Gated, affordable-housing development planned north of airport

A 177-unit, mixed-use development is being proposed for the north side of Blount Road on 20.5 acres just north of the Baton Rouge Metro Airport. The development calls for 77 townhomes and 100 single-family homes—50 of which will be three-bedroom, and the rest of which will be four-bedroom. “We just thought it was a golden opportunity to do an affordable development in that area,” says developer Brian LaFleur, noting the proposed LaFleur Oaks will be a gated community with green space, ponds and water fountain features. A request to rezone the property from residential neighborhood to planned-unit development will go before the Planning Commission on Monday. If the property rezoning passes, LaFleur says construction could begin in about four months, pending the approval of bonds and tax credits for which he has applied. The Planning Commission meets at 5 p.m. on the third floor of City Hall, 222 St. Louis St. You can check out the complete agenda here. —Adam Pearson