Challenges With St. Tammany Zoning for Medline Distribution Center

 Medline had plans to build a medical equipment distribution company south of Covington. Many homeowners are up in arms about the prospect of such a project being in their community. Judge Reginald Badeaux of the 22nd Judicial District has thrown out the lawsuit filed by a group of residents.

January 12, 2021, the judge upheld the council's vote to rezone the property for the distribution center. The 70 acres between Interstate 12 and Ochsner Boulevard will be the first project of its kind in the area. Residents are concerned that the project will cause traffic and drainage issues. There is also concern that the project will need its own comprehensive zoning plan.

Many in the parish are hopeful that the original plan to build a 1-million-square-foot center in St. Tammany will still happen. Bruce Wainer of All State Financial Company owns the property and feels the judge made the right decision. He states the decision was "a matter of fact and a matter of law — I think the judge ruled correctly." St. Tammany Parish Council Chairman Mike Lorino is also in agreement with the judge's decision and feels the Parish Council did everything correctly in its handling of the rezoning and acted reasonably.

Not all leaders in the community are for the judges ruling. Nancy Wagner, president of the Flower Estates Civic Association is part of those who appeal the ruling. "We have said from the beginning when the council approved the...rezoning without following the law that we would continue to pursue all legal options," Wagner said in a text message. "We are disappointed that the ruling today mistakenly denies residents a full judicial review of our factual and legal arguments."

Click Here For the Source of the Information.

New Traffic Circle at Highway 1077 Eases Traffic for Bedico Creek

The much anticipated traffic circle at Highway 1077 and Bootlegger Road (Highway 1085) has been started by the St. Tammany Parish Department of Transportation.  This crucial junction adjacent to the Archbishop Hannan High School, a renowned private school just south of Bedico Creek, has much traffic as subdivision and industrial growth continues construction north on Highway 1077. 

There are actually 2 major intersections on 1077 which greatly affect the traffic for residents and employees that use this road.  The second junction is north on 1077 at Highway 190.

Although there has been much talk of building a second roundabout at Highway 190, the only one currently under construction is the one at 1077 and Bootlegger Road.

Bedico Creek Preserve, a new home, masterplanned community in St. Tammany Parish, is located out Bootlegger Road (Highway 1085) just 3.2 miles from Interstate 12.  This new community features lots and new homes for sale, and 11 individual Neighborhoods have been built and developed with lots for sale with 2 more Neighborhoods coming online during 2016.  Bedico Creek already has over 200 new residents in our community, so the traffic circle being built at 1077 and 1085 is a welcome relief for those residents that commute to work and have to travel that road twice a day.  With a convenient location near the city of Covington, Highway 21 and all of the new and existing shopping and dining, and its short distance from the interstate, Bedico Creek offers “ease of use” for our

homeowners.

The road construction is being done by Kort’s Construction Services with land clearing and utility relocation being completed in the first phase of this $3.2 million project.  The St. Tammany Parish government plans for the utility location to be done by the end of 2015, and all road construction to be done by fall of 2016.  In addition to being a huge benefit for the current and future homeowners at Bedico Creek Preserve, the new traffic circle at Highway 1077 should also help with school traffic and industrial traffic north of the traffic circle.  In fact, a new Fed Ex distribution center is being built just northwest of the private high school as well.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.