There has been a lot of misinformation circulating regarding a potential development in Covington. As parish president, it is important to me that our citizens are fully and accurately informed.
St. Tammany Parish government cannot allow or prevent a development based on whether we like it or not. We administer the laws as written by the parish council. As this development did not require a zoning change, council action and public meetings were not required. However, as is with every development, all laws, ordinances and regulations need to be successfully met to gain permit approval. As of today, no building permits have been approved for this development. Anything you may have heard otherwise is completely and intentionally false.
The developer of the Covington Trace Ridge Apartments applied for a grant from the state. Notice of the development was sent to the council on Oct. 31, 2022. Council member David Fitzgerald admitted at the June council meeting that he saw the notice, but dismissed it because he thought “that’ll never happen.” He and the council, the legislative branch that holds the sole power to change ordinances, did nothing.
As a result of their inaction, council member Fitzgerald and the council are attempting to shift blame and have launched a taxpayer-funded “investigation” into my administration. For the council to claim they did not know the apartments were allowed is absolutely unacceptable — that’s their job. They had the opportunity to call for public meetings and didn’t. Either they are woefully ignorant of the laws and processes they put into place, or they are lying to the people of this parish.
It’s time for the council to stop wasting time, energy and our citizens’ tax dollars fighting with my administration and start working together for the people of St. Tammany Parish.
MIKE COOPER
president, St. Tammany Parish
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