City Planning Commission Meeting

Date: December 5, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (meeting continued to January 9, 2024)
Location: Council Chambers, New Orleans

The City Planning Commission (CPC) held a special public hearing to consider 49 proposed amendments to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) of the 2022-23 Master Plan. Due to time constraints (the chamber was required for another agency at 5:00 PM), the commission adopted a motion to defer items with no public speakers to the end of the agenda, and later voted to continue the meeting to its January 9, 2024 regular meeting. Key actions included adoption of special hearing rules, approval of several FLUM changes, denial of a few, and removal of six withdrawn requests.

Consent Calendar

• Adoption of Special Public Hearing Rules: Unanimously approved, adopting the regular public speaking rules as the special hearing rules for this meeting.
• Withdrawal of Six Items: The commission voted in globo to remove the following requests from the agenda: PD 2-5, PD 4-8, PD 6-10, PD 6-11, and two others (note: the transcript mentions six withdrawn items, but only four are explicitly listed; the motion covered all six). These requests were withdrawn by the original applicants (Council members or Mayor’s Office).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Byron Cole (1733 North Durge and Wall Street) spoke as an indigenous resident, expressing concern that proposed FLUM changes are a “direct attack” on community protections, urging the commission to be conscious of decisions and not be overwhelmed by capitalism.
• Charles Marsala (231 North Roadway) criticized the process, noting his previous FLUM submission was blocked by a councilmember. He advocated for public access to hearings and raised concerns about development in West End, including potential impacts on parks and environmental grants.
• Numerous speakers addressed specific agenda items (see Discussion Items below). Supportive speakers included Leah LeBlanc (Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance / Housing NOLA) who spoke in favor of amendments that promote transit‑oriented development, affordable housing, and density; Tyler Russell (Office of Community Assets and Investment) who supported staff recommendations; Dwight Norton and Joanna Farley (RTA) who spoke in support of moving away from General Commercial designations to Mixed‑Use Medium Density to align transit and land use; and Michael Sherman (property representative) who supported FLUM changes for specific commercial sites.
• Opponents included Victoria Emmerling (ARNA) who expressed concerns about spot zoning and loss of residential character; multiple residents of Gentilly Terrace and Gardens neighborhoods (Ernest Stallrood, Sydney Bartholomew, Montreal Marie Stamps, Jennifer Green, Arman Gonzalez) who opposed changes from Single‑Family to Two‑Family designations, citing fears of increased density, crime, and loss of neighborhood stability.
• Albert Weinberger, property owner, spoke in favor of industrial designation for a triangular site in Broadmoor.
• Lindsay Edwards (6000 Burgundy Street) spoke in favor of a FLUM change to Institutional for a site in the Lower Ninth Ward, hoping for a vocational or maritime school.

Discussion Items

All items below are part of the 2022-23 Master Plan FLUM Amendment process unless otherwise noted.

Planning District 2

• PD 2-01: Request by CPC and Mayor’s Office to change General Commercial to Mixed‑Use Medium Density (MUM) along South Claiborne Avenue. Staff recommended MUM; commission approved (unanimous vote).
• PD 2-02: Similar request for South Claiborne and Earhart Boulevard. Staff recommended MUM; approved.
• PD 2-03: Request by CPC to change General Commercial to MUM for Walmart site at 1901 Chapatoula Street. Approved.
• PD 2-04: Request by CPC to change split FLUM (Residential Low Density Pre‑War and Mixed‑Use Medium Density) to MUM for 2020 St. Charles Avenue. Approved.
• PD 2-05: Withdrawn.

Planning District 3

• PD 3-01: Request by CPC and Council District B to change General Commercial to MUM for Riverside Market Strip Mall. Staff recommended MUM; approved.
• PD 3-02: Request by CPC to change General Commercial to MUM for 4500 Chapatoula Street. Approved.
• PD 3-03: Request by CPC to change Neighborhood Commercial to MUM for Earhart Boulevard corridor. Staff recommended MUM; approved.
• PD 3-04: Request by CPC to change Neighborhood Commercial to MUM for Airline Highway corridor. Approved.
• PD 3-05, 3-07, 3-08, 3-10, 3-11, 3-12: Commissioner recused (conflict of interest); items not taken up due to loss of quorum (continued to January 9).
• PD 3-06: Request by Council District A to change Residential Low Density Pre‑War to Institutional or Mixed‑Use Medium Density for site near Children’s Hospital. Staff recommended modified approval to Residential Medium Density Pre‑War. The commission denied the request (motion to deny) after hearing opposition from Victoria Emmerling and ARNA who preferred keeping the current low‑density designation. The FLUM remains Residential Low Density Pre‑War.
• PD 3-09: Request by Council District A to change Mixed‑Use Low Density to Mixed‑Use Medium Density for site on Chapatoula Street. Staff recommended denial (spot zoning concern). Commission denied per staff recommendation.
• PD 3-10, 3-11, 3-12: Not heard (recusal).

Planning District 4

• PD 4-01: Request by CPC, Mayor’s Office, and Council District B to change General Commercial to MUM for parcels near Norman C. Francis Parkway, Earhart, Broad, and Washington. Staff recommended MUM; approved.
• PD 4-02: Request by CPC to change General Commercial to MUM for Earhart Boulevard site (former Thomson‑Hayward Chemical Superfund site). Staff recommended denial due to contamination history. Commission denied the request (motion to deny, consistent with staff).
• PD 4-03: Request by CPC to change General Commercial to MUM for four corners of South Carrollton and Canal. Approved.
• PD 4-04: Request by Council District A to change Residential Low Density Pre‑War to Mixed‑Use Low Density for parcels off Tulane Avenue. Approved.
• PD 4-05: Request by Mayor’s Office to change Residential Historic Core to Mixed‑Use Historic Core for properties on North Robertson Street (part of St. Bernard Circle affordable housing development). Approved.
• PD 4-06: Request by Council District B to change Residential Low Density Pre‑War to Industrial for a triangular site in Broadmoor (warehouses). Staff recommended denial. Commission voted 4-3 to approve the request (motion to approve) but the vote was not unanimous; the item moved forward with no recommendation (but the record shows approval motion passed? The transcript says