St. Mary Parish Council 11/18

Plans for a gated luxury 336 apartment complex
in Garden City inched further along after the St. Mary
Parish Council gave permission to investors to begin
subdividing 10 acres of the property, on the corner
of La Hwy 182 and La Hwy 3125.

Meanwhile on the topic of abortion, the council voted
9-1 with one abstention, to send resolutions to the
United States Congress asking them to support the
Stupak Amendment, which applies a federal
prohibition on abortion funding to President Barack
Obama’s health care reform bill.

Investerra, LLC Contractors, represented by Frank
Alcaraz, Project Manager, and Mick Wick, General
Contractor, have set their sights on St Mary Parish
to build a solar and environmentally friendly complex
that calls for in phase one, 156 one bedroom
1,000 sq ft apartments, and 12 two bedroom,
1,300 sq ft apartments.

Following Wednesday’s vote, the plans must pass a
rezoning resolution, which changes the property from
its present agricultural, currently used for cane farming.
The council is expected to consider this its next meeting Dec 9.

However, St. Mary Parish Chief Administrative Officer
Henry “Bo” LaGrange said that plan is now approved
to the point that the company can begin subdividing the
property, but it still has to meet all other customary
parish subdivision rezoning rules.


Still, Wick said that his firm does not yet own the property,
as they have been contending with an enormous amount of
permitting and zoning issues with the State.

Last Wednesday, the St. Mary Parish Council gave
preliminary approval to issue $3 million in bonds, to
create infrastructure on the property – basically for roads
and sewage, and possibly water, but LaGrange said
there are some issues that remain on how to get enough
water pressure to the property.

Council Chairman Gary Duhon said that even if the
contractors don’t buy the property, if the infrastructure
is implemented, it will offer the parish an opportunity
to market the area to other developers.

Investerra Marketing Director Laura Mott said the
complex with be similar to the Southdown Pavilion,
which is located on La. Hwy 315 in Houma. “The units
proposed for La Maison sur la Teche will be much larger
however,” she said.

Frank Fink, St. Mary Parish Economic Development
Director, said he’s banking on the new proposed gated
luxury apartment complex as the beginning of what
could be the answer to the parish’s housing problem,
which would lead to more expansion within the parish.
“Roof tops mean retail, more people living here,” he said.

In another matter, the parish council voted 9-1 with one
abstention, to send resolutions to the United States
Congress asking them to support the Stupak
Amendment, which applies a federal prohibition
on abortion funding to President Barack Obama’s health care reform bill.

Councilman Albert Foulcard, initially, did not want
to vote on the idea, saying, “I don’t want to get into
the pro life argument. This is something one should '
take up individually with their own representatives,” he said.

But Councilman Glen Hidalgo, who offered the motion, said
“It doesn’t matter if you’re pro-life or pro-abortion. What
I’m asking you tonight is to vote for this resolution, which
supports an amendment that prohibits federal taxpayer
dollars earmarked to pay for an abortion by anyone,’ he said.

“Why should we as United States citizens have to pay
for someone’s decision?”

Councilman Charles “Butch” Middleton cast the only
vote opposing the resolution, with Councilman Steve
Bierhorst absent from the meeting.

“When you start mixing abortion with health care you
muddy the water,” Middleton said. “And again, I want
to see health care passed, period.”

At last week’s council meeting, Parish Councilman
Butch Middleton previously opposed expanding the
council’s agenda to consider the resolution when it
was first offered by Hidalgo, which made the resolution
a moot point according to the council charter.“I’m
against abortion,” Middleton said. “I’m very much
pro life. But this resolution is a red herring conservative
ploy, simply to just oppose the president’s plans. And I’m
sick of conservative tactics like this.”