Despite opposition from the city of Zachary, the Planning Commission reaffirmed the final development plan for phase one of Cheval Trails, a 300-acre mixed-use community that developer Windy Gladney has planned for an area west of Old Scenic Highway and south of Zimmerman Road.
City-parish Planning Director Frank Duke said at Monday’s commission meeting that the city of Zachary requested the commission deny Gladney’s application, sending notice that it would not provide utility services unless Gladney was willing to annex the development into Zachary.
Gladney asked the Planning Commission to reaffirm his plans for his project, reminding them that the planned mixed-use development had already been approved.
Gladney also explained that he has owned the property for 11 years but has yet to build the project because of the recession and other circumstances.
“I’m not going to allow the city of Zachary to come take a good, viable project from the city of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish. That’s not going to happen,” he said. “I pay my taxes. I’ve done everything. I don’t want to be in Zachary. They just happen to have a nice piece of land.”
Gladney said he’s ready to move forward with phase one of the project, which will include roughly 106 low-density residential units. The development will have roughly 760 houses and 25 acres for commercial development.
The Planning Commission agreed with him, approving the project with only one “no” vote from Commissioner April Hawthorne.
—Alexandria Burris
