[ROLL CALL]
[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR TONIGHT'S PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE ROLL CALL.
MR. HOLCOMB, CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THANK YOU, SIR.WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 20TH MEETING? MOVE BY COMMISSIONER ER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BANKS.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVING THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS HAVE NOW BEEN APPROVED.
[COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE]
WE'LL NOW, UH, MOVE ON TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AND MR. LUENBERGER WILL GIVE US THAT UPDATE.I'M JEFFREY LUER WITH THE LONG RANGE DIVISION, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON HOW FUTURE BRS FIVE YEAR UPDATE IS COMING ALONG.
RIGHT NOW WE'VE HELD FIVE WORK COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AROUND THE PARISH, UM, AND WE'VE MET WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
WE'VE ATTENDED SCOTLANDVILLE SATURDAYS TO PASS OUT FLYERS AND ASSIST IN OUT WITH OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION, WE'VE PRESENTED TO THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER, UM, QUALITY OF PLACE COMMITTEE, THE FEDERATION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, AND, UM, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
UM, ON THURSDAY WE'LL BE SPEAKING TO THE BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
SO WE ARE, UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING OUT THERE AND TRYING TO GET AS MANY COMMENTS AS WE CAN.
WE HAVE ONE MORE PUBLIC WORKSHOP COMING UP THIS WEEK FOR OUR FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, AND THAT'LL BE AT JONES CREEK LIBRARY BRANCH AND THAT FROM FIVE O'CLOCK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE IN THAT AREA.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'VE HAD ABOUT 107 PEOPLE ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS.
WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT 307 SURVEY ANSWERS, UM, ANSWERS TO THE SURVEYS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, AND WE COLLECTED ABOUT 52 COMMENTS THIS FRIDAY.
SPEAKING OF THE SURVEY, THIS FRIDAY, WE WILL BE CLOSING THE SURVEY.
SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO GET OUT AND FILL OUT THE SURVEY, GO TO THE WEBSITE.
IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE PROJECT PAGE FOR THE FUTURE BR FIVE YEAR, UM, UPDATE.
SO GO AHEAD AND FILL THAT OUT.
ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS TO DO IT AS WELL.
UM, AFTER THE WORKSHOP AT JONES CREEK, WE WILL COMPLETED OUR FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.
MY STAFF AND I WILL GO BACK, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA RESPOND TO EVERY COMMENT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND, UM, NOT ONLY FOLLOW UP ON THOSE COMMENTS, BUT PUBLISH THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL.
AND THEN ON AUGUST 14TH, WE'RE GONNA HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING, I BELIEVE WITH THE, WITH YOU GUYS THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AT OUR OFFICE.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED AND HOW THAT PROCESS IS GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD FROM THERE ON OUT.
UM, THEN AFTER ALL OF THAT IS SAID AND DONE, WE'RE GONNA BE HOLDING ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC MEETINGS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
THOSE DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE UPCOMING TIME, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL BE SITTING DOWN AND KIND OF REVISING THE DOCUMENT FOR FUTURE VR AND MAKING SOME OF THOSE CORRECTIONS.
YOU CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE AND SEE WHAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE RIGHT NOW, AND AS THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES FROM THOSE CURRENT ROUND OF COMMENTS COME ABOUT, WE'LL BE POSTING THOSE ON THE WEBSITE AND WE'RE STILL ON TRACK TO HAVE IT TO YOU GUYS AND THE METRO COUNCIL BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
SO THAT IS THE UPDATE FOR FUTURE VR.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT.
UM, SO I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE, UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD A REALLY ROBUST, UM, TURNOUT WHEN YOU CAME TO SCOTLANDVILLE LIBRARY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M GLAD, UM, PEOPLE WERE, UH, ENGAGED.
SO WE HAVE A SCOTLAND A WEATHERIZATION, UM, EVENT AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER SATURDAY, AND WE HAD PLANNED TO HAVE SURVEYS, UM, HAVE THEM DO SURVEYS AT THE MEETING.
SHOULD WE NOT END AT YOUR CLOSING FRIDAY OR NO PRESSURE? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE PLANNING IN THAT REGARDS.
WE CAN, WE CAN STILL COLLECT THEM.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? THANK YOU, SIR.
[RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS]
AT THIS TIME, I'LL READ IN THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS.ANY IN, EXCUSE ME, ANY INTERESTED MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA? MAY COMMENT IN PERSON AT CITY HALL 2 22 ST.
LOUIS STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, 70 0 8 0 2.
DURING THE MEETING, ALL COMMENTS WILL BE BROADCAST ON WWW.BBRLA.GOV ON METRO 21 COX, CHANNEL 21 AT ATT CHANNEL 99, AND ON THE CITY OF PARISH, CITY OF BATON ROUGE SLASH PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE FACEBOOK PAGE VIA FACEBOOK LIVE.
COMMENTS SUBMITTED PRIOR TO 3:00 PM
[00:05:01]
OF THE MEETING.DATE WILL BE COMPILED BY POSITION FOR OR AGAINST, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER WILL BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE THE ITEMS PUBLIC HEARING.
ANY INTERESTED PERSON WHO DOES NOT WISH TO COMMENT IN PERSON MAY USE THE FORM FOUND AT HTTPS SLASH SLASH WWW.B.GOV/PC.
APPLICANT AND APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PROPOSAL WILL SPEAK FIRST FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DESIRING TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR ITEM SHOULD REFER TO A MEETING AGENDA AND FILL OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM.
ONCE THE ITEM IS ANNOUNCED, EACH PERSON'S NAME WHO HAS FILLED OUT A FORM WILL BE CALLED ON TO SPEAK.
PROPONENTS WILL SPEAK THEN THE OPPONENTS, EACH SPEAKER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
THE SPEAKERS ARE REQUESTED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS AND TO AVOID DUPLICATION IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
APPLICANT WILL BE ALLOWED A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.THERE ARE NO ITEMS FOR WITHDRAWAL.
THE FOLLOWING ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR A DEFERRAL.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PA 8 23 95 0 9 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FROM RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO OFFICE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WEST OF BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CASE 34 DASH 23 95 0 9 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE TO GENERAL OFFICE.
LOWRISE ALSO LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WEST OF BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD.
AND ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CASE 39 DASH 23 11 0.
23 DEVAL LANE TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL ONE LC ONE LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF DEVAL LANE, NORTH OF BLUNT ROAD.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM NUMBER 10, P U D TWO DASH ZERO VINNY'S B.
QUICK BURBANK UNIVERSITY FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, REVISION PROPOSED CONVENIENCE STORE ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF WESLEY DRIVE, EAST OF BEAR LANE.
ITEM NUMBER 11 C U P ONE DASH 16 R.
LADY OF MERCY PARKING EDITION.
PROPOSED PARKING ADDED TO RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CAMPUS ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF MARQUETTE AVENUE, SOUTH OF FLORIDA BOULEVARD.
AND ITEM NUMBER 12 CS 11 DASH 23 L U JARO TRACK, PROPOSED FLAG LOTT MINOR SUB DIVISION ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF AIRLINE HIGHWAY, WEST OF BARRINGER FOREMAN ROAD PLANNING COMMISSION.
STAFF CERTIFIES THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE UDC.
MEMBERS, YOU HAVE HEARD ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT ARE TO BE TAKEN WITH ONE VOTE.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHO HAVE AN ITEM ON CONSENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE PULLED AND HEARD AS PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA? HMM.
DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEMS THAT ARE ON CONSENT? SEEING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION MOVE BY COMM COMMISSIONER SCRAGG SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ER.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO ACCEPT ACCEPTING THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING
[Items 2 & 3]
NONE, THESE ITEMS HAVE NOW BEEN APPROVED AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT FEW, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS MAY BE TAKEN TOGETHER.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
AND ITEM NUMBER THREE, CASE 31 23 18 80 LONER ROAD, PA 7 23 18 80 LONER ROAD RELATED TO CASE 31 23.
HE'S LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LONER ROAD.
BEST OF HIGH PLAINS DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE NOEL.
THE APPLICANT IS LAWRENCE SMITH.
THE CURRENT FUTURE VR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS AGRICULTURAL RURAL.
THE REQUESTED FUTURE VR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS EMPLOYMENT CENTER.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS RURAL WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL M ONE FOR PROPOSED WAREHOUSE USE PA 7 23 18 80 FLAKER ROAD RELATED TO CASE 31 23.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE PLAN AMENDMENT BASED UPON THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF AGRICULTURAL RURAL APPEARING APPROPRIATE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN IN THE AREA.
[00:10:01]
CANNOT CERTIFY THAT THE PROPOSED REZONING REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING REQUEST IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING CHARACTER OF THE ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL LAND USES.THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED TWO MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION TO THESE TWO ITEMS. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD AND NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
UM, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR 30 YEARS.
I'VE OWNED IT FOR PROBABLY 20.
UM, WE GOT A CUSTOMER IN THERE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS.
THEY WANTED TO ADD ON TO THE BUILDING.
UH, SO IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THE PERMITS, WE FIND OUT THAT IT'S WHAT IT'S ZONED, THAT IF IT GETS 60% DAMAGED, WE CAN'T REPLACE IT.
HOPEFULLY NOTHING DOES, BUT IF IT DOES HAPPEN THAT WE CAN AT LEAST REPLACE THE BUILDING, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT WOULD COME IN WITH THE MORTGAGE COMPANY.
YOU KNOW, THEY GOT A MORTGAGE ON THE BUILDING THAT'S NOT THERE IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN.
SO THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO GET IT RERO ZONE TO WHERE IF IT IS DAMAGED BAD ENOUGH, WE CAN AT LEAST REBUILD WHAT'S THERE.
AT THIS TIME I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SIR, COULD YOU COME BACK TO THE, UH, PODIUM? YES.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO ADD ON WE'RE NOT ADDING ON, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO ADD ON TO THE PROPERTY.
AND YOU SAY THIS IS THE PROPERTY.
THE BUSINESS HAS BEEN THERE FOR 30 YEARS.
THE BI, THE ACTUAL BUILDING'S BEEN THERE FOR LIKE 30 YEARS.
THE PEOPLE THAT'S IN IT NOW HAS BEEN THERE FOR LIKE 10.
AND THE PROBLEM YOU'RE RUNNING INTO IS IF IT WERE TO BE DAMAGED BY AN ACT OF GOD OR ANY, OR SOMETHING UP TO THAT EFFECT, THEN YOU WOULD BE INCAPABLE OF, OF REPLACING IT UNDER THE WAY IT'S UNDER RIGHT NOW? YES.
I'LL, UH, OPEN THE FLOOR TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER BOYD, JUST ONE QUICK.
SO THERE'S NO PLAN TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE NOW, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CORRECT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA ADD ON, I JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO REBUILD IT.
IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN TO, I UNDERSTAND.
THIS EX EXISTING BUSINESS IS CLASSIFIED AS A EXISTING LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE.
IT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, AS THE GENTLEMAN STATED.
UH, HE'S SIMPLY ASKING FOR A REZONING BASED ON, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CRITERIA THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
NOW, THE CONCERN ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO REBUILD IF AN ACT OF GOD OR A FIRE WERE TO HAPPEN ON THE PROPERTY.
THIS, THIS COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OTHER REZONINGS TO REMOVE THE, THE EXISTING NON-CONFORMITY THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY NOW.
SO, SO, MR. UM, DIRECTOR, YOU ARE STATING THAT WHAT HE'S ACTUALLY STATING IS CORRECT, IS THAT THE ONLY REASON HE WOULD NEED THIS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE IS THAT HE WOULD, IF HE RUN INTO AN ACT OF GOD, HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REPLACE HIS BUILDING, IS WHAT YOU'RE STATED? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
THAT MOTION IS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SCROGGS.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVING THESE TWO ITEMS? SEEING NONE OF THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
YOU DONE? I WAS JUST WONDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY NECESSARY FOR HIM, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
WHY DID THE COMMISSION DENIED AGAIN, THE PLANNING STAFF? WHY WASN'T THAT EXCEPTION INCLUDED IN THE, UM OH, OH, THAT'S OKAY.
I THINK IF IT'S OKAY WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER BANKS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TWO
[Items 6 & 7]
ITEMS. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HEAR ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLAN AMENDMENT 9 23 AND ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CASE 38 23 16, 4 70 AND 16, 600 TO 16, 700 OLD CENIC HIGHWAY, PA 9 23 1 6 4 70 AND 16 600 THROUGH 16.700 OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY RELATED TO CASE 38 23.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY NORTH OF GROOM ROAD COUNCIL.
THE APPLICANT IS KEVIN NGUYEN.
THE CURRENT FUTURE VR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS AGRICULTURAL RURAL.
[00:15:01]
THE REQUESTED FUTURE VR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.THE EXISTING ZONING IS RURAL FOR THE REQUESTED ZONING OF LIGHT COMMERCIAL LC THREE FOR PROPOSED OFFICE RETAIL USE, PA 9 23 1 6 4 70, AND 16 600 THROUGH 16.
700 OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY RELATED TO CASE 38 23.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PLAN AMENDMENT BASED UPON CHANGING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN THE AREA AND COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING HIGHER INTENSITY LAND USE DESIGNATIONS.
STAFF ALSO CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REZONING REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR CHANGE OF ZONING IF THE COMPANION PLAN AMENDMENT IS APPROVED, BEING COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHANGING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN THE AREA AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED SEVEN MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION IN TWO IN FAVOR.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS DEREK MURPHY OF QUALITY ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING REPRESENTING AMERICA HOMELAND.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR A REZONING ON 446 ACRES, WHICH CONCLUDES TWO TRACKS OF LAND OFF OF SCENIC HIGHWAY, UH, SOUTH OF HECK, YOUNG AND NORTH OF GROOM ROAD.
UH, WE'RE AT, WE ARE ASKING FOR TWO SEPARATE ZONINGS.
ONE IS, UH, 78 ACRES OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND 336 ACRES OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THE 78.7 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
WE ASKED THEM FOR AN LC THREE ZONING AND THE 3 36 WE'RE KEEPING THE ZONING AS IT IS RURAL TODAY.
UM, OUR GOAL HERE IS TO COME IN AND DEVELOP A, UH, HAVE A DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL COMPONENTS.
UH, THIS AREA IS GROWING AND WE FELT THAT A REID UH, A LARGE COMMERCIAL COMPONENT HERE WOULD BE A GREAT, UH, COMMUNITY ASSET, UH, FOR THIS REGION.
AND, UH, AND ALSO WILL, UH, ELIMINATE, UH, POSSIBLY SOME TRAFFIC GOING INTO OTHER AREAS.
AND IT WOULD KEEP EVERYBODY CONSOLIDATED IN ONE AREA.
UH, WE THINK THAT THE TWO USES WILL, UM, BASICALLY, UH, PLAY OFF OF ONE ANOTHER AND IT ALLOW PEOPLE THAT, THAT LIVE CLOSE BY, MAYBE HAVE SOME WORK OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN THE COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS SOME, UM, SOME LARGE COMMERCIAL AREAS.
SO WE WENT TO, UH, THE CITY OF BAKER.
WE TALKED TO THE MAYOR AND THEIR, UH, THEIR STAFF.
AND WE ALSO WENT TO A GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS IN ZACHARY.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE DONE SOME DUE DILIGENCE.
WE'VE, WE'VE MET WITH SOME PEOPLE AND, UM, WE SEEM TO BE, I WON'T SAY ALL FAVORABLE, BUT WE DID GO OUT AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THIS AREA AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE.
UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, YOU'LL SEE US COME BACK BEFORE Y'ALL, IF WE GET APPROVAL TONIGHT WITH THE PLANS, UM, THE ACTUAL PRELIMINARY PLATS AND THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THIS REGION.
AND SO WE ARE HOPING TONIGHT FOR THE APPROVAL AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKER CARDS.
ONE IS IN FAVOR FOR JASON ENGEN, WHO DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THE OTHER IS FOR ROY STEWART WHO IS IN OPPOSITION, WHO ALSO DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM THIS TIME.
YEAH, THE FOURTH FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.
YEAH, THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES.
I FOUGHT WITH THAT DUMP FOR YEARS.
NOT SOMETHING ELSE FOLLOWING ME THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S COMING WITH.
WE ARE OPPOSED OF IT, WHATEVER IT IS.
I'VE BEEN IN ALLISON FOR 30 YEARS.
THE DUMP CHEMICAL PLANTS ALL AROUND ME.
I GOTTA LEAVE SOON AS I LEAVE.
SO I DON'T WANT IT NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL, IF SO, CHOOSES.
AT THIS TIME I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONER.
I THINK COMMISSIONER BANKS WOULD LIKE TO, UH, LEAD THIS EFFORT.
UM, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY, UH, SO WE'VE HAD LOTS OF APPLICATION THAT INCLUDE HOUSING, BUT WHAT MAKES THIS, UM, WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL,
[00:20:01]
UM, MORE APPEALING IS THE FACT THAT IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE, UH, COMMERCIAL RETAIL SPACE ALONG HIGHWAY 19.WE KNOW, UM, THE FARTHER NORTH YOU GET INTO ZACHARY, UM, THERE IS A BOOM OF RETAIL, HOUSING, COMMERCIAL, UM, OFFICE SPACE.
BUT TO HAVE THAT MOVE, UH, THAT EXPAND TOWARDS BAKER, UM, IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL RECEIVED.
UM, NOT ONLY IS BAKER GROWING BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO, UM, HAVING SOME HOUSING COME UP IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING ADDED TO THAT COMMUNITY, UM, THAT HAVE A AND B RATINGS IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, UM, DIFFICULT FOR BAKER TO BE BETWEEN, UH, SCOTLANDVILLE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF RE UH, DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN ZACHARY, WHICH HAS BEEN BOOMING FOR YEARS, BUT THEY WERE IN A, A PLACE WHERE THEY HAD BEEN STUCK.
SO, UM, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, ALONG THAT ENTIRE CORRIDOR, WHETHER YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT 61 9, 64, UH, NINE HIGHWAY 19, OR PLAN ROAD.
THE, THE POINT IS WE REALLY NEED ALL OF THAT AREA TO, UH, GROW EQUITABLY.
AND IT DOES NEED TO HAVE THE VARIATIONS OF HOUSING, OF RETAIL, OF COMMERCIAL.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
UH, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER BANKS TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
I'LL ASK IF THERE'S A SECOND BEFORE WELCOMING ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
UH, COMMISSIONER ER, DID YOU, THERE'S A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ER.
SO MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER BANKS, UH, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER L.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION SAYING NONE? COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
WE CHECK THESE ITEMS TOGETHER, TOGETHER, THAT'S CORRECT? YES.
ARE THERE ANY PLANS AT ALL FOR MULTIFAMILY NOW OR FUTURE? THE LC THREE DOES ALLOW MULTIFAMILY.
DO WE HAVE? RIGHT, BUT ARE Y'ALL PLANNING ON MULTIFAMILY AT THIS TIME? I CAN'T SAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET IT REZONED RIGHT NOW AND FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR MASTER PLAN'S GONNA BE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BOYD? OKAY.
MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER BANKS IN, UH, SUPPORT OF THESE TWO ITEMS. SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER, ER.
ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS ARE APPROVED
[9. MCUP-1-23 Aurora Park]
AT THIS TIME.WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE M CUP 1 23 AURORA PARK.
AURORA PARK PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY EAST OF ALDER DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE HUDSON.
THE APPLICANT IS CHAD STEVENS.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT RECEPTION HALL WITH ALCOHOL.
FUTURE VR LICENSE DESIGNATION IS A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD M CUP 1 23.
AURORA PARK STAFF CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED 25 MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM IN 51.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK.
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS CHAD STEVENS IN OUR ENGINEERING 93 45 INLINE AVENUE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, UH, 7,809, UH, TONIGHT, PRESENTING M CUP 1 23 FOR AURORA PARK, UH, WHICH IS A PROPOSED RECEPTION HALL WITH, UH, THIRD PARTY ALCOHOL.
JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
THE FACILITY ITSELF WILL NOT SELL, UH, ALCOHOL OR WILL HAVE A CATERER ON SITE.
YOU'LL HAVE TO PROVIDE YOUR OWN, UM, LOCATED AT 1 65 25 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
UH, I'M GONNA BEGIN THE PRESENTATION AND MR. MCDOWELL, WHO IS THE DEVELOPER, UH, WILL KIND OF GIVE THE MORE DETAIL PART OF THE FACILITIES, UH, AND HE'LL COMPLETE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THE PROPERTY AS STATED, IS CURRENTLY ZONE RURAL, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION OF RURAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IF YOU READ FUTURE BR YOU'LL SEE THAT RNS SHOULD INCLUDE COMMERCIAL ALONG PRIMARY ROADS OF WHICH JEFFERSON IS A PRIMARY ROAD.
UH, AS SUCH, THERE IS AMPLE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, UP AND DOWN JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
[00:25:01]
UH, THIS REQUEST IS FOR AN END CUP, WHICH IS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.THIS IS NOT A REZONING, UH, I'M GONNA SPEAK THAT MULTIPLE TIMES.
THE PROPERTY WILL CONTINUE TO BE RURAL AND HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF RN WHEN, UH, THIS IS POTENTIALLY COMPLETE.
CONDITIONAL USES ARE USES THAT SUPPORT AND ARE GENERALLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE, THE, THE EXISTING ZONING, UH, BUT REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL REVIEW OF THEIR APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE PARCEL OF LAND THAT'S BEING, UH, PRODUCED ON AND FOR THEIR SCALE.
UH, WITHIN 500 FEET OF THIS SITE TO THE WEST, UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, INCLUDING TEAM SERVICES, LOGISTICS, LNS AUTOMOTIVE, UH, ST.
UH, NINIS IS ABOUT 315 FEET FROM THE PROPOSED SITE, UH, JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 300 FOOT BORDER TO BE, UH, THERE ON YOUR ZONING MAP.
UH, THAT IS ZONED COMMERCIAL LC, ONE WITH THE C AB ONE ALCOHOL ZONING.
UM, AS STATED IN THE PLANNING STAFF FINDINGS, THE REQUEST IS COMPATIBLE WITH COMPATIBLE, SORRY, SURROUNDING USES AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, SOME AR SOME RESIDENTS TONIGHT WILL SAY THAT THERE'S ONLY RESIDENTIAL IN THE AREA.
UM, ABOVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LISTED THE USES RIGHT THERE THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY.
UH, ALSO WITHIN A QUARTER OF THE MILE, QUARTER OF THE MILE, QUARTER MILE, SORRY, TO THE, TO THE EAST.
WE HAVE OFFICE COMPLEX WITH HOUSES IS ABOUT 15, UH, BUSINESSES.
UH, THE CURRENT SITE ITSELF HAS BEEN USED TO SELL USED CARS AND AS A CPA OFFICE, CPA OFFICE IN THE PAST, MR. BRISTOL'S PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY SHOWN ACTUALLY AS COMMERCIAL ON THE LAND USE MAP PLAN ON THE LAND USE MAP.
UH, THAT ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL USE GOES BACK AT LEAST A DECADE WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF RECOMMENDED HE REZONE IT BEFORE HE WITHDREW THAT APPLICATION.
UH, AS STATED, THE M COMPANY MEETS ALL REQUIREMENTS.
THE E D C D P W AND PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF HAVE BOTH CERTIFIED AS MUCH, UM, GOING TO SOME ENGINEERING ITEMS. THE DRAINAGE STUDY HAS BEEN APPROVED BY D P W.
THIS SITE IS NOT LOCATED IN A FLOOD ZONE, IT IS IN FLOOD ZONE X.
UH, THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM MEETS THE NEW ORDINANCES THAT WERE ENACTED RECENTLY IN APRIL 1ST, 2023.
UH, MOVING ON TO TRAFFIC, AN EVENT CENTER WITH 6,500 SQUARE FEET, UH, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS 10,000, BUT THE EVENT SPACE IS ONLY 6,500.
UM, THAT PRODUCES 10:00 PM PEAK HOUR TRIPS, WHICH IS ONE CAR FOR EVERY SIX MINUTES.
UH, THIS IS TO, DUE TO EVENTS GENERALLY BEING HELD OUTSIDE OF THE PEAK HOURS FOR TRAFFIC GENERATION, THEREFORE, THE EFFECT ON JEFFERSON HIGHWAY IS EXTREMELY MINIMAL.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, D P W TRAFFIC DID REQUEST THAT WE EITHER DO A TURN LANE OR MAKE THIS A RIGHT AND RIGHT OUT DRIVE.
WE HAVE COMPLIED AND THE DRIVEWAY WILL BE RIGHT AND RIGHT OUT THERE WILL BE NO LEFT TURNS INTO OR OUT OF THE FACILITY.
UM, AS WE STATED, THIS IS RURAL ZONING.
IF YOU LOOKED AT, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT ALLOW? AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL DENSITY, YOU COULD DO 4.1 UNITS TO THE ACRE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW 13 LOTS.
13 LOTS PRODUCES 13 PEAK HOUR TRIPS IN THE MORNING AND THE EVENING.
SO RESIDENTIAL PRODUCES MORE TRAFFIC ON JEFFERSON THAN THE EVENT CENTER DURING PEAK HOUR, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE TIME THAT YOU STUDY.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE FACILITY DOES NOT PRODUCE, UH, AM TRIPS.
OBVIOUSLY, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING BREAKFAST AT THE, AT THE EVENT CENTER.
UM, SOME OTHER COMMERCIAL USES THAT ARE PERMISSIBLE AND WOULDN'T BE MUCH HIGHER TRAFFIC WOULD INCLUDE SKATE PARKS, SPORT COURTS, PAINTBALL.
UM, SO THE RECEPTION HALL IS OBVIOUSLY LESS INTENSE THAN THOSE USES AS FAR AS TRAFFIC IS CONCERNED.
UM, SITE DESIGN, BASED ON A MEETING WITH THE COUNCILMAN, THE SITE WAS ORIENTED SO THAT THE BUILDING WAS AS FAR AWAY FROM POSSIBLE AS THE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL SITES TO MINIMIZE IMPACT, UH, ON THE RESIDENTIAL THAT SURROUNDS.
UM, THE PARKING AND BUFFERS HAVE BEEN PLACED AGAINST THE RESIDENTIAL SO THAT THE BUILDING'S IN THE CENTER, UH, THUS PUTTING THE BUILDING AGAIN AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, AWAY FROM ALL THE USES THAT ARE AROUND IT.
UM, LOT B ONE TO THE SOUTHEAST IS BESIDES THE BUFFER, IT ADDITIONALLY HAS A POND AND A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS NOT BEING PART OF THE M CUP.
THAT'S GONNA BE A FUTURE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE.
UH, AND THAT'S 90 FOOT WIDE TO EVEN GIVE MORE BUFFER TO THE SOUTHEAST, UH, TREE SURVEY WAS PERFORMED.
THERE ARE SOME TREES WORTH SAVING IN THE BUFFER.
THE DEVELOPER HAS WORKED WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS SAY THEY WANT THE TREES GONE BECAUSE IT'S A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM IN THEIR REAR YARDS.
UH, SO HE'S GONNA WORK WITH THE, THE ADJACENT LANDOWNERS TO DECIDE WHICH TREES CAN STAY AND GO IN THAT, IN THAT BUFFER.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNCILMAN REQUESTED THE DEVELOPER LIMITED TIMES THAT AMPLIFIED MUSIC WAS OUTSIDE.
UM, THERE IS NO OUTDOOR SPACE, SO HE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND.
INSTEAD OF JUST LIMITING THE TIMES THAT OUTDOOR MUSIC IS ALLOWED, HE ELIMINATED THE OUTDOOR SPACE FROM THE ENTIRE PLAN.
UH, SO IN THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT THE MEDIAN SPACE, 6,500 IS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
[00:30:01]
UM, STORAGE, BATHROOMS, OFFICES THAT SURROUND THE MEETING SPACE IN THE MIDDLE, UM, TO FURTHER BUFFER THE BUILDING FROM THE RESIDENTIAL ON EITHER SIDE.UM, AND THE DEVELOPER WILL SPEAK TO THAT FURTHER IN A MINUTE WHEN HE COMES UP.
UM, AS FAR AS OUTREACH MARCH 8TH, THE DEVELOPER MET WITH THE COUNCILMAN TO GET HIS COMMENTS BEFORE COMPLETING THE DESIGN.
FIRST WEEK OF MAY, THE DEVELOPER CANVASED PIN OAK NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS BEHIND US, SPEAKING WITH THE RESIDENTS, PASSING OUT FLYERS FOR AN INFO MEETING MAY 1ST, WE MET WITH THE LOT B ONE OWNER, UH, TO THE SOUTHEAST, MR. BILLY AGUILAR ON THE SITE.
WE HELD A PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING AT MOST BLANKETS, BLESSED SACRAMENT WITH THE COUNCILMAN RESIDENCE OF PIN OAK AND RESIDENCE, UH, ACROSS JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
AND THEN JUNE 6TH, AGAIN, THE DEVELOPER MET WITH COUNCILMAN HUDSON AGAIN.
UH, SO I'M GONNA YIELD TO MR. MCDOWELL.
UH, HE HAS PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS PLAN.
HE'S LOOKED AT ALL THE EVENT CENTERS ACROSS BATON ROUGE, SEE WHAT THEY DO GOOD, SEE WHAT THEY DO.
HE'S TAKEN THE BEST OF THOSE FACILITIES AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR THE THINGS THAT DON'T WORK.
AND HE'S USING HIS EXPERTISE TO MAKE THAT EVEN BETTER.
CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON, MR. HALCOMB, MR. MORIN, MR. MESSINA, UH, COUNCILWOMAN BANKS AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
UH, I JUST WANNA OUTLINE A FEW SPECIFICS ARCHITECTURALLY AS WELL AS WITH THE SITE PLAN AS WELL AS POLICIES FOR THIS FACILITY.
UM, IN ADDITION, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT BE SPEAKING, BUT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, OUT OF RESPECT TO THE OTHER APPLICANTS IN YOUR TIME.
UM, WHEN I FIRST MET WITH THE COUNCILMAN, HE MENTIONED THAT SOUND, THAT NOISE IN AREAS AROUND HERE IS A, IS A PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF EXISTING, UH, RECEPTION HALLS.
UM, WE'VE REALLY ELIMINATED THAT, UH, RISK IN A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS.
OUR SITE PLAN HAS A SINGULAR MAIN ROOM, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ROOM IN WHICH THERE WILL BE AMPLIFIED SOUND THAT'S SURROUNDED ON THREE SIDES BY OTHER ROOMS. SO SOUND WOULD HAVE TO GET FROM THIS ROOM THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL 2000 SQUARE FOOT LOBBY ACROSS JEFFERSON HIGHWAY AND THEN INTO THE YARDS OF THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE, UH, EXCUSE ME, 96 4 BY FOUR ACOUSTIC PANELS, UH, FROM ACOUSTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT WERE HANGING IN THAT MAIN ROOM THAT HAVE A NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT COEFFICIENT OF 85%.
THAT MEANS THAT THEY ABSORB 85% OF THE SOUND THAT HITS THEM, UH, WITH THOSE, WITH THE ARCHITECTURE PLAN THE WAY IT IS.
AND WITH THOSE, UH, ACOUSTIC PANELS, THERE'S JUST NO WAY THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A NOISE RISK, UM, IN THE PARKING LOT, EVEN MUCH LESS IN ANY OTHER RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE'VE PUT THE BUILDING RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT.
UH, SO THE NEAREST HOME IS ABOUT 150 FEET AWAY, WHICH, UM, IS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN MANY ALREADY OPERATING RECEPTION HALLS IN BATON ROUGE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS CHAD MENTIONED, WE'VE LEFT 1600 SQUARE FEET OF NON DEVELOPED LAND FOR HOPEFULLY MYSELF TO BUILD A SINGLE RESIDENTIAL HOME ON, UM, WHICH WOULD BE IN BETWEEN MR. A AGUILAR AND THE BUILDING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE SOUND.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE WHAT'S REFERRED TO IN THE INDUSTRY AS HOUSE SOUND THAT IS, UH, UH, AMPLIFIERS AND SPEAKERS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE RECEPTION VENUE ITSELF.
AND WE CAN ADD DECIBEL LIMITERS TO THAT SO WE CAN LIMIT THE VOLUME OF SOUND, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT PSS OR A BAND THAT BRINGS IN THEIR OWN SOUND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IN A, UH, AS, AS RECEPTION HALLS GENERALLY OPERATE.
WITH RESPECT TO PARKING AND TRAFFIC.
UH, MANY RECEPTION HALLS IN BATON ROUGE DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING AND THEREFORE PEOPLE END UP PARKING ON THE LAWN OR, OR IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS AROUND THE FACILITY.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO RISK OF THAT HAPPENING.
SO WE HAVE WELL OVER THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.
UM, THE 6,500 SQUARE FEET OF TOTAL RECEPTION AREA REFERS TO THREE ROOMS. ONE IS 3500, 1 IS 2000, AND ONE IS 1000 SQUARE FEET.
THOSE ROOMS WOULD BASICALLY NEVER BE USED SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR THAT FULL 6,500 SQUARE FEET OF, UH, RECEPTION, UM, ATTENDANCE.
SO THE, WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE ABOVE THE 6,500 SQUARE FOOT RECOMMENDATION OF ONE SPOT PER 50 SQUARE FEET OF PARK OF RECEPTION AREA.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY RISK OF, OF OVERRUNNING OUR AVAILABLE PARKING IF THERE IS AN EVENT THAT WAS GOING TO USE ALL THREE ROOMS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHURCH RIGHT DOWN
[00:35:01]
THE STREET, MOST LESS IN SACRAMENT TO USE THEIR PARKING LOT AS THE SATELLITE LOT, AND THEN SHUTTLE PEOPLE IN.UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S NO RISK OF PEOPLE QUEUING UP ON JEFFERSON HIGHWAY BECAUSE YOU CAN, IT'S RIGHT TURN IN AND RIGHT TURNOUT.
AND WE'VE ADDED A LANE AROUND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
SO THERE ARE NOW TWO INGRESS LANES.
UH, AND THEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH D O T D ON A TRAFFIC CONE DIAGRAM.
IF WE WERE GONNA HAVE A LARGE EVENT LIKE THE ONE I DESCRIBED, UH, THEY WOULD PUT TRAFFIC CONES OUT, AND THAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO CREATE AN EXTRA LANE OF TRAVEL.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT HAP THAT HAPPENING MORE THAN MAYBE ONCE A YEAR.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF TIMING FOR HOW RECEPTIONS TYPICALLY GO, UH, IN THE HOA MEETING WE HAD IN MAY, WE, UH, GAVE THEM A LIST OF ALL THE WEDDINGS THAT WERE AT MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT CHURCH IN THE TIMES FOR THOSE WEDDINGS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT ALL RECEPTIONS WILL HAPPEN, WILL BEGIN BETWEEN SIX 30 AND EIGHT 30.
ALLIE WESTER IS HERE, WHO IS THE EVENT PLANNER IN BATON ROUGE.
SHE'S DONE OVER A THOUSAND EVENTS IN WEDDINGS, UH, HAS PRODUCED LIVE AFTER FIVE FOR YEARS.
AND JUST LAST MONTH, UH, THE WHITE HOUSE CALLED HER TO DO AN EVENT FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS.
SO SHE, SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S DOING WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, RECEPTIONS AND THE NORMS AROUND THEM.
SO SHE'S AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT ALL EVENTS WILL BE FINISHED BY MIDNIGHT.
AS FAR AS CATERING GOES, AS CHAD MENTIONED, WE'RE NOT DOING ONSITE CATERING.
THERE WAS, UH, SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, YOU GUYS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HAVING ALCOHOL ON THE PROPERTY FOR CONSUMPTION AND MAKING ALCOHOL AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION ON THE PROPERTY, UH, ARE SEPARATE THINGS.
I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT PROVIDING ALCOHOL.
IT'S A THIRD PARTY CATERED EVENT CENTER.
UM, WE ALSO, ANYTIME THAT ALCOHOL WOULD BE ON THE PROPERTY, HAVE AN EXTRA DUTY AGREEMENT WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SO THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE UNIFORMED OFFICERS IN THE PARKING LOTS IN THE EVENT HOWEVER THEY DEEM FIT.
WE, THERE'S A, UH, A TIERED STRUCTURE FOR THAT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UM, IN THIS STRETCH OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, THE ANTIOCH HIGHLAND AREA, THERE ARE FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE'S PIN OAK, THERE'S ROUND OAK, THERE'S HOMESTEAD, AND THERE'S HIGHLAND CLUB.
ALL FOUR OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS VENUE.
UM, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THEIR HOAS, WE'VE HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, AND THEY'RE ALL IN FAVOR.
UH, I THINK THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE FOR YOU.
I DON'T THINK THAT JAMES LEONARDS HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT.
WHO'S THE N O H O A PRESIDENT? HE WAS WORKING ON A SYSTEM FAILURE EARLIER AT HIS JOB.
UH, BUT ADAM FIELDS IS HERE WHO, UH, WILL REPRESENT PENN OAK.
YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, JAMES LEN IS NOT HERE, SO I'LL WELCOME ADAM FIELDS TO THE PODIUM.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.
ONE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE AND SPEAK TO YOU.
AS YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS ADAM FIELDS AND I LIVE IN THE PIN OAK NEIGHBORHOOD IN PARTICULAR ON CREPE MYRTLE DRIVE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY ONE OF THE MAIN STREETS THAT IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ON THE PROPERTY.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH PLACES MY PROPERTY ADJACENT TO THE, UH, TO THE PROPOSED EVENT CENTER THAT IT'LL BE BUILT ON.
AND, UH, JUST TO NOT WASTE ANY OF YOUR TIME HERE, I'M GONNA KEEP THIS PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
MY ONLY STATEMENT IS THAT I, MY NEIGHBORS AND ALL OF US ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL THIS COMMUNITY AND WOULD BE IN A PHENOMENAL RECEPTION HALL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE FROM THE PROPERTY.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JEFFREY LARSON.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, MY FAMILY LIVES ON HOMESTEAD DRIVE, WHICH IS PART OF THE HOMESTEAD SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS UP THE STREET FROM THE PLANNED EVENT CENTER.
UH, IT'S ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
UM, THERE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD SPACE BUFFER BETWEEN THE EVENT CENTER AND OUR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOA ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND SIMILAR TO ADAM, WE FEEL THAT IT BRINGS GOOD, UM, IT MAKES OUR, UH, AREA A LOT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND ALSO THAT LOCALLY FOLKS CAN HAVE EVENTS CLOSER TO HOME AS OPPOSED TO GOING FURTHER OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
[00:40:04]
THANK YOU, SIR.OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR DARLENE KEDO.
MY NAME IS DARLENE KUDO AND MY FAMILY AND I LIVE ON KINDLE TREE DRIVE, WHICH IS IN ROUND OAK SUBDIVISION.
AND WE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
AND WE ALSO OWN AN OFFICE BUILDING IN THE HIGHLAND CLUB COMPLEX, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT DOWN THE STREET ON JEFFERSON.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COME TONIGHT AND SAY THAT MY NEIGHBORS AND I ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.
AND WE THINK THAT THE, HAVING A RECEPTION VENUE IS MUCH NEEDED IN THIS AREA AND WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE VERY FEW CHOICES IN THE AREA, AND IT WOULD KEEP THE REVENUE IN OUR AREA AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM HAVING TO GO EITHER FARTHER DOWNTOWN OR INTO OTHER PARISHES TO HOLD EVENTS IN THIS AREA.
MY NEXT CARD IS FOR LINDA LEAH.
UM, I'M LINDA LEE AND I'M WITH HIGHLAND CLUB PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE DOWN THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED SITE.
AS FAR AS ANY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE DON'T SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY REASON FOR CONCERN OVER HAVING THE RECEPTION HALL NEAR OUR PROPERTY, UM, WOULD NOT AFFECT US TRAFFIC WISE.
AND IT JUST, IT'S AS, AS, AS FAR AS, UM, THAT SITE HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMETHING THERE OF THAT NATURE AFFECTING US, WE DON'T SEE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JOANNA BARRAZA.
UH, ME AND MY HUSBAND, UM, AND OUR THREE KIDS LIVE ON SPILLER'S WAY HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
IT'S LOCATED ACTUALLY DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE WHITE OAK ESTATES PLANTATION AND GARDENS FACILITY.
UM, OUR STREET IS A DEAD END STREET, AND IT'S, UM, IT'S LIKE A STONE'S THROW ACROSS FROM THE, UH, WHITE OAK FACILITY.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE WEDDINGS AND LARGE FUNDRAISERS, UH, WEEKLY, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.
UM, THEY USUALLY DO HAVE, UM, MUSIC AND, UM, SOMETIMES EVEN WEDDINGS OUTDOORS.
UH, I'M JUST HERE TO ATTEST IN MY EXPERIENCE, LIVING ACROSS FROM SUCH A FACILITY, AND THIS IS A BIG FACILITY, UM, THEY USUALLY HAVE BANDS, UM, OUTDOORS, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN ANY KIND OF A DISRUPTION TO ME OR MY FAMILY.
SHE HAS AN EARLY BEDTIME, NEVER AN ISSUE.
UM, WE NEVER HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, LOUD MUSIC OR ROWDY BEHAVIOR.
UM, HEAVY TRAFFIC HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.
UM, OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET, SO IT'S A VERY WELL RUN FACILITY.
AND, UM, I MEAN, OUR HOME IS ONLY INCREASED IN VALUE AND WE JUST, WE ACTUALLY ENJOY LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM A FACILITY LIKE THAT.
IS IT COR COR CORCORAN? JOHN CORCORAN? YES.
MY NAME IS JOHN CORCORAN AND I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE MARRIED TO MY LOVELY WIFE, VICKY DENIM CORCORAN.
WE LIVE ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY AT THE MOMENT.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, MR. DENIM, UH, MY WIFE AND I CAME DOWN CUZ MR. DENIM UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY.
HE WAS 101 AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING, TOOK CARE OF HIM FOR A FEW YEARS.
UH, AND, UM, THE PROPERTY IS TOO BIG FOR ME TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND I, I, I THINK THIS IS A, A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO REALLY SORT OF, UM, MAKE THE WHOLE AREA.
IF YOU'VE SEEN THE DESIGNS, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
BUT, UH, MR. DENIM, THE DENI FAMILY HAS BEEN THERE FOR CLOSE TO 200 YEARS.
THEY OWN MOST OF THE PROPERTY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM HIGHLAND TO ANTI, UH, ANTI ANTIOCH.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, THEY HAD THE ONLY GROCERY STORE, THE DENIM, DENIM GROCERY STORE, UH, BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND BATON ROUGE FOR, FOR YEARS.
SO THE AREA HAS A LOT OF HISTORY FOR THE DENIMS, AND THIS IS THE LAST PARCEL OF LAND THAT, THAT IS STILL, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THE DENIM, I WON'T SAY EMPIRE, BUT THE DENIM, UM, FAMILY LAND TRACKED.
AND, UH, AND SO ANYWAY, SO, UM, WHEN, WHEN THE PROPOSAL FIRST CAME TO OUR ATTENTION, I WAS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL, BUT AFTER SEEING
[00:45:01]
THE, THE, THE, THE DETAILED PLANNING AND THE, THE, UH, THE HARD WORK, AND THIS SEEMED TO BE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF ENTHUSIASM AND POSITIVE ENERGY GOING INTO THIS.AND, UM, WE LIKE TO KEEP THE DENIM FAMILY.
HE SAID, HE, HE SAYS, MICHAEL SAYS HE'S GONNA PUT A LITTLE PLAQUE IN, IN FOR, IN HONOR OF THE DENIM FAMILY, UH, FOR THIS IS THEIR, THEIR LAND AND SO FORTH.
AND, UH, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OUR NEXT CALL IS FOR CAROL MONTGOMERY.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
UM, MY REASON FOR BEING HERE IS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
I AM OWNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR AN AGENCY FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE AUTISM.
ASPERGER'S, UM, IS TECHNICALLY WHAT IT WAS CALLED AND NOW IT'S CONSIDERED HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM AND INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DEAF.
WHAT, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT IS ACTUALLY, UM, AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY, HAVING A SITE WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THE PAST.
UM, WE'VE CREATED WITHIN WHAT I HAVE DONE, OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMS FOR SUCCESS, UM, JOB PLACEMENT.
WE'VE PLACED WITHIN THE ASPERGER'S COMMUNITY, PROBABLY 150 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS PLACED DEAF PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH ASPERGER'S OVER THE LAST, OVER THE LAST DECADE, WE'VE CREATED SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT AND FIND JOBS FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED.
AND WHAT WE ARE THINKING IS THAT, UM, THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THESE IN INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THE PAST.
UM, DEAF PEOPLE, AND I DON'T KNOW, NOT MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THIS, BUT DEAF PEOPLE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN YOU AND I.
THEY JUST FUNCTION WITHIN A DIFFERENT CULTURE, WITHIN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
WE HAVE, UM, PLACED OVER 300 DEAF AND DEAF BLIND PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA, UM, IN AGENCIES SUCH AS THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BATON ROUGE AIRPORT, BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA.
WE DO HAVE A LETTER OF INTENT WITH THE DEVELOPER.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON ARRANGEMENTS WITH THEM TO USE AURORA PARK FOR JOB FAIRS, WHICH WOULD BE VERY EXCITING.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE GAPS IN THE PROGRAM IN THIS AREA.
WE'VE HAD TO HAVE OUR CONSUMERS TRAVEL DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND THAT'S BEEN QUITE DIFFICULT.
AND ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING OF OUR CLIENTS.
UM, EVENTS, SPACES COULD BE USED FOR EXPOSURE FOR JOB FAIRS, WHICH ARE IN VERY HIGH DEMAND AND THAT THAT IS NOT BEING MET.
AND WE'RE ALL ABOUT, UM, LOOKING AT, YOU HAVE ABOUT 15 SECONDS, MA'AM.
LOOKING AT WHAT IS NOT BEING MET.
SO WE RECOMMEND THAT I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE ALLOW APPROVAL FOR THIS PERMIT SO THAT THIS SPACE COULD BE UTILIZED FOR DEAF AND DISABLED, WHAT I CALL DIFFERENTLY ABLE.
OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR PAMELA BEMAN BAUMAN.
I HAVE LIVED AT 1636 CRIPE MEADOW.
I'VE LIVED AT 1636 CRIPE MEADOW JOB, WHICH ABUTS THE PROPERTY THAT IS BEING BUILT ON.
I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND THE AREA HAS PLENTY OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AROUND A ARRESTING BOARD IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS ZONED FOR ALCOHOL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL NEIGHBORS ON CREPE MURDER AND THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT AS WELL.
THERE'S ONE RESIDENT ON JEFFERSON WHO HAS ARREST ME, WHO OPPOSE THE PROJECT.
HE AND HIS FRIENDS ACROSS JEFFERSON HIGHWAY DON'T LIVE AS CLOSE TO THIS SITE AS I DO.
BILLY AQUILO CAME TO MY HOUSE AND TRIED TO GET ME TO GO, GO TO A MEETING HE WAS HOSTING TO BUILD OPPOSITION.
[00:50:01]
AT THE SAME TABLE AS BILLY AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING DEVELOPER AND THE ENGINEERS HELPED TO GIVE US MORE INFORMATION ON THE PRO PROJECT.MICHAEL WAS VERY CLEAR THERE WILL BE NO OUTDOOR PATIOS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL BE PRESENT WHEN THERE WAS ALCOHOL FOR EVENTS.
BILLY CAME TO MY HOUSE AND SAID MICHAEL WAS LYING AND WANTED TO BUILD A BAR AND THERE WOULD BE DRUNK PEOPLE OUT ON THE PATIO ALL NIGHT.
AND HIS OPPOSITION AND PETITION ARE BASED ON BOOO, USE MY FRENCH, BUT IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY THAT HE WAS SPREAD THESE LIES ABOUT THE PROJECT AND ARREST THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TRIED TO OPPOSE.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY HAS NEEDED FOR YEARS.
WE HAVE 11 ADDITIONAL SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN FAVOR BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
I'LL READ THOSE NAMES IN FOR THE RECORD.
SORRY, THE HANDWRITING IS A LITTLE TOUGH TO READ ON THAT ONE.
RANDALL BRISTER, TRACY BRISTER, CASEY SMITH, ALLIE WESTER, SHERYN BOYD AND VICKY CORCORA.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THOSE SPEAKERS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH KRISTA ANDREW.
I LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE WHERE THEY WANT TO BUILD THE EVENT.
MY HOUSE FACES ACROSS FROM RANDY BRIERS AND CATTY CORNER TO THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
THEY WANTED TO PUT THE VENUE IN.
WE'VE WORKED HARD TO KEEP THIS A RESIDENTIAL ROYAL AREA.
I THINK THE PUTTING THAT THERE IS GONNA CHANGE THE COMPLEXION OF THE AREA, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE TO LOOK OUT MY WINDOW AT MY FRONT DOOR AND SEE A WEDDING RECEPTION.
THE TRAFFIC IS TERRIBLE ON THAT HIGHWAY.
THERE'S BEEN, UM, A FEW DEATHS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HIGHWAY, LIKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE DUE TO THE CONGESTION OF THE HIGHWAY.
THEY WILL NOT FOUR LANE IT, I'VE ALREADY CALLED CONGRESSMEN AND THEY ONLY ARE GOING TO KEEP THE TWO LANE THEY RAN OUTTA MONEY.
SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA FOUR LANE IT, THAT'S GONNA CONGEST IT EVEN MORE.
UM, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR NICE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST, THERE'S LIKE EIGHT HOUSES.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPEAKING DON'T LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE VENUE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULD SAY, I MEAN OF COURSE IT'S NOT GONNA DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM.
PEOPLE CAN USE THAT, BUT IT'S ON A DEAD END STREET.
IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HAVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY.
SO I AM VERY OPPOSED TO THIS AND THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR SOPHIE MAGGIO.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SOPHIE MAGGIO AND ME AND MY FAMILY LIVE IN THE ADJACENT PROPERTY A LITTLE LESS THAN AN ACRE.
AND WE ARE IN OPPOSITION OF THE IDEA OF AURORA PARK AND SOME OF THOSE REASONS BEING AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AS MANY OF US HAVE HAD FEARS OF.
AND LIKE KRISTA HAD MENTIONED, AND IT'S ON AN EXTREMELY BUSY HIGHWAY TO BEGIN WITH.
THE USE OF ALCOHOL THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED MANY A TIMES.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, WHILE THIS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, THE USE OF ALCOHOL, YOU KNOW, IT BEING AS CLOSE AS IT IS, IT, IT MAKES FOR A HIGHER RISK OF LEAVING THE FACILITY.
ANOTHER ISSUE WOULD BE THE NOISE.
AND WHILE THERE'S PROMISES OF NO NOISE COMPLAINTS, THAT'S ALL PROMISES AND PROMISES ARE JUST KIND OF WORDS.
YOU KNOW, ONCE, IF THIS IS APPROVED, THEY ESSENTIALLY COULD CHANGE THE PLANS.
UM, AND THE RECEPTION HALL, IT'S CENTERED AROUND SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL HOMES AS YOU GUYS MAY BE AWARE OF AND LOOKING AT THE MAP.
AND IT JUST SEEMS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD TO, FOR THAT LOCATION WHEN THERE'S MANY OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TO GO AND LOOK ELSEWHERE IN THE AREA WITHIN A MILE OR TWO.
[00:55:01]
I'M OPPOSED, ME AND MY FAMILY WHO'VE ALSO BEEN LIVING, GOSH, IN THAT AREA OR THAT HOUSE FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN JUST SHARING ALL THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THAT THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE.AND, AND WHILE THEY'VE SAID THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF, UH, PARKING, IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, WITH AN EVENT THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH, IT'S STILL CONCERNING THAT YOU WILL HAVE CERTAIN PEOPLE STILL PARKING, MAYBE EVEN IN MY FRONT YARD.
AND SO YEAH, THAT WE'RE OPPOSED TO IT.
AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME.
MY NEXT COURT IS FOR LAURIE JACOBSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, LAURIE JACOBSON.
WE LIVE ACROSS THE STREET, 1 64 30 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
WE JUST MOVED IN TO OUR HOME, UM, IN APRIL.
I WILL TELL YOU I AM VERY OPPOSED, UM, THE DRINKING THE NOISE, WHAT IT'S GONNA DO TO PROPERTY VALUE.
THIS IS, THESE ARE ALL PROMISES.
AND WE BOUGHT THIS BECAUSE IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL, QUIET BESIDES THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS HORRID QUIET.
KRISTA'S YARD IS MY INSPIRATION.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A GREAT QUIET FAMILY AREA AND I AM JUST DISGUSTED.
NEXT COURT IS FOR BRIAN JACOBSON.
UM, WE LEAVE AT 1 6 4 30 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
WE JUST BOUGHT THE PROPERTY RECENTLY.
KNOWING THAT THIS THIS WAS COMING UP TO US, WE WOULD HAVE NOT BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY.
WE DO NOT WANT THIS NEXT DOOR TO US.
THERE'S ZONE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY JUST ON ANTIOCH, LESS THAN A QUARTER A MILE FROM US.
I'M NOT SAYING DON'T BUILD IT, DON'T BUILD IT ACROSS FROM THE STREET FROM US.
OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR BRIAN AGUILAR.
THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING US, LETTING ME SPEAK.
UM, ACCORDING TO YOUR ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS, FEW THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED IN A RURAL ZONE BAR, A BAR IS NOT ALLOWED.
A RESTAURANT WITH ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, JUST RECEPTION HALL WILL DEFINITELY SERVE ALCOHOL AS THEY STATED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
JUST ABOUT EVERY EVENT IN SOUTH LOUISIANA HAS ALCOHOL AND FOOD, WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED IN ITS ZONING CLASSIFICATION THAT Y'ALL HAVE ESTABLISHED HERE ON UNDER THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
IT IS ALLOWED UNDER YOUR DISCRETION AS A CONDITIONAL USE.
I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO USE YOUR DISCRETION AND LOOK AT THIS AS IT IS.
THEY CAN REWORD IT, THEY CAN CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE.
IT IS A BAR AND IT IS A RESTAURANT EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
ALCOHOL AND FOOD WILL BE SERVED AT THIS FACILITY WHEN IT'S OPEN.
AND FOR THAT REASON I'M ASKING YOU TO OPPOSE IT.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JENNIFER PARKER.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM THE DAUGHTER OF BILLY AND BOBBY AGUILAR.
I'M ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO THIS COMMERCIAL BUILDING BEING BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
MY PARENTS HAVE RAISED FIVE CHILDREN AND MADE MANY SACRIFICES TO SUPPORT THOSE CHILDREN AND NINE GRANDCHILDREN.
THEY BUILT THEIR RETIREMENT HOME IN THIS AREA TO
[01:00:01]
BE CLOSER TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY BEING TO THE PROP, TO THE PROPOSED BUILDING SITE.THERE ARE MANY OTHER RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA IN THIS EXACT SAME SITUATION.
YOU JUST HEARD FROM ONE OF THEM WHO SAID THAT THEY BOUGHT THEIR RETIREMENT PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET.
IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO HAVE AN EVENT CENTER NEAR SO MANY RESIDENTIAL AREAS, NOT TO MENTION A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ON THIS ALREADY CONGESTED TWO-LANE HIGHWAY.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD, THEY HAVE PROPOSED THAT THIRD PARTY CATERERS WOULD PROVIDE FOOD AND ALCOHOL.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY CALL IT AGAIN, THEY WILL BE SERVING FOOD AND ALCOHOL.
THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THIS DO NOT LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THE PROPOSED BUILDING SITE.
THIS BUILDING SITE IS LITERALLY SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A COMPARISON TO WHITE OAK LANDING.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE ALL BEEN TO THE WHITE OAK LANDING RECEPTION CENTER.
YOU HAVE TO DRIVE DOWN A SIGNIFICANTLY LONG DRIVEWAY VERY FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO GET TO THAT FACILITY.
THAT'S THE REASON THEY DO NOT HEAR THE NOISE OR HAVE TO BOTHER WITH THE TRAFFIC.
THIS IS LITERALLY NEXT DOOR TO PEOPLE'S HOMES.
MY NEXT COURT IS FOR MELANIE TISHER.
MY HUSBAND AND I OWN PROPERTY THAT IS, UH, AT 1 6 5 4 5 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WHICH IS TWO LOTS EAST OF THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE HOUSE PLANS DRAWN AND ARE PLANNING TO START BUILDING SOON.
WE HAVE MANY REASONS TO OPPOSE THIS PLAN.
FIRST, THIS HAS BEEN AND IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THIS AREA AND THE RESIDENTS AS WELL.
NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION ALONG WITH LATE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THIS BUSINESS.
AND THE ADDED ASPECT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION WILL NOT BENEFIT THE AREA JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY IN THAT IF YOU DON'T LIVE THERE, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW INCREDIBLY CONGESTED THAT SMALL PIECE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY IS.
AND THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AT JEFF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY AND ANTIOCH, UH, ALREADY OCCURRING BAD ONES.
I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME CAUSE I LIVE THERE.
THIS PROJECT WOULD ONLY COMPOUND THE TRAFFIC ISSUES THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALREADY EXPERIENCING.
SURELY THERE MUST BE A MORE APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THIS BUSINESS THAN IN A CROWDED RESIDENTIAL AREA.
MY NEXT CARD IS FOR BOBBY AGUILAR.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BOBBY AGUILAR AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM MY HUSBAND, YOU ALREADY HEARD FROM MY DAUGHTER AND OUR SON.
UM, I RESIDE AT 1 65 35 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO WHERE THIS PROPOSED EVENT CENTER IS PLANNED.
I'M JUST GONNA BE SHORT AND SWEET AND SAY THAT I OPPOSE OF THIS EVENT CENTER BEING THERE.
AND I WANNA ASK EACH ONE OF YOU COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT TO DIG DEEP AND THINK ABOUT IT.
WOULD YOU WANT AN EVENT CENTER BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY? THANK YOU.
UH, NEXT COURT IS FOR BILLY AGUILAR.
I LIVE AT 1 65 35 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO AND DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AS THE APPLICANT, MR. MCDONALD SAID HE DID INVITE THE NEIGHBORS TO MEETINGS, NUMEROUS MEETINGS.
AT FIRST HE PROPOSED THE EVENT CENTER THAT WOULD BE NEIGHBORLY FRIENDLY.
HE WAS NOT GONNA SERVE ALCOHOL OR FOOD, HE WAS GONNA HAVE A SOUNDPROOF BUILDING AND CLOSE AT 11:00 PM AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE QUESTIONED MR. MCDOWELL ABOUT THE CLOSING TIME.
WE SAID, OKAY, MAKE CONDITIONAL THAT YOU CLOSE AT 11:00 PM QUOTE.