The New Orleans City Planning Commission met on September 8, 2026, at 1:30 PM in Council Chambers. The commission considered 16 zoning dockets, including zoning changes, conditional uses, and text amendments. Key themes included commercial short-term rentals (STRs) in residential and commercial districts, neighborhood commercial establishments, and a major transient lodging study. The commission deferred two items for further review and approved modified amendments. Votes reflected a cautious approach to STRs in residential areas while supporting certain uses in commercial corridors and in remote locations.
Good afternoon and welcome to today's City Planning Commission meeting. We're gonna go ahead and get started. Commissioner Poche. Commissioner A Bear. Here. Commissioner Flick present. Commissioner Jordan. Present. Commissioner C. Commissioner Jackson. Wonderful. I'm gonna go ahead and read the hearing rules. The City Planning Commission has established certain rules governing the procedures to be followed at the public hearings. Before speaking, each person should give her name, address, and state who he or she is representing. Proponents of the proposal will speak for a period of ten minutes. Opponents or other interested parties will be um speak for a period of 15 minutes. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Proponents will be allowed a period of six minutes for rebuttal. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. No material, written matter, photographs, maps, etc. will be accepted by the commission or its staff at any time during this public hearing. This procedure shall be followed except at time such time than the proceeding officer with the approval of the commission members present, extend such time. However, staff reports are always uh technical in nature and generally uphold the precedent to retain consistency in their recommendations. We are being cautious about setting a precedent for the expansion and subsequent retraction of non-conforming use permission, especially as they pertain to the sale of alcohol. The site features our historical commercial structure that has been in operation since at least 1929. Granted that uh HU B1A zoning qualifies under the historic non-conforming use policy, maintaining the zoning classification would be consistent with and respectful of the master plan in the historic character of the surrounding area. Ultimately, staff finds that this particular type of neighborhood commercial structure is what the H U B1A district was intended for. Therefore, staff finds that maintaining the H2B1A district is the most appropriate zoning classification for this site. Uh for these reasons, staff's recommends denial of the requested change uh and recommends to keep the H2B1A zoning district on the site. Thank you. Before we get started, uh um we just received a card, but we're not sure on which item that is. Um Ms. Sharon Posey. Which item are you here to speak on? Okay. 17. Okay, thank you. Do I have no cards to speak on this upcoming map this docket item? Is no one here to speak on the cafe? Oh. Sorry. Hi, hi. Welcome. Hello. Good to see you. Thank you. You too. Oh, uh, my name is Claire Bian. I am um the land use staffer for City Council District A. Um, we are the applicant of this request.