Residents, conservationists seek to join Sucette Harbor legal dispute, file motion to intervene

Residents, conservationists move to join lawsuit over Mandeville hotel, events center, apartments, marina project

Wildlife advocates say Sucette Harbor plan threatens Lake Pontchartrain ecosystem

Intervenors argue city land use rules must be enforced to stop overdevelopment

Seek expedited hearing to head off settlement conference scheduled for Monday

MANDEVILLE — A coalition of local residents and environmental advocates filed a “motion to intervene” Friday in the ongoing federal lawsuit involving the City Council’s vote to deny the Sucette Harbor project in 2023.

The long-debated, often-criticized Sucette Harbor project was rejected September 5th, 2023, after a months-long process that generated a groundswell of opposition to building a hotel, events center, and apartment complex in the middle of a residential area at the west end of the Mandeville Lakefront.

The intervenors — a group of homeowners, a biologist, and the Orleans Audubon Society — petitioned the court to allow them to participate in the case, citing their personal, environmental, and property-related interests.

The proposed intervenors include Lawrence Grundmann, Kathleen Grundmann, Emory Clark, Thomas Snedeker, Robert Ellis, Emily Ellis, Walter Bahn, Mary Bahn, Ellen A. O’Connell, James K. O’Connell, Tom Whalen, Teri Whalen, Ralph Whalen, Dr. Christopher G. Brantley, and the Orleans Audubon Society.

Their motion argues that the Sucette Harbor project will have severe environmental consequences, increase traffic congestion, and negatively impact property values in the area. They further claim that previous marina projects in the same location have led, or would have led, to disastrous results for Mandeville and its residents.

The Orleans Audubon Society and Dr. Christopher Brantley, a professional biologist, are particularly concerned with the project’s impact on wildlife habitats, including critical areas for migratory birds and native species. Their motion states that the project will destroy old-growth trees, disrupt wetland ecosystems, and contribute to increased erosion along the Lake Pontchartrain shoreline.

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Related:

• Sucette Harbor killed, 5-0
• Sucette sues City of Mandeville, council member
• City, Zuckerman file motions to dismiss Sucette lawsuit

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Additionally, the intervenors contend that the City of Mandeville’s Comprehensive Land Use Regulations Ordinance (CLURO) is not being properly followed, and that they have a distinct legal interpretation of these regulations that differs from both the plaintiffs and the defendants.

The Sucette Complaint, originally filed on October 5th, 2023 by Woodward Harbor LLC and the LSU Health Foundation New Orleans, alleges that the city improperly restricted development on the plaintiff’s land, violating property rights under the Takings Clause and other legal doctrines.

The city and co-defendant Councilman at Large Jason Zuckerman have responded with multiple motions to dismiss, arguing that the case lacks merit or is not yet ripe for judicial review.

The proposed intervenors now seek to join the case as defendants, aligning with the city’s opposition to the project, but from an environmental and residential protection perspective rather than an economic or regulatory one.

The intervenors have also requested an expedited hearing and oral arguments, urging the court to consider their position before any settlement discussions or rulings take place.

The settlement conference is scheduled for Monday, February 24th.

If granted, their intervention would expand the scope of the litigation to include broader environmental and community-based concerns. If denied, they may need to pursue separate legal action or advocacy efforts to prevent the development from moving forward.

The court has yet to schedule a hearing on the motion, but with multiple dismissal motions, settlement discussions, and now an intervention request pending, the case is rapidly evolving. Legal analysts suggest that this new development could significantly influence the trajectory of the lawsuit and its potential outcomes for Mandeville residents, conservationists, and developers alike.

This remains a developing story, and further updates will follow as the court considers the intervention request and other pending motions.

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