Berwick gives tentative OK to two subdivisions

BERWICK — The Town Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to allow the development of Fairview Park and River Bend subdivisions. The next phase is an engineering review of both subdivisions.
Planning and Zoning Director Gary Beadle said the town’s planning and zoning commission met in March and recommended the council offer preliminary approval.
Fairview Park Subdivision, located south of Fairview Drive and west of Renwick Subdivision, will include 59 lots and will consist of a single phase. Beadle noted that Fairview Subdivision will be disconnected from Renwick Subdivision.
The first phase of River Bend Subdivision, located across a canal to the east of Willowcrest Subdivision and north of Fairview Drive, will consist of 11 lots. The developer has long-term plans for about 100 single-family, residential lots, Beadle said.
“Primarily, tonight, what we’re looking at is just approval on the concept, and the engineering will follow,” Mayor Louis Ratcliff said.
Fairview Subdivision is being developed by Fernand Privat. Cajun Sunrise LLC is developing River Bend.
An engineering review for Fairview Subdivision will be complete in about two to three months, Reid Miller of Miller Engineers said. The council will eventually hold a public hearing to discuss the engineering review of the subdivision, Ratcliff said.
Beadle said the town will keep a drainage easement next to Fairview Subdivision to maintain the underground drainage.
During the public hearing for the ordinance, Berwick resident Joey Thibodeaux said there are two manholes behind his property near the proposed Fairview Park Subdivision. Workers attempted to seal one of the manholes, but it still sinks and seeps, Thibodeaux said.
If those drains aren’t sealed, then the property owners who buy the Fairview Park lots will have problems with spots of ground sinking, Thibodeaux said.
Miller said he will examine the drainage line to see what the problem is.
Though the council accepted preliminary approval of the new subdivisions, Beadle said the project would have to meet all minimum engineering requirements.
Thibodeaux plans to wait to see what the engineering review determines and attend that public hearing, he said.
Also during the meeting, Police Chief James Richard said the police, public works and fire departments did a good job Tuesday of trying to stop some of the problems associated with the heavy rain. Berwick got about four inches of rain in a two-and-a-half-hour period, Ratcliff said.
Ratcliff cautioned residents and visitors to not travel on the streets during these heavy rainfall events.
Police put out barricades to block streets in the Country Club area due to high water, Richard said. Three people were cited for violating a town ordinance, which prohibits motorists from driving on flooded streets, Richard said.
The ordinance was passed in 2013 because of issues with motorists pushing a wake into people’s yards due to the flooded streets, Richard said. Police didn’t receive any reports of homes flooding, Richard said.
In other business, the council:
—Approved Progress Payment No. 2 for the sewer collection system on Old Spanish Trail/La. 182 in the amount of $106,431.99.
—Introduced an ordinance to set millage rates for 2015 at 18.12 mills.
—Introduced an ordinance to set the 2015 drainage fee at $25 per acre.
—Proclaimed April as Fair Housing Month in the town of Berwick.

This story is by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.