This meeting of the New Orleans City Planning Commission, held on May 14, 2024, at 1:41 PM in the Council Chambers, addressed several zoning and subdivision dockets. The commission heard public testimony, deliberated on affordable housing, zoning text amendments, conditional uses, and subdivision requests, ultimately rendering decisions on each item.
Meeting adjourned at 3:26 PM.
Good afternoon, everyone. Uh, thank you for coming out. Uh today is May 14th, that is now one forty-one, and we'll begin today's city planning commission meeting. The first uh order of business is roll call. Commissioner Johnson, Commissioner Lund, Commissioner Josh Gupta, Commissioner Jordan present, Commissioner Brown, Commissioner Steve, here Commissioner Stewart. Present. Seconded by Commissioner Lund. Is there any further discussion? If not, we'll vote our machines. So the City Planning Commission has established certain rules governing the procedures to be followed at all public hearings. Before speaking, each person shall give their name, address, and state whom he or she is representing. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Opponents will not be allowed to rebut. No material, written matter, photographs, maps, or other items will be accepted by the commission or its staff at any time during this public hearing. This procedure shall be filed except at such a time when the presiding officer shall, with the approval of the commission members present, extend such time. And with that said, we will start our business with zoning docket item 03424. Staff would just like to note for this item. Um place a public comment on your desk. This was received before the public comment down uh deadline. Great. So zoning docket 3424 is a reapplication of a request that was previously considered by the City Planning Commission at its January 10th, 2023 hearing under zoning docket 523, and at the October 26, 2021 meeting under zoning docket 8521. So the applicant wishes to convert a vacant gymnasium into a three-story multifamily residence with 24 apartment units. Five of those would be affordable units, and one would be an ADA accessible unit. So staff notes there are two differences in this application as compared to the first one. First, in that the number of affordable units has increased from two to five. And secondly, the applicant proposes 13 off-street parking spaces as opposed to the initial 11 spaces. However, those additional spaces will be located in the front yard of the site. So staff recommends an exception to allow the applicant to provide 11 off-street spaces. So this proposal is consistent with the master plan, will provide much needed long-term housing, will bring a vacant property into commerce, and is located near transit lines, community centers, and other amenities. Therefore, staff recommends approval, subject to four exceptions and six provisions. Thank you. We have a couple of cars in support and in opposition. First is representing the applicant, Ron Loisel. Lazal. Special thanks to CPC staff for their exceptional report and thanks to the commissioners for providing us with a 30-day deferral so that we could get the facts and understand the project. CPC staff has not changed their position on this request. Staff understands the importance of affordable housing and they continue to support affordable housing in the many requests that come to you. In 2021, this request was forwarded to city council with no recommendation as the commission was split on the matter. The commissioners who voted in support of the project did so because they appreciated the applicant was providing affordable housing. Those that voted against it did so because they believed there was not enough affordable housing being provided. Now we come before you with a proposal to add three more affordable units for a total of five units. This is over 20% of the units now being dedicated to affordable housing. This certainly should address any of the concerns that there was not enough affordable units. And if any of you have visited Dr. Gupta's properties, you will see how nice the properties are maintained and landscaped. CPC approved, and City Council unanimously codified the ability to create affordable housing through the AHPD process. Everyone understands the affordable housing crisis that we are currently in. The administration, the city council, your housing advocates. With this tool, the AHPD tool, we still need to fight for every single affordable housing unit. CBC staff states that this proposed development will bring an improvement to the site.