City Planning Commission Meeting - May 27, 2025
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City Planning Commission Meeting - May 27, 2025
The New Orleans City Planning Commission met on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, starting at 1:39 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included adoption of minutes, public hearings on three zoning and subdivision dockets, an informational presentation on the Land Use Barriers Study, and a presentation and public hearing on the redevelopment of Lincoln Beach. All regular business items were approved, and no action was taken on the land use study or Lincoln Beach presentation.
Consent Calendar
- Adoption of Minutes: The minutes of the May 13, 2025 meeting were adopted unanimously.
- Subdivision Ratifications: Three subdivision ratifications were approved without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Zoning Docket 027/25 (Moones Landing, LLC): Multiple speakers expressed support for the conditional use to permit food processing (poultry) at 10801 River Road. Speakers included Kelly Cahill (applicant/operator of Yardbirds Farm), Anne Moore (adjacent property owner), Lee DuPont (Lower Coast Algiers Association, representing 800+ polled residents), Martha Brasette (neighbor), Nico Kreble (Schmelly's Dirt Farm), Zach Smith (neighbor), and Grace Treffinger (urban agriculture liaison, Office of Resilience and Sustainability). No speakers opposed. DuPont requested conditions including a 1,000-bird limit, bathroom with hot water, private sewer treatment, and alternative disposal of offal, but later accepted a 12,000 birds per year limit after discussion.
- Zoning Docket 028/25 (Infinity Fuels, LLC): No public comments.
- Subdivision Docket 40/25: No public comments.
- Land Use Barriers Study: Three speakers commented: Wesley Wyman (Wyoming Construction) offered expertise; Paul Kramer (former CPC staff) recommended loosening conditional uses, eliminating redundant standards, and advancing ADUs; Zach Smith (developer) criticized the proliferation of interim zoning districts (17 in current council term) and urged focus on efficiency.
- Lincoln Beach Redevelopment: Speakers from the community included Marcia Mack Williams and Lord Slandrum (East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Committee, ENONAC), Claudia Celestine (resident), Trisha Wallace (President, Lincoln Beach Community Advisory Committee), and Sage (community advocate). They raised concerns about zoning, design advisory committee review, permits for the pedestrian bridge, federal consent decree, lack of transparency, and requested that the city follow proper charter processes. They expressed strong desire for a safe, passive beach that opens as soon as possible.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Docket 027/25: Staff presented a recommendation for approval with five provisos for a conditional use permit to allow poultry processing on an 88-acre parcel in the RRE district. The applicant, Kelly Cahill, answered questions about proposed conditions from Commissioner Whitry. She agreed to a limit of 12,000 birds (chickens and ducks) per year, and stated she would provide documentation from state inspectors. Commissioner Whitry made a motion to approve with the five staff provisos and the additional 12,000 bird limit, seconded by Commissioner Stewart. The motion passed.
- Zoning Docket 028/25: Staff recommended approval with one proviso (final plan submission within one year, extendable). Applicant Brandon Henry initially requested removal of the proviso but after staff clarification that it required only a floor plan for the alcohol sale area and could be extended, he accepted. Motion to approve with proviso passed.
- Subdivision Docket 40/25: Staff recommended tentative approval with two provisos for resubdivision of existing lots. Motion passed.
- Land Use Barriers Study: Staff presented a preliminary report outlining the study scope, including reviews of process improvements, potential CZO amendments, and stakeholder consultation. Commissioners discussed issues with Safety and Permits, one-stop shop, and interim zoning districts. No action taken.
- Lincoln Beach Redevelopment: Greg Nichols (ORS director) and Megan Williams (new project manager) presented the draft master plan, focusing on Phase 1 (22.4 million secured) including beach renourishment, pedestrian bridge, restroom/lifegard building, parking, and historic rehabilitation. They noted a pending legal opinion on whether CPC must approve the plan. Public comments highlighted concerns about zoning, permitting, governance, and communication. Commissioners urged better coordination and transparency. No vote was taken.
Key Outcomes
- Zoning Docket 027/25: Approved with six provisos (five from staff plus limit of 12,000 poultry per year). The vote passed (specific tally not recorded but no opposition from commissioners present; one commissioner indicated intent to vote against if bird limit not included, but motion amended).
- Zoning Docket 028/25: Approved with one provisio.
- Subdivision Docket 40/25: Tentatively approved with two provisos.
- Land Use Barriers Study: For informational purposes only; a completed study is tentatively scheduled for the August 12,2025 commission hearing. Public comment remains open.
- Lincoln Beach: No action taken. The public comment period for the draft master plan was extended to June9, 2025. A legal opinion on CPC's approval role is pending. The city plans to hire a construction manager (bids due June3, 2025) and to engage a facilitator for governance discussions.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Just want to say thank you for your patience. Our other commissioners will be here momentarily. Uh and we'll get started. No. My neighborhood loses. Ready? Are you ready? You're going to get a lot of questions. Good afternoon, everyone. We're going to go ahead and get started. It is now one thirty-nine on May 27th. Um, and thank you again for coming to today's City Planning Commission meeting. First, we'll we'll start by uh calling role, followed by the adoption of our last meeting, meetings minutes, and then our regular business items. Commissioner Josh Gupta. Yeah. Commissioner Whitry. Present. Commissioner Jordan, present, Commissioner Steve. Here. Next, I'll read 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. 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. No material, including 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 followed 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'll start first with the adoption of May 13th meeting minutes. If not, we will vote our machines. And the meeting minutes are adapted. Thank you. Um zoning docket 02725 is a request for a conditional use to permit a bond for processing assorted poultry on an 88-acre parcel located at 10801 River Road. The site lies within the R.E. Roll residential estate district, which permits agricultural uses by right, but requires a conditional use approval for food processing. The property is already developed with a barn built in 2024 for processing crops grown on site, and the proposed project aims to expand the facilities into a more fully functioning farm with livestock. While poultry raising is an allowable use in the RRE district, staff would note potential impacts that may include odor and air quality concerns from livestock waste, increased noise from equipment and animals, though the livestock will be kept indoors and the nearest residence is over 1,000 feet away. Possible attraction of pests like flies or rodents and an increase in traffic due to expansion of livestock processing. However, staff is not concerned due to the overall size of the property and the significant distance from neighboring residences. Staff finds the proposed use consistent with the master plan and in compliance with Article 4 of the comprehensive zoning ordinance and recommends approval for the proposed conditional use, subject to five provisos as noted in the staff report. Thank you. We have a few common cards in support. First, a card from Kelly Cahill. I've been farming for over 10 years within the sustainable and regenerative ag sector and have managed several farms prior to moving to New Orleans. Two years ago. And there's an LDAS, Louisiana Department of Agriforestry poultry exemption that I'm required to obtain prior to processing birds to sell. In Louisiana to sell pasturies poultry meat to local markets and wholesale accounts, I must process my birds in a LDAF inspected and exempted facility.
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