City Planning Commission Meeting - October 24, 2023
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City Planning Commission Meeting - October 24, 2023
The New Orleans City Planning Commission met on October 24, 2023, to consider 17 agenda items including zoning dockets, subdivision requests, property acquisitions and dispositions, a federal grant application, the Downtown Development District (DDD) 2024 budget, and an extension request. The meeting featured public testimony from residents and developers, and the commission took votes on most items, often following or departing from staff recommendations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Zoning Docket 075/23 (Child Care Center): Applicant Dana Payton, a lifelong neighborhood resident, expressed the need for child care in the community, citing a recent tragedy. Nick Kendall of Agenda for Children supported the request, noting a city-wide need. Tyrone Clayborn also spoke in favor, emphasizing community revitalization.
- Zoning Docket 076/23 (Restaurant): Applicant Lisa Williamson and her sister Beneva Nja spoke in favor of a zoning change to open a cafe, citing a lack of dining options in the Desire neighborhood and support from residents.
- Zoning Docket 081/23 (Bed and Breakfast): Applicant Adam Hicks explained they had operated the Oakre Inn since 2020 under a temporary license and had made significant investments (e.g., $50,000 fire sprinkler system). He noted support from neighbors and attributed delays to the city's ransomware attack.
- PRO Housing Grant: Monique Blossom (Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center) and Leah LeBlanc (Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance) expressed support. Megan Ebanks asked detailed questions about ADUs, Healthy Homes implementation, and vacant lots.
- DDD Budget: No public comments, only presentation by DDD representative.
- Extension Request (ZD 015/22): Applicant Missy Quigley requested a one-year extension, citing lengthy design approvals with HDLC and ARC.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Docket 072/23 (Xavier University Dormitory): Staff recommended approval with a proviso requiring the building to shift setbacks away from residential properties. Applicant asked to remove the proviso due to cost and pedestrian experience. Commission voted 7-1 (one abstention) to approve without the proviso, allowing the dormitory up to 80 feet.
- Zoning Docket 074/23 (Smoothie King Drive-Thru): Staff requested deferral to November 14, 2023, as the application was still incomplete. The commission deferred without objection.
- Zoning Docket 075/23 (Child Care Center): Staff recommended denial due to lot size and parking non-compliance. The commission voted against staff recommendation, approving the conditional use with 14 provisos and 3 waivers (for lot area, lot width, and side yard setback).
- Zoning Docket 076/23 (Restaurant at 2801-2803 Piety St): Staff recommended denial as a spot zone with no commercial history. The commission approved the zoning change to S-B2, noting adjacent commercial zoning and the site's corner location.
- Zoning Docket 079/23 (Wireless Tower): Staff requested deferral due to missing notarized agreements from adjoining owners. The commission denied the request outright (motion by Commissioner Flick, seconded), as the tower had already been built using a falsified permit.
- Zoning Docket 080/23 (Parklet Regulations): Staff requested deferral to November 14, 2023, for further review. The commission deferred.
- Zoning Docket 081/23 (Bed and Breakfast): Staff recommended approval with two provisos (post-approval plan stamping and restating use standards). The commission approved unanimously.
- Subdivision Docket 135/23 (Cuddly Bear Child Development Center): Staff recommended approval with one proviso. Commission approved.
- Subdivision Docket 136/23 (Gas Station Expansion Lots): Staff requested deferral to November 14, 2023, pending zoning review. Deferred.
- Subdivision Docket 143/23 (HANO Rights-of-Way): Staff recommended approval with five provisos to dedicate street rights-of-way back to the city. Approved unanimously.
- Property Acquisition 002/23 (Duncan Plaza): Staff recommended approval with two provisos as part of a land swap with the state. Approved.
- Property Disposition 001/23 (Civil Court Building Land): Staff recommended approval with two provisos to sell land under the courthouse to the state and lease it back. Approved.
- PRO Housing Grant: Informational presentation; no action required. Staff outlined three focus areas: housing opportunity study, Healthy Homes diversion, and an Office of Affordable Housing Services. Public comments were received.
- DDD 2024 Budget and Work Plan: Staff recommended approval. The budget totals ~$13 million, a 4.1% increase, maintaining a 17.12-mill property tax levy. Commission approved.
- Extension Request for ZD 015/22 (Hotel at 1407-1411 Decatur): Staff had no objection; commission granted a one-year extension to submit final development plans.
- Subdivision Ratifications: Commission ratified a list of subdivisions eligible for administrative approval.
Key Outcomes
- Zoning Docket 072/23: Approved (7 yes, 1 abstention) as modified, removing the setback proviso.
- Zoning Docket 074/23: Deferred to November 14, 2023.
- Zoning Docket 075/23: Approved against staff recommendation, with 14 provisos and 3 waivers.
- Zoning Docket 076/23: Approved against staff recommendation, changing zoning to S-B2.
- Zoning Docket 079/23: Denied (motion by Commissioner Flick, seconded).
- Zoning Docket 080/23: Deferred to November 14, 2023.
- Zoning Docket 081/23: Approved with staff's two provisos.
- Subdivision Docket 135/23: Approved with one proviso.
- Subdivision Docket 136/23: Deferred to November 14, 2023.
- Subdivision Docket 143/23: Approved with five provisos.
- Property Acquisition 002/23: Approved with two provisos.
- Property Disposition 001/23: Approved with two provisos.
- DDD 2024 Budget and Work Plan: Approved.
- Extension Request for ZD 015/22: Granted for one year.
- Subdivision Ratifications: Approved.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming and attending the October 24th City Planning Commission meeting. My name is Katie Whitry, and I'll be chairing until our chair comes. Uh first I'd like to do roll call. Commissioner Steag. Here. Commissioner Stewart. Present. Commissioner Brown. Here. Commissioner Flick. Present. Commissioner Alexander. Present. And Commissioner Whitry is present. Thank you. Let's go ahead and read the 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 shall 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 should be not allowed to speak more than two minutes. Opponents or other interested parties will speak second for a period of fifteen minutes. Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Proponents will be allowed period of six minutes for rebuttal. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. No material written photographs, reports, maps will be accepted by the commission or its staff at any time during this public hearing. The staff believes the proposed conditional use an amendment to the IMP with adherence to the recommended proviso to shift the building footprint away from the adjacent residential properties, which mitigates the additional height of the dorm, are acceptable and should be approved. The building and site changes do not substantially alter the function of the initially proposed plans to build a dormitory at this location. Also, the reduction in parking spaces will not have a practical impact on the availabil availability of off-street parking to visitors and employees of the university. Therefore, staff recommends approval of zoning docket 7223, subject to one proviso. Thank you so much. Is there an applicant? And everyone here, if you're wanting to speak, please go ahead and fill out a comment card and put place over here or right behind Mr. Kroll so that we can make sure to um add you to the list. Thank you, sir. Please have your name, um, your address, and got two minutes. Thank you, Todd Gennardo here on behalf of Xavier University. Uh addresses 201 St. Charles Avenue Suite 3920. Um, we're here asking, as the staff uh has has reported for a amendment to the master plan to allow for additional square footage for a proposed dormitory and additional height up to a maximum of 80 feet. Um we would ask that you know, we've worked with the staff for um for several months now. Um we would ask that you rec uh accept their recommendation for approval. However, uh we would like to ask that uh the recommendation not be subject to the proviso to alter the uh footprint of the building. I have Dominic Man um Willard from Manning Architects here to answer any questions related to that specific proviso. Um, but our position is uh twofold. One, uh, we're asking for an additional height of a maximum of eighty feet. We're actually going to be probably coming in closer to 77, so the the size is not not likely to reach 80 feet, and two, um, moving the the building creates some uh additional complexities cost uh uh and and time for what we view as a sort of a uh a minor change uh 10 feet on one side, resulting in a zero foot setback on another side. So um again, we would ask uh that that the um uh that this be approved without the proviso. However, um if you're so inclined uh to recommend approval uh only subject to the proviso, certainly Xavier University is willing to do what we can to make that work would you like to speak? Sure.
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