The New Orleans City Planning Commission (CPC) held a public hearing on April 7, 2025, to address zoning variance requests and appeals of Safety and Permits decisions. The board heard 12 docket items, including one withdrawal, one deemed improper, and several deferrals. Actions taken will be released in disposition notices by April 17, 2025. The meeting was chaired by Commissioner Todd James, with Commissioners Tamara Agins, Ramiro Diaz, and Alfonso Gonzalez present; Commissioners Candace Forrest, Jose Alvarez, and Jason Richards were absent.
All votes were unanimous where taken, with the exception of the failed denial motion on BZA 023-25.
We'll begin with roll call. Candace Forrest is absent. Todd James. Present. Tamara Eggins. Present. Jose Alvarez is absent. Ramiro Diaz. Present. Alfonso Gonzalez. Present. And Jason Richards is absent. At this time, would the board make a motion to adopt the minutes from the March 10th meeting? So moved. We have a I'll second her motion. All right, thank you. We have a motion and a second to accept the uh meeting minutes from last month's meetings. Tomorrow's mover second was consult. Please note that the board will recess at approximately 1 p.m. if the meeting has not already been adjourned and will reconvene at approximately 1 30 unless the board makes a motion to skip the recess. As a reminder to applicants, action that the board takes today will be released in the form of a disposition notice by April 17th and sent via mail and email to the applicant as well as posted on the one-stop app for other interested parties. Request that the board votes to approve must show compliance with any noted provisos before the case is finalized and granted final approval. One item on today's agenda has been deemed improper. Item number 11, BZA 026-25 for the property at 620 Louisa Street. In addition, one item on today's agenda has been withdrawn. Item number one, BZA Docket 008-25 for the property at 5007 South Taunty Street. We will now begin with unfinished business for variances. Will the chair please or will the vice chair please read the hearing rules for variances? Thank you. And I know that everybody's been waiting in chambers patiently, so we're going to try to be as efficient as possible to uh get through the agenda today and make sure uh we cover what's before us. Uh going over rules and procedures for the public hearing on variance requests. The following procedures shall be observed during the hearing. Each speaker shall give their name and address prior to speaking on the proposal. The applicant or representative will speak first. Representative shall be the presentation shall be limited to a maximum of three minutes with each for each applicant or representative speaker. But in no event shall the cumulative presentation total by applicants or their representatives exceed 10 minutes. Proponents or persons in favor of proposal will speak next and be allowed two minutes per speaker. Opponents or persons in opposition to the proposal will speak next and be allowed two minutes per speaker as well. The applicant or representative will be allowed to rebut that rebuttal shall be limited to a cumulative maximum of three minutes. Additional information for any exceptional case, the time limitations may be extended by the presiding officer with approval of the board. As the board deems necessary, the case may be acted upon at this meeting or deferred for additional information or review. If the case is deferred, it will be acted upon at a subsequent meeting as provided by law. All proper parliamentary procedures shall be followed, including recognition of speakers, relevance of argument, and absolute prohibition of applause or demonstration. Standards of review. Item number one, BZA docket 008-25 for the property at 5007 South Taunty Street was withdrawn. Item two, docket number BZA 009-25. BZA 009-25 is a request for variances from the provisions of Article 12, Section 12.3.8.1 of the comprehensive zoning ordinance to permit the creation of lots with insufficient lot area. The current development include of the site includes a two-family development on lot six A with an adjacent vacant lot comprising of lot seven. The current lot configuration shows that a portion of an egress from the structure on lot six A is located on lot seven. At its February meeting, the board deferred this matter 60 days to allow for the applicant to update the survey to create a new configuration with new access to the existing duplex based off of the existing layout, reinstating the center cut line with documentation of easement to the neighboring property line to increase the potential square footage of proposed lot 7a.