Good afternoon, everyone, welcome.

We're gonna just get started here in a minute.

Um if you're here to speak, please go ahead and fill out cards and um bring them up to the desk and we will put them in order.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I'd like to go ahead and take roll call.

Commissioner uh Josie Gupta.

Present.

Uh Commissioner Brown here.

Uh Commissioner Flick, present, Commissioner Steve.

Here.

Commissioner Whitry is here.

We're gonna go ahead and read the formal public hearing rules.

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 who he or she is representing.

Proponents for the proposal will speak for a period of ten minutes.

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes.

Opponents or other interested parties will speak second for a period of fifteen minutes.

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of two minutes.

Proponents will be allowed a period of six minutes for rebuttal.

Each speaker shall be allowed a two minutes.

Opponents will not be allowed to rebut.

No material, written matter, photographs, maps, will be accepted by the commission or its staff at any time during this public hearing.

This procedure shall be followed except at the time when the presiding officer with approval of the commission members may extend such time.

Commissioner Flick will make a motion for adoption of the August twelfth minutes.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Let's go ahead and vote.

The minutes have been adopted.

Thank you.

Um we're really happy that you're here today um to honor the anniversary of the central area business central area New Orleans growth management plan.

Well, thank you uh very much.

And uh so that was a little bit of a promotion.

I actually had Rivers job uh for at the time.

Um but I I I wanted to thank first of all the commission and the staff for helping get the opinion piece uh published.

Uh I thought it was an important piece and and uh you guys put it over the top, and so thank you very much.

I worked for the planning commission for 17 years from 1971 when I got here from Buffalo, New York.

Uh and uh to the last seven years when I was director uh through 1988.

And um after that time I went to the Audubon Nature Institute and did planning for them and oper zoo operations and stuff.

See planners can become zoo managers too, Bob.

Just remember that.

Um and uh and then uh I went to City Park and you know, helped them through the uh difficult time that everyone had uh with could Katrina.

But uh during all that time from being a zoo manager and uh park manager and all that, I always remembered being the planning director.

I loved planning.

I was trained as a planner, and uh I loved working for the for the planning commission.

I had a just a tremendous time.

And the growth management program for the central business district was one of the most important projects I ever worked on during my whole 17 years.

Uh, and that included, you know, working on uh the World's Fair and uh, you know, other uh other titanic kinds of events that the city had, but the growth management program to me was always uh a kind of foundation center.

And uh when we began to start that, the CBD was in in many ways um a kind of a in a kind of a crisis uh really in the in the 70s in the early 70s.

Um there was rampant demolition of historic buildings, proliferation of parking lots all through the central uh business district.

We had a flawed zoning ordinance.

Uh we adopted the zoning ordinance just before I got here in 1970, and it was flawed the day it was adopted.

And it was just uh terrible in many ways, and we spent most of my career reforming that zoning ordinance, uh, and especially in this in the central business district where it permitted uh unrealistic densities throughout the entire district.

There were no z design controls for uh for buildings, and uh, and there was no management of the area.

There, you know, again you have to remember this is back in the early 1970s, so there was no really management of what was happening in the central business district at a time when there was um considerable change.

Uh Mayor Landrew uh at the time, Moon Landrew, uh not to be confused, um uh knew and un and understood what was happening in the central business district, and he uh he had many conversations with myself, and I was just a chief planner at the time, and the planning commission's director at that time, which was a man named Harold Katner, uh, about the central business district.

And um uh Mr.

Katner and and myself and finally convinced you know the mayor that we needed an effort, a broad-based effort, something that involved the business community and involved citizen advocates that were growing up in our central business district.

So uh the mayor put up the money uh and we hired Wallace Roberts and Todd, which back then was called uh Wallace McCarg, Roberts and Todd, who were the premier central business district urban consultants in the nation at the time.

And and we we brought them in and had a you know process that you all know, you know, a lengthy process of coordination and uh outreach to the business community, who at the time were a little skeptical, you know, about planning and and because the CBD was a kind of a wide open wild west.

I mean, the the zoning ordinance allowed almost everything anywhere.

So it was it was uh it was a difficult uh time.

But the mayor um made everybody toe the line and uh and come together and uh we had really uh uh an historic effort to develop a strategy.

So the plan and its historic implementation, you know, created historic districts in the CBD prior to that.

There weren't any historic districts in CBDs really around the country, and we we initiated uh that it put a moratorium at the time, moratoriums were really a you know a cutting-edge kind of technique uh which we uh expanded upon many many times in neighborhoods.

But we put up a moratorium on his speculative demolition, we created a new zoning orange, we reduced greatly the density that was permitted and concentrated where we thought it should be in the central part and reduced it.

Um we'd have prevented buildings like the Plaza Tower, for instance, from from being built at the time.

Uh and we made numerous recommendations for capital improvements uh throughout uh the area.

And if you can see, I I Xeroxed a couple of pages of the study for you, and you you can look at and you can see the time that it was.

It was said the river gate was still there, right?

The dome had just opened up in 1975.

The riverfront was full of uh train yards.

Um so uh we were uh you know, we had a a big open canvas here to um to work with.

uh the area and if you can see i i xeroxed a couple of pages of the study for you and you you can look at and you can see the time that it was it was said the river gate was still there right the dome had just opened up in 1975 the riverfront was full of uh train yards um so uh uh we were you know we had a a big open canvas here to um to work with um and uh during the course of the study uh we uh we developed the idea of a business improvement district one of the first in the nation and that uh was the downtown development district as a way to bring sort of everyday management to what was happening uh not just uh development uh management but everyday management of the kind that the DDD um does now so I wrote the piece because planning is important and it too often seems to me that government acts without a serious study of the potential actions and the involvement of professional planners and citizens the GMP to me is a reminder that planning is really the only way you get to secure the kind of future that you want is if you plan for it General Eisenhower umce said that something all planners know that a plan is nothing planning is everything and I think that's very true because over the course of years this plan was modified it it was changed to reflect uh conditions the addition of for instance gaming you know casino gaming in the downtown area and the new exhibition hall so planning is everything in terms of term determining your uh your future the framers of the city charter knew that planning was a long-term venture and the function of planning was best placed in an independent body with a professional staff that served longer than just four years or eight years the vision of you know many elected officials that was true when the charter was adopted and it is true today never doubt the importance of planning and the importance of the planning commission never doubt that it was set up to guide this city for a long vision a long vision of of the future and to override the visions of short-term interests it was a privilege working for the for the commission I was thinking I mentioned this to Bob it's been 36 years since I addressed the planning commission since I actually left and actually addressed I've been in this room many times for lots of other things but actually addressing the planning commission uh 36 years so I'm putting this on my calendar so 36 years from now I expect to be back um anyway it was a privilege working for the commission in the in the city I enjoyed every day I I'm glad we made a difference in this magnificent city and and the growth management program is an example I think of uh the kinds of fundamental changes that can occur when you look at a problem comprehensively you involve a lot of people and you develop long range solutions to problems and you're not um you know confined to the everyday issues that occupy all of you so uh thank you very very much and uh Katie asked me what I'd been doing since I retired from City Park so I obviously I have to take this I wrote a book and it's about um it's about the uh development of City Park and uh recovery from Katrina and what we had to do to um you know come through that and it's uh it's fun and I I get I left her a card so I'm not I know everyone will run out immediately and buy this book but more importantly uh in the book front is I have a second book coming out probably in late October and it's called Going South and it's tales from my journey from Buffalo New York to New Orleans and my my career here and um and it has stories of the planning commission in it and I I think you all would really there's some just hysterical stories of uh what happens to you when you're the planning director here so thank you very thank you very much for help with the with the piece and uh uh I wish you all the all the best well Bob we I think we can't let you go without all the five of us uh acknowledging um the impact you had on the city from behind the scenes if you look at from being a planning director to the Ottoman institute to the development of the riverfront from the Ottoman institute not only the zoo to City Park uh you have your imprint uh all over the city uh behind the scenes very few people know but uh the city uh it is a much better place because you you came from both from Buffalo down here.

And uh, you know, when I went to pen planning school, like most people who go to planning school, you want to make a difference, right?

You want to, you know, you you have an idea that you want to uh make the place better than when you uh found it.

And uh I always felt I did that, and I I'm I was happy with that.

And I think uh you know, the work that I did at City Park under you know the most trying of circumstances, uh I think uh you know proved to me that you know people can make a difference.

You can make a difference if you uh just commit yourself and work and work and work hard and think through the problems and all that.

And so uh it's been great.

I've had a great career.

I love it.

Buy the book.

Thank you for the case.

I will, and Bob, um thank you for coming down south.

I'm so glad you did.

And um I agree with Commissioner Steag that um we thank you for your vision and for never shying from making big plans.

And I want to remind you I was a student of yours at UNO for a brief period after being appointed to the commission, and I learned so much from you, and I'm thankful for that, and also for your work in helping secure the permanent funding and all the work you did for City Park after the storm.

It is an incredibly world-class park.

And um I'm so glad you were there to give us that grand and glorious space.

Well, it it you know it's interesting because everyone moves on and everything.

So today, actually, today, I believe the City Park Conservancy is going to adopt their new master plan, uh superseding the one that I did uh that led us through Katrina.

And that's it, it just that's the magic of planning.

You know, you you keep moving on, and when something is not uh doesn't turn out the way you thought it was supposed to turn out, you amend the plan.

You you know, you adapt and you and you move on.

And so it's it's a great day for the park, you know, for you have a new vision for them uh for the future.

And uh, you know, I'm I'm so excited for the for the city.

There's just such tremendous potential here go going forward, and I know you guys will seize that.

So thank you very much.

Thank you so much.

And for everyone here, you can pick up the Xerox copies.

I believe they're over there on the desk, and one more plug too.

New Orleans City Plug from or City Park from Tragedy to Triumph.

That is your book because you were the CEO from I guess before Katrina until COVID-19 to City Park, and it's one of our biggest assets.

I do want to note that you said how much you loved your career at City Hall, and I think that's wonderful for all of us to hear that are here today, and that you spent 17 years working for the city of New Orleans.

Well, thank you very much.

And uh it's not without a lot of good times that happened here.

So a few of those stories are in the next book.

I should're sure you will get a kick out of it when you when you read it.

Thank you all very much.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Zoning Docket 4225 is a request for a conditional use to permit a restaurant at 5722 Magazine Street in HUB1 Historic Urban Neighborhood Business District and Magazine Street use restriction overlay district.

This proposal is for the build out of a standard restaurant, including dining areas, a bar, and a commercial kitchen, and the existing ground floor commercial space that was previously used as a pharmacy and coffee shop.

The subject site is located at the corner of Magazine Street and Nashville Avenue and is comprised of one lot that totals approximately 5,160 square feet of total lot area with a two-story building totaling approximately 5,804 square feet on the subject site.

The first floor of the building will include roughly 2,950 square feet of usable restaurant space.

The applicants are also planning to renovate two dwelling units on the second floor, which is being handled separately.

Staff recommends approval of zoning docket 4225, subject to two provisos, finding that the proposal meets the standards for approval in Article 4 of the CZO and is consistent with the master plan.

Thank you.

Is there an applicant or anyone here to speak on this matter?

We do have an information card if you would like to come up, Mr.

Williamson.

Please remember to state your name and address for the record.

I am uh George Williamson uh Commissioner Whitry, and my address is 1468 Arabella Street in New Orleans.

And I was just curious as to what restaurant was coming in.

Uh no idea, also on property on Magazine Street in the area.

And since it's a change of use, I was just curious as to what was going to be there, because it's pretty big.

And it's a lot of money being spent on it, which is great.

So thank you.

I actually don't know that answer.

The the application um did they weren't at liberty the I think give away the tenant.

I think at the time it was submitted, at least there were still talks that were happening.

Um I don't know if you've heard anything since then.

But uh, we're not aware of the actual tenant name.

Who is the um current tenant or past tenant?

Who is the current tenant or who was?

Yeah, who was the past department or past business?

Um I do know it was a pharmacy and a coffee shop that were in that location.

I don't know who the exact user was.

What was the uptown pharmacy space?

Correct.

We don't know that answer, Mr.

Williamson.

Well, thank you.

You might figure it out before we do.

I'm probably probably will, but thank you.

I'm just curious.

We don't even know who it is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

There's no one else here to speak on that matter.

And I do um before we vote, I want to the record to note that Commissioner Stewart is has joined us.

Welcome.

Commissioner Flickle will remove approval uh with the two provides two provisos stated in the report.

Is there a second?

A second, thank you.

Any discussion.

Uh Commissioner Josie Gupta.

Commissioner Flick was the first.

If not, then we'll go ahead and vote.

Five A is the motion carries.

Thank you.

Okay.

Let's move to zoning docket 043-25.

Zoning Docket 4325.

Is there a request for conditional use to permit a hotel in a C BD5 uh district?

The petition property is currently developed with a three-story structure, probably already used as a clinical laboratory and all the office space.

This proposal maintains the existing 45 foot structure with the addition of a plant house to serve as a 33-room hotel with two commercial tenants on the ground floor.

The hotel requires a conditional use as the site is in a CBD5 urban core neighborhood lower intensity mixed use district, which only allows such use conditionally.

The proposal will benefit the immediate vicinity by converting office space to a use that creates food traffic at longer hours.

The potential commercial tenants may help to increase neighborhood serving amenities as well as continuing to provide employment opportunities for downtown residents.

The staff finds that the proposed use meets the standards for approval in Article 4 of the CZO and is consistent with the master plan.

Therefore, we are recommending approval subject to four provisos.

Thank you.

Is there an applicant here to speak on this matter?

And if so, please state your name and address.

Sure.

Uh Heather Cooper Heather Cooper AQ Studios 1100 Boydress Street.

Um I don't have much to add.

I just appreciate the the staff report and um their thorough review of our application.

Tech of record.

Yes.

Okay, cool.

If you don't mind just filling out a card before you leave, but and you're aware of the four per provisos.

Yes.

Okay.

Commissioners, do you have any questions for the applicant?

Okay.

Thank you.

I don't have any cards in opposition, so there's no rebuttal.

Looking for a motion.

Um before I just want to ask a question to the staff uh with regard to the lobby.

Um what are the hours of the lobby?

Or is this something?

It would be required to be 24 hours.

Um it's just the standard requirement for hotel.

Okay.

Just want to make sure.

With that, if there's no questions, I move to approval.

Subject to the provisos to be uh it's four provisors.

Second Commissioner Stewart.

So we have a first from Commissioner Josie Gupta, second from Commissioner Stewart.

Any discussion.

If not, let's go ahead and vote.

Commissioner Johnson, can is did you click on Stewart?

There we go.

It says no seconder required as a second.

So let the record note that Commissioner Stewart did second.

The motion carried zoning docket 04425.

Zoning Docket 4425 is a request to convert a former bakery into a hookah lounge with the sale of alcoholic beverages per the 2015 smoke-free ordnance, new hook new hookah lounges that were not operational or did not have a pending application at the passage of that ordinance are not permitted.

For this reason, staff evaluated this application solely as a bar.

The applicant will need to seek out safety and permits for permitting the hookah lounge.

So there are no modifications or addition to the building footprint up a side of the site.

Negative impacts that can result from a bar, such as loadering and noise, can be mitigated through proper management and the use standards for bars.

This request is consistent with the master plan and will contribute to the commercial vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood.

Therefore, staff recommends approval subject to two provisos.

Thank you.

Mr.

Patterson?

Please come and state your name and address.

My name is Derry Patterson, 9511 Chef Highway.

Good evening.

Well, um, the plan is um I talked to the school I went to Aberson High School, and I talked to a lot of teachers, coaches, uh about doing stuff with the you like more of like not a DJ, more of a like a you come relax and get your hookah, you got your little drink.

It ain't gonna be more of no young crowd and nothing like that.

Just give someone something to do when they get off of work.

So the plan is to keep the north talk to a lot of the uh people who stood in the area because at first it wasn't allowing it until I had a talk to a talk order and then a normal golf fan person.

I'll just try to do the right thing and just better myself and get a business going to work because most people don't want to go to the east, so I'll just try to get bring the east back, give them something to do.

It's about to be the NFL, get watched the Saints games, you know, more of a give Turker giveaway, do stuff for the kids for Halloween, give some candidate, just more of a like uh something for the you, you know.

So I'm just trying to better better these and nice little spot where everybody could come everybody with hard sometimes, you know.

You need to let your head out, you know, stuff like that.

But I'm just trying to make a wait.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

Is there anyone else here to speak on this matter?

Please state your name and address.

Hi, I'm Casey Giles, 9511 Chef Mitsor Highway.

And I just wanted to piggyback off of what he was saying.

Um, we're more focused on people doing stuff afterwards, having somewhere to go and relax, have a happy hour, uh, community outreach.

We want to do give bags for the kids, uh Halloween, toilet giveaways, things like that, um, of that nature.

And we do have a lot of support from the community, and we just want to bring the East Bay because everybody's scared to come to the East.

So we're just trying to give them a safe space to be able to release.

Thank you.

Thank you.

When you get a moment, will you please just complete a a card with your name or you have one?

Perfect.

Thank you.

There doesn't seem to be any opposition, so no rebuttal.

Commissioners, is there a motion?

Any questions?

Questions for the um applicant.

What are the hours of your proposed bar?

Um we want to try that from seven to like midnight.

And are you aware night?

And you're aware of all the provisos that are you aware of all the provisos that have been request have been added to the application.

Are you aware of all the provisos?

No, which I mean, I'm not sure what they mean.

There's two provisos.

Maybe staff could just read them to us.

Is that yeah?

So it's a standard proviso that includes the use standards for bars.

Um they're listed in Article 20, Section 20.3.

And the second one is just a standard proviso that everything needs to comply with safety and permits before they issue any permitting.

Yeah, but I just want to make sure that the first proviso that includes not noise abatement and security make sure that you comply, but yeah.

No, that's okay.

I just want to make sure that they have read that.

The applicant list is uh Gregory J.

Williams.

Gregory J.

Williams.

No, it should be the request there.

Okay.

Do you know who that applicant is, sir?

Mr.

Patterson.

No, not that I know of.

So is the question?

I mean, the the LLC that owns the property is Chef Montur Mall LLC.

Um Sabine's looking in the articles, and maybe that that the there's a typo in the staff report as to the owner.

Yes, it's listed at as Derek Patterson in the LLC.

So is there a typo or is there a question still?

I guess for clarity, I just wanted to make sure that if he I didn't know if he he wasn't representing the applicant, and he stated that he was the applicant, but the applicant has a different name, that there was some clarity.

Um the presentation, that's all.

Yeah, and we'll we'll have that corrected uh in the staff report.

Yeah, it it it is an error.

Uh I I can tell you where it comes from, but thank you, Commissioner Stewart.

Is there a motion?

Staff recommendation is approval with two provisos.

Motion to approve zoning docket 044-25 with two provisos.

And and the correction of the applicant as well.

Correction of the applicant applicant name.

Is there a second commissioner Fluggle second?

Thank you.

Any discussion.

If there's no discussion, let's vote.

Six Yay's the motion carries.

Next one thank you so much.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Um this is number 062-25.

Subdivision Docket 062-25 is a request to resubdivide two lots and two portions of lots into one lot of record.

The properties are located at 2708 and 2710 St.

Anthony Street and 2057 Hope Street.

The request creates a multi-frontage lot condition and an irregularly shaped lot.

Both conditions require consideration by the city planning commission.

The 2708 St.

Anthony's Street property is developed with a single family structure, and 2057 Hope Street is vacant.

The property owner is seeking to combine the lots to create one lot of record and to utilize the property as one parcel.

The owner has expressed an interest in developing it, developing an accessory structure.

Multi-frontage lots.2 lot shape.

In that number one, there are no special circumstances or conditions affecting the property, and two, the adjustment is not necessary to allow enjoyment of the property by the property owner.

Because the request fails to meet two of the criteria, staff recommends denial of the request.

Thank you.

I have two cards.

A Mr.

Hardgrove and a Mr.

Fernando?

Fernando?

Mrs.

Antonio.

Yes.

Are you Mr.

Antonio?

I'm David.

David.

Hi, David.

Hey, how's it going?

Please state your name and address.

My name is David Hargrove.

My address is 2708 St.

Anthony.

Thank you.

So I just want to say good afternoon.

And I'm here to respectfully request approval to combine three lots into a single parcel.

Making the property functional and financeable for us.

First, each lot is uh less than 90 feet by district standards.

So combining them is the only way to create a usable and financial property.

Um our bank requires the c consolidation in order to issue the loan without approval.

We can't move forward with construction or further invest in our careers or in community.

Second, while the proposed resubdivision includes a dog leg portion, which is um 40% by rule, uh, it's only over by 1%.

This one percent doesn't meaningfully change the lot shape or impact, but um strict enforcement in this case would prevent us from using the land fully, and approval will allow us to move forward responsibly.

Third, the project clears been the project brings clear benefits to the neighborhood instead of remaining vacant and blighted, and will become an active community resource.

Development here will mean um safer spaces, stronger property values, healthier community.

It also restores a neighborhood closer to his extoric condition.

Um also I purchased this property through the Mode Own program, which took me, I had to maintain the lot for a year.

So we took care of the lot and prepared it for this revitalization, and finally approving the resubdivision will place any additional, won't we not place any additional strain on city services?

And also developing it will generate new tax revenue, encourage long-term upkeep, and in short, this is a minor and practical adjustment that allows us to build, invest, and contribute meaningfully to our neighborhood, revitalization and it imposes no harm and serves both private and public interests.

And for these reasons, we respectfully ask for your approval.

Thank you for your time, and I'm happy to answer any questions if I have them in this moment.

Thank you.

I have points.

What what is the project?

The project?

It's uh I'm a chef and my wife's an artist, so we would like to build an outdoor kitchen and also an art gallery.

And so, how does the dog leg um why is the dog leg um essential to the project?

It's essential to the project because in order to get finance, it has to be one parcel of land.

Right.

So they require, so the dog leg is our backyard.

And what's what's gonna go there?

A studio space.

Okay.

So it's gonna be facing the street, Hope Street.

So it's not gonna be irregular.

So I guess what I'm trying to understand is I mean, I understand you want to combine and get 45 feet on St.

Anthony by 100.

But um lot C is the 29 feet on Hope by 63 feet.

Yes.

Um, why couldn't you build the studio there?

Um that's what I'm trying to do.

Right, but why couldn't you build the studio there with it just being lot C because um like I mentioned before, the bank has to have everything on one parcel of land.

It's a separate parcel of land, right?

Smaller lot.

I'm not understanding the question.

So if it if it's a restaurant and an art space.

Why couldn't you take the put the art space on lot C and the restaurant on the uh on the bigger lot and finance the two of them?

You you'd have you know you build on one lot and you build on another lot and you mortgage them both to the bank.

So 2708 is my where I live is my home.

2710 is a shorter lot, it's like 18 18 feet wide, or not 18 feet yet, something like that.

Something like that.

Yeah, I I see it.

So this is a garden.

Like this is my garden space.

That's what that is currently.

And so now the lot behind me is 29 by 63.

And this is where we're gonna do not a restaurant because I have a kitchen already on Poland.

And so this is gonna be an extension of that.

So more so to do like um media, private cooking lessons, things of that nature.

Yeah, well, I'm just I guess I'm just not understanding why you couldn't build out on lot C.

I I can probably answer that, Commissioner Steve.

Yeah.

Um it's a residential zoning district, so they this would be a ancillary structure to the residents.

Uh given that it as a zoning matter, uh, it has to be on the same lot as the ancillary structure has to be on the same lot as the municipal residents that it serves.

This is historic urban, it's not commercial.

And the ancillary structure is the art studio.

Yes.

And is it it's a so it's not gonna be it's not a commercial art studio, it's just for um for you for you to do your art.

I'm looking at miss.

Yes, correct.

Okay, but the the architect may change it in and request down the road, not today, for conditional commercial license.

One thing at a time.

Well, commercial zoning as well.

So Mr.

Crowe, if I understand that now the the somebody wants to do an art studio as part of their house.

It has to be on the same lot because it's an accessory structure.

That's right, just like you would have a backyard workshop, okay.

Right.

Exactly.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um we have one more card.

Would you like to speak?

Hey, I'm Antonia Zenaro.

I live in 2708 St.

Anthony Street.

I'm David Hargill's wife, and I've lived in New Orleans for the past ten years.

I'm an artist, community organizer, and an entrepreneur.

I'm here today to respectfully ask for approval of a lot of reconfiguration.

Um, and I'd like to address the four approval standards in section 432.

First, you acquired 2057 Hope Street, the dog leg lot through the City Motor Own program, which was designed to fight blight and encourage redevelopment.

We've invested our energy, time and money into cleaning and improving it.

Now at the very step where we are ready to build, we cannot move forward without your approval because the bank requires the lots to be combined in order to finance us.

The motor owned program statement mission were meant to protect neighborhoods, but here strict application of the dog leg lot would actually block the very goals of the motor own.

You're not asking for special treatment or profit, you're asking for the opportunity to build, contribute to the local economy, and we store up property that Katrina left behind.

As an artist, an entrepreneur, and a migrant, I deeply appreciate the spirit of this country that if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams.

This project represents that spirit for us.

Second, the dog leg portions measures 41% instead of 40%.

That is just a 1% difference with no impact on how the locks the lot looks, functions or fits in the neighborhood.

The intent of the rule is sound, but is minor exception still honest that intent while allowing us to access financing and move forward.

As entrepreneurs and artists, we don't have the resources of large developers and real estate corporations.

But this city soul has always come from this creative force.

It's cultural bearers and it's small entrepreneurs, people who live and work here and who keep our neighborhood connected and vibrant.

We ask you to consider that a 1% difference.

We are not meeting, but it would make uh all the difference of our bank to approve our loan.

Um thank you for reconsidering this, and um I appreciate thank you.

Do you all have any questions?

So oh, I have a question.

Is that is that an open lot?

It's uh yes.

The corner lots are open.

Yeah, we have two corner lots which are open.

I'm looking at it on Google and I wasn't sure how current that was, that image.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioners, is is there a motion or any other questions?

We don't have any other cards and support, none in opposition, so I'd like to uh make a motion against the um staff's recommendation for approval of subdivision docket 062-25.

Is the staff's recommendation denial?

Yes.

Okay.

My notes are not accurate up here, so I could not pull it up on the okay.

So the staff's recommendation is denial.

Understood.

Um in the spirit of revitalizing the neighborhoods.

Is there a second?

I'll second.

Thank you, Commissioner Brown.

Any discussion.

Okay, let's go ahead and vote.

This is to go against staff recommendation and to approve the subdivision docket.

Um I know this is probably just five.

It actually needs to show Commissioner Josie Gupta as the mover and then Kelly Commissioner Brown as the second.

Got it.

And then we'll vote.

The motion carries with six YAs.

Subdivision docket zero six four dash twenty-five.

Subdivision docket sixty-four dash twenty-five is a request to resubdivide lots eleven, twelve, thirteen, eighteen, and nineteen into lots five A and five B in an HURD2 district.

The proposed lot combination would allow the reconfiguration of eight existing lots into two lots of record, a rectangular lot and an irregularly shaped L-shaped lot.

Due to this configuration, this request is classified as a policy A subdivision.

The site is currently developed with a multifamily home and an accessory structure at the rear of the property.

Considering the existing lots are already individually developable, and the proposed subdivision does not introduce additional development potential.

It should be noted that there are lots at the rear of the property without street frontage.

This request would improve the petition site by allowing the two rear lots to have access to municipal services, street access, and other necessities, granting future inhabitants rights commonly enjoyed by other residents.

With that, staff recommends approval of subdivision docket 64-25, subject to one proviso.

So Commissioner Whitry had to step out for just a minute.

Oh, you do.

Great.

Come on up, give us your name and address and um fill out a card afterwards, please.

Um my name is Lewis Hartman.

My address 2121 North Causeway Boulevard, uh, Metary 7003.

Um and I'm here representing Ms.

Stewart.

Uh and sh I she and I befriended each other years ago dealing with this property.

And uh right now she would just like to retain the the fourplex that's on what is to be lot five A.

And uh if she needs to to sell 5B, she's 88 years old now and she's kind of looking towards uh you know, maybe needing income to take care of herself and her uh you know old old age, and that's there's no plans for future development, it's just um something to try to uh you know have potential income if she needs it.

So thank you.

And staff recommendation was remind us was for approval.

Thank you.

Would anyone like else speak?

Nope.

Any questions or is there a motion?

I move approval in accordance with staff recommendation.

Commissioner Flickle second.

Great.

Is there any uh discussion questions?

If not, then let's go ahead and vote.

The staff recommendation, yes.

Okay, let me know that six Yes.

The motion carries.

Now we are going to move on to the 2026-2030 capital improvement plan.

Downloadable.

Oh, you're at the I talked on the window where we go to control that.

Yes.

Commissioner Steak has left, but we do have a quorum and we'll continue business.

Okay.

Sorry about that, you guys.

So the first is the CIP amendment report.

This is a request for an amendment to the CIP to include three additional capital budget requests that were not heard during the May 2025 agency hearings.

The first is a request from Department of Property Management for Hurricane Ida cost share to provide funds to repair hurricane damage.

This request is for nine point nine million for general obligation bond funds.

The second request is from the Office of Resilience and Sustainability and is for stormwater and drainage improvements on City Park Avenue between I-10 and St.

Louis Street.

This request is for four point eight million in bond funds.

And the third request is from City Planning Commission for Brownfield Remediation of Criminal Court and Poidris right-of-way.

The City Planning Commission is applying for grant funds from the EPA, and this request is for one million EPA funding to be included in the 2026 through 2030 CIP.

Oh, there's no action required.

Okay.

No action required.

All right.

Um so we have members from City Planning Commission here, and we have Kyle Homan, Capital Budget Director, behind us to answer questions as we walk through this presentation with you all.

Okay.

So here are the contents of the presentation.

We'll walk through CPC's requirements, the process this year, some improvements that we've made, the submissions from the various agencies, the funding sources, the CPC recommendations, and a small sampling of some of the projects.

This is for the 2026 through the 2030 capital improvement plan.

So the legal background and CPC responsibilities.

And then we have put together a plan, which you're hearing today that needs to get sent to the mayor by September 15th.

So the CIP development process improvements.

This year we streamlined the agency hearings.

This makes it easier for agencies to submit for teams to pull the information and data and ensures that all of the budgeting information is in one platform.

We created a dashboard of all the requests sent to us that the public could review.

And we published the report online through a software service called Open Book, which is also what the operating budget is produced in.

This is an example of the public facing dashboard.

We worked with the IT team to basically upload the submissions that came to us from all the various agencies.

You can see here that you're able to click on different points on this map and see some information about the request.

You're also able to filter by category, by agency, by council district.

Okay, so the overview of the funding requests for 2026 through 2030.

We had 34 agencies, which submitted a total of 243 requests.

The requests for general obligation bonds totaled over 2.2 million.

Self-generated funds had over 1.7, sorry, 2.2 billion.

Self-generated funds had over 1.7 billion.

Intergovernmental 3.2 million.

US Department of Transportation, 51 million, and Environmental Protection Agency had 1 million.

Oops, I apologize.

So the funding category descriptions.

Each year, each submission, each agency attaches to each submission a category of funding that they're requesting dollars from.

Many agencies are requesting general obligation bond dollars.

This year, the administration is proposing a $510 million general obligation bond, which will go to the voters at the November 15th, 2025 election.

It's going to be divided into three groupings.

45 million will be allocated to affordable housing, 50 million will be allocated to drainage and stormwater.

There are self-generated funds.

So two agencies, New Orleans Aviation Board or MSY, and the French Market Corporation generate their own funding sources and submit documentation outlining their five-year capital plan expenditures of their self-generated funds.

Intergovernmental funds, these are funding sources from other governmental agencies that are not grants.

They're considered intergovernmental sources.

And then we have USDOT and EPA funds, and these are federal grant funds.

So the city is applying for grants through USDOT and EPA, and these grants are included in the capital plan and are recommended to be funded, assuming they are awarded.

So the proposed funding expenditures for 2026 through 2030.

The CIP proposed expenditures by funding category are listed below.

You can see that the groups of funding that are not general obligated bonds, general obligation bonds are proposed to be funded in full because those are self-generated requests, they're intergovernmental requests, their grants.

The general obligation bonds, we have recommendations that total the 465 million dollars.

So overview of capital program priorities and recommendations.

Each year we have a few priorities that we identify, and we use this as a guide to propose recommendations for investment in addition to evaluations that are completed in internally and the scoring criteria that each agency submits with their proposals.

So state of good repair.

There are a number of agencies that require updates to existing city buildings and facilities.

Property management is the steward of many of the city's buildings, and maintaining them now will prevent future ballooning of costs.

The criminal justice complex.

This area has been listed as a priority for CPC since the 2023 to 2037 CIP.

The area includes a number of different buildings, the criminal district court building, the municipal and traffic court building, the old NOPD headquarters, the House of Detention, the Community Correctional Center, the Clerk of Civil District Court, and the district attorney's offices are within this area.

Particularly that there's a new vacancy of the NOPD headquarters on Broad Street, and there really needs to be a comprehensive strategy developed for the area.

So there's some funds that we've allocated towards that.

Warehousing and storage is a third sort of top priority.

We continue to see requests for warehousing and storage from different agencies.

These are expensive requests that come through, and uh they're important things that uh become funded.

So the bond funding recommendations, CPC recommends partial or full funding for 115 projects.

It totals 465 million dollars.

The total cost for all of these projects would be 1.2 billion if they were fully funded.

Here are some examples of some things.

We we were able to conduct some site tours.

So this is New Orleans Mosquito Termite and Rhode Control Board.

They are requesting funding to harden their facilities.

They have a large pesticide warehouse and a hangar for their helicopter.

They're doing a lot of work right now with mosquitoes, and they're asking for um to secure their facilities and provide much needed updates.

So the Office of Public Safety support services.

This is the Oscar Madrano building.

They operate the real-time crime center here.

There's some hurricane I uh I'm I'm actually I can't remember exactly which hurricane, but they have some it is hurricane Ida damage.

They have hurricane Ida damage on the exterior, and they're very much in need of window repair.

So uh this is a request that's come to us several times, so we're recommending funding of this.

We were able to do a site visit here as well, and some recommended funding for NOPD headquarters.

We toured this, it's at 715 South Broad Street, and the recommendation this year is for a year one funding to determine next steps for the building.

That's there the proposal here is sixty million dollars for the total project cost.

Um the recommendation is for that year one funding 2026.

So this is a list of the projects recommended for bond funding.

This is in the CIP report online.

This is just a pulled list of these projects and the amount of recommended funding.

We'll just walk through this.

It takes four slides.

And then here are some of our next steps.

Um, so City Planning Commission approves the CIP, the CPC sends the approved the approved plan to the mayor by September 15th.

That is the deadline.

The administration prepares the capital budget ordinance and submits to the city council, and then the city council will hear the CIP, the capital plan, and the capital budget ordinance, and then they move forward on a budget ordinance by December 1st.

And that's the end of our presentation, and we're happy to answer any questions.

Again, we have Kyle here with us today who can also answer questions.

Thank you.

I have a few questions.

Um, first question uh saw what was actually requested in the the numbers kind of match evenly.

Have we taken in consideration like the cost of a project?

So if a cost of a project is estimated request was for a million dollars, but it becomes 1.7.

How is that project?

Is it doable, or what happens at that point if the actual cost of the project exceeds the amount that was actually budgeted for that line item?

Good afternoon, Kyle Human, uh Capital Budget Director.

Um so we use the capital budget request to inform our decision of like which projects to include on the bond resolution.

Um however, we know different circumstances are going to affect how much funding is actually allocated.

So if the bids come in high, they come in low, maybe uh priorities change.

Um, so those amounts aren't exact, and we're gonna look at it every year through the CIP to make sure that we have sufficient money to get those projects completed.

So, did you budget for like an overridge of excess funds to be used?

I'm just saying if you if the plan is to fund everything that was requested, and something comes in high at some point, something gets lost, right?

So, did we take that in consideration to put a pocket of money on the side to supplement any project they may come in higher?

Yes, so actually the resolution project list is going to be slightly different from what was included on the CIP.

So there is a reduced amount, and we anticipate some type of premium.

We just have to wait until we go out to the market to understand how much that premium will be.

Thank you.

A contingency fund, right?

A contingency amount for the amount.

And a lot of the budget requests include contingencies already.

So we're hopeful that that's a sufficient estimate, but we realize you know, bids may come in high, but we you know we've been lucky enough recently to actually getting bids under the estimate.

So that's also a possibility.

And these are all projects that are not currently being worked on.

Some of them are active projects that needs uh additional money, maybe they need FFE to complete a project, um, but a lot of them are going to be brand new.

Furniture's figures and equipment.

Correct.

No, no, no, go ahead.

If you have I I just I want to make sure that I'm I have a kind of a overall question just on the composition of the report on how it's structured with the appendices.

Um so I think that might be a staff question.

So there I don't see totals here, and I'm wondering, these look like the projects that are being taken care of with the FEMA money.

Is that correct?

All of them are not.

The uh and Kyle could also speak to this, but the the list that we have in the appendices are active projects, um projects that um are in of course various stages of of completion and activity as noted in uh each line.

Um I believe uh and I believe Kyle gave us the list actually, so he's probably better to speak on this, but I believe all projects are accounted for in that list.

All projects are accounted for on this list, but they're not necessarily in the 26th through 30 proposals and recommendations in the body of the report.

That's that's absolutely correct.

So uh the way that for better or worse, the way the CIP report has been structured, you know, for as long as I've been here is once a uh project becomes ongoing once it's funded, then it goes into the appendix, which include all the ongoing projects.

Um so uh all the projects within the 26 to uh 30 time frame, 2026 to 2030, will be new projects, projects that aren't funded or are not uh completely funded.

Okay, so I know that the the concern uh repeatedly at at this particular meeting every year is tracking, of course, the FEMA funds that were settled on in 2016, and those first popped in as a source of funding in 2017 at almost two billion dollars.

What I would would love to see and and provide is some sort of tracking on just that specific money because it has an expiration date, and I think that that's where you know that's what my question to you not only last year but yesterday when we spoke.

Um I you know the total is not here, so it's hard to see where we are with that, how much is left because you know, of course, there's no funding source cited in this year because that money is from before, but if we've not spent the money, it's expired unless we get continued exp extensions.

So where is the gap?

Where do we stand on that?

All right.

I can I can just give you a high-level overview of the entire JIR program.

And so the total uh the JR program consists of four different FEMA grants, two is Switch and Waterboard and two with the city, um, and that totals about 1.7 billion dollars.

And so I'm gonna speak to the city portion of that money, which is about 1.4 billion.

So of the 1.4 billion, we have spent about $875 billion of that with about $315 million on contracts with projects that are ongoing.

Um, and so we are going through the final bidding of the final projects.

So we have uh we brought on CDM Smith as the program manager to bring this program to the finale.

Um, and so they are on the last of their uh they have uh consolidated projects, um seven larger projects.

We've bid five of those to date, and one is currently out on the streets, and we have one more that will be coming out.

In addition to that, we have several projects under the NDR or the National Disaster Resilience Program that will also be using uh well completing JR scope.

So the anticipation is to stop you just for a second.

You're using some acronyms I'm not sure everybody's familiar with, the JIR or JR the JIRR is the joint infrastructure uh roads request.

That is the FEMA public assistance grants.

Okay, and that is separate from the the second one you mentioned.

So the NDR is the National Disaster Resilience Program.

That's HUD funding that came out of Hurricane uh I believe Isaac.

And so part of that grant application used JIRR funding as leveraged funds to make our application more um you know fundable.

So those pro uh those projects are just going to be combined with green infrastructure scope.

So you'll see like bioswales, pervious pavement, along with the road work and the underground utility work.

But the the road work and the underground utility work are the FEMA reimbursed projects, not this other money, which I I don't ever I don't know that I ever remember seeing that as a funding source in this in our reports here.

The the money second that second funds in our report they would have been listed as uh FEMA.

Okay, okay, all right.

That's good.

Um so the roughly 875 that you say has been spent and completed and then underway out are they uh you know work being worked on like another 350?

You said yeah, 315 are already on existing contracts and different you know they're encumbered and that's considered re reimbursable.

Correct.

Okay, so the rest of it, 300 million is we are currently going out to bid and being prepared for bid.

So they're out to bid, they're not encumbered yet.

Correct.

Where does that stand with the reimbursement money having a sunset of 2023 that we've re made requests for?

Are we gonna get that?

Have we gotten that?

So we have a time extension uh FEMA granted our time extension recently, I think in July, um, and extended us through the end of this year.

And so you're gonna have 300 million underway and under contract by the end of this year.

Correct.

And so that is the goal because we have to have everything under contract um to be able to submit the final time extension.

So we've already had discussions with uh FEMA administrator, um, FEMA leadership state leadership.

They've already assured us that they are going to grant us that time extension, but it also is going to take a congressional act.

So they are not the ones who will all to be making those decisions, but it's our goal to have everything under contract before the end of the year before the time extension, so that we can put in a final one through the December 2028, and then we can finish the program.

Okay, well, that's very good news, except for that last bit about needing a congressional act.

So we are looking at schedule.

I mean, the to in order to extend the deadline of the disaster, it's gonna take uh congressional approval.

And so and that is that has been this body's concern for a number of years, not not to mention the citizens of New Orleans.

We put that we put ourselves in the position of begging for more time in a climate, the climate we're in, not to mention the increased number of disasters and escalation of those costs.

Yes, and that is also the top priority of the administration.

So I understand that, but okay, thank you so much.

I appreciate your being here and helping us understand this.

Absolutely.

I have some more questions for staff, but I'll give it to my I think you nailed it with all of the questions that well, and that that is not for this.

I mean, our group here is just an overall view that we've seen year in year out, watching the timeline click, and I don't mean to get on anybody's, but it's the sense of urgency hasn't been there, and I guess it's really urgent now.

So I just wanted to put that on the record.

Um, but as far as um, I have a couple of staff questions just in this prioritizing of and placement of some expenses on here that um I know that it's noted in the beginning of the report that several departments have asked for repair and maintenance to be covered in this capital budget, which is really you know, in the scoring that actually receives a zero or should because it's not gonna last 10 years.

So I just I I think that we're in a position now where we're trying to stretch the capital budget into our operating um which should be operating, and that's not that's not wise use of bond funds, which you know are an investment.

So um, I mean, in particular, I see um you know, there's there's like the data center repairs um and moving expenses, and um pool repairs north.

Those are those are new pools, by the way.

Um lots, and we've spent 275 something million dollars on on those those um facilities, and I I it just I don't and their budget their operating budget has consistently been increased, so I'm concerned about that.

But anyway, your thoughts so one thing that uh we stress to all the department uh leaders whenever they present these to us is uh to meet you know the the obligations for uh this bond funding that it has to uh whatever improvements are made or whatever is purchased uh must have a useful life of 10 years.

Um and when you see things, you know, especially you know, one example that comes to mind is Department of Property Management's um CY building repairs, um, and you know, through our discussions with them, they you know they uh uh assure us that these are substantial uh repairs, renovations, purchase of chillers, massive uh pieces of equipment that uh they believe um would have a useful life uh that would meet those uh requirements, and that uh these repairs are to an extent that they would also meet those requirements.

Yeah, there's five million dollars there.

And um, I mean, I understand we have a lot of property, but how specific do we get when the ask actually comes that this is going to be a 10-year life of what's being invested in?

How granular do you get or what where is that?

Because I mean there's five million dollars here.

Where what is that?

That's just that sounds like operating expenses to me.

Right.

No, I mean that's a that's a great question.

And when these funds are uh obligated to a certain budget, uh you would expect that they would be spent in accordance with you know the requirements of that funding source.

We did have discussions about that throughout this process uh with Kyle in particular about which um requests may seem like they are not necessarily capital or and and we reviewed every single one and and were assured that they were capital expenditures.

So there is repair um, but technically they meet the requirements for capital.

Technically, meaning they have a life expectancy of more than 10 years.

And how do we how do we know that though?

I mean, because they're asking for five million dollars in citywide repairs.

We don't have we don't have an invoice, we don't have I mean are you using industry standards for the assumption of the useful life?

I mean, is there any back checking in terms of what you're comparing the two?

I got chillers 25, 30 years, but other items.

So, like we you know, we do internal reviews of the requests that will come for this money as well.

And I think the you know, important thing is yes, if there was regular maintenance, the useful life of these buildings will be much longer, but because of deferred maintenance over the years, it's gotten to the point where we can't just repair, we have to completely replace.

And so a lot of these, like the citywide building repairs, we replaced roof on the annex of city hall.

So that certainly has a 10-year life.

But we do have those discussions with these smaller um expenses of like, is this truly an improvement or is this just regular repairs that need to occur?

Unfortunately, there's not a clear guideline of what is and what's not, so some of that is just an internal kind of decision.

Well, an overhaul is different than a repair, and I'm sure you all know that.

So an overhaul would increase the life of an existing asset.

But if you just you know, if this becomes operating, this isn't this is not the correct use of bond funds.

Yep, so that's why you know if you replace a part and or you repair a part and that HVAC lasts for another 10 years, would that not be you know an improvement?

That would be an overhaul, I would think.

That would be if you're if you're if you're but but but this amassing of all these into a lump sum is is troublesome because then you get into uh you know a slippery slope of well, we just write this check or we'll write this check with no plan.

I think it brings up a good point of deferred maintenance, right?

So we can keep throwing money at the problem from the from the bond fund, you know, but there also needs to be a real look at how we're spending our money in in maintenance and and you know, actually doing the maintenance preventative maintenance versus reactive maintenance, which is what we do or no maintenance at all.

So you know that should be considered when we're looking at uh how we're gonna how we're gonna spend my money in the future.

What happens if the November 15th ballot doesn't get passed?

We'll have to go back to the voters.

We'll have to you know listen to what you know reasons for why it didn't pass.

One of the things that we did with this new bond proposition was we split it into different categories, so there's actually gonna be three different votes.

You'll have to vote on affordable housing separate from stormwater and drainage and separate from the infrastructure.

Um in addition, we've provided project lists so that the citizens can know ahead of time what is gonna be funded from that money that they'll vote on.

What's the data of the city of New Orleans voting in favor of these type of measures?

Does anyone know?

Like the actual uh vote, November 15th.

No, I know the bond measures, like what's the history of the results of the of like yes or no?

Uh I would have to look into that.

I commend the administration for putting in the effort to itemize them because I feel like when you just ask for you know money without backup, at least there's some there's an attempt at some transparency.

Thank you.

What happens if we don't get the congressional act to go through?

We'll have to reassess how to proceed with the remaining projects.

Okay.

Uh the 45 million will be all bonds.

Um we that's the one resolution that that doesn't include a project list because the council has set up the housing trust fund, and so that will help uh fund a portion of the housing trust fund that will go towards capital improvements.

Yep.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um question.

I was happy to see Mercy Hospital on here with a recommendation of six million.

What is that gonna what's gonna happen?

Is it gonna be demolished or um and and what is the financing arrangement?

Is that's is that is that city property or so I can speak to that.

So one of the f what's new to this bond uh resolution too is we've included economic development projects.

So that has not occurred in years past, and so the city does not own the land, but there's currently negotiations about a redevelopment.

So Mercy Hospital actually is on the infrastructure project list and the stormwater and drainage project list because part of their proposal is to uh connect with the drainage in that area since there is a lot of flooding.

So we anticipate some type of stormwater green infrastructure improvements along with uh redevelopment, but uh that uh deal has not closed yet.

So what that will go out for and sorry an RFP or or whatever for whatever there's already it's whoever's the current, I think is that domain um who's on that project.

I forget uh the the um development firm.

I don't know.

And the same with six flags.

I mean, that's been sitting for 20 years and so this would go to support the current developers' efforts at six flags.

Okay, and have they itemized what's on that spending list and who's who's getting paid uh five million dollars?

I don't have the specifics if there is, but I can certainly reach out to Jeffrey Schwartz, um, who's the director of economic development who would have more information on that?

That would be great.

Okay.

Because that's been pretty moral for including the most recent development plan.

Okay.

I think that's it.

But um thank you.

I think I should have one follow-up.

As far as the um the 40 million or 45 million for affordable housing.

Are we talking about single family housing with that?

Or we're talking about actual developments of affordable housing.

It could be either.

Okay.

So it would have to be a capital improvement related to affordable housing.

Okay, so would that apply as all seconds to help someone purchase no like a residence no because that's just uh assess you know assistance to buy something it would have to build something with a useful life of 10 years.

So so then that 40 million or 45 million whatever it is would then go to developers to develop affordable housing?

Yeah it uh what we've done in the past allocations of affordable housing is basically gap financing so in order to get these projects across the finish line um we'll plug you know a little bit of money to get them across to be able to close that deal we do have a member of the audience that has a card so if you would like to come up now and Mr Michael if you don't mind stating your name and address and not a problem.

The rules still apply we have two minutes.

All right Sage Michael um I live in New Orleans East so I would not state my full address for privacy concerns.

Thank you.

But I can show you my ID privately thank you.

This is a I'm here for a learning curve on the budgeting process.

Personally speaking um I'm one of the community leaders for the efforts to bring back Lincoln Beach um prior to and and I've I've witnessed seven um instances where I researched the document that Lincoln Beach is mentioned on that draft.

Internally about the request just to make sure we are all on the same page on the project move forward you know I put this request out to the project um team as well so that's that's uh secondly um as a climate justice organizer for um healthy gulf um there are no um hydro hydrologic and hydraulic studies east of the inner harbor canal um there are three done in the city west then lake view in mid-city uh this helps us to lay the foundation to receive to be able to um go along with the city living for water plan and the greater new or water plan which has healthy golf uh we've been partnering to move forward the concept of transforming canals um and the community members have created a new east community water plan because one does not exist I would like to thank you for bringing up the priority of the FEMA funding is now the Katrina 20 week of action people go to Katrina20.org people who are on the rooftops are responsible for us getting that FEMA funding and thank you for prioritizing that and we can make sure that the people get that funding add more but you know constricted to two minutes is difficult.

Thank you sir sir go ahead if you okay I appreciate that um just going for my notes I've I work with other coalition partners in New Orleans East including Song with Vietnamese organization Wall Lee's Institute and we are developing a Northeast community water plan this is we are missing that ESA the Harbor Canal New Orleans East is exist within that technical called a polder and we need to get that done but going back to it's the week of Katrina celebrating 20 years we need to know what funds are expired I've witnessed several extensions of the expirations um the people are expiring at at this rate and we need to make sure that's funded I'm very concerned with the bond um sale that's coming up with there's no B plan the B plan was to go back to the voters and that's to me that's no B plan that's just forcing voters on a mechanism and being um involved with the city I've documented several city properties that are definitely in blight and is definitely allowed to forest so why not sell city property to fund some things instead of continue coming to the voters for that um thank you uh for the itemized list uh for the budget that wasn't done in the past uh and also thank you for bringing up affordable housing uh new or is not affordable for many New Orleanians the cost burden uh and the average meaning of income is uh below the uh uh cost of living in New Orleans but we need as much housing as possible in the city to say we have um almost half the population and have a housing crisis is astronomical to me the math is not mathing on that but thank

Um thank you uh for the itemized list uh for the budget that wasn't done in the past.

Uh and also thank you for bringing up affordable housing.

Uh New Orleans is not affordable for many New Orleanians, the cost burden uh and the average meaning of income is uh below the uh cost of living in New Orleans, but we need as much housing as possible in the city to say we have um almost half the population and have a housing crisis, it's astronomical to me.

The math is not mathing on that.

But thank you all, commissions, for this time and uh appreciate this uh moment.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Michael.

You're absolutely right.

New Orleans is housing stressed.

We spend 50% of our income on our housing, and it's one of the highest in the country, and so I appreciate you bringing that up.

Questions?

I is there anyone else here to speak.

Um before we take action on this, I do want to know if there is something we can do in a motion to um ensure that when these monies that are marked for repairs, that each one of those is going to be extending the life of the asset that it is being sent spent on.

I and and I don't know if we can even do that, but to at least put I mean, because we don't have you know line item veto here.

So those are the only things that trouble me about this.

This is that bond money being spent on operating expenses.

I'm assuming you have a site plan or um building um what needs to happen to be because I mean what do we call when we go through property inspection list of what needs to actually happen?

I mean, we don't she doesn't want we don't want to put a band-aid on things, yes.

We want to be able to extend the life of the asset.

So what's your recommendation there?

Well, in in terms of the motion, I I think you could um I mean, depending on your vote today, um I guess encourage uh the administration to be uh perhaps more uh more transparent with these kind of groupings of funding sources or not funding sources but uh projects where it's kind of a pot um to see if there is any um any way that these bond funds, especially with this new uh referendum coming to to vote, um, if there's a method for tracking how those dollars are spent, I think it would be a good opportunity to to begin to uh possibly um show where the funds are going in particular.

I mean especially, of course, since you know there is uh a project list that's already been um voted on by the city council uh via resolution.

Um any more detail that could be added could be helpful and obviously add to the transparent uh nature that this seeks to uh encourage.

So, Commissioner Brown, something about encourage the city to track how funds are being used to extend the life of the asset.

I actually would like to do more than encourage because this is this is public money, and we can't just say encourage them to do the spend it correctly.

It has to be more of it really does have to be part of the legal way that we spend public money, and I think encouragement is great, but I mean it it's a matter of law.

So I I I'm I'm hesitant just uh I I just I think that we request the council to put some some um to fine-tune it at that level and and just put that as a proviso if we can.

Um that the council will ensure that there is a uh a project list that um complies with the terms of the bond.

Yeah, and and the the reason I use the term encourage is is because this document itself uh is submitted as you know information as guidance to the administration and as information to the uh city council.

I do think that we could uh build in something like that, you know, uh and uh include that in our report in our presentation to the council in October.

So I guess I can ask legal for your advice on how to draft this.

I'm in agreement with Larry.

administration and as information to the uh city council I do think that we could uh build in something like that you know uh and uh include that in our report in our presentation to the council in October so I guess I can ask legal for your advice on how to draft this I'm in agreement with Larry I think a note on the record and including it in the presentation would be the most appropriate manner rather than a proviso itself for them to also sell any buildings that are just sitting there dormant to get some more money into the city budget would be helpful for property management as well city owns a lot of properties move this forward um given that that is on the record and um a request of the council to ensure that those uh project lists are compliant with the bond terms there a second second thank you we have a motion on the floor any discussion further discussion thank you all it's a I know that this process is long and tedious and I appreciate all your hard work on it commissioners if you could please vote five years the motion carries thank you I believe we have one more thank you for coming down and being a part of we have one more item and that is the subdivision ratifications Mr yes um commissioners you have I believe it's four subdivisions up for ratification for administrative approval uh today so moved is there a second oh I can't say there are second commissioners please we we are still here yes okay let's go ahead and vote who did the second all right can you please uh thank you any discussion they've been approved there's we need five yes they've been approved five years thank you uh motion to adjourn will there's a lot of the