Planning panel OKs first phase of Rouzan

• By SCOTT DYER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Sep 23, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

A mayoral candidate and three District 12 Metro Council candidates weren’t enough Monday to help neighboring residents stop plans for the initial phase of Tommy Spinosa’s mixed-use Rouzan development near College Drive and Perkins Road.

By a 7-1 vote, the city-parish Planning Commission gave final approval for Spinosa’s first-phase plan to build 179 residential units and 40,360 square feet of commercial development on 19 acres. Spinosa plans to eventually develop 750 residential units and 100,000 square feet of commercial space on the 119-acre tract.

Among those speaking Monday against the initial phase was Metro Councilman Wayne Carter, who is running for mayor this fall and said he opposed Rouzan from the beginning.

Carter warned that it would force an extra 2,400 vehicles per day on already congested streets and dump thousands of gallons of wastewater per day into an already overtaxed sewer system.

Carter read a city-parish Department of Public Works report admitting there was no available capacity in the sewer system in that area, but noted DPW signed off on the project because construction isn’t slated to start for nearly two years.

Spinosa’s engineers noted that the DPW approval was based on an independent study showing there is sufficient capacity for the initial phase of Rouzan.

Planning Commissioner Roxson Welch cast the sole dissenting vote against Rouzan’s initial phase, noting that it’s obvious that traffic is already congested on Perkins Road in that area, and that sewage is already backing up into some homes in the Southdowns area.

Speaking in favor of Rouzan, Planning Commissioner Kathleen Callaghan applauded Spinosa’s proposal as an example of smart growth, and predicted neighboring residents will eventually be won over.

“I think you all will enjoy this development and will enjoy your property values that will soar because of it,” Callaghan said.

Planning Commissioner Frank Muscarello was out of town and did not vote.

Three of the four candidates for the District 12 council seat — R.J. “Smokie” Bourgeois, Brett Jackson and Jim Benham — also spoke against Spinosa’s plan, raising questions about its impact on neighboring residents.

The fourth candidate, Kimberly Watts, did not speak at the meeting.

Benham, who served on the council for three terms before taking four years off, said he’s encountered plenty of opposition to Rouzan while campaigning door to door, mainly because of concerns about sewage.