Jun 21, 2023 Council Zoning

[00:00:01]

GOOD

[CALL TO ORDER]

WELCOME TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING ON THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21ST, 2023 AT 4:00 PM I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING ORDER, ASK YOU DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING SUCH PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE ONE, SECTION 1.2 C NINE AND 1.7 A OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

ALL ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DESIGN TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR ITEM SHOULD REFER TO THE MEETING AGENDA AND COMPLETE NECESSARY INFORMATION PRIOR TO MEETING USING THE MONITORS OUTSIDE OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL CHAMBER BY FILLING OUT A REQUESTED SPEAK CARD INDICATING WHICH ITEM YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AND PLACE IN THE DESIGNATED LOCATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

ONCE THE ITEM IS ANNOUNCED, EACH PERSON'S NAME HAS COMPLETED, THE CARD WILL BE CALLED TO SPEAK FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME DESIGNATED, WHICH WILL BE THREE MINUTES TODAY.

THE PROPONENTS WILL SPEAK FIRST, THEN THE OPPONENTS, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE ALLOWED NOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.

THE SPEAKERS ARE REQUEST TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS AND TO AVOID DUPLICATION IN THEIR PRESENTATION.

THE PROPONENTS WILL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL.

NOT EACH PERSON FOR A REBUTTAL, BUT ONE PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO REBUT.

THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE COMMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE LAW, BUT OUR URGE TO COOPERATE IN EFFORT TO SPEND NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES ON ANYONE'S ZONING CASE.

I DO HAVE A LIST OF, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK.

I'LL CALL YOU IN THE ORDER THAT YOU FILLED OUT THE CARD AFTER WE'VE CALLED ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS UP TO SPEAK.

UH, IF THERE ARE OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN, UH, FAVOR OF OR IN OUR POSITION, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AS WELL.

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD, BUT WE'LL START WITH

[1. 23-00512 Case 17-23 2575 and 2595 O’Neal Lane]

MOTION TO APPROVE WAS CARRIED.

SEVEN ZERO BY THE COMMISSION.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE CAV ONE.

SO MOVED.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED.

ITEM

[2. 23-00667 TA-3-23 Chapter 9, Use Regulations]

CHAPTER NINE.

USE REGULATIONS UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT TO REIVE SECTION 9.5 2D PERTAINING TO OFFENSES AND WALLS.

COMMISSION ACTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE NINE ZERO.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO? COUNCIL MEMBERS? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE NOW GO TO ITEM THREE,

[3. 23-00669 Case 22-23 9856, 9918 and 9958 Burbank Drive]

ZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL LIGHT COMMERCIAL LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BURBANK, DRIVE WEST OF ELVIN DRIVE.

COUNCIL THREE.

MOTION TO APPROVE CARRY NINE ZERO BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE? WE NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER EZ.

THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE FOR THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHETHER IT'D BE THE APPLICANT OR THE LANDLORD? OKAY.

DURING THE PLANNING.

OH, WONDERFUL.

STEP TO THE MIC SIR, IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP PLEASE.

MY NAME IS AYA ALMA, I'M IN THE YOU'RE THE APPLICANT.

THE APPLICANT.

YOU ARE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU ARE NOT THE LANDLORD OF THIS PROPERTY.

NO, NOT THE LANDLORD.

SO AS THE APPLICANT, YOUR DESIRE IS TO OPEN THE SEAFOOD MARKET ON ONE SECTION OF THE BUILDING? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

CORRECT.

DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF A BUSINESS THAT PREVIOUSLY OPENED ON THIS PROPERTY.

YOU DO NOT CONTROL THAT BUSINESS, CORRECT? NO.

OKAY.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKS FORWARD TO YOUR SEAFOOD MARKET.

AS DO I.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? WE GO TO ITEM FOUR,

[4. 23-00670 Case 23-23 7395 Florida Boulevard]

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR? COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

SECONDLY BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'RE

[6. 23-00672 Case 26-23 8324, 8330, 8354 and 8366 Bayou Fountain Avenue]

REAL QUICK CASE 26 23 8 3 2 4 8 3 3 0 8 3 5 4 8 3 6 6 BY YOUR FOUND AVENUE TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL TO HIGH DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BOND, FIND WESTER GUARDIA COUNCIL THREE GODDE COMMISSION ACTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

EIGHT ZERO.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEED

[00:05:01]

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODDE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? GO TO ITEM SEVEN,

[7. 23-00673 Case 27-23 10307 and 10315 Jefferson Highway]

THERE ZONE PROPERTY FROM LIMITED RESIDENTIAL TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL TWO.

LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY WEST OF ARNOLD LANE.

COUNSEL DISTRICT 11, MOTION TO APPROVE NINE ZERO IS A COMMISSION.

ACTION.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM SEVEN? COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

ANY OBJECTIONS WE GO TO ITEM EIGHT,

[8. 23-00674 Case 28-23 T-8800 Tom Drive]

TOM DRIVE TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH AIRWAY DRIVE SOUTH OF TOM DRIVE DISTRICT SIX COMMISSION ACTION.

MOTION TO APPROVE A ZERO.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM EIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DUNN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.

ANY OBJECTIONS? ITEM EIGHT HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM

[5. 23-00671 Case 25-23 2106 Perkins Road]

DISTRICT 10.

MOTION TO APPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE CARRIED 81 BY THE COMMISSION.

WE'RE GONNA GO WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM.

UH, EXCUSE.

SAY AGAIN IF THE APPLICANT HERE WANTING TO SPEAK FIRST THE APPLICANT.

COME, COME ON DOWN.

STATION NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

I THINK I GOT YOU.

SO GO AHEAD.

OKAY.

HI, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS MINDY AND I AM THE APPLICANT FOR THIS ITEM.

UM, I PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

AT THAT TIME, MY PLAN WAS TO UPDATE IT THIS HOUSE AND RENTED OUT FOR, UM, RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.

DURING THAT PROCESS, I WAS APPROACHED AND ASKED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LEASING IT OUT FOR A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD MEDICAL CLINIC.

I OWN A BUSINESS TWO HOUSES DOWN AND I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.

I AM PERSONALLY INVESTED IN THIS AREA JUST LIKE THE NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE HERE.

SO I WANT TO SEE THIS AREA GROW, WHICH IS WHY I AM PURSUING THIS REZONING.

IN TALKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS, THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT WE WOULD MAKE CHANGES TO THIS BUILDING THAT WOULD ALTER THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE BUILDING ITSELF IS ABOUT 70 YEARS OLD AND WE REQUIRE A LOT OF WORK AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO INVESTING OUR TIME AND MONEY TO GET THIS PROPERTY UPDATED AND MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE AND FUNCTIONAL.

AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, WE DO NOT PLAN TO MAKE MAJOR STRUCTURAL CHANGES.

WE LOVE THE CHARACTER OF THIS BUILDING AND WANT TO PRESERVE IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THE NEIGHBORS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE AFRAID THAT OUR ZONING REQUESTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL WOULD MEANT THAT A TATTOO SHOP, A LARO MAT OR A SALON WOULD BE OCCUPIED ABLE TO OCCUPY THIS BUILDING.

WE ORIGINALLY APPLIED, ORIGINALLY APPLIED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.

HOWEVER, TO APPEASE OUR NEIGHBOR'S CONCERN, WE COMPROMISED AND AGREED TO LOWER THE ZONING REQUEST TO A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

THIS IS THE MOST RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL DESIGNATION WHICH WOULD ALLOW, NOT ALLOW FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESSES.

UH, PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.

WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ADDRESS ALL THE MAJOR CONCERNS AND JUST HOPE THAT WE HAVE, WE CAN BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS WORK AND IMPACT THE COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE WAY.

I ASKED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN APPROVING THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU.

NEXT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK SIR? COME ON.

HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS QUAVO AND I'M ONE OF THE BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT IS LOOKING TO OPEN UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEDICAL CLINIC HERE AT THIS LOCATION.

SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM.

THIS PROPERTY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TRYING TO GET REZONED IS LOCATED WITHIN A SMALL SECTION OF PERKINS ROAD, UH, BETWEEN LYDIA STREET AND HUNDRED OAKS AVENUE.

UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, THIS SECTION, ALL OF THE FRONTAGE PROPERTY ARE CURRENTLY ZONED AS COMMERCIAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ABOUT FIVE.

UM, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THERE'S A VERY UNIQUE BLEND OF RESIDENTIAL AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL.

THERE'S A COFFEE SHOP, THERE'S A DENTAL OFFICE, CONVENIENCE STORE, ART GALLERY, A DANCE STUDIO, A SALON AND A RESTAURANT, JUST THE NAME OF FEW.

WE FEEL THAT ADDING A NEIGHBORHOOD MEDICAL CLINIC HERE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CURRENT ZONING PATTERN AND WILL NOT CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THIS AREA.

THE TYPICAL CONCERNS FOR REZONING IS THAT IT WILL BRING IN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC, DRAINAGE PROBLEMS, CRIME, NOISE AND EFFECT PROPERTY VALUE.

WE DON'T FEEL THAT OUR BUSINESS BEING A SMALL MEDICAL CLINIC WILL HAVE SUCH ISSUES AROUND HERE.

WE HAVE RECEIVED OPPOSITION FROM A SMALL GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO DO NOT WANT ANY ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL REZONING REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.

GOOD

[00:10:01]

WE STATES THAT THEY WILL OPPOSE ALL COMMERCIAL REZONING.

WE FEEL THAT THEIR PLAN IS NOT OFFERED ANY FLEXIBILITY, EVEN IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THE AREA TO GET ALL TOGETHER.

IN ADDITION, THEIR PLAN CONTRADICTS THE CURRENT FUTURE BUREAU LAND USE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS PROPERTY AND UNFORTUNATELY IT BLOCKS FUTURE GROWTH IN THIS AREA.

WE HAVE MADE MANY EFFORTS TO MEET WITH THE OPPOSITION GROUP IN PRIVATE AND AT A COMMUNITY MEETING AND IN THE PRESENCE OF COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN IN HOPES OF FINDING SOME COMMON GROUND ON THIS MATTER TO MAKE IT WORK.

DURING THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE WERE WITH AN EXCEPTION OF A HANDFUL OF RESPECTFUL NEIGHBORS.

WE WERE MET WITH A GROUP THAT DIDN'T WANT TO COMPROMISE NO MATTER WHAT WE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

THE RESPONSE FROM THE OPPOSING GROUP IS THAT THEY ARE CONTENT WITH THE CURRENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN PLACE.

THEY DID NOT NEED OR WANT US IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT WE NEEDED TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

COMPROMISES WASN'T AN OPTION.

UH, AT ANY POINT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF GIVE AND TAKE IF OTHER BUSINESS AROUND THIS AREA CAN FUNCTION AND COEXIST WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THE SAME.

AND ALL WE ASK IS FOR A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

I ASK FOR CONSIDERATION AND SUPPORT AND VOTING YES FOR THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AMY DEWITT, DEWI.

EXCUSE ME.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

THAT SMALL GROUP OF NEIGHBORS THAT OBJECTED IS HAVE SIGNED A PETITION.

DEWIT.

I'M SORRY.

I APOLOGIZE.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR BEFORE WE GO TO OPPOSITION? WE GOT ONE MORE.

WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR.

I'LL COME TO YOU RIGHT AFTER THAT.

OKAY.

MY APOLOGIES.

I WAS LATE.

IT WAS HARD TO FIND PARKING.

JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

UH, HENSLEY 2042 PER OH, HENSLEY CRAY AND 2042 PERKINS.

UM, I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO MINDY'S CURRENT PROPERTY AND TWO DOORS DOWN FROM THE THIS NEW PROPERTY.

UM, I AM 100% IN FAVOR OF THIS ARE MOST RECENT NEIGHBORS.

IT'S BEEN A RENT HOUSE THAT'S BEEN IN DISREPAIR FOR DECADES.

UM, WE'VE HAD MENAS EFFECTIVELY THAT LIVE THERE.

THE MOST RECENT GUY WAS ALWAYS ON DRUGS, WOULD BARK AT MY DOG WHEN I'M OUT IN THE YARD.

THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I WANT FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS AN OFFICE THAT'S GONNA CLOSE AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND WILL, SORRY, I'M REALLY NOT GOOD AT PUBLIC SPEAKING.

.

UM, IT'S GONNA CLOSE AT FIVE.

THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY.

THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THEY PROMISED TO DO.

I KNOW THEY WILL BECAUSE MINDY IS MY CURRENT NEIGHBOR AND SHE HAS HAD ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY AND STOOD BY EVERYTHING SHE PROMISED TO DO WHEN I HAD CONCERNS WHEN THEY FIRST GOT THERE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN MINDY'S OFFICE BEFORE WERE NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST BUSINESS NEIGHBORS.

UM, YAY.

OKAY.

I DO THINK , I DO THINK THAT THIS BUSINESS IS COMPATIBLE WITH, UM, BATON ROUGE'S PLAN IN GENERAL TO HAVE SMART USE PROPERTIES TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS BECAUSE NOW WE CAN WALK TO A DERMATOLOGIST INSTEAD OF DRIVING TO BLUE BONNET OR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THAT WHOLE GREEN LIGHT PROJECT, ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THINGS.

OH, YOU SHOULD SEE MY KNEES, UM, .

THE, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH, WITH ALL OF THESE PLANS FOR BATON ROUGE TO BE A MORE WALKABLE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD .

UM, THIS IS, I'M SO MUCH BETTER ON PAPER.

I HOPE Y'ALL GOT MY EMAIL.

UM, , UM, OH YEAH.

OKAY.

AND THEN THEY'RE ABOUT TO PRESENT YOU WITH A, UM, WITH A PETITION.

IT IS SIGNED BY TONS AND TONS OF NAMES.

NO ADDRESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NAMES.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.

THERE'S ONLY A HUNDRED HOUSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THEY'VE GOT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF, OF SIGNATURES.

UM, IN TALKING TO NEIGHBORS SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT MISINFORMED WHEN THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE ASKED ABOUT SIGNING THIS PETITION.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY LIKE AN EVIDENTIARY, YOU KNOW, IS THAT A WORD? IT FEELS LIKE A LEGALLY BLONDE.

I'M SORRY.

UM, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE A TRUE PIECE OF EVIDENCE.

IT'S MORE LIKE ANECDOTAL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE AND WE TOLD THEM SOMETHING, WE'RE NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT WE TOLD THEM OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, UM, TO GET THESE SIGNATURES, YOU KNOW, UM, I, OKAY, I GOTTA SIT.

I'M SORRY.

I SUPPORT THIS A HUNDRED PERCENT.

THEY HAVE NO PLANNING PLAN TO LIKE FLOOD THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY'VE COMPROMISED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WITH BEAVER HOOD OFFICE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY RECEPTIVE TO, UH, THE NEIGHBOR'S CONCERNS AND COMPROMISING.

OKAY.

CUR, SORRY.

THANK YOU BEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO

[00:15:01]

YOU DID GOOD.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? OKAY, MR. WHITLEY, ON YOU.

I'M ME DEWITT.

I LIVE ON CATO, UM, IN POET'S CORNER.

THAT PETITION, BY THE WAY, DOES HAVE ADDRESSES AND IT HAS OVER A HUNDRED SIGNATURES.

MS. COLEMAN HAS A COPY OF IT.

UM, SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RECENTLY BRANDED POET'S CORNER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE LOCATIONS IN BATON ROUGE TO EITHER BUY OR RENT HOUSE.

WHY? WE'RE OVER, UH, A HUNDRED YEAR OLD INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH JUST OVER A HUNDRED SMALL HOUSES, NARROW STREETS WITH BARELY TWO CAR POSSIBILITY AND NO OUTLET EXCEPT FOR PERKINS ROAD AND NO SIDEWALKS.

WHAT WE DO HAVE IS A SENSE OF PLACE IN HISTORY.

WE ARE RACIALLY DIVERSE, LGBTQ DIVERSE, AGE DIVERSE, FAMILY DIVERSE AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO WASH DISHES AND L LSU PROFESSORS.

WE HAVE NEWBORNS AND 90 YEAR OLDS.

WE ARE ORGANIZED.

WE SPENT OVER A YEAR COMING UP, UH, WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN THAT WE DID WITH PLANNING AND ZONING AND OUR THEM COUNCIL PERSON.

YOU WILL GET A COPY OF THAT AND IT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN REGARD TO THE PICTURES THAT YOU GOT.

UM, IT WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED FOR A LONG TIME.

WE HAVE POTLUCK SUPPERS, CONCERTS, AND POOL PARTIES DURING GUSTAV AND IDA.

WE, UH, MET IN THE STREETS AND GRILLED OUR, OUR FREEZER REMAINS.

WE ENGAGE WITH OUR LARGER COMMUNITY.

MID-CITY REDEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE HAS PARTNERED WITH US ON SEVERAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING OUR BRANDING.

WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHALLENGE WHERE WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTIES.

WE'VE WORKED ON SEVEN PROPERTIES, BUILDING PORCHES, FENCES, DOGGY BAG DISPENSERS, AND A WHEELCHAIR RAMP FOR ELDERLY COUPLES.

WE WON SIX OF THOSE CONTESTS BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY VOLUNTEERS.

WE ARE VERY, VERY, UH, COMMUNITY ORIENTED.

OUR MERCHANTS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MERCHANTS SUPPORTED OUR EFFORTS AND WE IN TURN SUPPORT THEM.

WE ALSO, UM, KNOW EACH OTHER'S CARS, DOGS, AND CHILDREN.

WE HAVE A RELATIVELY LOW CRIME RATE BECAUSE OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE VESTED IN THE AREA AND THEY REALIZE THAT HOME OWNERSHIP IS 24 7, NOT NINE TO FIVE.

SO REALLY WHO WOULDN'T WANNA LIVE THERE? FUTURE BBR, M C R A AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION ALL TALK ABOUT HAVING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DIVERSE AND ORGANIZED AND REVITALIZING.

WE HAVE THAT.

UM, WE ARE A HOMEGROWN TRADITIONAL, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND WE FEAR FOR OUR LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE A BALANCE THAT WE FEEL IS GOOD, BUT BECAUSE OF OUR CONVENIENT LOCATION AND AFFORDABILITY, BUSINESS INTERESTS HAVE TRIED TO BUY IN ON OUR LIMITED HOUSING INVENTORY.

AND, UM, WE'RE HERE TO DEFEND AND PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR NEW FAMILIES AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO'VE MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND COMMITMENT TO OUR AREA.

PLEASE SUPPORT US.

WE DON'T NEED REVITALIZING.

WE ARE THE REVITALIZATION.

LARRY, WHAT'S YOU? GOOD EVENING, LARRY BUTCHER.

I ALSO LIVE IN POET'S CORNER AND I GET AS NERVOUS AS SHE DOES WHEN I'M PUBLIC SPEAKING.

I'M ALSO GETTING OVER LARYNGITIS, SO MY VOICE IS ALREADY GONNA CRACK.

UM, WE WERE HERE IN 2008 AS A NEIGHBORHOOD TO DEFEND AGAINST REZONING FOR THIS VERY SAME PROPERTY.

WE WERE SUCCESSFUL THEN IN SHOWING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS A UNIQUE, ORGANICALLY FORMED D AND D THAT HAS A PERFECT YET FRAGILE MIX OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL.

WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THAT IF THAT THAT SCALE IS TIPPED TOWARDS MORE COMMERCIAL, THAT WILL AFFECT THE RESIDENTIAL CORE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, WE GOT TOGETHER, WE SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF BEING REACTIVE? COMING TO THESE MEETINGS, WE HELD TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH OUR COUNCILWOMAN AT THE TIME.

WE MET WITH PLANNING AND ZONING.

IN FACT, WE HAD MONTHLY MEETINGS, OFTEN TWICE A MONTH AT PLANNING AND ZONING FOR 15 MONTHS TO WORK TOGETHER, INCORPORATE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, GOALS AND WISHES INTO THIS PLAN THAT WE DISTRIBUTED HERE.

IT'S, IT'S NOT, WASN'T MEANT TO BE INFLEXIBLE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE THAT MIX AND THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE WELCOMED TO COME IN, BUT LOCATE IN WHAT IS ALREADY COMMERCIAL.

THE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE VISION OF THE PLAN, IF YOU TURN TO LAST PAGE, THAT ALL OF THAT WAS COMPLETED, BUT AS IT IS, IT'S

[00:20:01]

DRAINAGE AND SEWAGE HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.

WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY HAS PRIORITIES AND THE, AND THE BUDGETING ISSUES THERE.

LIGHTING WAS ADDRESSED AND IT WAS CORRECTED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE KEEP IT MONITORED.

SIDEWALKS WERE ADDED ALONG PERKINS ROAD AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.

AND WE ARE NOW CONNECTED TO CITY PARK AND TO THE, THE OVERPASS.

UM, BUT, AND THEN THE LAST ONE WITH THE, UH, PARKING AND THOSE ISSUES.

THAT'S ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

AND THIS PLAN HAS WORKED GREAT FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS AND I HOPE IT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TODAY.

AND YOU GUYS WILL SUPPORT US IN VOTING NO TO ADDING MORE COMMERCIAL, UH, ONCE WE CHANGE TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE IS COMMERCIAL.

CHANGING FROM TO COMMERCIAL IS BIG.

WHEN YOU'RE CHANGING FROM RESIDENTIAL, IT MAY SEEM A MINOR STEP, BUT IN OUR TINY NEIGHBORHOOD IT MEANS PAVING THE ENTIRE LOT TO MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENT.

AN EXAMPLE AND ALSO THE VISION OF THE CURRENT APPLICANT COULD CHANGE OR THEY COULD SELL TO ANOTHER BUSINESS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET.

WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT NOW.

OUR CURRENT DENTIST, NEIGHBORHOOD DENTIST, WE HAD NICELY TUCKED IN OUR RESIDENT, UH, COMMERCIAL AREA, RETIRED.

HE SOLD TO ANOTHER DENTIST AS A DIFFERENT VISION.

HE BUILT A MEGA COMPLEX IN OUR LITTLE COMMERCIAL AREA.

PAVED TWO COMPLETE LOTS.

IT IS NOW A DESTINATION.

IT'S NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, IT'S, IT'S A DESTINATION FROM EVERYONE IN BATON ROUGE.

IT'S GONNA ADD TO OUR TRAFFIC.

SO PLEASE DON'T KNOW.

THANK YOU.

CALEB FONTANO.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME'S CALEB FONT.

NOW I'VE BEEN A HOMEOWNER IN POET'S CORNER FOR 18 YEARS.

I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF OUR CENTURY OLD COMMUNITY.

INSTEAD, I'LL TALK ABOUT TRUST.

AFTER ALL, TRUST IS THE CORNERSTONE OF COMMUNITY.

THE APPLICANTS FOR REZONING ASK FOR OUR TRUST.

TRUST TO DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL DO AND NOTHING ELSE.

DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING ON MAY 15TH, AND AGAIN AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING ON JUNE 15TH, MINDY CHU PRESENTED HERSELF AS THE PROPERTY OWNER.

WE WERE TOLD BY MR. DEWANG ON JUNE 15TH THAT HE WAS A BUSINESS MANAGER FOR THE PROPOSED BUSINESS AND THAT MRS. CHU WAS THE PROPERTY OWNER AND LESSOR.

HOWEVER, ON THIS REZONING APPLICATION DATED MARCH 27TH, MINDY EXECUTED AS APPLICANT AND MR. DWG EXECUTED AS OWNER THE PARISH OFFICE.

UH, PARISH ASSESSOR'S OFFICE RECORDS ALSO REFLECT MR. DWGS OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY.

MR. MRS. CHU AND MR. DWG WERE ASKED TWICE TO CLARIFY THEIR ROLES.

DURING THE JUNE, JUNE 15TH MEETING, BOTH DECLINED TO ANSWER WITH MR. DWG ADVISING MRS. CHU NOT TO ANSWER MISLEADING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GOVERNMENT AS TO IDENTITIES AND INVOLVEMENT IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

SINCE WE'RE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH WHO IS WHO I'LL HEAR FORTH, REFER TO THEM COLLECTIVELY AS APPLICANTS.

THE APPLICANTS COMMUTE COMMUNICATED TO OUR COUNCILWOMAN IN ADVANCE OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING THAT THEY HAD SPOKEN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY HAD NOT MISREPRESENTING FACTS IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

THE APPLICANTS HAVE APPEALED TO SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORLY RELATIONSHIPS.

BUT NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT SHARE THEIR PLANS TO REZONE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY NEGLECTED TO EVEN SPEAK WITH THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS.

KEEPING PLANS TO REZONE SECRET IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

WHEN ASKED HOW THE PROPERTY WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE PHYSICAL FEATURES REQUIRED BY ZONING CODE, THE APPLICANTS RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD DIMENSIONAL PLANS BUT WOULD REQUIRE AN NDA BEFORE ALLOWING US TO SEE THEM USE OF LEGAL INSTRUMENTS TO KEEP SECRETS.

SECRET IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

ON JUNE 15TH, THE APPLICANTS ASSERTED THAT PLANNING AND ZONING DESIRED ADDITIONAL DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ALONG PERKINS IN FAVOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONING, CONFLATING THE PLANNING AND ZONING CODE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL IN C WITH FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.

ALSO, NC MISDIRECTION IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

ON JUNE 15TH, THE APPLICANT STATED THAT MINDY CHU WAS APPROACHED BY MR. DWG AND MRS. JESSICA CHU WITH A PLAN TO OPEN MEDICAL CLINIC REFLECTED IN THIS APPLICATION.

THIS MEDICAL CLINIC WILL EMPLOY ESTHETICIANS, NOT NURSE PRACTITIONERS CASTING DOUBT ON THE MEDICAL SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED.

MISCHARACTERIZATION IS NO WAY TO BUILD TRUST.

HOW ARE WE TO TRUST THAT THE APPLICANTS WILL DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL DO AND NOTHING ELSE WHEN AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO OBSCURE THE TRUTH.

THANK YOU.

RIGHT ON TIME.

I'M MARTY HORN.

MY NAME IS MARTY HORN.

I LIVE AT 2325

[00:25:01]

MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR, UH, OVER 20 YEARS IN THE POETS CORNER NEIGHBORHOOD, ALSO KNOWN AS ADDITION TO HUNDRED OAKS.

I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY AT 2106 PERKINS DRIVE.

UH, THE REZONING THAT'S SUPPLIED FOR IS RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL OR SOME EQUIVALENT THEREOF.

I WANNA MAKE SOME BRIEF REMARKS CONCERNING NEED SPECIFICALLY.

IS THERE A NEED FOR A REZONING OF THIS PROPERTY FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL? OR IS THERE A NEED FOR IT TO REMAIN RESIDENTIAL? LET'S LOOK FIRST AT BUSINESS NEED OR COMMERCIAL NEED.

HERE'S SOME DATA FROM THE LOUISIANA COMMERCIAL DATABASE.

THERE ARE TWO VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ON PERKINS DRIVE NEAR I 10.

THERE'S ONE VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AT SOUTH DOWNS VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER.

THERE ARE EIGHT ADVERTISED VACANCIES AT THE PERKINS.

LET'S SEE, CIRCADIAN PERKINS SHOPPING CENTER.

AND IN THOSE, THE SPACE VARIES FROM 400 SQUARE FEET TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET.

ON GOVERNMENT STREET WHERE THIS CITY HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES IN VITALIZATION, THERE ARE SEVEN ADVERTISED COMMERCIAL VACANCIES BETWEEN THE RAILROAD AND ACADIAN THROUGHWAY.

ALL THESE PROPERTIES ARE WITHIN ONE MILE OF THIS LOCATION.

RESIDENTIAL NEED IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO LSU, A LARGE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA EITHER WORK AT LSU OR THEY ATTEND SCHOOL THERE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING IS EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH IN THIS AREA COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.

HERE'S SOME MLS DATA IN THIS POET'S CORNER AND IN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS OF APPROXIMATELY 300 HOUSES IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

13 HAVE GONE ON THE MARKET AND SOLD THOSE 13 HOUSES.

WERE ON THE MARKET FOR AN AVERAGE OF FIVE DAYS RENTAL PROPERTIES.

THE RENTAL PROPERTIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR IN OUR AREA TYPICALLY ARE RELEASED WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF VACANCY HOMES IN OUR AREA AND APARTMENTS HAVE SOME HOME.

MANY HOMES IN, UH, APARTMENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE WAITING LISTS.

BUT LET ME SPEAK JUST FOR A MOMENT ABOUT WANT.

NOW, CLEARLY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS IN POET'S CORNER AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OPPOSED TO THIS REZONING.

THEY'RE OPPOSED TO ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL REZONING ALONG THIS STRETCH OF PERKINS ROAD.

IS IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY PARISH? I CONTEND THAT IT'S NOT.

AND HERE'S WHY.

FOR WHATEVER PERCEIVED BENEFIT THAT MAY COME FROM THIS REZONING, IT WILL BE EXCEEDED BY THE COSTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND INCREASED PRESENCE OF, OF, UH, POLICE, UH, POLICE FORCE.

MOREOVER, THIS LOCATION IS WELL ISOLATED FROM CENTERS OF COMMERCIAL GROWTH THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE.

EXCUSE ME SIR, THAT'S YOUR TIME.

OKAY.

SO I REQUESTED THE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE PARISH COUNCIL DENY THIS REQUEST.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU BRAD.

WAY.

GOT SOME HANDOUTS.

DO I GIVE THOSE TO SOMEONE OR START ON THE END RIGHT THERE.

YOU'LL PASS 'EM AROUND.

THOSE ARE HANDWRITTEN NOTES.

YEAH.

HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M BRAD WAY.

UH, I'M AT 2160 VID STREET.

I'VE LIVED IN POETS CORNERS FOR FIVE YEARS.

I CURRENT, I'M CURRENTLY WITH KELLER WILLIAMS REAL ESTATE.

I'VE GOT 10 YEARS OF COM, UH, RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE, 27 YEARS OF COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE.

IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS ON THE FOUNDATION FOR HISTORICAL LOUISIANA BOARD.

I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT WE DON'T OPPOSE THE APPLICANT OR THEIR BUSINESS IDEA.

WHAT WE OPPOSE IS THE CHANGE OF THIS PROPERTY, OF COURSE, FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL.

CURRENTLY THE WHOLE BLOCK IS, IS RESIDENTIAL.

IF THE ZONING IS CHANGED, THEN IT WILL COMPEL ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES ALONG PERKINS TO ALSO FOLLOW SUIT.

THIS IS NOT REALLY HYPOTHETICAL CUZ IN THE ACTUAL MLS AD FOR THAT HOUSE, THE THE AGENT SAID THAT THE OWNER NEXT DOOR, THE OWNER OWNS THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR AND HE'LL SELL IT.

SO IT'S ALREADY IN PLAY.

UM, WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT IS, OF COURSE THE ZONING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE ALSO INCLUDES PARKING LOTS.

SO THERE'S NOTHING STOPPING THIS APPLICANT IF THEY'RE REALLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR BUSINESS OR ANOTHER INVESTOR FROM COMING AND JUST BRINGING A BULLDOZER AND PLOWING DOWN THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM.

SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT IS THAT WHOLE ENTIRE BLOCK ALONG PERKINS WILL BE COMPELLED TO BECOME, UH, COMMERCIAL AND IT'LL BE A DOMINO EFFECT AT THAT POINT.

UM, AND THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY

[00:30:01]

MORE TRAFFIC ON OUR 13 FOOT WIDE STREETS THAT WE HAVE.

UH, I SAY WIDE, UH, WITH AIR QUOTES, UM, IN, IN POET'S CORNER.

AND THAT, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM.

NEXT TREES WILL COME DOWN FOR PARKING LOTS.

L E D LIGHTS, UH, THAT, THAT, AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, ALL THE HOUSES ALONG PERICLES AND YOU SEE ON THAT MAP THAT BACKING UP THAT BLOCK OF, OF, OF HOUSES ON, ON PERKINS, BEHIND THAT IS PERICLES.

THOSE HOUSES WILL NOW BACK UP TO BUSINESSES.

UM, THIS WILL RESULT IN A DROP IN THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.

I TALKED TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AND ASKED THEM WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE BUSINESSES BEHIND THEM INSTEAD OF THEIR CURRENT NEIGHBORS.

AND THEY WERE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT IT WOULD DROP THEIR, THEIR, THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND IT WOULD DROP THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.

SO, UM, SO YEAH, WHAT THEY WOULD DO NEXT OF COURSE IS THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD START TO MOVE OUT OR RENT OUT THOSE HOUSES.

AND THAT IS THE REALLY THE BEGINNING OF THE, UH, UNRAVELING OF THE FABRIC OF THIS REALLY UNIQUE AND QUINTESSENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE HAVE.

SO, IN CLOSING, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE APPLICANTS OR THEIR USE.

UM, HECK UH, TODD GRAYS COULD COME AND, AND HAND OUT SHOTS TO THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, AND WE'D STILL OPPOSE HAVING THIS GO COMMERCIAL.

UM, AND SO THE RESULTING DOMINOES FALLING, UM, WE'LL START TO LOSE OUR WALKABILITY CUZ NOW IT'S GONNA BE PARKING LOTS.

WE'RE GONNA L LOSE, LOSE ALL OF OUR CHARM.

PLEASE VOTE TO KEEP POET'S CORNER WEIRD AND DENY THIS REAR REQUEST.

THANK YOU LAUREN LU.

LAUREN LUQUE.

HOPEFULLY I GOT CLOSE.

GOOD EVENING METRO COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS LAUREN LEGETTE.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF THE POS CORNER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 13 YEARS AND HAVE HAD THE INCREDIBLE AND UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY HERE.

A LOT OF FOLKS HERE LIKE TO WALK THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THROUGH THE YEARS I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO MEET MANY OF THEM WHILE OUT ON WALKS MYSELF.

WE HAVE A MIX OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS GROWING FAMILIES AND OLDER RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY RAISED THEIR FAMILIES HERE.

MY NEIGHBORS, MY NEIGHBORS WATCH MY PETS AND WATER MY PLANTS.

WHEN WE GO OUTTA TOWN, WE BORROW TOOLS, LEND A HAND AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR EACH OTHER.

OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD BLOCK PARTIES AND POTLUCKS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, NEIGHBORHOOD FIX-UP DAYS WHERE WE'VE HELPED NEIGHBORS ADD DRIVEWAYS, BUILD FLOWER BEDS, REPAIR FENCES, AND BUILD SAFER STAIRS TO THEIR PORCHES.

QUITE SIMPLY, WE DO NEIGHBORLY THINGS.

WHILE WE APPRECIATE SOME OF THE NEARBY BUSINESSES, THEY'RE NOT A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A BETTER JOB IN A BIGGER CITY.

I RENT AN APARTMENT, PACKED A FEW THINGS AND MOVED WHILE MY HUSBAND STAYED BACK AT OUR HOME IN POET'S CORNER.

WE LOOKED FOR A PERMANENT HOME CLOSER TO MY WORK, BUT AFTER A WHILE, WE GAVE UP OUR SEARCH.

THERE SIMPLY WAS NO OTHER HOME THAT WE COULD FIND THAT OFFERED COMMUNITY LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN POET'S CORNER ON JUNE 1ST, 2 25 MAGAZINE RELEASE, AN ARTICLE TITLED, WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO KEEP MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z AND BATON ROUGE HIGHLIGHTING A FACT.

MANY OF US ARE KEENLY AWARE OF BATON ROUGE HAS A PROBLEM RETAINING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.

THE BATON ROUGE BUSINESS REPORT SHARED AN ARTICLE A WEEK LATER UNDER THE TITLE SENSE OF COMMUNITY KEY IN LORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO BATON ROUGE.

IN THE ARTICLE FORM 2 25, PRESIDENT TYLER LITT SAYS, YOUR EDUCATION AND YOUR JOB ARE THINGS THAT IN SOME WAYS TIE YOU TO A COMMUNITY, BUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF THAT SPACE IS WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU WANT TO LIVE HERE AND BUILD A FAMILY HERE AND BUILD A LIFE HERE.

WITH OUR LOCATION SO CLOSE TO MID CITY AND LSU, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANNA STAY AS RESIDENTS, TO BUILD A LIFE AS AN ELDER MILLENNIAL WITH BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES ELSEWHERE.

POET'S CORNER IS THAT COMMUNITY.

IT'S WHAT KEEPS US HERE.

I DIDN'T COME BACK FOR THE CRIME, THE TRAFFIC AND THE CITY'S SEEMING WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY.

I CAME BACK FOR COMMUNITY METRO COUNCIL.

I URGE YOU TO KEEP THIS GYM OF A NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL AND SAY NO TO THE COMMERCIAL EROSION PROPOSED HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU LINDA KELLY.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US.

UH, MY NAME'S LINDA KELLY.

UH, MY HUSBAND PATRICK RICARD AND I HAVE OWNED OUR LITTLE HOUSE ON THE CORNER OF PERKINSON PLINY AT 2050 PERKINS ROAD FOR 40 YEARS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP THAT WAS PASSED OUT EARLIER, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE THE

[00:35:01]

IN OTHER WORDS, WE LIVE ON ONE CORNER AND THERE'S PLINY AND THEN THERE'S THIS PROPERTY BETWEEN OUR HOUSE AND, AND THAT HOUSE.

THERE IS A VERY, VERY NARROW STREET PLINY WHERE TWO CARS CAN PASS EACH OTHER.

SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BACK UP, UM, AT THE, ON THE SIDE, THE STREET, NOT OUR SIDE.

ON THE SIDE, THE STREET OF THE PROPERTY UNDER CONSIDERATION IS A THREE FOOT DITCH DRAINAGE DITCH.

IN OTHER WORDS, NOBODY COULD PULL OFF THAT WAY AT THE PRESENT TIME, IF YOU WOULD COME SIT ON OUR FRONT PORCH SWING AND WATCH THE TRAFFIC UP AND DOWN PERKINS ROAD, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE PARKING IN FRONT OF THIS PROPERTY.

UNDER CONSIDERATION TO BACK OUT THERE ARE ALREADY MORE WRECKS THERE THAN IN MOST AREAS.

I LIVED, I RAN MY PRACTICE ACROSS THE STREET IN A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY NEXT DOOR TO THE SNEAKERS PLACE FOR 10 YEARS.

AND PRO UH, PARKING HAD TO BE DEVELOPED BEHIND SO THAT CARS COULD COME OUT AND ENTER PERKINS ROAD.

AND EVEN THEN SOME OF MY CLIENTS HAD WRECKS.

THAT IS A VERY, VERY BUSY AFFAIR, UH, ESPECIALLY DURING THE TIME THAT SCHOOL PEOPLE COME TO EACH OF THE LARGE SCHOOLS, ST.

JOSEPH'S AND, UH, THE MEN'S CATHOLIC SCHOOL, UH, CATHOLIC EYE, UM, DURING THE DAY, IT, IT'S CONGESTED.

ANY TIME THERE'S A SLOWDOWN ON THE INTERSTATE, IT IS BUMPER TO BUMPER, SOMETIMES FOR 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.

IT WHAT I WOULD LIKE, WHAT I WOULD MOST LIKE TO SAY TO THESE GOOD YOUNG FOLKS IS THIS JUST IS NOT GONNA WORK.

IT IS, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE.

UM, I THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ROBERT MILLER.

HOW Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME'S ROBERT MILLER.

I LIVE AT 24 23 PLINY STREET, WHICH IS ONE HOUSE OFF OF PERKINS ROAD, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS PROPERTY.

UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IF WE ALLOW THIS TO BE CHANGED TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, THE NEXT PROPERTY, NEXT DOOR AND SO ON, AND EVENTUALLY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE OVERPASS, IF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE MEANS ANYTHING, THEN Y'ALL NEED TO DENY THIS REQUEST.

THANK YOU CLARK GURNER.

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

CLARK J GURNEY JR.

AIA.

I MOVED INTO POET'S CORNER IN 1992 AND I MOVED INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE I THINK A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS DID.

IS THAT WE LIKE THE SCALE, THE VERY INTIMATE MIX OF OF OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

YES.

WHEN WE, WHEN I MOVED IN, THERE WAS COMMERCIAL, A DELICATE BALANCE OF COMMERCIAL THAT DOES EXIST, HONESTLY, SOMETIMES THAT COMMERCIAL SEEMS LIKE A BIT TOO MUCH, BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THAT'S WHAT WE MOVED INTO.

WHY WE HAVE BUILT A COMMUNITY HERE IN, SINCE MY TIME IN, IN 1992 IS BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS YOU HEARD TO THIS EVENING IS THAT WE FOUND A SCALE OF NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S REALLY CONDUCIVE FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AS NEIGHBORS WHEN WE SEE HOUSING STOCK THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TOO LITTLE LOVE IN THIS CITY AND THIS, IN THIS YOU COUNTRY EVEN IS THAT IT'S TO SEE SOMETHING THAT IS A RESIDENCE BEING SHIFTED TO AN OFFICE COMMERCIAL TYPE USE WHEN THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER OFFICES AVAILABLE OUT THERE.

WE FEEL LIKE IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK BEYOND THAT IS THAT, WELL, I DON'T, I'D CERTAINLY SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS.

I JUST DON'T SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS IN THE REZONING OF THIS CASE, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD AFFECT THE QUALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, QUALITY OF POET'S CORNER.

BUT FURTHERMORE, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE THIS EVENING TOO,

[00:40:01]

IT WAS BUILT BEFORE ANY KIND OF CONCEPTS OF CURRENT KIND OF TRANSIT AND VEHICULAR ACTIVITY.

WE WE SEE TODAY, THE ROADS ARE LITERALLY 13 TO 14 FEET WIDE.

THERE'S NO SHOULDER, THERE'S NO CURB, THERE'S AN OPEN DITCH, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK.

THERE'S REALLY A VERY TIGHT SPACE EVEN FOR TWO CARS TO PASS BY.

MUCH LESS OUTSIDE TRAFFIC FOR, FOR BUSINESSES.

SO I THINK WITH THOSE CONCERNS AND THE FACT THAT THE LOT WHICH IS BA 50 BY 135 WITH A DECENT SIZED HOUSE ON IT THAT WAS DESIGNED TO, TO HANDLE ONE TO TWO CARS, WHAT MIGHT HAVE TO GO UP TO SIX OR SEVEN CARS TO BEAT THE CURRENT STANDARDS FOR THE TYPE OF ZONING IT WOULD BE WITH THAT PLUS THE 10 FOOT BUFFER YARD REQUIRED BETWEEN IT AND WHATEVER ELSE IS AROUND IT THAT IS STILL REMAINS SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.

IT'S GONNA BASICALLY LEAVE THE REST OF THE SITE TO BECOME PAVED, WHICH I THINK WOULD BECOME VERY JARRING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WOULD BEGIN TO DESTROY, I THINK, THE AESTHETIC QUALITY OF WHAT WE HAVE AT PORT'S CORNER.

WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND, I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL VOTE TO, UH, NOT REZONE THIS PROPERTY.

THANK YOU.

WE HAVE ROBIN FONTANO, JENNINGS SUTCLIFFE, KAREN HORN, RICHARD MORGAN, MAGGIE BENSON, JUDITH NASH, LAUREN FALSE, NANCY KEEGAN, SHARON LEFLORE, BRADLEY ABE, LAUREN FALSE, PHIL DUNLAP, MEREDITH COOPER, JAN MARZ, AND ROBERTA MILLER WHO ARE ALL HERE IN OPPOSITION BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.

IS ANYONE ELSE HERE IN OPPOSITION WISHING TO SPEAK.

ANYONE ELSE HERE IN OPPOSITION WISH TO SPEAK? LINE UP RIGHT HERE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS KIMBERLY BOUDREAUX.

I LIVE AT 2120 OVID STREET RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF OVID AND PLINY.

I'M HERE TO URGE A COUNSEL TO VOTE AGAINST THIS REZONING.

WE THINK THAT THIS REZONING, IT'S, IT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF SPOT AND PIECEMEAL REZONING THAT IN EDUCATING MYSELF ABOUT THE ZONING ORDINANCES IS SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLY DISFAVORED.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE AREA, THAT CORNER OF PLINY IS, IS EXTREMELY RESIDENTIAL AND THERE ISN'T A RATIONAL PURPOSE TO CHANGE THAT FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL OTHER THAN TO SERVE A BUSINESS OWNER.

AS YOU CAN HEAR FROM MY LOVELY NEIGHBORS, WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM YOUNG AND OLD.

UM, I HAVE A 12 MONTH OLD, ME AND MY HUSBAND, WE HAVE OTHER YOUNG COUPLES WHO WANNA REALLY STAY IN THIS AREA.

IT'S A THRIVING COMMUNITY IN BATON ROUGE.

WE ALL SUPPORT EACH OTHER, NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO.

UM, WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY A, A HOUSING ASSOCIATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WE JUST HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY THERE AND THAT'S GONNA CHANGE REALLY THE CHARACTER.

IT'S GOING TO REALLY VEST US OF A PROPERTY INTEREST IN CREATING THESE PARKING LOTS AND, UM, A CLINIC THERE THAT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT WHEN WE BOUGHT PROPERTY HERE THAT WE FORCED FORESAW HAPPENING.

UM, AND SO I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND BRIEF, BUT PLEASE, WE URGE YOU TO VOTE NO AGAINST THIS PIECEMEAL REZONING EFFORT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COME ON NOW, SIR, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS BRADLEY ABER AND I LIVE IN POETS CORNER.

UH, SOME OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS WHEN THE YOUNG LADY SPOKE JUST ABOUT ALL THEIR BUSINESSES THAT SHE WAS RATTLING OFF.

THEY'RE ON PERKINS, THEY'RE NOT IN THE HOOD.

ANOTHER THING TOO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS IS THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS REALLY TIGHT.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY TIGHT IS WHEN YOU TRAVEL DOWN THE ROADS, IT IS REALLY HARD FOR TWO VEHICLES TO PASS.

AND ESPECIALLY THE WAY THEY MAKE VEHICLES NOW, ALL THESE TRUCKS ARE BIGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE RIDING INTO SOMEBODY'S ELSE'S YARD IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE PASSING TWO VEHICLES AT A TIME, GARBAGE TRUCKS, TRASH TRUCKS, WHEN THEY COME DOWN THE ROAD, FORGET IT.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S GONNA BE GOING DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE NO OTHER VEHICLE CAN PASS THEM.

A LOT OF THE TIMES WHEN THEM TRUCKS DO COME, THEY'LL COME DOWN ONE WAY AND THEN THEY'LL BACK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE REST OF THE STREET TO DO THEIR BUSINESS TO PICK UP THE STUFF.

AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, IS TO CH MAKE A CHALLENGE TO ALL THE PEOPLE HERE, TAKE A RIDE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BECAUSE WE HAD SEWERS IN SOME OF THE PLACES THE CITY CAME BY AND THEY JUST BASICALLY COVERED IT UP.

IN MY CASE,

[00:45:01]

BUT I CAN'T GET NOBODY EVEN THOUGH I FILED WITH THE CITY.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING Y'ALL IS PLEASE, HEY, JUST TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND COME SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE WE'VE ALL SEEN IN THE PAST WITH OTHER BUSINESSES, I MEAN WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS, WHEN YOU ESTABLISH A TOE POLE IN, YOU JUST OPEN UP PANDORA'S BOX BECAUSE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT, OH, IT'S JUST GONNA STOP RIGHT HERE.

I MEAN, LOOK AT ANNE.

THEY'RE STILL EXPANDING AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BASICALLY A RESIDENTIAL AREA.

SO I'M VOTING NO ON THIS APPROVING THIS AND I JUST HOPE THAT Y'ALL JUST COME AND JUST TAKE A TIME AND JUST, JUST LOOK AT OUR SITUATION BECAUSE I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY LIMITED AND YOU KNOW, LIKE WE SAID, WE GOT KIDS, WE GOT PETS, AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN TRAFFIC IS BAD, TRAFFIC WILL TRY TO DIVERT THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S LIKE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE SPEED LIMITS.

THEY'RE FLYING RIGHT THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I NEED TO GO .

YOU GOT ONE MORE STATEMENT HERE.

OKAY.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO EXPRESS IS THAT, OKAY, YEAH, WE GOT THIS COFFEE SHOP AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR WE GOT HERE HERRIMAN'S FLOORS.

THE VEHICLES THAT GO TO THE COFFEE SHOP, THEY GOTTA PARK ON THE SIDE.

BUT WHEN THESE PEOPLE GET FINISHED DOING THEIR BUSINESS AT THE COFFEE SHOP, INSTEAD OF MOSTLY PULLING OUT ON THE STREET AND GOING, OH NO, THEY'RE FLYING RIGHT ACROSS, GOING THROUGH HERRIMAN'S AND WE HAVE ACCIDENTS.