Abita Springs Timber Company owns a beautiful 8,089 acre pine timber tract across Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans, Louisiana in St. Tammany Parish, the fastest growing parish in Louisiana. State highway #3241 is planned from US highway I-10 across 5 miles of the Abita tract. The parish plans to expand the adjacent Abita Airport into the tract. This highway will be integrated into a master planned multi-use community.

Location with cities and townes.

Satellite photo map of the Greater New Orleans area with Lake Ponchartrain, showing Abita Springs Timber Company

Highways on New Orleans’ Northshore around Abita Springs Timber Company
Oblique satellite photo map showing Abita Springs Timber company location highlighted next to the arrow.

This oblique satellite image above of the Southeast Louisiana Mississippi River Delta, taken after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, shows the city of New Orleans and adjacent Metairie, Lake Ponchartrain, and the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain. The 8,089 acre tract of prime developable timber land owned by Abita Springs Timber Company, LLC, is in the path of rapid growth and a planned future interstate highway.

Boundaries of Abita Springs Timber Company

Below is a timber stand budget map prepared by Larson and McGowin, forest management consultants of Mobile, Alabama. L&M has cruised the standing timber for the timber inventory geographic inventory system (GIS) for the timber plantation growth. They have managed the replantation and sustained yield harvests over many years on Abita Springs Timber Company’s timberlands. ASTC now has higher and better use as a master planned mixed use community.

St. Tammany Parish New Developments 2025 Future Land Use Plan http://www.stpgov.org/nd2025-ph2/images/stp_flu.jpg

Although we recognize that a developer buyer will want to design his own zoning and can do so by formal request to and approval by the St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission and the St. Tammany Parish Council, the current zoning, however, is already quite favorable. The Parish is amenable to zoning amendments and carefully planned development consistent with the New Directions 2025 Future Use Plan. Under the St. Tammany Parish New Directions 2025 planning process the future land use in the timberland area of Abita Springs Timber Company already includes "planned districts" for planned unit developments (PUD’s) such as those of the Azby Fund’s Wadsworth PUD Property and the PUD’s on the southern sides of Highway 36 and State Highway 1088 immediately adjacent to the Abita Springs Timber Company land. These planned districts include mixed uses of commercial and residential as well conservation and agricultural uses. The St. Tammany Parish, which owns the Abita Springs Municipal Airport adjacent to ASTC, has zoned an area on the eastern boundary of the Greater St. Tammany Airport currently within the Abita Timber Property boundary is mapped as an "industrial" zoned area. Although the future land use map and Land Use element of New Directions 2025, has been adopted by resolution of the St. Tammany Parish Council the map can be amended through formal request and approval by the St. Tammany Parish Planning and Zoning Commission and the St. Tammany Parish Council. Under current zoning in St. Tammany Parish based on ordinance approved and adopted in 2000 a large portion of the area around ASTC not zoned for specific uses. The diversity of zoning in the ASTC area includes Suburban Agriculture (SA), industrial development, institutional development, commercial development, suburban and recreational development.

Most of the northern half of the Abita Timber Property above highway #36 is not specified in a specific zoning classification. The southern portion (south of Highway #36) of the Abita Timber Property is zoned for a variety of types of land uses including industrial uses (approximately 577 acres) immediately adjacent and on the eastern side of the Greater St. Tammany Airport. Moving further eastward ASTC is zoned for commercial uses (approximately 531 acres). The farthest eastern portion of the Abita Timber Property (south of Highway 36) is zoned for suburban residential use. The majority of the northern portion (north of Highway 36) of the Abita Springs Timber Company land has not yet been zoned by St. Tammany Parish zoning map. A small portion of this area is zoned for mobile homes (134 acres) and approximately 435 acres are zoned Suburban Agriculture. Land immediately to and across from the airport, across highway #36 on the north side the airport, is zoned Institutional (342 acres) and could be used for a university affiliated campus or a research and industrial park or a corporate or business park.

The following table describes the existing zoning of ASTC land by acreage and St. Tammany Parish Zoning Classification.

The acreage in the zoning table above differs somewhat from GIS (geographical information system acreage and property tax assessor record acreage and so is estimated. Final acreage volume would be determined by survey.

Abita Springs Timber Company boundaries relative to wetlands, water drainage, rivers, and the towns of Covington, Mandeville, and Abita. Map courtesy of the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Geologic Survey (Covington USGS Quadrangle map)

ASTC Wetlands - Wetlands Mitigation of the southern half of ASTC, using the northern half of ASTC as a wetlands mitigation bank

Although most of ASTC contains pine savannah timberlands uplands a part of ASTC contains “wetlands”. The Louisiana Wetlands Act and Guidelines promulgated by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources define "Wetlands" as open water areas or areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and under normal circumstances support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include tidal swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas.  Although the Abita Springs Timber Company land contains some wetland vegetative communities few of these are swampland or are bottomland hardwoods. Most of the timberland contains upland pine timberland which has been managed for timber production for many decades. Considerable effort has been made under forestry management to drain wetland areas and convert them to uplands. Most of the land has been leased out to deer hunters. The owners have evaluated a proposal on the northern portion of the tract to create a limited site of intermittent wetlands for recreational wildfowl hunters called a “green tree reservoir” in which the land would be flooded from an existing lake and spring for duck hunting during only part of the year. "Mitigation" is the practice of off-setting authorized wetlands losses through the restoration, creation, or enhancement of wetlands. Several wetlands mitigation banks exist in and around St. Tammany Parish, LA.

Although ASTC is not swampland or marshland under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act there is ample opportunity to mitigate jurisdictional wetlands internally using land from the northern portion of the ASTC tract as a wetland mitigation bank to mitigate future development in the southern portion (below highway 36). Internal wetlands mitigation is less costly for a developer than purchasing wetlands from an outside wetlands mitigation bank.

The web site in Louisiana for wetlands in the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources is http://dnr.louisiana.gov/crm/coastmgt/cup/Public_FAQ_Brochure.doc

Existing Subdivision Regulations

While nearly 50% of the Abita Timber Property is not classified in a particular zoning category, St. Tammany Parish requires the property owner apply for zoning prior to development. A PUD (Planned Unit Development) process is similar to the zoning change process with additional tasks, including a pre-application conference with staff, a plat with a general site plan including any restrictive covenants and an environmental assessment. It is mandatory under the St. Tammany Parish Subdivision regulations that, “any sub divider of an area of land within the unincorporated portions of St. Tammany Parish must obtain the approval of the St. Tammany Parish Planning Commission before any subdivision is recorded with the Clerk of Courts office, and before any act of sale from such subdivision shall be recorded". The exact submittal requirements will be dependent upon a number of factors involving the development of the Abita Timber Springs Timber Company Property, including any proposed master plan and phasing of development. The St. Tammany Parish subdivision regulations have provisions for development agreements and voluntary impact fees. However, St. Tammany Parish is preparing a Development Impact Fee ordinance which will require fees that will be assessed on a formula basis depending upon traffic, drainage and wastewater impacts of the proposed development. Upon completion of all elements of the comprehensive plan, New Directions 2025, St. Tammany Parish plans to update and rewrite the subdivision regulations to further implement the comprehensive plan.

Other permitting agencies that may have jurisdictional review and permitting responsibilities for large scale developments include the:

1. Louisiana Department of Health
2. Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (on-site sewer systems)
3. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
4. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
5. National Marine Fisheries
6. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Interstate Highway #3241 directly across Abita Springs Timber Company 8,000 plus land for about 5 miles Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) map of the most likely location of the proposed interstate highway #3241 hurricane evacuation route from Interstate I-12 near Mandeville, LA in St. Tammany Parish, to Bush and Bogalusa, LA, in Washington Parish. Note the highway location through the Abita Springs Timber Company (ASTC) tract. This highway route is advocated by both St. Tammany Parish and Washington Parish officials and legislators and by the St. Tammany Parish Chamber of Commerce. Map modified from LADOTD by Krebs LaSalle and LeMieux Engineers.

Water and sewer utilities surrounding ASTC

Residential subdivisions surrounding ASTC on its western and northern portions. Note the lake on ASTC.

Future land use plans from St. Tammany Parish 2025 Plan. Note the red commercial areas surrounding ASTC and the purple industrial area next to airport within ASTC and the yellow residential PUD’s next to ASTC.

Map of current zoning of southern portion of ASTC including commercial, industrial, and residential.

RGB satellite map hybrid of Abita Springs Timber Company (ASTC) and surroundings

Infrared satellite photo map hybrid of ASTC showing watersheds, water bodies, townships, ranges, sections, roads, highways 36 and 1088, and I-12 interstate, the towns of Abita and Mandeville, the Abita Airport, the sod farm out parcel, and water drainage.

Closer zoom of ASTC, showing the proximity of the towns of Mandeville and Abita and Interstate I-12
	Right: final LADOTD highway alternatives joining with the federal interchange at interstate highway I-12 Left: LADOTD highway preferred highway options “E” and “P” which both transect 5 miles of the Abita Springs Timber Company land.

Existing current residential subdivisions surrounding Abita Springs Timber Company: without aerial above; same map below with aerial photo superimposed

Elevation of the land of the southern portion of the ASTC showing the legend on the bottom right

Northern half of ASTC north of highway 36 showing lake

Zoning around ASTC north of highway #36

Infrared aerial digital photo of north and south portions of ASTC, showing the boundaries and the 60 acre parcel recently sold to the St. Tammany Parish School Board for construction of a new senior high school on highway 1088

Zoning and surrounding subdivisions around ASTC on an infrared satellite photo map hybrid showing township, range, and section lines. See zoning color legend to right.
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Closer infrared aerial photo map of southern portion of ASTC, showing the Abita Airport, highway 36, the out parcel sod farm, school parcel, and highway 1088

Close-up RGB aerial photo map of new St. Tammany Parish School Board Senior High School 60 acre site sold by ASTC to the School Board

Relative location of proposed I-12 Interstate Federal Interchange to ASTC and the state highway options

St. Tammany Regional Airport Plans Expansion

The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $563,593.00 to St. Tammany Parish for expansion of the St. Tammany Regional Airport, located on Highway 36, east of Abita Springs. “This is a great opportunity for St. Tammany Parish,” said Parish President Kevin Davis. “Air transportation is an essential component in St. Tammany’s economic development.” The grant will be used to acquire land, create an airport master plan, and for environmental mitigation. The Abita Springs Timber Company is donating 328 acres to the east of the current airport to the Parish for the expansion. The Parish will fund the survey, title search, and other fees from the FAA grant. The master plan of the airport expansion will include the layout of a new runway, taxiway, and support buildings. “We hope to include a 5000’ runway in the expansion plans,” continued Davis. “We want our airport to support corporate jets and the business that comes with them.” Some of the land will require wetlands mitigation. The grant will also cover these costs. “St. Tammany needs a centrally located airport that can serve a wide variety of interests,” said Davis. “Our parish is almost 900 square miles. A modern local airport that can serve business, public safety, and recreational needs will be an asset to our economy.” Buchart-Horn has been contracted to develop the Master Plan. The initial draft is expected in Spring 2005.

Rough draft of conceptual Master Planned Community with assumed locations of mixed development elements of residential, parks, green space, lakes, roads, commercial, industrial, airport runway extension, schools, parks, police, fire, and a campus using an assumed location of the new state interstate highway #3241. Other options to state 3241 are a Parish highway or a private road.

See www.i12tobush.com/webdev/home.php

Highway to open by 2009, state says But path of La. 3241 yet to be undecided Saturday, July 31, 2004 By Richard BoydSt. Tammany bureau The state highway department for the first time has given a timeline for construction of a long-proposed north/south highway from Bush to Interstate 12 through the midsection of St. Tammany Parish. The department pledges that by 2009, vehicles will be zooming along the 20-mile divided highway that was first proposed 30 years ago by then-state Sen. B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn. But where will the $92 million Louisiana 3241 be located? If the vast majority of the more than 500 residents and politicians from St. Tammany and Washington parishes who packed three public hearings this week is heeded, the highway will run from Bush to near Talisheek, before turning southwest and ending at the intersection of Louisiana 1088 and I-12 northeast of Mandeville. In a separate project, the state already has plans to build an $18 million I-12 interchange at Louisiana 1088. Three possible routes for the highway were the subject of public hearings this week in Hickory, Bush and at the parish administrative complex north of Mandeville. All of the routes drew some opposition. One of the routes ultimately will be selected by the highway department. "And this highway is going to be built," said state Rep. Mike Strain, R-Abita Springs, who attended all three hearings. He has been a consistently vocal proponent of the highway. The hearings were held to gauge public reaction to the routes, said Ed Wedge, the chief highway engineer assigned to the project. The route preferred by most residents at the hearings is the easternmost of the three, called Route P by the state. The other options are Route B and Route O. "Take it somewhere else," Kilpatrick, a member of the Abita Springs Planning & Zoning Commission, said at the hearing near Mandeville. "The eastern route coming through OakRidge Lane comes right through our property, maybe right through our house, and our family has been there since 1948." At the Bush hearing, her mother, Abita Springs Town Clerk Donna Kilpatrick, did not speak, but she choked back tears as she looked at aerial photographs showing the easternmost option cutting through her property at OakRidge. Meanwhile, a group of people including Jim Robertson, former principal at Mandeville High School, told state officials they object to Route O. "Find another route; we don't want Route O," Robertson said. "I live at the end of Lowe Davis Road and it will come right through my property, and destroy some of the most beautiful woodlands still left in this parish. Build it on the eastern route." Paul Waidhas, vice president of state consultant Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. of New Orleans, said, "Wherever we decide to go, there will be impacts. That is unavoidable. Any route from Bush to I-12 will impact some wetlands and will impact some residences." Waidhas said Route B would require purchasing and removing 70 structures; Route O would require purchasing two; Route P would require removing 10. The state would have to pay to relocate any homeowner forced to sell his house. Using 38 variables as part of federal environmental guidelines, the easternmost route scores the highest, Waidhas said, meaning it would have the least wetlands disruption. The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation weighed in with opposition to the highway -- no matter where it's built. "Building it anywhere will add to congestion and remove more soil for flood control because the highway will open vast areas of the parish to economic development," said Jill Mastrototo of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. But Washington Parish officials have long endorsed the road for financial reasons. "It is your highway and we will accept whatever route you want, but we must have it for the economic salvation of Bogalusa and Washington Parish," Washington Parish President Toye Taylor said. Richard Boyd can be reached at rboyd@timespicayune.com or (985) 898-4816.

Abita Springs Timber Company Conceptual Master Development Plan On 4,000 of their 8,089 acres

Abita Springs Timber Company (ACTC) has developed a conceptual plan for the development of the their property between LA 1088 and LA 36, approximately 4000 acres. A new community built upon the neo-traditional neighborhood development concept. Neo-traditional neighborhood development concept is based on the principle of providing pedestrian oriented residential /commercial development. Development plan encompasses a town center and 8 villages, each with commercial/ civic centers. Each village comprises 3 to 4 neighborhoods, 29 neighborhoods total. The development plan is based on the current zoning of the property. Same number of residential units built at a higher density, providing for the creation of the natural area. The conceptual development plan will preserve natural areas that otherwise would be harvested for the timber. Natural areas will be maintained along the existing drainage system. The natural areas will provide wildlife habitat, drainage storage capacity, and serve as an area for active recreation (potential golf course) and passive recreation (foot and horse riding trails). A portion of the St. Tammany Events and Performing Arts Center will be located on the southwest corner of the property, fronting alignment 2 of LA 3241, across from the town center. Greater St. Tammany Airport located adjacent to the northwest corner of the property.. The Parish of St. Tammany has received a large planning grant from the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) to length the runways, add an ILS (Instrument Landing System), and enlarge the airport terminal and hangar space to accommodate Federal Express and regional commuter aircraft. A light Industrial Park will be developed adjacent to the airport. Schools (including a new parish high school for over 1,000 students), police, fire station, sewer, utilities, athletic fields and athletic indoor facilities will be included in the design The new planned community will include a Research Park, cooperative with Louisiana universities, with infrastructure for biotech, information technology, and other corporate research and development facilities.