Council advances coastal‑resilience zoning for southern District 11, keeps stakeholder outreach and housing study

The St. Tammany Parish Council voted on July 10 to introduce amended zoning changes arising from the Coastal Resilience Land Use Study for parts of District 11, while committing to further stakeholder engagement and incorporating a parishwide housing study into the process.

Stakeholders — including the North Shore Home Builders Association and local developers — asked the council to postpone any final action until a separate housing study currently due in October is complete and until they can take part in targeted stakeholder meetings. “Tabling this amendment until these two steps — the housing study and stakeholder meetings — are complete… is not a delay. It is a responsible step toward thoughtful, informed decision making,” said Ginny Dexter on behalf of the Home Builders.

Consultant Desire Line, represented by principal planner Alex Carter, told the council the overlay is not intended to stop development but to guide it: lower‑density base zoning, lot‑by‑lot application based on topography, and requirements such as elevating houses in higher‑risk areas. Carter said the map excludes higher, drier parcels and aims to “promote a more predictable, safer future within these districts.”

Councilmember Arthur Laughlin and other members said the council will take a phased approach: the southern half of District 11 moved forward while portions of District 7 were handled separately. The council voted unanimously to amend and introduce the ordinance while directing staff to speed up stakeholder meetings and review newly available data (including recent lidar) where applicable.

The measure is an introduction; final adoption will require a later vote after additional stakeholder input and the expected housing study results.