The developer of the Lakes at Jones Creek—a planned south Baton Rouge subdivision that has stoked controversy over flood concerns—says he will delay the project for two months while he updates plans to mitigate flood risk.
The Metro Council appears poised in the coming month to pass new regulations on developing in floodplains. That measure, by Councilmembers Dwight Hudson and Erika Green, would require projects to have the capacity to handle so-called 25-year storms, rather than 10-year storms as is the current requirement. Also, it would increase by 10% the required storage capacity for projects in the floodplain.
The new rule, if approved, would impact the proposed Lakes subdivision, and developer Steve Duplechain says he’ll rework the plans to meet the new rules and possibly exceed them. The Lakes, which had been scheduled to go before the Planning Commission on Monday, now heads back to the drawing board until the end of the year.
“I think they’re going to pass (new regulations) and I think it’s probably a good idea,” Duplechain says. “I don’t know whether it will require a reduction in lot count, larger detention facilities, deeper detention, additional detention.”
He also plans to meet with neighbors in a series of small group settings, a change from earlier large group interactions. Neighborhood association leaders and other residents, fearful after flooding last year, say they worry the new subdivision would exacerbate their flood risk.
“My goal is to not have all the neighbors come down there needlessly,” Duplechain says of Monday’s Planning Commission meeting. “That’s a pointless endeavor.”
The new rules on floodplain developments come after a proposed moratorium on such projects failed at the council. That effort would have halted the Lakes at Jones Creek, among other projects, but its author, Councilman Buddy Amoroso, couldn’t get support from other council members.
Amoroso, who has been vocal in his opposition to the Lakes, says he is not steadfast in his opposition to the development, especially if Duplechain were to add enough green space and other flood controls to mitigate the flood risk. He added he will wait to see what the final plans look like.
“I’m curious to see what he comes up with,” Amoroso says. “I would like to see more green space dedicated to recreation and dedicated to absorption of rain … The way it stands now I’m 100 percent opposed.”
—Sam Karlin
