City Planning Commission Meeting – January 23, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
City Planning Commission Meeting – January 23, 2024
The New Orleans City Planning Commission convened on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 1:41 p.m. to consider a full agenda of zoning dockets, subdivision requests, and a property acquisition. The meeting featured robust public testimony on several items, with a focus on affordable housing, neighborhood compatibility, and infrastructure concerns in Lower Coast Algiers.
Consent Calendar
- Adoption of Minutes (January 9, 2024): Approved unanimously.
- Subdivision Ratifications: The Commission ratified staff determinations that certain subdivision applications could be reviewed and approved administratively.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Support for Zoning Docket 010/24 (2801 N Robertson St): Multiple speakers, including artists and residents, expressed strong support for the proposed mixed-use development with affordable artist housing. Speakers cited a need for affordable housing, positive impacts on safety, and the existing success of artist workspace at 1515 St. Ferdinand St.
- Opposition to Zoning Docket 011/24 (1701–1741 St Ferdinand St): Neighbors spoke in opposition, citing concerns about unknown future uses, potential for increased truck traffic, noise, and degradation of the quiet residential character. A petition with signatures was submitted.
- Opposition to Zoning Docket 012/24 (2100–2102 Chartres St / 525–535 Frenchmen St): Adjacent property owners and business operators opposed granting a bar conditional use on Chartres Street, citing ongoing noise violations, illegal operation during COVID, and the risk of spillover activity into residential side streets.
- Opposition to Zoning Docket 015/24 (Nice Guys NOLA, 7908–7912 Earhart Blvd): A resident spoke in opposition, describing a “quality of life nightmare” from noise and stating that a petition of 73 neighbors opposed the requested commercial zoning and live entertainment permit.
- Opposition to Zoning Dockets 016/24, 017/24, 018/24 (Bryson Street single-family homes): Representatives from the Lower Coast Algiers Association and a neighbor voiced concerns about the cumulative impact of private sewage treatment plants on open ditches, water pressure, infrastructure capacity, and long-term public health. They urged the Commission to consider the broader context of future development in the area.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Docket 009/24 (Xavier University – 3801 S Carrollton Ave): Request to rezone from EC Educational Campus to C-3 Heavy Commercial and exempt overlay districts to relocate a billboard. Staff requested a deferral to allow further review of private servitude agreements. Deferred to February 6, 2024.
- Zoning Docket 010/24 (2801 N Robertson St / St. Ferdinand Holdings, LLC): Request to change from LI Light Industrial to MU-1 Medium Intensity Mixed-Use to build affordable artist housing and commercial space. The project had a pending Future Land Use Map (FLUM) amendment. Staff recommended denial due to inconsistency with the current FLUM, but the Commission voted to approve. Approved.
- Zoning Docket 011/24 (1701–1741 St Ferdinand St / Michalopoulos Foundation): Similar request for LI to MU-1 zoning change for mixed-use development. No FLUM amendment was pending. The applicant requested a deferral to meet with opposing neighbors. Deferred to February 27, 2024.
- Zoning Docket 012/24 (2100–2102 Chartres St / 525–535 Frenchmen St): Conditional use for a bar over 3,000 sq ft in HMC-1 and AC-1 overlay districts. Two existing bars already occupied the Frenchmen Street block face, so staff recommended approval with proviso requiring entry on Chartres Street. Opponents argued the bar had operated illegally and noise issues persisted. Denied.
- Zoning Docket 013/24 (1220–1222 Columbus St): Conditional use to permit a three-unit multifamily residence on a vacant lot in HMR-3 district. Staff recommended approval with two provisos. Approved.
- Zoning Docket 014/24 (934 Opelousas Ave / 631–635 Pacific Ave, Algiers Point): Zoning change from HU-RD2 to HU-MU to allow a coffee shop. Staff recommended approval. Approved.
- Zoning Docket 015/24 (7908–7912 Earhart Blvd): Zoning change from HU-B1 to C-1 General Commercial for Nice Guys NOLA restaurant. Staff recommended deferral due to inadequate public notice. Deferred to February 27, 2024.
- Zoning Dockets 016/24, 017/24, 018/24 (3439, 3435, 3429 Bryson St): Three conditional use requests for single-family residences in a GPD General Planned Development District. Staff recommended approval subject to provisos. After extensive debate about sewer infrastructure, motions to approve failed, resulting in no recommendation for each item. No recommendation (motions to approve failed).
- Subdivision Docket 187/23 (410 N White St / 2761–2763 Conti St): Resubdivision of one lot into two to match existing structures. Staff recommended approval. Approved.
- Subdivision Docket 192/23 (1301–1333 Carondelet St): Resubdivision of nine lots into one lot. Applicant requested deferral. Deferred to February 6, 2024.
- Property Acquisition 005/23 (5700 Hayne Blvd): Acquisition by the City for use as warehouse and office space for the Mosquito, Termite & Rodent Control Board. Staff recommended approval. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Zoning Dockets 010/24, 013/24, 014/24; Subdivision Docket 187/23; Property Acquisition 005/23; Subdivision Ratifications.
- Denied: Zoning Docket 012/24.
- Deferred: Zoning Dockets 009/24 (to Feb 6), 011/24 (to Feb 27), 015/24 (to Feb 27); Subdivision Docket 192/23 (to Feb 6).
- No recommendation: Zoning Dockets 016/24, 017/24, 018/24 (motions to approve failed).
- Directives: Staff directed to send letters to the Department of Public Works and Sewerage & Water Board regarding infrastructure concerns in Lower Coast Algiers raised during testimony on the Bryson Street items.
Meeting Transcript
And that's what he's trying to find out. Okay, great. Good afternoon, everybody. Uh we'll now get started. Thank you for your patience. Uh welcome to uh today's city planning commission meeting. It is Tuesday, January twenty third, uh twenty twenty-four at one forty one PM. First, uh we'll start business today by calling uh roll, uh Commissioner Lund. Present. Commissioner Josh. Commissioner Whitley? Here. Commissioner Jordan here. Commissioner Brown? Here. Commissioner Steve? Here. Commissioner Stewart. Present. So next is adoption of the meeting minutes for January 9th, twenty twenty-four. I'll make a map approve the meeting minutes. Seconds, Commissioner Steve. Next, I'll read the public uh the formal public hearing rules. Uh 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 for the proposal will speak first for a period of ten minutes. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. This procedure shall be followed except at such a time when the presiding officer shall, with the approval of the commission members present, extend such time. And now we will move to our first docket item. Zoning docket 00924. Uh oh. Nope. The mics are down. Testing, testing. Can you hear me? Yeah. Yes. Great. All right. Zoning Docket 009-24 is a request by Xavier University for a zoning change from an EC educational campus district to a C3 heavy commercial district for property located at 3801 South Carolton Avenue. As this property falls within two overlay districts, this is also a request to amend text of the comprehensive zoning ordinance to exempt this property from the EC enhancement corridor design overlay district and the HUC Historic Urban Corridor use restriction overlay district. The purpose of both requests is to accommodate moving a billboard which had non-conforming status at 4700 Howard Avenue. The 4700 Howard Avenue location is currently undergoing construction for a new parking garage for Xavier University students and employees. Staff has been engaged with the applicant for several weeks to see if there would be a way for the applicant to work with the owner of the billboard to rectify their private servitude agreement without having to go through a zoning change in tax amendment. We did not receive information on the status of their internal review until the day before the deadline to submit the report. So staff is requesting a deferral to the February 6th CPC hearing to complete a review and recommendations for the Commission. Thank you. I like Commissioner on move for a deferral of zoning docket nine-24 until the next meeting is it? February uh sixth. February 6th. Is there a second?
openpublica.com