When Michael Williams bought a condemned house on a piece of property on Woodland Drive in Zachary, he saw an opportunity: a place where he could put his carpentry skills to work and build his own home himself.

Williams tore down the dilapidated structure and cleaned up the property. Now that he is ready to begin building his house, he needs a place to keep his tools and some work space.

“I’ve got tools,” Williams said. “I do my own carpentry work. I make my own cabinets. I do everything.”

He had hoped to build a large shed for on-site storage. Zachary, however, prohibits accessory structures from being built before a primary structure such as a house.

Williams sought a waiver at the April 23 City Council meeting, but members of the panel rejected his request, pointing to the importance of adhering to the city’s rules.

Councilwoman Brandy Westmoreland was one of three council members voting to deny the waiver. She said she sympathized with Williams’ dilemma but couldn’t agree to his request.

“I built my own house as well and — same thing. We did a lot of the work ourselves,” she said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to put a shop on my property before — because I followed the UDC (Unified Development Code).”

Councilman James Graves, who moved to approve the waiver, worried that voting against what he saw as a reasonable request would set a precedent that would deter others from following proper protocol.

“They’re going to look at the City Council, that we don’t approve waivers, and they’re just going to do whatever they want to do,” he said.

Councilwoman Jennifer Boyd supported Graves’ motion, saying the council shouldn’t punish a well-meaning resident over rules that may be in need of updates and clarification.

“I think we have work to do on our ordinances and our UDC. And for that reason, you shouldn’t get caught in the middle of trying to get this very nice shop that’s going to be not an eyesore at all,” Boyd told Williams.

Councilwoman Ambre DeVirgilio suggested an alternate solution. Because city rules allow primary and secondary buildings to be constructed concurrently, she said, Williams could avoid the need for a waiver for a shed by going ahead and building a foundation for his house.

“If you permit the house and permit the structure at the same time, no waiver would be required,” city inspector Scott Masterson said. “We could handle that in house.”

Later in the meeting, the council discussed the possibility of giving its clerk, Dana LeJeune, a pay raise. In addition to being a full-time city employee, she is a clerk responsible for duties such as taking minutes at after-hours meetings of the City Council and other bodies, including the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Graves requested the item to be placed on the agenda. He said the pay LeJeune receives for her services to the council has not changed since 2018.

He noted that LeJeune has completed additional training to improve her skills.

The council voted to give Graves, who is the mayor pro tempore, the authority to negotiate a raise for LeJeune with the city administration. A specific amount was not set at the meeting.

“That’s what we need to talk about outside of chambers,” Graves said.

In other business, the council:

  • Approved a final plat for Afton Oaks, a townhome development to be built near Walmart.
  • Discussed the need for updated rules governing signage, massage therapy businesses and the process for handling junk vehicle complaints.
  • Reappointed Todd McKey to the Gas Utility District 1 board of commissioners.
  • Honored the Copper Mill Elementary School Lady Colts basketball team for winning the CSAA Girls Middle School Division championship.
  • Recognized the 56th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which was passed in April 1968.