New Orleans City Council Regular Meeting – October 1, 2026

The New Orleans City Council convened its regular meeting at 9:13 a.m. on October 1, 2026, with five members initially present and a full seven after arrivals. The meeting opened with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilmembers approved the minutes of September 3, 17, and 22 (special), adopted a large consent agenda, and then addressed a lengthy regular agenda that included a breast cancer awareness presentation, multiple zoning and historic district appeals, utility resolutions, budget adjustments, and recognition of community members. Key actions included amending the affordable housing fee-in-lieu, approving a monastery adaptive reuse, and honoring the late historian Frank Perez and community servant Taj Rudolph.

Special Orders of Business – 13th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day

• The council recognized October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Medical professionals from LSU Health, the New Orleans Health Department, University Medical Center, and other institutions spoke about early detection, disparities in breast cancer mortality (noting a 40% higher mortality rate for Black women), and the need for access to screening and survivorship resources. Councilmembers then presented proclamations to several survivors representing each council district and the Mayor's Office, including Florence Collier-Smith, Cynthia Willard-Lewis, Thyn Oo, Elaine Kimbrell, Linda Baker, Patriana Hart, Patricia Williams, and Jann Wynne. Honoree Patriana Hart began radiation treatment the same day.

Consent Calendar

• The council adopted the consent agenda (items 1–23, as amended) in a single 6-0 vote (King absent). This included receipt of utility communications from Entergy New Orleans (environmental, fuel, and purchased power adjustments for October 2026 billing; a post-storm report on Tropical Storm Arthur; and petitions for intervention from the Alliance for Affordable Energy and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.). Other received items included a conditional-use extension request for 3220 Chartres Street/500 Piety Street, an LDEQ permit notification report, contracts for a West End drainage project and health department services (Ubuntu Village), City Planning Commission zoning docket transmittals (with hearing date October 15), a Council Research Office demolition report for 2606-2608 First Street, HDLC appeal reports for 1426 Dauphine Street, 1830 Fern Street, 3636 St. Charles Avenue, and 1507 Esplanade Avenue, and a Transfer of Development Rights Study. The agenda also approved the appointment of Travis Phipps to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (M-26-414), Jacques Detiege to the Civil Service Commission (M-26-417), extended electric and gas formula rate plans (R-26-418), certified Hurricane Francine costs (R-26-419), protected ratepayers in a FERC docket (R-26-420), and authorized council president signatures on agreements with Marais Consultants (M-26-416), Ubuntu Village (M-26-431), the Louisiana Critical Response Emergency Search Team (M-26-434), and Leads Online (M-26-435). Resolution R-26-421 (battery energy storage) was withdrawn from consent and later replaced with a substitute on the regular agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jordan Rogers (speaking for Andronika Morris) urged the council to delay the affordable housing fee reduction (Cal. 35,530), arguing that lowering the fee-in-lieu from $304,810 to $10,000 without enacting other recommended MIZ policy changes would allow developers to bypass affordability requirements while still receiving public subsidies. He requested a full CPC review before adoption.
• Ron Lazel expressed strong support for increasing the fee from $5,000 to $10,000 per unit, and suggested that the upcoming transient lodging study could further support affordable housing funding.
• Rashida Ferdinand spoke in favor of the Sankofa Community Development Corporation’s green infrastructure project (Cal. 35,571), thanking Councilmember Hughes and the council for their commitment to nature-based solutions in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Discussion Items

• Affordable Housing Fee-in-Lieu (Cal. 35,530 & M-26-432): Councilmember Harris introduced an amendment to raise the fee from $5,000 to $10,000 per required affordable unit (adopted 6-0). The underlying ordinance reduces the fee from the current $304,810 to align with the HR&A Advisors’ November 2025 market study, which found that almost all development in New Orleans is infeasible without subsidy. The council also adopted a companion motion (M-26-432, 7-0) directing the City Planning Commission to hold a public hearing on Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance amendments based on the same study, including changes to affordable set-asides, AMI levels, and zoning incentives.
• Demolition at 2606-2608 First Street (Item 3): Approved 6-0. The applicant had to change contractors after a previous approval, necessitating a new application.
• HDLC Appeals:
  • Zachary Hand (1426 Dauphine Street): Approved 7-0. The council allowed retention of a metal porch gate and removal of roof ridge tiles, noting the homeowner’s good-faith investment and the presence of a young child; building-code issues were left to Safety and Permits.
  • Monique Brierre (1507 Esplanade Avenue): Approved as modified 7-0. The council permitted retention of windows with conditions (recessing and screens) despite deviation from approved plans, citing the burden on a homeowner investing in an area needing full-time residents.
  • Nicole Webre (3636 St. Charles Avenue): Deferred to October 15.
  • Igor Fernanda Miranda (1830 Fern Street): Withdrawn at the applicant’s request.
• Zoning Docket 59/26 – Commercial Short-Term Rental (1622 Toledano Street): Approved with modification 5-1 (Morrell dissenting, King absent). The motion limited the use to one of three units (each with five bedrooms) as a commercial short-term rental, with the other two required to be residential, responding to mixed community input and pending regulatory changes.
• Zoning Docket 73/26 – Franciscan Poor Clares Monastery Adaptive Reuse (720 Henry Clay Avenue): Approved 6-0. A substitute motion added a variance from the doubles-to-dorms overlay to allow additional bathrooms. The project will convert the monastery into condominiums with two new residential buildings, matching the historic design.
• EMS Intergovernmental Transfer (Cal. 35,548): Approved 7-0. The $1.2 million IGT payment to the Louisiana Department of Health will enable New Orleans EMS to receive approximately $7.9 million annually in enhanced Medicaid reimbursements.
• Fossil-Fuel Vehicle Ordinance (Cal. 35,569): Adopted as amended 6-0 (Harris absent). The amendment allows the city to purchase non-plug-in electric hybrid passenger vehicles; the underlying ordinance streamlines waiver rules for electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Wisner Lawsuit Settlement (M-26-415): Approved 7-0, authorizing the Council President to execute a settlement with the Salvation Army and defendants in the Wisner Trust litigation.
• Battery Energy Storage Phase III (R-26-421 substitute, later numbered R-26-437): Adopted 7-0. The resolution approves ICF International as third-party administrator for the Energy Smart program and sets parameters for the battery storage incentive.
• Sewerage & Water Board Appointment (M-26-436): Suspended rules to confirm Kerwin Julien Sr. as the council’s representative for a term ending June 30, 2030 (7-0).
• Honoring Frank Perez (R-26-422): Adopted 6-0 (King absent). The council remembered the late LGBTQ+ historian, author, and tour guide with personal tributes and a proclamation.
• Taj Rudolph Honorary Intersection (M-26-423): Unanimously adopted (7-0). The intersection of Lake Forest Boulevard and Wright Road was designated in honor of Taj Rudolph, a young former city employee and community advocate; Councilmember Hughes also renamed the District E Youth Advisory Council after him.
• Election Resolutions: The council set April 17, 2027, for elections in the Faubourg Marigny Security and Improvement District (R-26-430, 7-0) and the Downtown Development District (R-26-433, 7-0).
• Other Items Adopted Unanimously: Several ordinances related to servitude agreements (generating from $130 to $953 annually), budget transfers (including capital budget realignments and Habitat for Humanity fund reallocation), and cooperative endeavor agreements (e.g., with St. Patrick Booster Club, Lantern Light, Thrive New Orleans, the National WWII Museum, and the state for the EMS IGT program) were approved with only occasional absent votes.
• Deferrals: Many items were postponed to future meetings (October 15 or November 19), including the restoration tax abatement applications for 4417 Dryades Street and 1401 Delachaise Street, Zoning Docket 75/26 (alcoholic beverage sales), comprehensive short-term rental regulations, the 2025 sanitation budget ordinance, a permit fee increase ordinance, and the 2027 operating and capital budgets.

Key Outcomes

• Votes with tallies: The fee-in-lieu amendment (6-0), monastery adaptive reuse (6-0), short-term rental modification (5-1), HDLC appeals (7-0 each), EMS IGT (7-0), fossil-fuel vehicle amendment (6-0), Wisner settlement (7-0), Frank Perez resolution (6-0), Taj Rudolph motion (7-0), battery storage resolution (7-0), and Sewerage & Water Board appointment (7-0).
• Directives: The City Planning Commission was charged with holding a public hearing on MIZ refinements (M-26-432).
• Future hearings: Several items deferred to October 15 (short-term rental code amendments, ZD 75/26, fee schedule, St. Charles HDLC appeal) and November 19 (2027 budgets, restoration tax abatements).
• Contract authorizations: Council President was authorized to sign multiple agreements, including the Marais Consultants PSA, Ubuntu Village contract, Leads Online contract, and the sheriff security services CEA ($48,915.27/month through December 2026).