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.
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.