park; dozens of residents spoke against it, and the council approved the change despite strong neighborhood opposition. The council also rejected two other rezoning requests, one in Hahnville and one in New Sarpy, and approved a cost-saving change order on the Destrehan Pump Station No. 2 project.

Watch Items

• Residents in Ama raised ongoing concerns about drainage, road width, gunfire, transient activity, and property values connected to RV and mobile home development in their community; several speakers asked the parish to revisit or update its Ama-area land use study, and Chairman Bob Fisher said the question about whether a new study has been done would be researched for a follow-up answer.
• Corey Faucheux flagged a potential state legislative change to Louisiana's inventory tax, which currently makes up about 70% of parish tax revenue; details of a proposed special session on tax reform are still pending and residents should watch for more information.
• A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 21, 2024, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, Courthouse, Hahnville, on the following ordinances:

- 2024-0329, An ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of an Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 21-8-16, which approved the Professional Services Agreement with Duplantis Design Group (DDG), to perform engineering services for the Des Allemands Boat Launch (Project No. P210705), to reallocate funds for the current and future boat launch project phases. - 2024-0330, An ordinance to approve a purchase and/or expropriate a .31 acre temporary construction servitude for replacement parking over property now or formerly owned by S-One Properties, LLC, for the Ormond Area Flood Mitigation, CN Railroad Culvert Installation Project (P200801). - 2024-0332, An ordinance to approve a purchase and/or expropriate a .104 acre temporary construction servitude over property now or formerly owned by Storehouse Lane Investments, LLC, for the Ormond Area Flood Mitigation, CN Railroad Culvert Installation Project (P200801). - 2024-0333, An ordinance to approve a purchase and/or expropriate a .012 acre perpetual drainage servitude and a .078 acre temporary construction servitude over property now or formerly owned by ACSI Properties, LLC, for the Ormond Area Flood Mitigation, CN Railroad Culvert Installation Project (P200801). - 2024-0334, An ordinance to approve a purchase and/or expropriate a .011 acre perpetual drainage servitude and a .062 acre temporary construction servitude over property now or formerly owned by Hill Heights Country Club, Inc., for the Ormond Area Flood Mitigation, CN Railroad Culvert Installation Project (P200801). - 2024-0331, An ordinance to approve and authorize the Parish President to execute an Act of Sale from One Buck Store, LLC, for the purchase of property located at 15110 River Road in Hahnville, in the amount of $735,000.00.

• A separate public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 9:00 am; Thursday, October 31, 2024, 1:00 pm; and Monday, November 4, 2024, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, Courthouse, Hahnville, on:

- 2024-0201, An ordinance to approve and adopt the appropriation of Funds for the St. Charles Parish Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2025.