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Livingston Parish creates stricter standards for housing developments

5 years 2 months 3 days ago Thursday, January 24 2019 Jan 24, 2019 January 24, 2019 10:26 PM January 24, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

LIVINGSTON PARISH – Livingston Parish is joining surrounding parishes adding stricter guidelines to new housing developments. The Livingston Parish Council voted to require retention ponds near new neighborhoods to withstand more than double the amount of water than was originally required.

“I hate to say this, but there really is a post-flood stress disorder that exists in Livingston Parish,” said councilman Gary Talbert.

Talbert spearheaded the new standards because of this fear.

“What we did won't prevent what happened in 2016, but it will protect against those little flash floods that we get with a little rainfall.”

Old standards stated retention ponds needed to be able to handle a 10-year rain event. Now, retention ponds will need to be able to handle a 25-year rain event.

In flood prone areas, the standards become more strict. Drainage will have to withstand a 100-year rain event. Developers will have to conduct a study on how to do this properly.

“We know our infrastructure is getting over taxed in certain areas. We have a lot of development in Livingston Parish. We just felt like we need to protect our neighbors,” said Talbert.

The new restrictions will go into affect on early next week after the parish president signs the ordinance. Housing developers already in the process of building won't have to follow these new guidelines.

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