Opponents of a proposed apartment complex and a request to rezone a house to a commercial classification scored victories at the Zachary Planning and Zoning Commission’s April 7 meeting, where members took a stand against both requests.
The commission’s votes serve as recommendations to the City Council, which could make final
Road project meeting set April 16
The Port Hudson-Pride Road Project is holding a public open house 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, at the Zachary Branch Library 1900 Church St.
This project proposes adding paved shoulders, reconstructing existing open ditches and installing sidewalks on both sides of the roadway
During the meeting, the public will be able to review conceptual images of the proposed improvements and ask questions of the project team
decisions on the items later this month.
Several people showed up to speak against a site plan for Sherwood Park, which would include 144 apartment units on about 9 acres of property in the 5300 and 5400 blocks of Lower Zachary Road.
A parade of speakers including residents and the owners of Stoneybrook, a nearby apartment complex — cited concerns about increasing traffic and lowering
property values in the area.
Byron Burkhalter the project applicant, and Erik Piazza, an attorney, insisted the development would be an asset to Zachary They pushed back against several people’s suggestions that Sherwood Park would participate in the federal low-income housing voucher program commonly known as Section 8.
“There’s no intent to do that here,” Piazza said. “It’s being discussed to put fear in everyone’s
mind that this is going to be a junky apartment complex and fall apart and turn into a bad neighborhood.
This project is almost $40 million — that’s $268,000 per unit. It will not, at those numbers, decrease property values.”
Calesia Anderson, assistant planning and zoning specialist, said her office recommended approval of the plan.
“It is compatible with surrounding uses, and the site plan doesn’t have any deficiencies,” she told the
commission.
Still, commissioners had questions about whether the site plan met all development code requirements. A key concern they raised was the fact that the plan calls for only one exit. It was unclear whether the commission’s vote against the apartment plan is final or if the matter will be forwarded to the City Council as is usually the case.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG MOVES
Warren Brady
ZACHARY SPORTS
Zachary sports honors, achievements are plentiful
Lot of things going on as seasons are hitting the stretch run. Where to start?
Let’s go backward and give a shout out to the state championship winning Zachary High basketball teams boys and girls. The honors start locally with coach Tami McCure, junior Ava Ramond and senior Tiarra McPipe earning All Metro honors. All three extended the awards statewide when they were all named to the Louisiana Sport Writers Association AllState team. Similarly, sophomore Ian Edmond and senior Xavier Ferguson were both named to the All-Metro team. They both picked up first team all-district 4-5A. For Ferguson, this was his second time making the AllDistrict first team. Both were also selected by the LSWA for the All-State team with Ferguson making the first team and Edmond earning honorable mention.
Next up is the ZHS baseball team (21-12) that split two games with Central and lost a home game to Catholic on April 10. At the time of writing, they
Students performed April 10 in Zachary High’s Lip Sync Battle. The battle was sponsored by the school’s choir department.
The Lip Sync Battle was won by the group Game Over
In addition to students, members of the Zachary School Board performed as the Guru and the Crew to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.
School Board members perform as the Guru and the Crew to ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams. ä More photos
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PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
The Junior ROTC Apex group dance to the sounds of ‘Bunny Hop’ by Da Entourage
Parents, friends and Zachary resident come out to watch the Zachary High students compete
Lip Sync Battle judges, from left, are Carrie Godbold, Jeanine Meese, Andrew Maas, Abby Gaines, Erica Henry and Natasha Walker
The Best Babies posing before going on stage to perform, from left are Brielle Tookas, junior; Cynthia Jackson, junior; and Alvin Johnson, junior
ZHS Choir Students selling concessions during Lip Sync Battle, from left, are Evelyn Vargas, senior; Selina Huang, senior; and Jaiden Dyer, junior
Zachary High choir student greeters, from left, Emma White, sophomore, and Charlaysia Rice, freshmen, help out April 10 at the Lip Sync Battle.
Zachary High senior Willow Puckett stage name, Cultural Flow, performed ‘Kung Pao’ by Ceraadi.
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
The Lip Sync Battle winner, Game Over, celebrate after the Zachary High choir department’s Lip Sync Battle
Community news report
Lavey Lane work underway
Through September, major roadwork on Lavey Lane will result in a partial road closure.
At least one lane will remain open with flagmen directing traffic.
The flow of traffic will continue but expect delays.
The announcement said these improvements will provide better drainage and resurfacing of the roadway
Running Reverend event set
Running Reverend is holding a Family Day 5k Run and 1 mile fun walk from 8 a.m.. to 11 a.m., April 28 at 3325 Groom Road, Baker
Farmers Market and Pop Up Shop
A Farmers Market and Pop Up Shop will be in Baker from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 14, Sept. 13 and Dec. 13. Vendor fees are $25 for Baker Chamber of Commerce members and $40 for non members. Food trucks will cost $75 for members and $125 for non members. For information, contact Latoya at (225) 412-4311 or latoya@bakercoc.com. Stop the Violence group sets summer programs
The Diontrey Claiborne Stop the Violence Organization is set to host its annual basketball and cheer summer camp at Advantage Charter School from July 10-13. Applications will be accepted through June 30, and volunteers are welcome.
For information on how to support the cause, visit DCSTV.org.
ZONING
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Mindy Slaughter, commission chairwoman, said the panel’s decisions regarding site plans with no waiver requests or conditional usages are final according to a chart in the development code. But discussions were underway to determine if it should be sent along to the council anyways, she said. On the rezoning item Luong Nguyen had requested to change the classification of a house at 2651 Church
Francis Normand, friend of Charlee’s; Lisa Rioux, Rotarian; and Charlene Bolton, of Charlee’s Angels; at the March 20, 2025, Zachary Rotary meeting PROVIDED PHOTO
Zachary Rotary learns about Give a Girl a Purse from Charlene Bolton
Community news report
Zachary Rotary hosted Charlene Bolton of Charlee’s Angels at the March 20 meeting.
Bolton is an advocate and leader in the community dedicated to bringing joy and smiles to senior living communities.
the loss of the stipends amounts to a sizable pay cut for teachers.” We regret the error
Bolton shared her most recent campaign, Give a Girl a Purse. This initiative provides purses filled with essentials like lip balm, pictures and tissues, to Alzheimer’s patients. These packed purses offer a sense of familiarity with the most important accessory in a woman’s life.
St from residential suburban to commercial neighborhood so she can open a Vietnamese takeout restaurant there.
“Zachary is our home, and we truly want to be good neighbors,” Nguyen said. “We are committed to running a clean, respectful and welcoming business to reflect the values of this community.”
A few people who live near the house — which sits on the corner of Church and July streets at the front of a residential neighborhood — spoke highly of Nguyen but nevertheless expressed
To support this cause, consider donating new or gently used purses, essentials, or uplifting messages to be included.
discomfort with her plans. They are worried about traffic and what would happen if the restaurant were to go out of business.
Scott Page, a July Street resident who said he previously worked as a chef, pointed out the high failure rate of restaurants.
“If it’s zoned commercial and the restaurant doesn’t work, I don’t know that there’s any limit to what legal businesses can actually operate,” Page said. “We could start out with a restaurant and then have a bar on the corner of our neighborhood two years down the road.”
Slaughter was encouraged by the large turnout of people at the meeting and the interest they took in issues affecting their neighborhoods.
“The oppositions expressed far surpassed simple discontent. Rather, they listed deficiencies for reference,” she said after the meeting. “Many voices also offered supportive comments towards a proposed restaurant and encouraged the favor for placement if only presented in a more conducive location. These public hearings offered objective consideration.”
MAKING MUSIC & MEMORIES
Cozy Len & Rewind Band took the stage Friday for Zachary’s Downtown Live at the Gazebo. In addition to concert, the event featured food trucks.
Zachary officials set hearing on proposed master plan
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE
Contributing writer
Zachary residents can offer their thoughts on the city’s proposed new master plan at a workshop Wednesday, April 23. It will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Zachary Branch Library Members of the city’s planning staff and the Villavaso and Associates planning firm will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback.
Zachary’s current master plan, which outlines existing and future land uses in the city, was adopted in 2010. The updated version has been in the works for the past couple of years and is nearing completion. The Planning and Zoning Commission has the authority to approve the plan. It’s expected to receive a final draft of the document in May and vote on whether to adopt it soon after
ZACHARY POLICE BOOKINGS
The following people were booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison or issued a summons by the Zachary Police Department from March 27-April 2:
SHELBY BURKE: 30; 6145 Rolling Acres Drive, Baker; failure to appear on outstanding bench warrants
DEMOCKA CARNEY: 44; 16628 Plank Road, Baker; two counts of failure to appear on outstanding bench warrants
LISA DIXON: 45; 4031 Florida St., Watson; failure to appear on outstanding bench warrants
DEVON GREEN: 29; 8296 Ormand Drive, Zachary; operating a vehicle while intoxicated AN HU: 44; 13639 41st Ave., Flushing, New York; inciting prostitution, money laundering
All locations of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library will close on Thursday April 17 for Staff Training Day and on Friday, April 18 and Sunday, April 20 in observance of Good Friday and Easter Change made to school calendar
Rouge; fugitive warrant from East Baton Rouge Parish
MONICA MCCLEARY: 54; 4402 Yardley Drive, Slaughter; theft BO PICKARD: 34; 522 VZ County Road 2433, Canton, Texas; simple criminal damage to property
MALIK ROBINSON: 18; 2121 Ridgefield Ave., Zachary; aggravated criminal damage to property, assault by drive by shooting
SHAQUILLE ROBINSON: 23; 7645 Kristene Ave Zachary; aggravated criminal damage to property, distribution or possession Schedule I drugs, illegal carrying of weapons with controlled dangerous substance, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities, obstruction of justice
BRENDA SMITH: 61; 7308 Marshall Bond Drive, Zachary; simple battery
The city of Zachary encourages its utility customers to go paperless and offers two options to switch to paperless billing. Choose the option that best suits your convenience and enjoy the benefits of paperless billing.
Online Option:
n Visit the City of Zachary website at www.cityofzachary.org.
and
SugarHoneyLemony provides freshsqueezed lemonade and 40+ flavors. The crew included Brittany Garrett, and her assistants,
BRADY
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would be a 16 seed in the Division 1 tournament and get a home game to start the playoffs in the bi-district round before taking on the 1 seed in the regionals.
The Zachary track team competed April 10 in the Episcopal Josten’s Invitational. Top finishers for the boys were Caleb Hilton, first place in the 100-meter and 200-meter; Tyler Jackson first in the 400-meter; and Connor Conachen, first in the javelin.
Event winners for the girls were Serenity Early in the 300-meter hurdles, the 4x100-meter relay team of Sabriah Bethley, Talar Johnson, Karli Hester and Lauren Vessel; and Kai Richard in the shot put. The previous week the girls were the overall team winner and the boys finished third at the Dutchtown Invitational. They will compete in the Grizzly Relays on April 16 and the St. Amant Invitational on April 17 before the 4-5A District meet April 24, Regionals May 1 and state championships May 10
The ZHS softball team (16-11) celebrated senior night on April 11 when they hosted Edna Karr The Broncos are on the bubble for the playoffs and were seeded 24 at the time of writing
Four seniors — Addysen Thornton, Audrey Mitchem, Madison Albert and Savannah Franklin — were recognized before the game. After the introductions and with Mitchem pitching, the Broncos held Karr scoreless in the first and picked up 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Karr fought back in the second to score 4 runs and take the lead. Avery Hastings has an in-the-park home
run to tie the score to start the bottom of the second and 8 runs later the broncos were in control 13-4 after 2 innings
After holding the Panthers scoreless in the top of third, the bats exploded again as the Broncos rolled to a 20-4 senior night win
On a sad note, Friday April 11 former Bronco Clarence “Claudell” Johnson was laid to rest. As I drove by the old Baker Middle School where, as teammates, we capped an undefeated football season at Northwestern Middle School under coach Vincent Perry another Zachary legend I thought it worth mentioning to folks who remember a special athlete who looked like he was chiseled out of granite, in eighth grade no less.
Clarence was an incredible multi-sport athlete and friend that competed in football, basketball, track and field and powerlifting at ZHS in the late 1980s. He was an integral part of district and regional championship teams, a winner of individual events and honors and that is just a few years of his almost 55-year life that I was proud to call him my teammate and friend.
Prayers from Zachary sports to his friends and family
Ending things on the positive: The Zachary Broadcasting Foundation is hosting the second annual Zachary Community Golf Tournament May 2 at Copper Mill Golf Course. Registration starts at 7 a.m. with shotgun start shortly thereafter at 8 a.m. If you are interested in playing or being a hole sponsor call Thomas Scott at (225) 505-2560 Entry fee gets you breakfast lunch, golf cart, course fee and a goody bag.
Warren Brady covers sports for The Plainsman. He can be contacted at zachary@theadvocate.com.
The Zachary Community School District posted a revised 2024-25 school calendar
To compensate for the required instructional minutes lost due to the weather closure March 31, the last three early dismissal days will be converted to regular dismissal days (May 20-22). Visit https:// tinyurl.com/mspnjbvv to see the calendar Festival seeks vendors
The Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival is seeking artisan and craft vendors. To sign up, visit https://form.jotform. com/250956272325156
Check your flood risk
As the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, take a moment to understand your property’s individual flood risk, including what flood zone you’re in and if you’re located in a floodway It’s also really important to verify that your elevation certificate is correct and that you’re correctly rated for flood insurance.
Zachary residents can find all this info in one place, powered by Forerunner at
n Click on the “Bill Payment” tab on the right side of the home page. Enter your account number If you don’t know your account number, you will need to register online.
n Once in your account, click on “Profile” and change your notification preference to email.
Phone Option:
n Call the city of Zachary Utility Cashier’s Office at (225) 654-6871 to opt out of paper billing.
Dance camp coming Molly Myers Dance Academy is holding Rodeo Roundup Dance Camp from July 1418. It’s open to ages 4 and up. Cost is $160 a child with $20 discount for siblings. A Tshirt is included. Attendees need to wear tennis shows and pack a lunch.
RSVP at molly_myersdance@att.net.
Send news and events for the Zachary area to zachary@theadvocate.com by noon Friday or call (225) 388-0731.
Cherie Garrett
Rosalind Carter
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
The community gathers to have a good time and listen to the sounds of Cozy Len & Rewind Band Friday for Zachary’s Downtown Live at the Gazebo.
Shanell Mark with her husband, Patrick Mark enjoy a date night at Downtown Live at the Gazebo.
Cozy Len & Rewind Band perform Friday at Downtown Live at the Gazebo.
Khy’lei Williams, 1, waits for Cozy Len & Rewind Band to take the stage.
