[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.
WHAT IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PAY ME, PAY ME TO STAY OPEN LATER.
WELL IF YOU APPROVE THIS, HE CAN STAY OPEN AS LONG AS HE WANTS TO CUZ HE IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL PERMIT AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS.
THEY CLOSE AT 2:00 PM IF HE CLOSE ANYTIME HE WANTS TO.
[01:05:01]
AND HE SAID ABOUT HIS NOISE OUTSIDE, IF THIS IS APPROVED, THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP HIM FROM GOING, DOING AN OUTDOOR FACILITY TO HAVE NOISE OUTSIDE.UH, AND HE ORIGINALLY APPLIED FOR A CUP, BUT THEN WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT HE HAD TO SERVE ALCOHOL, HE HAD TO HAVE ALCOHOL IN BEVERAGE PERMIT, HE CHANGED THAT CUP TO A M CUP, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE AT HERE TODAY.
AND LIKE THEY SAID IN SOUTH LOUISIANA, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A WEDDING RECEPTION THAT DIDN'T SERVE FOOD OR ALCOHOL? SO HE SAYS HIS CATERERS ARE GONNA SERVE OUR FOOD AND ALCOHOL, BUT THE FOOD AND ALCOHOL IS SERVED IN HIS BUILDING, THEREFORE HE HAS TO HAVE ABC PERMIT TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE M CUP ALLOWS WITHOUT GOING TO ABC ZONING, WHICH IS SHOULDN'T BE, IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
AND HE, THE REASON HE DID THE M CUP WASN'T CHANGED IT TO M CUP CUZ YOU HAVE TO HAVE M CUP TO SERVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE BUILDING, THE STAFF COMMENTS AND IN THE STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS IN YOUR FILES, IT SAYS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSISTENCY.
IT SAYS CONSISTENT WITH DESIGNATION OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE AND ON THE FUTURE.
A COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT CAN ACT AS A BAR OR RESTAURANT, PLAY LOUD MUSIC ALL IN ONE AT THE SAME TIME.
IN THE MIDDLE OF 51 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCIES.
ALL THESE YELLOW PIECES OF PROPERTY HERE ARE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
THESE TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE HERE, OR TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES, NOT VACANT LAND, THEY WANT TO TEAR DOWN TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS TO BUILD A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 25 SECONDS, SIR.
CHANGE OF CHARACTER, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, A COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH RESTAURANT LOUD MUSIC.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS NOT VACANT LAND.
YOU CANNOT HAVE BOYS, RESTAURANTS OR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS WITHOUT REZONING IT.
THEREFORE, WE ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE THIS THING.
AND THIS IS ORBIT ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS ACT.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS THING HERE TONIGHT.
THE INTENT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS, IS JUST ABSOLUTELY NOT TO APPROVE THIS THING.
THEREFORE, WE, WE VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE THIS AND ASK YOU TO DENY IT.
OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR JACK WHITEHEAD, BILLY'S BATMAN.
I'M A 40 YEAR RESIDENT OF THIS CITY.
I, I LOVE IT WHEN MY GRANDCHILDREN COME THROUGH, OF COURSE, BUT I SENT MY KIDS TO TWO LANE ON PURPOSE.
I DIDN'T KNOW, WANNA KNOW A DAMN THING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN COLLEGE.
AND, BUT I KNOW WHERE, I KNOW WHERE TO SLOW DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN I DRIVE IN THIS CITY.
BUT I GO VISIT MY FRIENDS, BILLY AND BOBBY AND RICHARD, AND, UH, MELANIE.
DON'T BE FOOLING WITH A PHONE.
DON'T BE LOOKING AT ANYTHING ELSE BUT WHERE YOU ARE, BECAUSE TRAFFIC IS THAT THICK AND BAD.
THERE ARE NUMBER PLACES LIKE THIS IN THIS CITY.
WE'VE HAD A PHENOMENAL GROWTH WITH GREAT PEOPLE, BUT BETWEEN FOUR AND 7:00 PM IT IS ABSOLUTE CHAOS.
THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT PAYING RESIDENTIAL PRICE FOR A COMMERCIAL PROJECT THAT IS THE LINCHPIN.
I'VE GOT OTHER NAMES FOR THIS PLACE, BUT I DON'T WANNA SAY IT CAUSE I MAY OFFEND SOMEBODY, BUT IT, BUT BAR AND FOOD IN THE COUNTRY BACK WHERE I COME FROM, THAT WAS A JUKE JOINT.
UH, THE SEWER, THEY WANT TO TIE TO A SEWER SYSTEM.
THAT PANEL PAID FOR, UH, WITHOUT ANY UPGRADES WHATSOEVER.
THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER IN THE OVERALL PLAN OF THIS CITY AND WHAT'S GONNA BE TAXED.
IT'S INSANE THAT MY FRIENDS HAVE TO DEFEND THEIR PEACEFUL, QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD FROM INTRUSION, FROM A COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT COULD OPERATE TILL ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
SOME OF THESE FOLKS YOU'VE HEARD HAVE BEEN HERE OVER 30 YEARS, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE'S PLENTY OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT IT'S GONNA COST A LITTLE BIT MORE, ISN'T IT? I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE NEED TO GO.
I THINK IN THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF THIS BODY.
AND PEOPLE WHO I KNOW, I SEE FRIENDS HERE ON THE, ON THE BOARD, ARE GONNA MAKE THIS DECISION.
AS BOBBY SAID, WOULD YOU WANT THIS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO YOU WHERE YOU LIVE? MOST LIKELY NOT.
AND IT WOULD BE BASICALLY TRULY ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS.
WE KNOW IT'S WHAT THOSE, I DON'T KNOW APOLLO AND I KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THAT'S OKAY, BUT, HUH? HE DON'T APOLLO SEE ME OUT.
SIR, IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
AM OUT OF TIME, MR. WASHINGTON.
WE, UH, WE, WE LOST THE CLOCK.
[01:10:01]
ENTERTAIN YOU GUYS.I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASK THAT YOU USE YOUR COLLECTIVE WISDOM TO COME TO A FAIR AND REASONABLE DECISION.
PUT HUMAN BEINGS BEFORE PROFIT, THEN GO RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD AND DO THE SAME DARN THING AND NOT BOTHER ANYBODY.
UH, OUR LAST CARD THAT IS IN OPPOSITION THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IS FOR LESTER MCKINNEY.
IT SAYS, IF NEEDED, MR. MCKINNEY, DO YOU STILL WISH TO SPEAK? YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR? YES.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PIN OAK FOR 33 YEARS.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY NOTICE COMING ABOUT ANY OF THIS.
I HEAR THEY'RE SAYING, THEY SENT ALL THESE NOTICES OUT.
IF THEY PUT IT ON THE DOOR, SOMEBODY CAME AND TOOK IT OFF.
BUT I'M OPPOSED TO THIS PIN OAK IS A SMALL SUBDIVISION ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN THERE DRIVING THROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, THINKING THEY'RE GONNA GET OUT, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
THEY COULD SPEED THROUGH THERE.
SO IT'S ALREADY BAD WITH THAT.
I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE A FACILITY DOWN THERE, YOU'RE GONNA GET PEOPLE, THEY GET CONFUSED.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA GO DOWN THERE.
IT'S JUST GONNA INCREASE THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THERE.
THERE'S QUITE A FEW CHILDREN IN THAT SUBDIVISION, AND I KNOW WE ALL WORRY ABOUT THEM AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS IN THE SUBDIVISION, SO IT'S NOT AS IF THE KIDS CAN WALK THERE.
SO WHEN WE INCREASE THE TRAFFIC IN THAT SUBDIVISION, AS WELL AS THE TRAFFIC THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS ALREADY BAD, SOME OF THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE, WE HAVE AN AUTOMOTIVE PLACE ACROSS THE STREET.
THEY OPEN EIGHT TO FIVE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT THERE AFTER THAT.
THEY'RE NOT THERE ON WEEKENDS.
THE INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, I HARDLY EVER SEE ANYBODY GOING IN THERE.
THEIR BUSINESSES LIKE, YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT GO IN THERE, THEY MEET WITH SOMEBODY AND THEY LEAVE THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING TO THIS FACILITY AND PARKING AND JUST THE TRAFFIC FLOW, I THINK IS GONNA BE TREMENDOUS FOR US.
SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
AND AS THEY'VE SAID, THINK ABOUT THIS, THAT THIS WAS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU'VE BOUGHT INTO, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THESE CHANGES START COMING ABOUT.
WE HAVE SEVERAL MORE SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION, BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
I'LL READ THOSE NAMES IN FOR THE RECORD.
RICHARD STEWART, JAMES PARKER, AND JUDY TOWNSEND.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
UM, AGAIN, CHAD STEVENS IN OUR ENGINEERING, AND MS. MS. BANKS WAS JUST ASKING ABOUT REGULAR HOURS.
YOU HAVE HOURS WHEN YOU HAVE EVENTS.
I MEAN, TYPICALLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LUNCHTIME EVENTS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE NIGHTTIME EVENTS.
I MEAN, YOU'LL HAVE A SMALL STAFF THAT WOULD BE PRESENT.
OBVIOUSLY, SOMEBODY'S GONNA STAFF THE FACILITY, BUT UNLESS YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE OPEN.
SO, I MEAN, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, THERE'S NOT SPECIFIC HOURS.
LIKE IT'S OPEN FROM NINE TO MIDNIGHT.
NOW, HE HAS AGREED TO CLOSE IT.
UH, THERE WAS SOME, YOU KNOW, FALSE STATEMENTS MADE REGARDING HIS STATEMENTS ABOUT ALCOHOL AND FOOD.
FROM THE VERY GET GO, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS A THIRD PARTY EVENT CENTER.
RESTAURANT PLANNING AND COMMISSION ORDINANCES SPEAK CLEARLY TO THAT.
WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE CUP, THE ABC BOARD SAID, YOU DO NOT NEED A LICENSE.
THEY ARE LICENSED BY THE ABC BOARD.
SO THERE IS A LICENSE PRESENT WHEN THERE IS FOOD AND ALCOHOL BEING PROVIDED.
SO THE STATEMENT THAT THERE'S NO LICENSE AND NOBODY LICENSE, THAT'S JUST A STRAIGHT OUT LIE.
UM, SECOND OF ALL, HE NEVER COMMITTED TO ANY CLOSING TIMES AT ANY MEETING.
HE SAID HE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT.
HE NEVER COMMITTED TO ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, SO THE STATEMENTS THAT ALCOHOL HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, SOMETHING THAT HE'S BEEN PLAYING WITH, HE'S HAD ALCOHOL BY A THIRD PARTY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE THING.
HE SAT WITH THE ABC BOARD FOR AN HOUR.
NOW SOMEBODY ELSE WENT TO THE ABC BOARD AND THEY DREW A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.
THIS BOARD STAFF SAID, HEY, YOU GOTTA CHANGE TO AN M CUP, EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS THAT THEY WERE CORRECT.
SO THERE WAS NO ILL INTENT TO HIM CHANGING FROM THE CUP TO THE END CUP.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE ASSERTION THAT THIS IS A QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA, AGAIN, YOU HAVE MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES WITHIN LESS THAN 500 FEET.
YOU HAVE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, WHICH IS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
A THOROUGHFARE OF THIS MAGNITUDE IS AN 85 DECIBEL THOROUGHFARE.
[01:15:01]
THAN THE EVENT CENTER IS GONNA BE AT ANY POINT, AT ANY TIME.IF YOU HAD A METAL ROCK BAND IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, YOU CAN'T PRODUCE 85 DECIBELS AT JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
AND THE ASSERTION THAT THE PEOPLE SPEAKING TIME ARE NOT NEIGHBORS.
YOU HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM PIN OAK, YOU HEARD FROM THE PIN OAK HOA PRESIDENT ACTUALLY HIS STAND-IN.
BUT YOU'VE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PIN OAK RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT TO TO SAY THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE FIVE TO 600 FEET ACROSS JEFFERSON ARE CLOSER THAN PIN OAK, AGAIN, IS JUST A FALSE STATEMENT.
UH, AND THEN TO THE AGUILAR, THE AGUILAR, THIS IS THEIR BUSINESS.
BRIAN, WHO CAME AND SPOKE TO YOU AND SAID, THIS IS A BAR IN RESTAURANT.
HE DOES CIVIL ENGINEERING DESIGN.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW THEY'VE BUILT THE HOUSE THAT THEY'VE BUILT BY DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT.
THEY BUILD MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTS.
SO FOR THEM TO STAND UP AND SAY, WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR, BUT WE'LL GO BUILD IN ANOTHER PLACE IS BEHIND.
OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES ARE NEXT TO THEIR HOUSES.
UH, YOU, YOU CAN INFER WHAT YOU WANT FROM THAT.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE SEWER, THE, THE MR. WHITEHEAD MENTIONED SEWER.
WE HAVE SEWER APPROVAL FROM BATON ROUGE.
UM, WE'VE MADE A STN REQUEST THAT SEWER APPROVAL HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN GRANTED TRAFFIC.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN EVENT CENTER.
UM, SO THE TRAFFIC THEY'RE SPEAKING TO IS BEING CREATED BY RESIDENCES.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY SAY AREN'T CLOSE TO THIS HIGHLAND CLUB, ROUND OAK, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GENERATING THE TRAFFIC.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN EVENT CENTER THAT'S OFF PEAK.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE ADDING TO THE PEAK TRAFFIC.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, SOUND, YOU'VE HEARD FROM MICHAEL ABOUT HOW, WHAT HE'S DONE TO ELIMINATE THE SOUND.
WE'VE PLACED THE SITE PLAN LIKE IT IS TO GET EVERYTHING AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE.
HE'S DESIGNED THE BUILDING, UH, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, AGAIN, THE COMMERCIAL VERSUS THE RESIDENTIAL.
THIS IS NOT REZONING, NOT A SINGLE PERSON THAT'S HERE TONIGHT CAME TO SPEAK AGAINST NINIS, WHICH THE NEIGHBOR ON ONE SIDE OF THIS, SHE SPOKE TONIGHT.
HER FAM, WELL, SHE'S IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY WHO OWNS NINIS AND LAUREN TO CATERING.
SHE'S HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S OPPOSED, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE COMPETITION FOR HER FAMILY.
UM, SO THAT FACILITY'S BEEN SERVING ALCOHOL FOR YEARS.
AT THE MEETING THAT WE HAVE WITH THE RESIDENTS.
WE ASKED THEM, HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH NINIS ALCOHOL? 300 FEET AWAY? NO, NOT A SINGLE BIT OF TROUBLE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW ALCOHOL IS THIS GIANT PROBLEM THAT IS REALLY NOT.
UM, SO AGAIN, NOBODY CAME TO SPEAK AGAINST NINIS WHEN THEY CODIFIED THEIR EXISTING NON-CONFORMING USE.
UM, SO AGAIN, MICHAEL'S DONE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
HE'S BEEN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT SINCE THE BEGINNING AND WE ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE, UH, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION.
UH, BEFORE I DO THAT, I'M SORRY.
UH, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB, THIS IS IN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE HUDSON'S DISTRICT, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HE'S PROVIDED COMMENTS, UH, ON HIS THOUGHTS REGARDING THIS, UH, ITEM.
HE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME PERSONALLY ON THIS ITEM.
UH, COUNCILMAN HU HUDSON HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS TO ME ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED USE, SPECIFICALLY THE PROXIMITY TO THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
AND HE'S OPPOSED TO THIS DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER BANKS? UH, YES.
UM, WHEN, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I TOO HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, MY COLLEAGUE REGARDING, UH, THIS ITEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY HEARING, UM, HEARING THE COMMENTS FROM TONIGHT, I REACHED OUT TO HIM TO SAY, THIS IS A A GREAT PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T GET THE OPPOSITION.
AND, AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME? SO FOR THE MOST PART, HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAKE COMPARISONS, UM, AS IT RELATES TO APPARENTLY SOME, UM, CONCERNS THAT SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES ARE HAVING.
I, I'M, I'M SURE EVERY DISTRICT HAS, UM, CONCERNS WHERE THE CONSTITUENTS MAY NOT LIKE, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.
I KNOW I DO, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO.
I DON'T KNOW THE, THE AREAS THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COMPARE TO THIS PROJECT.
UM, ALL I CAN GO BY IS WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY.
UM, INITIALLY I, I DID HEAR WAS A JUKEBOX.
SO I'M THINKING THIS IS GONNA BE, UH, A CLUB IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS GREAT SUBDIVISION.
[01:20:02]
UM, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS IN THE MIDST OF MILLION DOLLAR HOMES.UH, COUNCILMAN HUDSON SAID THE HOMES ARE ABOUT $200,000.
I'M JUST SAYING WHAT HE SAID,
I'M JUST TALK TO YOUR COUNCILMAN.
UM, CUZ YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO, TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS WITH, WITH HIM, CUZ I DO WANNA BE, UM, FAIR.
SO I'M TRYING TO GATHER INFORMATION AT THIS LATE DATE WITH HIM.
UM, I DO BELIEVE, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TESTIMONY HAS BEEN ABOUT, UM, WHEN THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT PEOPLE IN AND OUT AND MY IDEA OF WHAT A RECEPTION HALL IS, EXACTLY WHAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, YOU HAVE THE, YOU COULD HAVE A BREAK, YOU MIGHT HAVE A BREAKFAST EVENT, YOU MIGHT HAVE A LUNCH EVENT, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BRUNCH, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE OPEN EIGHT TO MIDNIGHT.
THEY'RE ONLY OPEN WHEN THERE'S AN EVENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE HERE THAT HAS HAD ANY KIND OF SOCIAL GATHERING WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGES AND OFTENTIMES ALCOHOL.
SO IT IS TOTALLY UNREASONABLE FOR ANYONE TO, UM, AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THAT THAT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGE IN AREAS OR SOMETHING THAT ARE NEW.
I HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY'VE BEEN THERE 30 AND 40 YEARS.
AND, UH, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I REMEMBER MY GRANDPARENTS AND SAYING THAT JEFFERSON HIGHWAY WAS A PRE PREDO WAS A BLACK COMMUNITY, UH, WITH NOTHING WITH WHERE A LOT OF FIRST GENERATION SHARECROPPERS LIVED AND THE LAND IN, OR, I MEAN, PQ LANE, JEFFERSON HIGHWAY SEGAN, ALL OF THOSE WERE BLACK COMMUNITIES.
AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY LOST THEIR LAND DUE TO, UH, RACIST TACTICS.
SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT IN ANY WAY ALWAYS ASSUME THAT SOMETHING IS GONNA CHANGE.
I DEFINITELY DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD IMPEDE ON, UM, THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THIS DOES THAT.
UH, OFTEN TIME THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED, WOULD I WANT IT IN MY SUBDIVISION? AND I LIVE IN A SUBDIVISION, BUT A RECEPTION HALL, HALL ON THE MAIN, UM, STRIP BEHIND MY SUBDIVISION WOULD DEFINITELY BE APPRECIATED.
UM, BASED, I, I GO TO A LOT OF EVENTS, OF COURSE.
UM, AND UNLESS OTHER THAN DURING THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE WERE FORCED TO, TO DO A LOT OF OUTSIDE ENTERTAINMENT, UM, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A RECEPTION HALL WHERE YOU COULD HEAR THE MUSIC OUTSIDE.
SO FOR ME, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT, IT DOES NOT JUST BASED ON THE, THE MERITS OF WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY FROM BOTH PARTIES, JUST BASED ON WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS OR WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE.
UM, I DEFINITELY, UH, THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER BANKS TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
I'LL ASK IF THERE'S A SECOND, BUT I ALSO NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION FOLLOWING THAT.
SO, IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION FOR COMMISSIONER BANKS? SEEING NONE, THAT MOTION FAILS.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LANDER.
YEAH, SO THESE ARE, FIRST OFF, I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND SPEAKING WHETHER YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST THIS, BECAUSE WE OCCASIONALLY GET ITEMS WHERE WE DON'T GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THOSE IN THE AREA, UH, KIND OF HOW THEY FEEL.
SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE DIFFICULT.
UH, BUT THIS ONE, WHENEVER, THE MORE I LOOK AT THIS, IT'S, IT IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
I DO, I, I DON'T THINK IT FITS.
I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE BUSINESS, WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I JUST, THE LOCATION FOR ME IS NOT WORKING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T SUPPORT.
SO FOR, FOR, FOR THAT, I'M, UM, I'M GONNA MAKE A, A MOTION TO DENY, BUT OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ER TO DENY THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, TO HIS MOTION? SEEING NONE, THAT MOTION FAILS.
I, I BELIEVE THAT, I WOULD ASSUME THAT, UH, COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION YES.
BEFORE PUTTING, PUTTING THEIR MOTIONS
[01:25:01]
ON THE RECORD.SO YES, WE'LL MOVE ON FROM THERE.
AND, UH, I'LL INVITE, UH, COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO MAKE HIS, UH, COMMENTS OR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I, I, I WANNA SAY, BECAUSE ON THE LAST ITEM THAT I THOUGHT WAS A LITTLE BIT, UH, NEEDED ADDITIONAL CONCERNS AND COMMENTS, I, I THINK I CUT MY COLLEAGUE OVER TO MY, TO MY LEFT OFF BY MAKING THE MOTION PREMATURE AND NOT ALLOWING HER TO MAKE HER COMMENTS.
AND, AND I LIKE TO HEAR OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THEIR COMMENTS ON THE RECORDS AS WELL, CUZ THAT, THAT LOANS FOR A GREAT DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE, WE TRY TO VET THESE ITEMS. SO THAT WOULD BE CERTAINLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DON'T WANT TO GO ON THE RECORDS AT THIS POINT.
MAKING THEM SUBSTITUTE MOTION OF THE FULL MOTION.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS THAT, UM, I I, I NOTICED THAT THIS IS SEEM TO BE IN THE, IN THE HEART OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LIKE THE STAFF TO KIND OF EXPLAIN TO ME, THEY TALK ABOUT THE SURROUNDING USAGE AND THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT.
BUT THIS DOES SEEM TO SIT, SIT IN THE CENTER OF A ONE AND A ONE A TWO, A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I, I WANNA KINDA UNDERSTAND THAT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF THE, UM, ZONING.
I KNOW THIS IS A CUP, THIS IS NOT A STRAIGHT REZONING, IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT ZONING.
SO THEREFORE SOME OF THAT MIGHT NOT BE APPLICABLE.
BUT HOW DO WE COME TO THAT CONCLUSION IF WE PLACE AN EVENT CENTER IN THE HEART OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD? SO, A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND HERE.
TH THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT ON, ON WHETHER THIS IS A REZONING.
THE APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR A MAJOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS ARE DEFINED AS USES THAT ARE GEN GENERALLY COMPATIBLE WITH USES PERMITTED IN A ZONING DISTRICT, IN THIS CASE RURAL ZONING DISTRICT, BUT REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL REVIEW OF THEIR LOCATION DESIGN AND INTENSITY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THERE ARE APPROPRIATENESS ON ANY PARTICULAR PARCEL OF LAND AND THE COMPATIBILITY OF THE USE WITH ADJACENT USES.
SO IN THIS CASE, RURAL ZONING HAS VERY SPECIFIC PERMITTED USES BY, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT ONE OF 'EM.
HOWEVER, IT IS A USE THAT'S CALLED OUT AS, AS GENERALLY APPROPRIATE WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND THAT IS ALL THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF IS DOING IS WE'RE CERTIFYING THAT IT MEETS ON, ON WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, THAT IT MEETS THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED AND ASKED FOR A MAJOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
WE'RE NOT ENDORSING OR RECOMMENDING THE CHANGE, WE'RE JUST CERTIFYING THAT IT MEETS A MINIMUM CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, WITH THAT CERTAINLY BEING SAID, UH, IF WE REVIEW THE OTHER PROPERTIES ON JEFFERSON, I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING AGAIN.
I, I MUST PLAY IGNORANT ON THE FACT THAT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S ON JEFFERSON, WHETHER THEY'RE, WHETHER THEY'RE, UM, GAS STATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE ON JEFFERSON.
I KNOW JEFFERSON IS A MAJOR HIGHWAY.
I, I KNOW THAT MUCH AND I DON'T KNOW PARTICULARLY WHERE THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS, IS LOCATED IN THE, IN THE PARISH.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT JEFFERSON HAS A COMBINATION OF, OF COMMERCIAL OR OF A KIND OF ESTABLISHMENTS ON JEFFERSON.
SO THE CONDITIONAL USE IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBORS, CUZ I DID HEAR A LOT OF THEM TALK ABOUT THE PROXIMITY TO WHERE THEY LIVE AND THE IMPACT ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIVES.
AND I WANT TO TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION AS WELL IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL PURCHASE OF THEIR HOMES.
WHETHER IT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT MY SCREEN GOING OFF, BUT I I I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP ITSELF AND I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A G UH, UH, GENERAL OFFICE, LOW RISE THAT SEEMED TO BE ABOUT 500 FEET, UH, DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
UH, YOU SEEM TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A ONE RESIDENTIAL RURAL, I GUESS THAT IS ON RIGHT ADJACENT TO IT.
THE Y TWO A IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO IT.
I MEAN SOME OF THESE, UM, PROPERTIES, ACRONYMS I MIGHT NOT KNOW RIGHT OFFHAND, BUT YOU ALL CAN EXPLAIN BECAUSE THE A Y ONE A DIRECTLY ON THE SIDE OF IT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF THOSE RIGHT AT ADELA DRIVE, YOU KNOW THOSE, THESE ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AM I CORRECT ON, ON THOSE ACTUAL PROPERTIES NEXT TO THE RED MARKING? I'M NOT SURE IF I'M ON THE SAME PAGE ON SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE, ON THE ZONING MAP, THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL OFFICE USES FURTHER DOWN AS WELL.
I'M TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE MEDIA ADJACENT TO THE FACILITY FOR THE REZONING.
IF YOU LOOK ON ADLER, YOU'LL SEE A Y TWO A AT THE MAP.
GIL, YOU SEE WHAT I'M FOLLOWING ON THE, ON THE ADLER SIDE BACKSIDE OF THE STREET WHERE IT TALK ABOUT THE TRACK DESIGNATION.
[01:30:01]
TRACK DESIGNATION, YES.SO, SO I'M TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING, CUZ THESE WOULD SEEM TO BE, AND THEN ON THE BACKSIDE DIRECTLY HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
I GUESS THAT'S THE PART OF ANOTHER SUBDIVISION ON THE BACKSIDE OF, OF THAT.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THOSE ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, MR. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HERE.
THAT WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY ALLOWING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A CUP AND WHAT PEOPLE STATED IN THE HEART OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF IS THAT I WANT IDENTIFY PROPERLY ON THE MAP AND THE IMPACT.
I UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT IT CAN CERTAINLY BE, UM, AND I'M GONNA GO TO THE OTHER SIDE IN A MINUTE.
SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK I'M GOING ONE SIDE HERE THAT, THAT I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE IMPACT OF THE MAP ITSELF AND THE ZONING OF THESE MAPS.
IF IF THIS OWNER DECIDES TO SELL IT OR WHATEVER, THEN THE CONDITIONAL USE GOES AWAY.
HE HAS TO COME BACK AND DO THAT.
CUZ IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT REZONING.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET TO UNDERSTAND IT.
I UNDER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE SAME KIND OF, UH, IMPACT AS IF THIS IS A STRAIGHT ZONING.
YOU KNOW, IT'D BE DIFFERENT THEN.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I WANNA BE CLEAR ON.
NOW I WANT TO GO TO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE, BY THE CITIZENS.
I'M GONNA CALL A COUPLE PEOPLE UP CAUSE I WANT THEIR, THEIR DIRECT COMMENTS ON THE RECORD FOR ME.
I THINK THERE WAS A MR. OLIVER WHO LIVED ON IN THE RESIDENCE OF PIN OAK SUBDIVISION.
OLIVER OR OLIVIA DIDN'T WRITE HIS NAME.
YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU WERE THE GUY, YOU THE GUY KNOW YOUR NAME RIGHT? THE GUY YOU SAY YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF PIN OAK.
SIR, YOU'VE BEEN THERE SIR FOR A WHILE.
ARE YOU, CUZ I HEARD THE GUY REPRESENTING THE PEN SUBDIVISION, UH, HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION SAY THEY ARE IN FAVOR.
ARE YOU, YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THAT, IN THAT SUBDIVISION MEETINGS? NO, I WASN'T.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE PEN SUBDIVISION? I AM HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT'S A VOLUNTARY H HOA.
IT'S NOT A, UH, REQUIRED ONE WHERE WE HAVE RULES THAT ANYBODY CAN FOLLOW OR NOT.
IT'S A VOLUNTARY ASSOCI UH, ASSOCIATION.
SO IT'S NOT AS IF, UH, THE HOA HAS AUTHORITY TO SPEAK ON MY BEHALF OR ANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY IN, IN THE, UH, SUBDIVISION MAY HAVE GONE TO THE MEETING AND MAY HAVE SUPPORTED HIM.
I BELIEVE WHEN THEY HAD THAT MEETING, I WAS OUT OF TOWN AT THE TIME, SO I COULDN'T ATTEND IT AND I HEARD NOTHING OF THIS UNTIL ABOUT FOUR DAYS AGO.
SO SO IN YOUR OPINION, THERE'S NOT AN OFFICIAL HOA IN YOUR, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WHEN RESIDENTS COME HERE AND THEY SAY WE SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY THERE'S NO OFFICIAL, SO ONE DAY WE CAN TAKE ONE POSITION TODAY AND WE TAKE ANOTHER POSITION TOMORROW BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, THERE IS NO OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY.
IF THAT'S INCORRECT, SOMEBODY GOTTA SPEAK TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
I'M GONNA LET THE GENTLEMAN COME BACK WHO REPRESENTED THE PINHOOK H HOA SO HE CAN CLARIFY THAT POINT FOR ME, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
WHEN THEY ARE CERTIFIED ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY YOU BUY IN WHEN YOU BUY YOUR PROPERTY TO WHATEVER THE HO OE SAY.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT AN OFFICIAL HOA AND THEY PRETEND YOURSELF TO BE AN HOA, THAT'S A DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
OKAY? BECAUSE EVERYBODY INVEST IN THE PROPERTY AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO, AND IF YOU MAYBE VOTE DOWN WHEN YOU'RE A MEMBER OF AN HOA, HOA MAY NOT AGREE WITH YOU JUST CUZ YOU ON PROPERTY IN THIS SUBDIVISION ITSELF, THAT'S A DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
SO WHEN YOU COME BEFORE THE BODY SAY, I REPRESENT THE H HOA, I NEED TO KNOW THE, THE, THE VALIDITY OF THE HOA.
AND WHEN I HEARD THIS MAN SAY THAT, I MADE A NOTE OF THAT AND THAT'S WHY I CALLED HIM BACK UP BECAUSE I NEED SOME CLARITY OF WHO SPEAKS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
NOW I FLICK BACK TO A PROPONENT, A GENTLEMAN WHO SAID HE SPOKE FOR ON BEHALF OF THE PEN HOOK ASSOCIATION, CAN HE COME BACK FORWARD? AND I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME, BUT WAS THAT GENTLEMAN, VAN, WHATEVER, SOMEONE CAME UP AND SAID THEY SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THAT THEY WERE REPRESENTING.
YOU WERE REPRESENT THE ASSOCIATION HOA UH, THE ASSOCIATION WAS THE GENTLEMAN THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT.
UH, THE AND YOU SPOKE ON HIS BEHALF THOUGH? NO, THE UH, THE GENTLEMAN OVER THERE.
THE GENTLE LADY CAN COME FORWARD IF SHE'S THE PERSON.
SO, I'M SORRY, I, I I MADE NOTES OF WHO ARE MAKING WHAT STATEMENTS, BUT AGAIN, WHO REPRESENTS THE PIN OAK HOA? NO ONE NOW.
WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN DO NO ONE NOW, NOW.
[01:35:01]
ON.YOU CAN'T REPRESENT THE PENETRATION.
SO I CAN'T NEED YOU TO REPRESENT DENNIS AGAIN.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A MOMENT TO ASK QUESTIONS ON, ON YOUR ORGANIZATION'S BEHALF.
JUST IF I CAN GET PAST SOME OF THESE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I WROTE.
MR. WHITEHEAD, MR. JACK, CAN YOU COME FORWARD AGAIN? SECOND, PLEASE, SIR, YOU AND I WERE HAVING SOME CONVERSATION AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE RESIDENCE REGARDING THIS PROJECT.
AND I NEED TO UNDERSTAND, HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS PROJECT HAS A NEGATIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTIAL OF THIS COMMUNITY? BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING YOU, YOU RAISED WITH ME.
I DID BECAUSE, UH, ONE, I THINK AFTER BEING A LAWYER FOR 37 YEARS IN THIS CITY, COMMON SENSE SHOULD PREVAIL ANYTIME.
AND I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THIS CITY FROM FIRST WHEN I FIRST CAME TO LAW SCHOOL AND THERE WAS NOISE.
MR. AGUILAR'S HOUSE IS WORTH 1.4 MILLION RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
HE PUT HIS, HE AND BOBBY PUT THEIR LIFE SAVINGS INTO A BEAUTIFUL HOME.
RICHARD AND MEL'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND ONCE ACROSS THE STREET AND HAPPEN TO HEAR THAT NOISE.
IT'D BE ONE THING IF YOU LIVE IN DOWNTOWN IN THE CREST BUILDING WHERE I LIVE NOW AND HEAR A LITTLE MUSIC EVERY NOW AND THEN, YOU JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT.
IT'S JUST THE QUALITY OF LIFE, HOW PEOPLE LIVE WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.
I HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE SERENITY OF A GARDEN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE WHEN YOU LIVE IN THIS PART OF TOWN.
THAT'S EXP AND WE DON'T ALL LIVE THERE.
BUT WHAT IT HAS IS THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, THE INTENT.
WHAT DO YOU WANNA HAVE, WHAT DO YOU WANNA LISTEN TO WHEN YOU WAKE UP OR GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT? I THINK, I THINK YOU ADDRESS THIS QUESTION.
I THINK YOU REALLY MISSED MY QUESTION, BUT AGAIN, I'M, I'M GONNA LET THAT GO AS YES.
AGAIN, I IT IS SUBJECTIVE AS YOU STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME THAT IT HAS THIS KIND OF IMPACT GONNA HAVE THAT ON THE, ON THE RESIDENTS.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE, THE, THE QUALITY OF HOMES, THE HOUSE HOUSES COST AND WHATEVER.
I EVEN HEARD THE IDEA THAT EVEN THE COMMENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON MY LEFT INDICATED THE FACT THAT, UH, THE COUNCILMAN SAID THE VALUE OF THE PRODUCE PROPERTIES ARE ONE THING.
THERE'S A, THERE'S AN OPINIONATED EVALUATION AND THEN THERE'S A FACTUAL EVALUATION.
AND AGAIN, AS A LAWYER, YOU JUST STATED THE FACT THAT AS A LAWYER, YOU WHAT IT IS.
YOU GAVE ME YOUR OPINION AND I RESPECT THAT.
SO AGAIN, I'M, I'M DONE WITH THAT AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FORM A BASIS OF HOW I WANT TO VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR RELYING ON MY OPINION.
I WELL, I I WANT YOU TO GET FURTHER CLARITY TO YOUR OPINION CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU STATED TO ME AND I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH THAT, THAT STATEMENT AND THAT COMMENTS.
SO I GAVE YOU A CHANCE TO COME BEFORE HERE SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
AGAIN, I RESPECT IT AND I APPRECIATE IT.
HAVE I HELPED YOU? WELL, COMMISSIONER ADDISON, DO YOU REQUIRE ANYTHING ELSE FROM THIS, FROM THIS PARTICULAR SPEAKER? I'M, I'M DONE WITH.
I'M, I, I GOT WHAT I NEED FROM YOU.
I, I'M NOT, YOU HELPED ME A LITTLE BIT.
MR. JEN, I'M, I'M LATE FOR THE HUNDRED MEETING, BUT I'M GONNA TRY AND STOP BY.
NO, YOU CAN LEAVE IF YOU LATE FOR SOMETHING
NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
YOU CAN NOW, MR. YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE MIC IF YOU DESIRE, UM, THE CLOSING TIME OF, OF THIS VENUE.
UH, YOU, THERE WAS TALK THAT YOU HAD GIVEN THE PRELIMINARY, YOU CAN LIVE WITH THAT CLOSING TIME AT SOME DEGREE.
AND NOW THAT SCENE THE CHANGE BECAUSE OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE A POTENTIAL IMPACT ON YOU RENT THE FACILITY OUT.
SO THERE'LL BE NO COMMITMENT FOR 10 O'CLOCK, 12 O'CLOCK, WHATEVER YOUR TIME IS, IS THAT TRUE OR INACCURATE OF WHAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOUR MODEL IS GONNA HAVE SOME INCLUSIVE MODEL? I MEAN, SO, SO WHETHER OR NOT YOU SAY I CAN CLOSE AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I CAN ASSURE YOU, UNLESS YOU ARE A JU JOINT, YOU KNOW, MOST RENTAL FACILITIES ARE CLOSED AT A REASONABLE, REASONABLE HOUR.
A WAITING RECEPTION CAN VERY WELL END BY 12 O'CLOCK AT THE LATEST.
IT DON'T HAVE TO GO TO TWO IN THE MORNING OR THREE IN THE MORNING.
BUT YOUR MODEL CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, I TOO USE THE RENTAL FACILITY AT MY WEDDING RECEPTION AND THEY KNOW I WAS GONNA BE OUT THERE BY 10 O'CLOCK.
AND THE GUESS WHO CAME TO THE FACILITY KNEW THAT.
SO IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THE TWO AND THREE IN THE MORNING.
YOU KNOW, NOW IF YOU HAVING A CONCERT, THAT'LL BE DIFFERENT.
YOU NEED TO BE THERE FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
AND THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE YOU SAID A COUPLE THINGS.
I HOPE THAT I WANT CLARITY THAT, THAT THERE'LL BE NO OUTSIDE EVENTS.
SO ONE DAY PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WE CAN DO IT.
BUT IF YOU AGREE THAT THAT IS NOT YOUR MODEL, THEN WHEN YOU CHANGE THAT, YOU SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, NOW WE CHANGE, WE GONNA DO OUTSIDE EVENTS.
AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS ARE IMPACTED.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE A GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU GAVE YOUR WORD ON YOUR BUSINESS MODEL THAT YOU DON'T DO OUTSIDE EVENTS.
SO WHEN SOMEONE COME TO YOU AND SAY, I WANNA RENT A FACILITY FOR A CONCERT, AND YOU SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T GO OUTSIDE BECAUSE WE DON'T LEASE OUR PLACES
[01:40:01]
FOR OUTSIDE EVENTS, YOU CAN HOLD THAT MODEL TO, TO EFFECT.THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WHEN THE RESIDENTS RAISED THOSE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMED D I FBI PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THINGS SEEM TO CHANGE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN EXPRESS TO THAT POINT FOR ME.
UM, WHAT, WHAT BILLY AGUILAR IS REFERRING TO IS IF WE HOLD A, A CONFERENCE, WHEN WE HAD THE H O A MEETING, THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE WAS, IF YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO DO A TWO DAY CONFERENCE, AND I AGREED TO A MIDNIGHT CLOSING TIME, I DON'T WANT BILLY AGUILAR TO SAY THIS EVENT WAS 48 HOURS AND WENT PAST YOUR MIDNIGHT CLOSING TIME.
SO WE NEEDED SOME CLARITY ON THAT.
I GOT WITH, UH, MR. MACINO ON THAT, UH, THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO A MIDNIGHT CLOSING TIME AS A CONDITION OF THIS APPLICATION.
UM, IN 2009, SYRACUSE PLAYED YUKON AND I WAS AT A MATHS TOURNAMENT.
WE WERE GONNA GO TO BED AT THE END OF THE GAME.
THE GAME WENT INTO SIX OVERTIMES AND ENDED AT 12:22 AM IF SOMETHING THAT'S EX EXTERNAL TO THE EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING, LET'S SAY WE HAD A WATCH PARTY FOR THE GAME.
I THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE ON THIS ONE-OFF CASE TO CLOSE DOWN IN THE FIFTH OVERTIME.
YOU KNOW, UH, THE ADVICE THAT I GOT FROM YOUR PARISH ATTORNEY WAS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO, TO HAVE THE MIDNIGHT POLICY IN PLACE, HAPPY TO HAVE NO AMPLIFIED NOISE OF ANY KIND EVER IN PERPETUITY.
HOWEVER YOU WANNA PHRASE IT IS UP TO YOU GUYS OFFERED AS A CONDITION FOR THIS CONDITIONAL USE.
OKAY? AGAIN, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I THINK THAT NOT JUST GOES WELL WITH THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE SOME CAVEATS THAT IS, BUT EVEN AS A MEMBER OF THIS BODY, IT KIND OF HELPS ME FORM MY OPINION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE BEING A GOOD BUSINESS MODEL BUSINESS AGENT, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT IT SETS IN WHAT I CONSIDER AS A HEART OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, BUT AGAIN, I, I DID WANT TO HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY LIVE WITH WITH REGARDS TO YOUR, YOUR MODEL FOR, UH, HAVING THE FACILITY AVAILABLE TO YOU? UM, SO I'M, I'M TOO, AGAIN, I'M, I'M NOW GONNA MAKE MY OWN PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M DONE WITH YOUR, YOUR, YOUR STUFF.
I, I, BECAUSE I SEE MR. I SEE YOU WALKING TOWARD THE MIC.
I'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO HAVE JUST A FEW SECONDS OF MY TIME.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT DO.
USUALLY WE SUPPOSED TO ASK THE PERSON A QUESTION, NOT LET THEM COME UP.
BUT I'M, I ALL COURTESY, I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOUR, YOUR CONVERSATION.
MR. BILLY AGUILAR, I LIVE NEXT THIS PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, A GENTLEMAN AGREEMENT IS FINE, BUT IF HE'S SINCERE, PUT IT IN WRITING.
THIS M CUP IS A BLANKET APPROVAL.
THERE'S NO CONTINGENCIES ON IT WHATSOEVER FOR HIM TO CLOSE.
HE, HE'S NOT GOING BY ABC REGULATIONS.
SO HE CAN STAY OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE M CUP ORDINANCE THAT SAYS HE HAS TO CLOSE AT ANY SPECIFIC TIME.
AND I SEE HIM SHAKING THE HAND, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THAT'S, THAT'S AN INACCURATE STATE.
IF HE SERVES ALCOHOL, HE WA MUST BE TWO.
BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE, HE'S NOT HAVING ABC ZONING THAT, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S INACCURATE STATEMENT.
SO IF HE SERVES ALCOHOL, HE HAS TO CLOSE BY TWO O'CLOCK, HE HAS TO CLOSE BY TWO O'CLOCK.
IF HE SERVES ALCOHOL, THERE'S NO ALCOHOL AT THE FACILITY.
HE CAN STAY OPEN ALL NIGHT LONG, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, IHOP, ANY OF THOSE OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE THAT, STAY OPEN 24 HOURS.
IF HE SERVES ALCOHOL, HE'S GOTTA BE CLOSED BY TWO.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
YEAH, MR. CLA, THAT'S A PART OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE BECAUSE SOMETIME IT COULD BE INACCURATE STATEMENTS MADE OUT THERE AND PEOPLE TAKE THOSE TO BE FACT AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT.
SO, SO WHEN YOU MADE THE PARISH TURN OUT TO GET IN INVOLVED, I REALLY WAS TRYING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE QUESTION AND MAKE HIS STATEMENT.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THERE WILL BE SOME RESTRICTIONS.
BUT BEYOND THAT, HE HAD JUST STATED THAT HIS MODEL WOULD SAY HE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM CLOSING AT 12 O'CLOCK.
HE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LEASING HIS PLACE SAYING WHEN I LEASE IT OUT TO BE A WEDDING OR RECEPTION, ANYTHING IT CLOSES AT 12 O'CLOCK.
WELL, WELL THEN, IS HE WILLING TO PUT THAT IN WRITING? HE JUST SAID HE WAS WILLING TO DO THAT.
HE WALKED TO THE MICROPHONE AND MADE THAT A PART OF THIS.
SO AGAIN, IF THAT BECOMES AN ISSUE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO WHICH YOU LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND HAVING SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S ONE OF YOUR, YOUR ISSUES, AND THE GENTLEMAN SAYS HIMSELF THAT I'M, I'M GONNA CLOSE MY PLACE AT AT 12 O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE EXCEPTION, IF THERE'S SOMETHING, A SPECIAL EVENT GOING ON, HE LEASED THE PLACE OUT THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD HELP ALL OF US GET PAST THE IDEA OF THIS MISINFORMATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
ONE FINAL, LET ME ASK YOU TOO, YOU WAS ASKING ABOUT ZONING A WHILE AGO.
THESE ARE THE TWO PROPERTIES HERE.
THERE ARE TWO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES ON THESE PROPERTY.
NOW ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES RIGHT HERE IN TAN ARE ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
THEY'RE ALL INDIVIDUAL RESIDENCES THAT ARE OWNED BY PEOPLE THAT OWN HOUSES.
THE ONLY TWO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IS THIS PROPERTY HERE AND THIS PROPERTY HERE, AND THIS PROPERTY HERE, THEY ARE NOT ADJACENT TO AND OR ACROSS THE STREET FROM.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION.
I THINK I HEARD THAT POINT ALREADY.
I'M TRYING TO RAISE THAT WITH THE STAFF AND I THINK I'M CLEAR ON THAT PART.
[01:45:01]
THANKS YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH ME.I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO AS LONG AS I DID, BUT I DID NOT HAVE THE, UH, LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THE CHANCE TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT I NORMALLY WOULD DO AND, AND THE FORM THAT OPINION ABOUT IT.
BUT, UH, UH, I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS A RECEPTION HALL.
IT IS NOT AS INTRUSIVE AS PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE IT IN REGARDS TO, UM, THE POTENTIAL IMPACT.
WE'VE ALL GONE TO CERTAIN TYPE OF RECEPTION HALLS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE KNOW WHAT THEIR LIMITATIONS ARE.
THIS IS NOT A BARROOM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY CAN HAVE AN ABC LIQUOR LICENSE OR NOT.
UH, AND IT DOES NOT LOAN THE APPLICANT OR THE CUP TO ALLOW HIM TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND, AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I WANNA BE SURE THAT MY VOTE DOES NOT DO SOMETHING THAT HAS AN ADVERSE NE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON A NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN IF I LIVE THERE OR NOT.
CUZ PEOPLE COME UP OFTEN TO THESE BODIES AND THEY SAY, WHAT WILL YOU HAVE AN NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE? WELL, THAT'S A LITTLE SUBJECTIVE.
I MEAN, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IF I OWN THE PLACE NEXT TO MY HOUSE, IT'LL BE FINE.
BUT IF I DON'T OWN THE PLACE NEXT TO MY HOUSE MIGHT BE PUT IT IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT VERY FAIR.
AND I TEND TO TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT CUZ I TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES.
AND JUST CUZ I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU, THEN I'M NOT FAIR.
AND WHEN I AGREE WITH YOU, I'M FAIR.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS AS OFFENSIVE AS WE THINK IT WOULD BE.
I PERSONALLY DON'T, I'VE LISTENED TO BOTH SIDES.
I'VE LISTENED THAT PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND GIVE ME THE OPINION AND I LISTENED TO THAT.
AND WHILE MRS. BANKS HAD MADE HER MOTION EARLIER AND I DID NOT SECOND IT, I CAN SAY ON THE RECORDS NOW, I'M FIRST SECONDING IT IF SHE WANTS TO MAKE IT AGAIN, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS IS AS, AS A, AS A NEGATIVE IMPACT AS WE WANT.
I CAN SAY IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO PUT HIM ON THE RECORDS TO LEGALLY HOLD HIM TO A 12 O'CLOCK, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME EXCEPTIONAL RULES THAT HE MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO EVENTS A YEAR THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT GO OVER THAT TIME THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER THERE SAYING HE WAS SUPPOSED TO CLOSE AT 12 O'CLOCK.
YOU KNOW, THAT HE'S ALREADY MADE AN AGREEMENT THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE HIS FACILITY AS A 24 HOUR OPERATING FACILITY.
AND THEY ARE RENTAL OFF FACILITIES THAT YOU CAN GO TO AND YOU HAVE A RECEPTION AND YOU HAVE A, UM, MEETING EVENT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HOST THE EVENTS MIGHT WANT TO BE BEYOND A CERTAIN HOUR AND HOST OF THE FACILITY.
AGAIN, SAY YOU CAN'T HOLD IT HERE BECAUSE YOU GOTTA BE CLOSED, WE GOTTA CLOSE AT A CERTAIN HOUR.
BUT THAT'S HIS BUSINESS MODEL.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE THE BUSINESS MODEL.
SO AGAIN, I'VE HEARD IT BOTH SIDES.
I I WILL SUPPORT THE ITEM THAT HAS COME FORTH AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN THE TIME, PROPER TIME, IF THERE'S NOT A MOTION MADE, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
AND IF THERE'S NOT A SECOND MADE, I'LL SECOND IT.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M DONE WITH MY TIME.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
UH, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CRO, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMEND THE APPLICANT.
I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB IN PUTTING TOGETHER PLANS.
YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, A REALLY NICE FACILITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS OVER AT, UH, MR. ENGINEERING, THEY DID A GREAT JOB, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY I'M ALWAYS A GUY THAT'S GONNA FALL ON THE SIDE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T LIKE FOR A GOVERNMENT TO OVERSTEP AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DICTATE WHAT CAN BE DONE ON A PROPERTY, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS OUT OF BOUNDS.
UH, AND SO, UH, BUT THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS I MAKE TO THAT.
UH, AND YOUR ARGUMENTS WITH TRAFFIC AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I, YOU KNOW, I COMMEND Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS WHO WERE IN OPPOSITION, UH, FOR EVERYTHING YOU SAID IN THE CASE YOU TRIED TO MAKE, I WILL SAY THE TRAFFIC ARGUMENT I THINK WAS A WEAK ARGUMENT.
THAT WOULD BE, UH, PEAK TRAFFIC VOLUME.
THAT WOULD BE AS A RESULT OF WHAT'S ALREADY, UH, BY RIGHT PERMITTED ON THIS SITE.
UH, FOR ME, I THINK THIS COMES DOWN TO COMPATIBILITY.
AND, UH, WHEN I VOTED NO ON, UH, SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, I KNOW THIS ISN'T A REZONE, THIS IS A, AN MCO, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UH, IT, IT, IT ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO COMPATIBILITY.
AND SO IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WHEN I VOTED NO, IT'S BEEN FOR SITUATIONS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
AND SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE USES I COULD SEE ON THIS SITE THAT I WOULD BE FOR, BUT, BUT, UM, AN EVENT CENTER HERE OR AN EVENT HALL, I JUST CAN'T GET ON BOARD WITH.
SO, UH, WHEN THE TIME COMES, I WILL, UH, VOTE NO.
YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER BANKS? UH, PLEASE.
[01:50:04]
YES, MA'AM.I NOTICED YOU INDICATED THERE WERE TWO HOUSES ON THIS PROPERTY.
WERE, HOW, HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN FOR SALE OR ON SALE OR FOR SALE? THE ONE NEXT DOOR REALLY HAS NEVER BEEN FOR SALE.
SO IT'S, IT'S CURRENTLY OCCUPIED.
IT, IT, HE, HE MOVED OUT CAUSE HE IS GOTTEN REMARRIED.
HE LIVES DOWN, DOWN THE ROAD ON ANOTHER PROPERTY.
HOW LONG, HOW LONG AGO? OH, PROBABLY A YEAR AGO.
AND, AND THE OTHER PROPERTY? THE, UH, THE OLDER GENTLEMAN THAT LIVED THERE, UH, DIED AND I THINK HIS, I DON'T KNOW IF HIS DAUGHTER LIVES THERE OR NOT, BUT IT, I I DON'T KNOW IF THEY LIVE THERE OR NOT.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO WOULD YOU SAY IT'S BEEN VACANT? BARELY.
A YEAR AGO OR YEAR AND A HALF.
SO IN A YEAR OF, HAVE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT ANY OTHER PERSONS THAT WERE INTERESTED IN IT? CORRECT.
OTHER THAN YOURSELF? OF COURSE, THE PROBABLY NEXT DOOR, I, I WANTED TO BUY AND BUILD A HOUSE LIKE MINE IN THE RV GARAGE, LIKE MINE FOR A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, JIM PRICE.
UM, AGAIN, UM, HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH THAT WOULD CHANGE MY POSITION, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROPERTY.
AND ACTUALLY THE FACT THAT MR. AGUILAR, UM, HAD JUST INDICATED HE WANTED TO BUILD A HOUSE LIKE HIS NEXT DOOR ON THE PROPERTY AND HAD MADE A OFFER, KIND OF COMPLICATES THINGS EVEN MORE.
SO, IT'S LIKE WHO GOT TO IT FIRST? UM, THE GEN, THE DEVELOPER DOES SOUNDS LIKE, SOUND LIKE HE'S A PROFESSIONAL IN THIS AREA.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO A RECEPTION HALL, I THINK ANYONE THAT KNOWS THAT IF YOU DON'T SET A STANDARD FOR YOUR RECEPTION HALL, IT WOULD GO DOWN.
UH, THIS GENTLEMAN SOUNDS LIKE HE IS PREPARED TO PUT, UM, A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.
HE'S KNOCKING DOWN TWO HOUSES THAT'S NOT CHEAP, UM, TO PUT UP, UH, A VERY NICE VENUE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD, HE WOULD NOT PUT IT IN A POSITION, AS MY COLLEAGUES SAY, TO HAVE A BUSINESS MODEL THAT WOULD COMPROMISE THAT.
UM, SO FOR ME, AGAIN, THIS CAN ONLY BE AN ASSET, UH, TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT IT BE APPROVED, AND I SEE IT ONLY AS AN ASSET TO, UH, THIS RESIDENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THINK IT'S A SOMEWHAT COMPROMISED IN THAT, UM, MR. AGUILAR MADE THE LAST TWO STATEMENTS, AND IT ALMOST OPENS US, US UP FOR SOME LITIGATION THAT, UM, THE, THE PERSON WHO KIND OF LED THE EFFORTS TO GO AGAINST THIS ACTUALLY HAD A REASON, UM, FOR IT TO BE DENIED AND POSSIBLY, UM, OTHER PLANS FOR THE PROPERTY.
SO, FOR SURE, NOW I AM MAKING A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS ITEM.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER BANKS TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
THERE'S A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
OBJECTIONS TO THE MOTION? UH, NOTICE SEVERAL.
I'LL, UH, ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE FROM DIRECTOR HOLCOMB.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER NINE M CUP 1 23.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE, APPROVE THE ITEM.
I'LL START WITH CHAIRMAN WASHINGTON.
I'LL SAY, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT, UH, BEFORE MY VOTE THAT, UH, I THOUGHT THE PLAN WAS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND, UH, AND VERY WELL EXECUTED IN THE PRESENTATION AND WHATNOT.
ONE OF THE BETTER I'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY IN, UH, LIGHT, EVEN IN LIGHT OF, UH, THE LARGE OPPOSITION.
HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, NEIGHBORS THAT AREN'T ON BOARD WITH IT, I CAN'T ENTIRELY, UH, SUPPORTED.
UH, I AM, HOWEVER, UH, AWARE THAT ANY AFFIRMATIVE VOTES ON THIS ITEM WILL, UH, ALLOW THE ITEM TO BE MOVED ON TO COUNSEL FOR FURTHER DELI DELIBERATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL VOTE NO ON IT.
[13. CONSIDERATION TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL MEETING DATE ON AUGUST 14]
WE NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 13, CONSIDERATION TO ESTABLISH AN ADDITIONAL MEETING OF AUGUST OF MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH.THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED CHANGES RELATED TO THE FIVE-YEAR
[01:55:01]
UPDATE OF FUTURE BR.THIS MEETING WOULD BE AT OUR OFFICE AT 1100 LAUREL STREET, MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH.
WE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO ESTABLISH THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
AND I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, UH, THERE IS NOT REQUIRED ATTENDANCE, SO YOUR ATTENDANCE DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST YOU.
IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO MAKE THIS MEETING, IT WOULD BE FIVE O'CLOCK.
WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT ITEM FROM THE COMMISSIONER.
MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER LATINA.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SCROGGS? ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS APPROVED.
[DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]
DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS? JUST A REMINDER, WE WILL NOW MEET TWICE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.UH, THE SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AT FIVE O'CLOCK AUGUST 14TH AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE, 1100 LAUREL STREET, AND IT WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING OPEN, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED CHANGES RELATED TO FUTURE BR.
AND JUST ANOTHER REMINDER, YOUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IN AUGUST IS AUGUST 21ST.
[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS AND, UH, COMMISSION.UH, YOU'RE AWARE THAT, UH, AS THE BRECK LIAISON, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATE TO, UH, SOME OF THE PROGRESS INITIATIVES AND, UH, PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGENCY.
SO I'D LIKE TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
SO BRECK HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS ON, UH, SEVERAL, UH, EXCITING RENOVATION PROJECTS ALL ACROSS THE PARISH.
UH, I'LL BEGIN WITH THE THREE NEW FIELDS THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED AT BURBANK SOCCER COMPLEX IN TIME FOR THE US REGIONAL TOURNAMENT, WHICH BROUGHT 250 TEAMS TO BATON ROUGE AND HAD AN ESTIMATED 20 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, FORTUNATELY WEATHER COOPERATED.
SO THE TOURNAMENT WENT, UH, SO WELL THAT THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IS HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT COMING BACK TO BATON ROUGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT'S ALL OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE TO HEAR.
UH, RIBBON CUTTINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN SCHEDULED, UH, FOR A CELEBRATION OF THE COMPLETION OF STATE-OF-THE-ART BASKETBALL COURT SURFACING AT GUS YOUNG PARK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LANGSTON GALLOWAY FOUNDATION ON FRIDAY, JULY 28TH, AND THE COMPLETION OF JACKSON COMMUNITY PARK IN CENTRAL ON MON ON MONDAY 31ST.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ATTEND THAT RIBBON CUTTING IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND AT GREENWOOD COMMUNITY PARK IS ALSO STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE AND WILL CERTAINLY BE UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN THE REGION.
UH, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING THE LIFE-SIZED BEARS AND A TOWER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL, UH, REMEMBER SEEING SOME OF THAT, UH, FROM THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
UH, SOME OF THAT HAD TO BE PLACED THERE BY CRANE AND CORNER, SOME MEDIA ATTENTION.
SO NEXT TO THE MEDIA, NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND OF BAYOU PROMENADE IS TAKING SHAPE AS, AS IS THE NEW ZOO ENTRY BUILDING JS CLARK GOLF COURSE FOR MY GOLFERS ON THE COMMISSION.
AND, UH, THE AGENCY WILL BE HOLDING A RIBBON CUTTING NEXT MONTH AFTER THE, THE GRASS COMPLETELY GROWS IN.
I, I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO PLAY THAT COURSE AND IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY NICE.
I INVITE YOU GUYS TO GO CHECK IT OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY, GUYS AND LADY, UH, COMMISSIONER BANKS WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT THERE AND SWING THOSE CLUBS.
SO AGAIN, THE COURSE IS OPEN FOR PLAY NOW.
IT'S ALREADY SEEING BIGGER NUMBERS THAN DUMAS, WHICH WAS AN 18 HOLE COURSE AND CITY BROOKS, WHICH WAS ALSO A NINE HOLE COURSE.
IN FACT, UH, THE BRECK GOLF DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO SET RECORDS FOR PLAY SINCE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC WHEN THERE WASN'T MANY ACTIVITIES THAT WE COULD PARTICIPATE IN ASIDE FROM GOLF.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT ALTHOUGH THE COURSES WERE CLOSED, BRE ALLOWED, UH, PEOPLE TO GO AND PLAY FOR FREE AS LONG AS AND ASK THEM TO, UH, OBVIOUSLY KEEP SAFE DISTANCES AND WHATNOT.
THEN THEY, UH, CHANGED A COUPLE THINGS SUCH AS TOUCHING A FLAG THAT RESPECTED THE, THE, UH, NATURE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO INSIDE THE ZOO, THE NEW GIRAFFE EXHIBIT IS UNDERWAY WITH A FEEDING PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS GUESTS TO FEED THE GIRAFFES THE ENTIRE PHASE ONE PROJECT THAT THE ZOO AND GREENWOOD COMMUNITY PARK IS CURRENTLY ON SCHEDULE TO BE COMPLETE NEXT SPRING.
AND THAT IS ALSO WHEN THE ZOO ANTICIPATES BEING ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT'S REGAINED ACCREDITATION.
SO THAT'LL BE A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WELL.
OTHER LARGE SCALE TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS ARE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS.
SOME OF THESE INCLUDE THE BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN TRAIL SECTIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK RENOVATIONS, THE NEW NATURE STATION AT FRENCHTOWN CONSERVATION AREA, AND THE NEW SWIMMING POOL, POOL HOUSE AND RECREATION CENTER AT HOWELL COMMUNITY PARK.
AMONG SEVERAL OTHERS, BRECK HAS ALSO LAUNCHED THE YEARLONG PLANNING EFFORT FOR THE IMAGINE YOUR PARKS THREE SYSTEM-WIDE PLAN.
SIMILAR TO FUTURE BUREAU STAKEHOLDER, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE BEING PLANNED WHILE A STATISTICALLY SCIENTIFIC SURVEY IS BEING SENT TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE PARISH.
YOU ALSO HAVE A MUCH QUICKER HIGH LEVEL SURVEY ON THE BRECK WEBSITE AT BRECK.ORG/GOLD MEDAL.
YOU'LL FIND THE SURVEY ON THE IMAGINING AGAIN PAGE, THE FIRST IMAGINE YOUR PARKS PLAN WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS IN OH FOUR AND ALMOST 20 YEARS LATER.
UH, THE, THE STAFF AND THE AGENCY CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ALL OF US CAN, UM, HELP AND, UH, PARTICIPATE TO THE
[02:00:01]
GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE IN LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT DECADE OF CREATING PARKS WITH A PURPOSE AND MAKING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT.OKAY, WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE ON TO OUR LATEST EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING GLENN HANNAH, A CURRENT PLANNING MANAGER GLENN, WHO WE COULD NOT, UH, CONDUCT THESE MEETINGS WITHOUT, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT APPEAR ON A PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA TO QUALIFY FOR A PUBLIC MEETING.
STRICT DEADLINES MUST BE FOLLOWED SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE PROPER NOTICE.
THESE DEADLINES HAVE BEEN MET REPEATEDLY DESPITE HIS DIVISION HAVING DEPLETED STAFF DURING THIS TIME.
HE HAS ALSO TAKEN THE PRIMARY ROLE FOR TRAINING NEW STAFF.
HE'S CONSISTENTLY DEPENDABLE IN ALL OF HIS WORK ASSIGNMENTS.
GLENN DISPLAYS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND OVERALL WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST OTHERS.
HE'S AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE EMPLOYEE WHO IS VERY DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION.
AND LET'S GIVE HIM ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
GLENN, YOU WANNA COME UP AND SAY A FEW? I'M JOKING, MAN.