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Record of Proceedings

New Orleans City Planning Commission Meeting - September 22, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, September 22, 2026
BodyNew Orleans, Louisiana
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:50

Original source
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1:29

Good afternoon.

1:30

I'll take roll call.

1:31

Commissioner Jackson.

1:33

Commissioner Poche.

1:35

Commissioner Abear.

1:37

Commissioner Flick.

1:38

Present.

1:39

Commissioner Whitry is here.

1:41

Commissioner Jordan.

1:42

Present.

1:42

Commissioner Steve.

1:43

Here.

1:44

Wonderful.

1:46

I'm going to read today's formal public hearing rules.

1:49

The City Planning Commission has established certain rules governing the procedures to be followed at public hearings.

1:56

Before speaking, each person should give their name, address, and state whom he or she is representing.

2:03

Proponents for the proposal will speak for a period of ten minutes.

2:07

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes.

2:10

Opponents or other interested parties will be able to speak for a period of 15 minutes.

2:16

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes.

2:19

Proponents will be allowed six minutes for a rebuttal.

2:22

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes.

2:25

Opponents will not be able to rebut.

2:28

No material, written matter, photographs, maps, et cetera, will be accepted by the Commission or any staff during this time.

2:36

And this procedure shall be followed except at such time when the preceding officer shall with the approval of Commission members extend such time.

2:46

At first I'd be looking for a motion to adopt the minutes from August twenty-fifth and September eighth.

2:56

Is that correct, Mr.

2:57

Kroll?

2:58

Okay.

2:58

Do we need to do two separate motions?

3:00

Or just a single motion?

3:02

I think one motion's fine.

3:04

Sure.

3:04

I'll make a motion for approval of the September 8th and August 25th minutes.

3:11

Thank you, Commissioner Jordan.

3:12

Any discussion.

3:15

All right.

3:16

Commissioner Jackson.

3:19

Yes.

3:20

Commissioner Pochet.

3:21

Yes.

3:21

Commissioner Abear.

3:23

Yes.

3:23

Commissioner Flick.

3:24

Yes.

3:24

Commissioner.

3:25

Commissioner Witchery, yes.

3:26

Commissioner Jordan.

3:28

Yes.

3:28

Commissioner C.

3:30

All right.

3:30

The motion carries.

3:31

Thank you so much.

3:33

We are moving on to our first order of business, zoning docket zero nine eight-26.

3:42

Yes.

3:43

Good afternoon.

3:44

Um zoning docket zero nine eight twenty-six.

3:47

Uh this stems from motion council motion M26272, which is a request for an amendment to the text of the comprehensive zoning ordinance to implement with certain modifications.

3:58

The Commission's recommendations from its cannabis tobacco and nicotine study.

4:01

So if you are recall on April 14th of this year, you heard the findings of staff's study and provided some subsequent recommendations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation███████████████████████████████████████39%
Cannabis Regulation███████████████████████████████31%
Zoning And Land Use██████████████████18%
Procedural█████████9%
Public Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

New Orleans City Planning Commission Meeting - September 22, 2026

The City Planning Commission met on September 22, 2026, at 1:30 P.M. in Council Chambers. The meeting covered zoning text amendments, a street name change, a transfer of development rights study, subdivision requests, and ratification of administrative subdivisions. Commissioners voted on all agenda items.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The minutes of the August 25 and September 8, 2026 meetings were approved by a unanimous voice vote (Commissioner Jackson, Poche, Abear, Flick, Whitry, Jordan, Steeg all voting yes).
  • Subdivision Ratifications: Five subdivisions meeting criteria for administrative approval were ratified unanimously (Commissioners Poche, Abear, Flick, Whitry, Jordan, Steeg voting yes; Jackson absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Zoning Docket 098/26 (Cannabis, Tobacco, Nicotine Text Amendment):
    • Daisy Ellis (representing NOHHS, Health and Human Services) expressed strong support for the zoning changes, particularly buffers near child-friendly locations to reduce youth initiation.
    • Susan Johnson (Town of Carrollton Watch) spoke in opposition, arguing that distance requirements and hours of operation were insufficiently strict, and that marijuana retailers should not be a permitted use in mixed-use zoning. She also criticized the influence of the medical cannabis lobby.
    • Ryan Baim (neighbor of a dispensary on Carrollton) opposed the amendment due to ongoing nuisances from the existing dispensary (traffic, noise, trash, public cannabis consumption), and urged the Commission to address enforcement and hours limitations.
  • Street Name Change 002/26: No public testimony in opposition was provided. Councilman Green and Iam Tucker (daughter of Robert H. Tucker) spoke in favor, highlighting Tucker's civil rights and economic equity contributions.
  • Transfer of Development Rights Study: No public testimony.
  • Subdivision Dockets 098/26 and 099/26: No public testimony.

Discussion Items

  • Zoning Docket 098/26 – Text Amendment to Implement Cannabis, Tobacco, and Nicotine Study: Staff presented three new land use categories (marijuana retailer, smoke shop, retail sale of tobacco/nicotine/hemp as ancillary use) and distance requirements: 500 feet from residential zones and child-friendly uses, and 1,000 feet between smoke shops. Hours of operation proposed: 7 AM–10 PM weekdays, 8 AM–10 PM weekends for marijuana retailers and smoke shops. Staff recommended modified approval. Commissioners discussed enforcement issues, the impact on existing dispensaries (which would become legal non-conforming), and future state regulatory changes. A motion to approve with staff recommendations carried 7-0.
  • Street Name Change 002/26 – Rename Piety Street to Robert H. Tucker Street: The proposal would rename a 3,686-foot segment of Piety Street (affecting 117 lots and 149 addresses) to Robert H. Tucker Street. Staff recommended approval with a waiver of the five-year posthumous requirement, noting Tucker's significant impact as a civil rights leader. Councilman Green and the Tucker family spoke in favor. The Commission unanimously approved with one waiver.
  • Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Study: Staff presented a study (initiated by Council Motion M-19-195 in 2019) recommending a two-phase TDR program for the CBD to preserve historic structures. Sending sites: all significant/contributing historic structures in local historic districts and landmarks. Receiving sites: all non-historic areas in the CBD. Key recommendations include a 20% maximum increase in height/FAR for receiving sites, deed restrictions for sending sites, and a requirement for historic structure assessments and preservation plans. The market analysis indicated a weak development market in the CBD. The study was adopted unanimously for transmittal to the City Council.
  • Subdivision Docket 098/26 – Mount Tabor Baptist Church Re-subdivision: Resubdivision of Lot 5-A into two lots to separate a church and a two-family dwelling. Staff recommended tentative approval with one proviso. Approved unanimously.
  • Subdivision Docket 099/26 – Magnolia Market Place II, LLC Re-subdivision: Resubdivision of Lot M into two lots at 2900 South Claiborne Avenue to separate a main commercial building and a fast-food building. Staff recommended approval with one proviso. Approved unanimously (Commissioner Jackson absent).

Key Outcomes

  • Zoning Docket 098/26: Approved with modified staff recommendations (7-0). The text amendment will create new land use categories and impose distance requirements for cannabis, tobacco, and nicotine retailers.
  • Street Name Change 002/26: Approved with a waiver of the five-year posthumous rule (7-0). Piety Street (from Carver Rams Way to Florida Avenue) will be renamed Robert H. Tucker Street.
  • Transfer of Development Rights Study: Adopted (7-0). The study will be transmitted to the City Council for potential text amendment action.
  • Subdivision Docket 098/26: Tentative approval with one proviso (7-0).
  • Subdivision Docket 099/26: Approval with one proviso (6-0, Commissioner Jackson absent).
  • Subdivision Ratifications: Ratified (7-0).
  • Meeting Adjourned: Motion to adjourn carried.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. I'll take roll call. Commissioner Jackson. Commissioner Poche. Commissioner Abear. Commissioner Flick. Present. Commissioner Whitry is here. Commissioner Jordan. Present. Commissioner Steve. Here. Wonderful. I'm going to read today's formal public hearing rules. The City Planning Commission has established certain rules governing the procedures to be followed at public hearings. Before speaking, each person should give their name, address, and state whom he or she is representing. Proponents for the proposal will speak for a period of ten minutes. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Opponents or other interested parties will be able to speak for a period of 15 minutes. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Proponents will be allowed six minutes for a rebuttal. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Opponents will not be able to rebut. No material, written matter, photographs, maps, et cetera, will be accepted by the Commission or any staff during this time. And this procedure shall be followed except at such time when the preceding officer shall with the approval of Commission members extend such time. At first I'd be looking for a motion to adopt the minutes from August twenty-fifth and September eighth. Is that correct, Mr. Kroll? Okay. Do we need to do two separate motions? Or just a single motion? I think one motion's fine. Sure. I'll make a motion for approval of the September 8th and August 25th minutes. Thank you, Commissioner Jordan. Any discussion. All right. Commissioner Jackson. Yes. Commissioner Pochet. Yes. Commissioner Abear. Yes. Commissioner Flick. Yes. Commissioner. Commissioner Witchery, yes. Commissioner Jordan. Yes. Commissioner C.

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