Council rejects Houma resident's request to build on servitude

Published: Monday, December 15, 2014 at 10:44 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, December 15, 2014 at 10:44 p.m.

The Terrebonne Parish Council upheld its reputation for strict application of laws regarding servitudes and rights of way.

During tonights committee meetings, the council rejected the third request for a variance from Houma resident Michael Nguyen.

For months, Nguyen has sought a variance to build a gazebo in a drainage retention pond behind his home on Port Royal Way in the Westgate Subdivision. Since the gazebo would obstruct the parish servitude, the parish zoning board denied his request for a construction permit.

In Nguyens past attempts, the parish cited its zero tolerance policy regarding variances unless some sort of extreme hardship existed. Parish officials said the servitude is necessary for the parish to maintain the drainage pond.

Nguyen addressed the council to again plead his case on grounds that there have already been several docks, decks and gazebos built in or around parish waterways.

Bulkheads are also technically illegal because theyre located within a servitude. Yet bulkheads are allowed in our parish every single day. But my structure is not. Thats a double-standard and, simply put, unfair, Nguyen said.

Nguyen also said the maintenance issue is overstated because in the 10 years since the pond was built it had not yet been cleaned. To help his case, Nguyen requested signatures of support from each of the residents of his neighborhood as well as the one adjacent to it.

Cumulatively, I have over 95 percent combined support signatures, Nguyen said. The people have spoken. Your fellow citizens have spoken. If theres a time to represent the people, there could not be a better time for the council than right now.

Parish officials disagreed.

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Council rejects Houma resident's request to build on servitude