LAFAYETTE PARISH — A possible new subdivision is causing flooding concerns for some residents of a Lafayette Parish neighborhood.
Neighbors say they are worried that the proposed development of a 21-acre property off of Mills Road could make flooding in their area worse.
The proposal would bring a new 90-plot subdivision to the area. One neighbor tells KATC that the area already sees significant flooding during rains.
She tells us Oak Springs and Frenchman Trail are known for flooding anytime there is rain. Those streets are less than half a mile from the newly proposed subdivision located at Mills Street, Pope Drive and Vatican Road in the unincorporated part of Lafayette Parish.
She says the coulee that drains Oak Springs and Frenchman Trail would also be the same coulee used to drain the new proposed subdivision.
Another neighbor tells us the development could impact several areas nearby.
"Not only worried, we're convinced it's going to flood more homes in this area," Kevin Savant, who lives near the area, said.
Preliminary plans have been approved by the Parish Planning Commission, but developers must take it one step further.
"With this particular development, we also requested and the Planning Commission passed another requirement for a detailed study of the area," Jessica Cornay with the public works department said. She's the Civil Engineering supervisor for LCG Design and Development section.
The regulation to have the flood study was added during a meeting February 8th. That's when the commission voted for the preliminary plat approval.
"It's to make sure that if this development proceeds and what fashion it's developed that it will not have a negative impact on the neighbors and the adjacent properties," Cornay said about the added regulation. "The flood study is an additional requirement because this area is located in flood zone X, which is not a special flood hazard area. If it was in a special flood hazard area, that provision would already be required by the federal regulations. However, the planning commission choose to extend those regulations to the property because we know there's some drainage issues."
However, there's still some opposition from those who live near the proposed subdivision.
"It won't change," Savant said. "If that development goes forward as it's proposed now, there's nothing other than making these canals the size of the Vermilion River. Which, probably wouldn't help because it's flat land. It's not going to drain. You would have to dredge it and grade it to get the water out of here."
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