The Couret Farms neighborhood in north Lafayette is shaping up like many modern subdivisions: new streets, freshly built homes and modest young street trees. But unlike many recent developments, Couret Farms has a stand of old live oaks at its heart, and the developer says those trees will remain.
Old trees anchor a new neighborhood
Southern Lifestyle Development, the firm behind Couret Farms, intentionally centered its community spaces around a historic farmhouse and a cluster of seven live oak trees on a common lawn off West Pont Des Mouton Road. The company models the project on its earlier developments, including River Ranch in Lafayette and Sugar Mill Pond in Youngsville, combining single-family houses with apartments, sidewalks and shared green spaces that link to Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy.
General manager Chris Ventre told residents the oaks are at least 250 years old. The trees stand in the homeowners association common area, and the developer recently had pruning done to promote their health.
"The trees are at least 250 years old, and we just had some pruning done for their health," Ventre said. "They're in the common area, which is already part of the HOA, and we want to do everything we can to ensure their longevity there, for as long as the neighborhood's there and as long as they last."
Development, history and a community choice
The decision to protect the oaks came amid rumors that they might be removed to allow for additional lots. That tension — between maximizing developable land and preserving mature canopy — is playing out across Lafayette Parish as housing demand pushes development into formerly rural and semi-rural pockets.
- Couret Farms features parks, a pond, benches and walking paths intended to create a neighborhood feel.
- The live oaks form a focal point for community events hosted by the HOA.
- Southern Lifestyle Development positions the cluster as a preserved amenity rather than a buildable site.
Residents and planners will watch how those priorities hold up as the subdivision fills out. Protecting large, mature trees can take ongoing investment: pruning, soil management and design decisions that keep infrastructure away from root systems. The developer's commitment to retain the oaks places responsibility for that work on the HOA and future property owners.
What it means for Lafayette
Couret Farms represents one approach to growth in Lafayette: new construction that deliberately preserves elements of the landscape to create an established look from day one. That contrasts with common practice where large trees often come down during site clearing to make way for roads and lots. Whether this model spreads will depend on developer choices, buyer preferences and costs tied to long-term tree care.
| Feature | At Couret Farms |
|---|---|
| Historic trees | Seven live oaks, ~250 years old |
| Developer | Southern Lifestyle Development |
| Nearby school | Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy |
As Lafayette grows, decisions made at subdivisions like Couret Farms will shape the parish's character — block by block, lot by lot. For now, a stand of centuries-old oaks remains a deliberate part of a new neighborhood's identity, and residents will live with the costs and benefits of that choice for decades to come.
