City Planning Commission Meeting - July 23, 2024
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City Planning Commission Meeting - July 23, 2024
The New Orleans City Planning Commission met on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, starting at 2:07 PM (originally scheduled for 1:30 PM) in Council Chambers. The meeting covered five zoning dockets, one subdivision docket, and a ratification list. Key items included a conditional use for Reginelli's Pizzeria expansion, a bed-and-breakfast permit, a wireless antenna deferral, and expanded live entertainment hours for the Dew Drop Inn.
Consent Calendar
- Adoption of the minutes from the July 9, 2024 meeting was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Zoning Docket 062/24 (Reginelli's Pizzeria expansion): Proponents included Daryl Reginelli (owner), Adrian Catalano (designer), Sean Cherry (general manager), and Darren Jackson (employee). They emphasized the restaurant's 27-year history, community involvement, and design that preserves parking. Opponents included Susan Johnson (Town of Carleton Watch), Tim Schaefer (5938 Camp Street), Melissa Zweibaum (5949 Magazine Street), and Paul Bell (5949 Magazine Street, immediate neighbor). They raised concerns about parking, traffic congestion, noise, delivery truck hours, dumpster odors, and the design's height and proximity to neighboring homes. Paul Bell stated that Reginelli mischaracterized his support at a neighborhood meeting.
- Zoning Docket 063/24 (Bed and breakfast at 7225 St. Charles): Applicant Jay Calhoun spoke briefly. Susan Johnson asked a general question about the frequency of bed-and-breakfast applications under new STR rules. No opposition.
- Zoning Docket 064/24 (Wireless antenna at 2649 Napoleon): No public comments.
- Zoning Docket 065/24 (Dew Drop Inn hours and outdoor entertainment): Applicant Curtis Ducette spoke in favor, requesting an extension of outdoor live entertainment hours on federal and city holidays. No opposition.
- Subdivision Docket 065/24 (Church on Metropolitan Street): Frank Harden spoke about poor road conditions on Johnny Jackson Boulevard and urged the commission to address them.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Docket 062/24: Staff found the project meets the standards for approval, noting the expansion is within height and bulk limits and consistent with the Master Plan. The existing conditional use already permits alcohol sales; the expansion adds outdoor seating above the parking lot, retaining 9 of 10 parking spaces. The commission discussed the 10-foot setback request from neighbors and the possibility of a good neighbor agreement. Commissioner Flick moved approval per staff recommendation with 17 provisos (13 existing + 4 new for bicycle parking, permeable open space, Design Advisory Committee approval, and restaurant use standards). Commissioner Brown seconded. The motion carried.
- Zoning Docket 063/24: Staff found the proposal meets criteria for a parking waiver (required 3 spaces, site can only provide 2) and other standards. The bed and breakfast would have five guest rooms; the owner resides on-site. No modifications to the historic structure. Commissioner Brown moved approval per staff recommendation with two provisos; Commissioner Flick seconded. Motion carried.
- Zoning Docket 064/24: Staff recommended deferral to August 13, 2024, because one antenna is visible from the public right-of-way in a non-compliant location and revised plans are needed. Commissioner Flick moved deferral; Commissioner Lund seconded. Motion carried.
- Zoning Docket 065/24: Staff recommended approval with 20 provisos, allowing outdoor live entertainment and extending indoor hours from 10am-midnight to 10am-2am. The applicant requested an amendment to allow outdoor music on federal and city holidays. Commissioner Brown moved approval with the amendment and the waiver mentioned by staff. Commissioner Johnson seconded. Motion carried.
- Subdivision Docket 065/24: Staff recommended approval of the resubdivision to create a single rectangular lot for the church. Commissioner Johnson moved approval; Commissioner Flick seconded. Motion carried.
Key Outcomes
- Zoning Docket 062/24: Approved (6-0) with 17 provisos. The commission encouraged the applicant to enter into a good neighbor agreement with nearby residents.
- Zoning Docket 063/24: Approved (6-0) with two provisos.
- Zoning Docket 064/24: Deferred to August 13, 2024.
- Zoning Docket 065/24: Approved (6-0) with 20 provisos, amended to include outdoor live entertainment on federal and city holidays as part of the same hours as weekends.
- Subdivision Docket 065/24: Approved with one standard proviso.
- Subdivision Ratification: None approved, as no items were on the list.
The meeting adjourned after the votes.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Good afternoon again, everybody. We're now gonna get started. It is 2 07. Um July 23rd, and welcome to the City Planning Commission meeting. Uh first uh what we're going to do is call roll, followed by approval of last meeting uh minute. And then uh follow up with the the reading of the public hearing rules. So uh Commissioner Johnson. Commissioner Lunn. Oh, Commissioner Flick. Present. Commissioner Jordan, present, Commissioner Brown. Present. Okay. So first we will start with the adoption of last meeting mini meeting minutes for July 9th. Move approval for the July 9th meeting minutes. Second. There's a motion on the floor from Commissioner Flick, seconded by Commissioner Brown. Uh if there's no further discussion, we'll vote our machines. And the meeting minutes have been approved. Uh next up are the formal public hearing rules. So 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 first for a period of ten minutes. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Opponents or other interested parties will speak second for a period of 15 minutes. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Proponents will be allowed a period of six minutes for a rebuttal. Each speaker shall be allowed a maximum of two minutes. Opponents will not be allowed to rebut. Staff finds the project meets the standards for approval in Article 4 of the CZO and is consistent with the master plan. While the underlying zoning district allows restaurants as permitted uses, the magazine street use restriction overlay district restricts restaurants to conditional uses to prevent an oversaturation of them along the corridor. Reginelli's is already in operation, and this expansion is allowed within the height and bulk limits of the HUB1 district, so it does not conflict with the overlay. Staff finds that the request is consistent with the master plan designation of mixed use low density and recommends approval, subject to 17 provisos, 13 of which are existing provisos from the previous conditional use requests, and staff has added an additional four related to bicycle parking, permeable open space, the design advisory committee approval and the use standards for restaurants. Thank you. First up, we have uh the applicant, Darrell Reginelli. Um, and just want to note that you have uh four cards of seated time, so you have a total of 10 minutes, which would max out the speaking time. Do you want to accept all that time? No, I don't need all that time right now. Hi, my name is Daryl Reginelli. I started Reginelli's Pizzeria in 1996 at 741 State Street, which is straight right across from the restaurant we operate now. Uh we're a family-run restaurant. I was born and raised in New Orleans. We've been at this location on this corner, uh, intersection for 27 years. Our guests are families, ladies' lunches, date night, and magazine shoppers. We're proud to have served this neighborhood for the past 27 years. The expansion is a I'm sorry, since COVID, the restaurant industry has seen a large growth for outdoor dining. Uh I have always had a desire to improve our outdoor dining. In recent travels, I noticed many rooftop restaurants and similar mixed use neighborhoods. I thought the idea would be unique and different for Magazine Street.
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