[00:00:04]
[ ROLL CALL]
EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR TONIGHT'S PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE ROLL CALL.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 19TH MEETING? MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER BOYD.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE.
[RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS]
I'LL ASK THE VICE CHAIRMAN TO READ IN THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS.THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING AND AN INTERESTED MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ANY ITEM FROM THIS AGENDA.
MAY COMMENT IN PERSON AT CITY HALL 2 22 ST.
LOUIS STREET, THIRD FLOOR, ROOM 3 48.
DURING THE MEETING, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DESIRING TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR ITEM SHOULD REFER TO A MEETING AGENDA AND COMPLETE NECESSARY INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY FILLING OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD INDICATING ON WHICH ITEM YOU WISH TO SPEAK AND PLACE IT IN THE DESIGNATED LOCATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
APPLICANT AND APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PROPOSAL WILL SPEAK FOR FIRST FOR A TOTAL OR COMBINED A PERIOD OF NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
PROPONENTS WILL SPEAK AND THEN THE OPPONENTS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
SPEAKERS ARE REQUESTED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS BY AVOIDING DUPLICATION OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
APPLICANT WILL BE ALLOWED A TOTAL PERIOD OF FIVE MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL.
OPPONENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO REBUT ITEMS PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
STAFF WILL NOT HAVE TIME ALLOCATED FOR SPEAKING UNLESS THERE IS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AT THE MEETING WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM.
IN SUCH CASES, THE PROPOSAL WILL FOLLOW THE STANDARD PROCEDURE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VICE CHAIRMAN GR WE CAN NOW
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.MR. BALDWIN, THERE ARE NO ITEMS FOR CONSENT FOR WITHDRAWAL.
CONSENT FOR ITEMS FOR DEFERRAL.
ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE, PA 2 24 T 15, 3 51 15 4 17 15, 437 15, 487 15, 5 47 15, 5 85 AND 15 400 THROUGH 15 600 RIVER ROAD TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FROM RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO MIXED USE LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF RIVER ROAD, SOUTH OF OAK BURCH CROSSING DRIVE.
PUT 1 0 9 LA BURGE BATON ROUGE CONCEPT PLAN, REVISION FOUR TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL TO PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT PUD AND INCREASE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL LAND USES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RIVER ROAD AND LARE CROSSING DRIVE.
CONSENT ITEMS FOR APPROVAL CASE.
10 24 9400 THROUGH 9,500 PICO LANE THERE REZO PROPERTY FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL C TWO TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL M1 LOCATED EAST OF PCO LANE, SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10.
33 33 NORTH ACADIAN THROUGHWAY TO REZONED PROPERTY FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL C ONE TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL C ONE LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH ACADIAN THROUGHWAY SOUTH OF OZARK STREET CASE 12 24 25 60 GOVERNMENT STREET TO REZONE.
PROPERTY FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL C ONE TO COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE RESTAURANT CA B ONE LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF GOVERNMENT STREET, WEST OF LAVENIA STREET CASE 13 24 2900 THROUGH 3000 VALLEY STREET TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM LIMITED RESIDENTIAL.
A 3.1 TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL NC LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF VALLEY STREET NORTH OF PLUM BROOK DRIVE CASE 1524.
94 32 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TO REZONED.
PROPERTY FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, A ONE TO GENERAL OFFICE, LOW RISE, GOL LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY EAST OF BLUEBONNET ROAD.
PUT 2 0 0 ELITE TRAINING ACADEMY, BURBANK UNIVERSITY FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
REVISION PROPOSED DECREASE OF BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE AND RELATED PARKING IN ADDITION OF A BILLBOARD WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BURBANK DRIVE, WEST OF LEE DRIVE.
STAFF CERTIFIES THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
WE HAVE REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC TO PULL ITEM 11, CASE 1324.
2,900 TO 3000 VALLEY STREET AND ITEM 12, CASE 15 24, 94 32 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE HEARD IN THE REGULAR AGENDA ORDER.
[00:05:01]
MEMBERS, WE WILL BE PULLING ITEMS 11 AND 12.YOU HAVE HEARD THE REMAINING ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WILL 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 TO BE HEARD AS PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA? DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT? I WILL REITERATE THIS.
THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE MOTIONS? I'M SORRY.
ANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? CORRECT.
SO HE'S REITER HE'S, UH, CONFIRMED THAT HIS, UH, ITEM OF INTEREST IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I BELIEVE I HAD A MOTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE.
[Items 2 & 3]
APPROVED AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER TWO.PLAN AMENDMENT 1 24 AND ITEM NUMBER THREE, CASE 14 24 54 54 HOLLAND ROAD, PA DASH ONE DASH 24 5 4 5 4 HOLLAND ROAD RELATED TO CASE 14 DASH 24.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HIGHLAND ROAD, EAST OF BENHUR ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCKA.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE USES PLAN AMENDMENT FROM RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD RELATED CASE 14 DASH 24 5 4 5 4 HIGHLAND ROAD.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, A ONE TO LIMITED RESIDENTIAL, A 3.1 PROPOSED USE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION.
THE FUTURE BE OUR LATEST DESIGNATION IS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD PA DASH ONE DASH 24 5 4 5 4 HIGHLAND ROAD RELATED TO CASE 14 DASH 24.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL BASED UPON THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD APPEARING APPROPRIATE AND CANNOT CERTIFY THAT THE REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE IN ZONING.
IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING CHARACTER USAGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED 17 MESSAGES IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
HOWEVER, THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS SHARED WITH OUR OFFICE THAT SHE HAS RECEIVED MESSAGES OF CONCERN AND OPPOSITION.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
YOU WANNA OPEN SINCE YOU SENT THE LETTER THAT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, CERTAIN WHO WE WOULD HOPE FOR APPROVAL FOR OUR PROPERTY OR FOR THE PROPERTY WE WANT TO PURCHASE.
UM, I I, I'M VERY EAGER TO HEAR THE OPPOSITIONS REASONS WHY THEY DON'T WANT US TO BE THERE.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT COMPLETELY RESIDENTIAL.
THERE'S PLENTY OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY ALL THE WAY AROUND.
THERE'S A BIG WATER TOWER ON ONE SIDE.
UM, THERE'S A TREE LINE NEXT TO A RESIDENCE.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO BY THERE AND SEE IT.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE OPPOSITION TO, UH, KEEP THEIR PRIVACY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR OBJECTIONS WILL BE, BUT AGAIN, I'LL RESTATE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, WE BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
THIS PROPERTY'S BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR 800 DAYS.
AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT HOLDS WATER IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, CAN ONLY BUILD SOMETHING ON THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
WE WERE ONE BLOCK AWAY FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS FROM MANY NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE, UH, A SUNDAY PROGRAM, UH, STUDENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE COME OVER FOR LUNCH.
WE HAVE, UH, SOME CLASSES ON MEDITATION AND YOGA.
NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE VERY LOUD.
UH, UM, WE HAVE TEMPLES AND PLACES OF WARSHIP ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE OFFER A LOT TO THE CITIES THAT HAVE ACCOMMODATED US, AND WE CAN DO THE SAME FOR BATON ROUGE.
WE HAVE BEEN IN NEW ORLEANS SINCE 1971 AND HAVE WORKED VERY WELL WITH THE CITY THERE.
WE HOPE TO DO THE SAME HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE, UH, LOCAL INDIAN COMMUNITY.
[00:10:01]
HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE STUDENTS.UM, THE, UH, GENTLEMAN MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY.
HIS DAUGHTER SET UP A, UH, A YOGA CLUB AT LSU AND THAT HAS FLOURISHED VERY NICELY FOR MANY YEARS.
WE, UH, HAVE DISTRIBUTED BOOKS AND OCCASIONALLY, UH, CHANTED, UH, ON THE UNIVERSITY OF LSU.
WE'VE GIVEN, UH, CLASSES AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UH, AS WELL AS OTHER UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE, UH, GULF COAST.
UH, AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO MAKE A HOME HERE.
UH, SINCE WE, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE CLOSED A LITTLE CENTER.
WE HAD, AND MR. HALDER, UH, THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE RUNNING OUT OUR PLACE OF WORSHIP HERE IN BATON ROUGE, HE'S BEEN DOING THESE FUNCTIONS AT HIS HOUSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE CAN'T CONTINUE JUST DOING IT AT THE HOUSE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OUR OWN PLACE TO EXPAND OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. WE, WE DO DISTRIBUTE FOOD AT UNIVERSITIES.
UM, VERY FAMOUS FOR DOING THAT IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE WOULD HOPE TO DO THE SAME AT LSU AS WELL AS TO, UH, UM, PEOPLE THAT MAY BE, UH, UM, MORE NEEDFUL THAN EVEN STUDENTS AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE.
SINCE IT IS SANCTIFIED FOOD, IT'S NOT THAT THIS FOOD IS JUST FOR THE HUNGRY, BUT IT'S FOR, UM, THE WELLBEING OF, OF ANY LADY OR GENTLEMAN.
MOHAN HERE, HE SENT A LETTER TO THE COUNCIL.
I DON'T THINK I COULD ARTICULATE ANY POINTS THAT WERE NOT IN THAT LETTER, SO I WOULD HOPE EVERYBODY HAD READ IT AND I'D LIKE TO ASK HIM TO, UH, SAY SOMETHING CONCERNING THAT.
AND IF YOU COULD BOTH STATE YOUR FULL NAMES FOR THE RECORD.
OH, MY NAME IS JOHN BERG, BERG.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO STABLISH JO FOR MANY YEARS.
HE CAN VOUCH ME THAT THAT WAS 1979.
WE TRIED IT, UH, LONG TIME AGO, LONG TIME AGO, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
HE CAME HERE AND HE STARTED THIS PROCESS AND IS GOING VERY WELL BECAUSE WHAT ARE THE PURPOSE OF THIS YOGA CENTER? I MEAN, TODAY THE YOUTHS ARE BEWILDER BY THE SOCIETY'S SITUATION.
INTERNET, DRINKING, INTOXICATION, ILLICIT SEX, ALL OF THIS PROBLEM.
SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO ACTUALLY THERE'S AN AVENUE FOR THE YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED, HOW THEY CAN CONTROL THEIR MIND BY MEDITATION, YOGA, AND THE OGA SYSTEM IS STARTED 5,000 YEARS BEFORE BY VEDIC CULTURE.
AND IT HAS BEEN PROVED EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THAT IT WORKS.
IF THEY CAN CONTROL THEIR MIND, WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM OR WHAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THEM, THEY'LL BE BETTER CITIZEN AND THEY'LL BE HELPFUL FOR THE SOCIETY.
OF COURSE, I'M EMPHASIZING ON THE STUDENTS, LSU, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, BATONS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND IN FACT, THE STUDENTS ARE BENEFITED.
2018, WHEN IT STARTED EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THIS LAND, 54, 54 HIGHLAND ROAD IN AN APARTMENT, THE STUDENTS STARTED IT AND IT WENT VERY WELL FOR TWO YEARS.
AND NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T MAKE ANY NOISE.
IT IS INSIDE THE HOUSE, PRAYER, MEDITATION, UH, RELAXATION, REJUVENATION.
SO IF THE STUDENTS DO THAT, THEY WILL DO BETTER IN THEIR SCHOOL WORK AND COLLEGE WORK.
AND IN FACT, THOSE STUDENTS WHO STARTED, THEY GOT MASTER'S IN PHD AND THEN FIND JOB AND THEY LEFT HERE.
AND
AND HE HAS BEEN THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OR DIRECTOR OF THE SCON CENTER IN NEW ORLEANS.
SO, SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN THIS CENTER, AND HIS DAUGHTER ALREADY STARTED THE, UH, BOOK, THE YOGA CENTER AT LSU EVERY SEMESTER.
THEY MEET ONCE IN A WEEK AND DISCUSS AND PRAY, AND THEY GET GUIDE GUIDANCE ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR OPPOSITION, BUT EXPLAIN TO YOU IF YOUR OPPOSITION TELL US VERY CLEARLY, WE CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T MAKE ANY NOISE OPPOSITE TO OUR PLACE IS THE PITY HOUSE.
AND I HEARD THAT THEY MAKE SOME
[00:15:01]
NOISES AND ET CETERA, BUT WE DON'T MAKE ANY NOISE.THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLACE IS TO INSIDE THE ROOM WILL BE PRAYING AND MEDITATING, THAT'S ALL.
AND THEN OUTSIDE WE'LL HAVE A GARDEN.
THEY CAN RELAX AND ALSO MEDITATE.
ISN'T THAT MAKE, WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY PUBLIC NUISANCE.
SEE THIS, UH,
AND HE HAS CAME TO THE UNITED STATES, 1965 AND 66, HE REGISTERED THIS HIS CON INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF KRISHNA CANCER.
AND HE THOUGHT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DRUG ADDICT, ALCOHOL INTOXICATED IN NEW YORK CITY, NOBODY TOOK CARE OF THEM.
BUT UBA SAID, WELL, I CAN DO THAT WITH MY PRAYER CHANTING HA MANTRA.
SO THOSE PEOPLE CAME TO HIS PRAYER AND EVERYTHING.
HE WENT TO THE PARK AND WEED AND CHANTED HA MANTRA.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THEY BECOME A DISCIPLE.
AND THEY BUILT A, UH, TEMPLE IN NEW YORK AND THEN TO SAN FRANCISCO, THE LOS ANGELES, AND THEN BOSTON.
NOW IN THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE 54 TEMPLE AND CENTERS HERE.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT TEMPLE, JUST A CENTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
THERE ARE 800 TEMPLES AND CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND THE MAIN THING, FOUR THINGS THAT WE TEACH THEM THAT DON'T GET INTOXICATED, DON'T GAMBLE, AND, UH, DON'T HAVE I SIX SEX AND BE VEGETARIAN.
WHAT IS THE OTHER THING? I FORGOT.
AND IN FACT, THE TWO DAYS, YOUTH AND ADULT, ALL OF THEM TRYING TO GET INVOLVED INTO VEGETARIAN FOOD, BECAUSE THERE'S GOOD FOR THE HEALTH.
YOU CAN EAT A LOT OF MEAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY YOU GET A LOT OF CANCERS AND OTHER DISEASES.
SO VEGETARIAN FOOD HELPS QUITE A BIT.
UH, AND ALSO IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE WENT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO TALK TO THEM.
UH, IN THE MAP, IT SHOWS THAT THE, THIS IS THE, OUR AREA THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE A WATER TOWER HERE AND A, UM, A WATER TOWER NEXT TO THE WATER TOWER.
THERE'S COMPLETELY BAD ON THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE IN YOUR SCREEN.
WE ARE GONNA DEVELOP THE LAND AND HAVE A, HAVE A NICE PLACE FOR MEDITATION AND RELAXATION AND PREACHING.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS THAT WE, I GAVE YOU IN MY LETTER, I THINK YOU HAVE THE LETTER I SENT YOU SOME OF THE COUNCIL MA'AM, COMMISSION MEMBER
I THINK THAT'S GOOD EXPLANATION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK.
WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY NONSENSE OR HERE NO PUBLIC NUISANCE.
IT'LL BE HELPFUL THAT WHEN THE LAND IS DEVELOPED, PROPERTY PRICES WILL GO UP.
EVEN THE OWNER DIDN'T CARE FOR IT.
SO WE WANT TO UPDATE THAT AREA AND DEVELOP THE CENTER.
SO I NEED YOUR HELP AND APPROVAL.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, IT IS A COMPOSITE NEIGHBORHOOD ANYWAY.
AND THEN, UH, THIS IS THE PLACE, UH, WE HAD THE, UH, STUDENTS STARTED THE PRAYER CENTER IN THIS PLACE NEXT TO IT.
AND NOBODY COMPLAINED FOR LAST TWO YEARS, 2018 TO 20.
AND ON THIS SIDE WE HAVE BANK, UH, AND THEY HAVE A GAS STATION AND ANOTHER BANK.
SO IT'S MOSTLY THE COMPOSITE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR FULL NAME FOR THE RECORD? UH, I'M DR.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION, SIR? A BEG? PARDON? WERE YOU, WERE YOU FINISHED? WERE YOU COMPLETE? YES, I'M FINISHED.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER, UH, SPEAKER CARDS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN FAVOR.
I'LL BE CALLING THOSE NAMES TO THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
I BELIEVE THIS FIRST CARD IS FOR, IS THIS DON MILLER? MR. MILLER, YOU'RE ON THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES.
I'VE, UM, BEEN A PRACTITIONER OF THIS BHATI YOGA THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING FOR A LITTLE OVER 45 YEARS.
I'VE HAD A SMALL BUSINESS THAT MY
[00:20:01]
WIFE AND I OPERATE FOR A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS.AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I'M A FULL-TIME STUDENT AT LSU TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA'S PROGRAM TO OFFER FREE TUITION TO ANYONE 65 YEARS AND OLDER.
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO LOUISIANA FOR THAT.
BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I WOULD, UH, BUT THEY TOUCHED ON MANY POINTS.
JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY TEACHINGS OF THIS SYSTEM OF BAKI YOGA IS THAT WE ARE ALL SPIRITUAL BEINGS.
WE ARE NOT BOUND BY THESE, BY WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, EITHER MEN OR WOMEN, BLACK OR WHITE OR ASIAN OR ANYTHING.
THESE ARE ALL MINOR DESIGNATIONS.
A REAL DESIGNATION IS AS A SPIRITUAL BEING.
SO THE TEACHINGS THAT WE'LL BE, UH, WE WILL BE DEALING WITH AND PRESENTING AT THIS PROPERTY IS HELPING TO CREATE A HARMONY IN SOCIETY THAT WE CAN ALL GET ALONG.
THAT WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY DIFFERENCES AS SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE.
WE ALL HAVE THAT SAME SPIRITUAL NATURE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'LL BE PRESENTING, UH, COOKING CLASSES, TEACHING.
I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD AT DIFFERENT TIMES ABOUT MEATLESS MONDAY, TRY TO CUT DOWN ON GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS, LESS MEAT.
WELL, WE DO THAT EVERY DAY, BUT WE'RE NOT EXPECTING EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THAT.
BUT AS MUCH AS ANYONE COULD INCORPORATE THAT IN THEIR LIFE, IT IS FOUND TO BE GOOD FOR THE PLANET, CUT DOWN ON MEAT, EATING MORE VEGETABLES, GRAINS.
SO WE WOULD BE REGULARLY TEACHING COOKING CLASSES ON THAT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
SO THAT'S ABOUT, UH, I DON'T WANNA DRAG IT OUT BY REITERATING ANYTHING THEY SAID.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK.
BUT OUR PRIMARY DUTY THAT WE HAVE IS TO SHARE THIS KNOWLEDGE WITH EVERYONE THAT WE'RE ALL INDIVIDUALLY SERVANTS OF GOD.
AND WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND WITH, UH, UH, COMPARATIVE RELIGION DISCUSSION WITH DISCUSSION WITH OTHER RELIGIONS.
HOW WE CAN ALL FIND A HARMONY WITHIN THIS WORLD, HOW WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR SKAR HOLDER DOOR.
UH, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALLOW ME TO SPEAK.
COUPLE OF MINUTES, UH, REGARDING THE OPENING THE BOOK, THE YOGA CENTER ON 54 54 HIGHLAND ROAD.
I HAVE BEEN SERVING THIS MOMENT, UH, LAST, UH, 38 YEARS.
AND I HAVE BEEN SERVING IN NEW ORLEANS AS A DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL LIFE.
THE COMMUNITY, UH, RELATIONSHIP.
AND SAME THING WE WANT TO OPEN HERE.
I HAVE BEEN SERVING HERE LAST EIGHT YEARS WITH MY DAUGHTERS.
MY ONE DAUGHTER IS ARCHITECT, ANOTHER IS GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.
BOTH OF THEM ARE HELPING TO COMMUNITY STUDENTS AND, UM, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.
I CAN GET THE PEACE AND HARMONY WITH THE BHATI.
YOGA MEANS WE IN BIBLE CELLS ALSO, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE SPIRITUAL.
AND SAME THING, I I HAVE BEEN FUNDING IN OUR BODE WISDOM IN BOGO GITA THAT ACTUALLY OUR SPATH WITH THE FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND WE ARE, WE ARE ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVE I AM OF THE INSTRUMENT TO HELPING COOKING, GARDENING, AND GIVING THE BOYS THE WISDOM THAT OUR SENIOR MEMBERS ALREADY MENTIONED.
SO IF YOU ALLOW US TO HELP THAT SOCIETY IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEN MY WHOLE FAMILY CAN INVOLVE TO SERVE BECAUSE I AM ALREADY RETIRED FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
SO I LIKE TO DEDICATE MYSELF SELFLESS SERVICE TO THE SOCIETY.
I'M NOT TAKING ANY, UM, UM, SALARY BECAUSE I DON'T NEED, I NEED LIMITED THINGS MY DAUGHTER IS PROVIDING.
SO I, AND I'M GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM AMERICAN INDIAN, ALL OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES ALREADY.
I TALKED TO DIFFERENT, UH, SHELTER ALSO IN DOWNTOWN IN THE BATERS.
SO GIVING OUR BO WISDOM AND THEY ARE CHANGING THEIR LIFE, GIVING UP THE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, AND THEY'RE ASKING ME TO GIVE THE ED FOOD.
AH, SO ALL THE TIME, IF YOU COME NEW ORLEANS, YOU WILL SEE MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE COME EVERY SUNDAY.
I AM IN SOURCE OF THE COOKING AND PEOPLE LOVE OUR FOOD OR OUR LITERATURE, OUR AUSTERITY, OUR UM, REGULATIVE LIVES THAT WE LIKE TO PRESENT.
[00:25:01]
IT'LL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY AND I'LL GET SATISFACTION.I BELIEVE THE REMAINDER OF THESE CARDS HAVE, UH, A COMMENT.
UH, SO I'LL BE ASKING WHETHER OR NOT YOU STILL INTEND TO SPEAK.
UH, PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCED THIS, UH, BALAJI ANJANA.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M, UH, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BTI YOGA CENTER, WHICH IS HAPPENING EVERY, UH, WITNESS DAY.
SO, UH, SO I, I JOINED THIS, UH, CLUB RECENTLY AFTER COMING TO LSU.
SO I'M GOING TO, UH, TELL THE EXPERIENCE.
SO I STARTED LEARNING ABOUT MORE ABOUT ETHICS, MORALS, AND, UH, RESPECT, ESPECIALLY, UH, TO THE ELDERS AND TO OUR PARENTS.
SO THE CENTER HAS BEEN TEACHING THIS AND IT'S BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR ME.
AND ALSO I WANT TO STUDY, UH, GIVE A QUOTE THAT IS GIVEN BY DANIEL GOLDMAN.
THE ABILITY TO HANDLE STRESS INCREASES WITH THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION IN A CULTURE LIKE OURS, IN WHICH INNER SPATIAL GROWTH IS TOTALLY NEGLECTED IN FAVOR OF ME MATERIALISTIC PURSUITS.
WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM THE HA KRISH BODIES, UH, MEDI MEDITATION PRACTICES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
OUR NEXT CALL IS FOR LEE SEGERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A COUPLE MINUTES.
AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, PRACTICING BTI YOGA, UH, FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS.
AND I HAVE BEEN ASSISTING, UH, MR. SANKER TO SUPPORTING THE BUCK YOGA CLUB IN LSU.
I JUST WANNA SPEAK ON THE POINT OF, UH, BEING A MOM OF HAVE A CHILD THAT GOING TO COLLEGE.
MY DAUGHTER'S, UH, SECOND YEAR COLLEGE AND I HAVE ANOTHER ONE IS GOING TO COLLEGE THIS YEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE PEOPLE HERE PROBABLY HAVE SAME EXPERIENCE.
AND THE CHILDREN THESE DAYS ARE VERY BEWILDERING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PROPER GUIDANCE AND THEY DON'T, THEY LACK OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE.
SO FROM THIS PRACTICE, I REALLY BENEFIT FROM MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AND I WANNA DO THAT TO HELP OTHERS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, AND I'M ALSO A CERTIFIED AT MY YOGA TEACHER INSTRUCTOR.
SO IF THIS CENTER IS BUILT, AND I DEFINITELY CAN PARTICIPATE AND OFFER ANY HELP THAT I CAN PROVIDE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
HELLO, I, UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE MOVEMENT SINCE, UH, 19 75, 49 YEARS.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF OUR FOUNDER.
I DUNNO IF YOU CAN SEE VERY WELL.
I HAVE ONE QUICK STORY THAT, UH, ONE MAN, HE WAS VERY UPSET THAT HIS DAUGHTER HAD JOINED THE HARI KRISHNAS WE'RE TALKING IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, EARLY EIGHTIES.
HE WAS VERY ANGRY AND HE'D COME VERY DISTURBED TO THE TEMPLE AND RANT AND RAVE BECAUSE HIS DAUGHTER HAD JOINED FULL TIME.
AND SOMEHOW OR OTHER IN THOSE DAYS, SOMETIMES SOME OF US IN THE AIRPORTS WERE INCOGNITO, NOT WITH A FULL, UH, MONK.
AND, UH, THE MAN GOT ONE BOOK FROM ONE OF US.
THIS IS A CONDENSED VERSION OF A SIX VOLUME SET.
IT'S, UH, A BIOGRAPHY OF OUR FOUNDER, BUPA.
AND THIS BOOK THEN WAS CALLED, UH, BUPA.
UH, HE BUILT A HOUSE IN WHICH THE WHOLE WORLD CAN LIVE.
AND SO SOMEHOW THIS MAN GOT THIS BOOK AND HE READ THE WHOLE BOOK AND HE ACTUALLY BECAME SO AFFECTED.
HE CAME TO THE TEMPLE AND HE HAD TEARS IN HIS EYE.
HE WAS CRYING AND HE SAID, PLEASE FORGIVE ME.
HE SAID, I DID NOT KNOW HOW GREAT THIS MAN WAS AND HOW MANY SACRIFICES HE MADE TO BRING THIS ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE WESTERN WORLD.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED, IF YOU NEED AFTERWARDS, I HAVE A MOVIE THAT MY FRIEND MADE THAT WENT TO 38 COUNTRIES, AMAZON PRIME.
NOW VERY HIGH REVIEWS WAS ON ALL THE BIG THEATERS IN NORTH AMERICA IN 2017 WHEN PROP POD WAS ASKED BY SOME OF HIS, UH, UH, AT A MEETING WHEN PROPERTIES GIVE ME ANY LECTURES.
AND AT A MEETING SOMEONE SAID, CAN YOU PERFORM A MIRACLE IN INDIA? EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMETIMES THERE'S THESE YOGIS OR MYSTIC YOGIS THAT CAN PRODUCE SOME,
[00:30:01]
UH, GOLD FROM ASH, YOU KNOW, SOME LITTLE MIRACLE LIKE THIS.AND THEY SAID, WHAT PROP POD CAN YOU DO? YOU, HAVE YOU MADE ANY MIRACLES? AND PROPHET, YES, PROPHET SAID, I CAME TO YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR GOVERNMENT HAD TRIED FOR MANY YEARS UNSUCCESSFULLY TO GET DRUG ADDICTED HIPPIES TO GIVE UP THEIR INTOXICATION.
AND I CAME AND I TOLD THEM TO BE A FOLLOWER, UH, IN THIS MOVEMENT, THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP INTOXICATION.
HE SAID THAT NOW THERE'S 5,000 YOUNG DRUG ADDICTED HIPPIES THAT HAVE GIVEN UP INTOXICATION.
THEY LIVE A CLEAN LIFE AND NO ILLICIT SEX, NO INTOXICATION, NO GAMBLING.
THESE ARE RULES PROP, BUT ESTABLISHED FOR FOLLOWING IN HIS CENTERS.
UH, AND HE SAID, AND FORMERLY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT INTERESTED IN GOD, NOW THEY'RE MAD AFTER GOD LIKE THAT 'CAUSE THEY WERE FRUSTRATED.
A LOT OF KIDS GROWING UP IN MAINSTREAM WESTERN RELIGIOUS FAMILIES.
AND SOME OF THE ANSWERS THEY WANTED, THEY WEREN'T BEING GIVEN BY THEIR, THEIR, UH, LEADERS.
UH, I'M THE ONE THAT, UH, WAS TELLING, UH, MY COMPATRIOTS HERE, UH, HOW I WAS THERE FOR THE FIRST ONE IN LOS ANGELES.
AND, UH, LA RA RA MEANS THE FESTIVAL OF THE CHARIOTS.
AND UH, NOW WE'VE DONE IT FOR, I'M ALMOST 40 YEARS, BUT I WAS AT THE FIRST 13 OF THEM.
OKAY, THERE YOU OKAY? THANK YOU.
SORRY I RAN OVERTIME, EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKER COURTS THAT ARE IN FAVOR BUT HAVE INDICATED THEY DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THOSE ARE FOR TUM ROY AND MISERY NEW MILLER.
AS WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS, WE WILL NOT NEED A REBUTTAL.
AND SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION.
VICE CHAIRMAN GRUP, MR. DIRECTOR, THEY ARE ASKING FOR A 3.1.
IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN, THERE IS A PROPERTY JUST DOWN HIGHLAND ROAD WHERE WE RECENTLY REMOVED A 3.1 TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE BECAUSE OF WHAT OPTIONS ARE ALLOWED UNDER A 3.1.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
VICE CHAIRMAN, WE HAD A, UH, CASE THAT'S POINTED OUT ON THE CASE HISTORY ON THE STAFF REPORT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
I BELIEVE THE, UH, THE ITEM WAS CASE 2 24.
IT'S THE FIRST BULLET POINT ON PAGE TWO OF THE STAFF REPORT ON THE, THE ZONING REPORT PROPERTY WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF HIGHLAND ROAD, AGAIN, IN THE, THE VERY IMMEDIATE AREA.
AND IT WAS DOWN ZONE FROM A 3.12 NEIGHBORHOOD TO OFFICE BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ON THE EXISTING ZONING AND WHAT IT WOULD ALLOW.
AND IF I'M ALSO CORRECT, THIS IS A ONE AS A, UH, WORSHIP CENTER, THEY COULD HAVE APPLIED FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT UNDER A ONE WITHOUT ANY CHANGE TO, UH, ZONING OR FUTURE LAND USE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
VICE CHAIRMAN, THIS PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED ON FUTURE BR AS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND ZONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
UM, WHEN THE APPLICANT CONTACTED OUR OFFICE, UM, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, PLANNING STAFF DID, DID EXPLAIN THAT THE CURRENT ZONING A ONE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DOES ALLOW RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION USES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
WE CLASSIFY IT, UM, AS DESCRIBED AS, AS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION USES, THAT USES A PERMITTED USE IN A ONE SO LONG AS YOU APPLY AND ARE GRANTED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO THERE WAS ANOTHER OPTION TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, AND, AND ASK FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
HOWEVER, THE, THE ITEMS BEING CONSIDERED TONIGHT WERE THE OTHER OPTION.
AND THAT, UH, THAT WAS EXPLAINED TO THE APPLICANT IN, IN THIS REZONING CATEGORY THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
A 3.1 IS NAMED LIMITED RESIDENTIAL.
IT'S PRIMARILY OUR MULTIFAMILY ZONING DISTRICT.
WHICH MUCH OF, UH, THE STUDENT HOUSING, EXISTING STUDENT HOUSING SURROUNDING LSU IS IS ZONED A SIMILAR ZONING CATEGORY.
SO IT WOULD ALLOW MULTIFAMILY BY, RIGHT.
UH, AND THIS IS THE FIRST ZONING DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONAL USES BY RIGHT WITHOUT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
AND, UM, THIS INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT CHOSE TO PROCEED WITH THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND ASKING FOR THE REZONING INSTEAD.
AND, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THE APPLICANT CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS IN THIS REZONING,
[00:35:01]
WE'RE NOT REZONING FOR YOUR WORSHIP SPACE.WE'RE REZONING THIS LAND TO A THREE ONE, WHICH ALLOWS ALL THESE OPTIONS.
SO IF YOUR WORSHIP SPACE IS HERE UNDER A THREE, ONE IN 20 YEARS, YOU WANT TO, UH, YOU WANT TO EX YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE OUTGROWN THIS FACILITY AND YOU WISH TO EXPAND, THEN THIS PROPERTY IS NOW HAS THE ABILITY TO BE MULTI-FAMILY, A BOARDING HOUSE, LODGING HOUSE, FRATERNITY HOUSE, MULTIFAMILY WITH 11.5 UNITS ON THIS PROPERTY.
TWO FAMILY, UH, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION, WHICH NEITHER OF THOSE ARE, ARE AN ISSUE.
UM, AND A CHILD DAYCARE, WHICH ALSO WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.
BUT, AND IT'S NOT AN ISSUE AS TO WHAT YOU WISH TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY.
FOR ME, MY CONCERN IS THIS IS GOING TO A 3.1, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THESE OTHER USES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD COME BACK WITH SAY A PUD OR AN ICE BUD AND SAID THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO, THAT'S FINE.
IF YOU HAD GONE WITH A CUP, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO OPPOSITION HERE ON HIGHLAND ROAD, UM, YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE SAILED THROUGH HERE TODAY AND NOT HAD THE, THE RECOMMEND DENIAL FROM STAFF.
AND I THINK THE REASON THAT THAT HAS HAPPENED IS BECAUSE OF THE OTHER USES THIS WOULD ALLOW IN PERPETUITY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT REZONING FOR YOU, WE'RE REZONING THE PROPERTY, WHICH THAT ZONING WOULD CONTINUE ON AFTERWARDS.
UM, I IT, THIS BEING A GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE SPECIFICALLY.
IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT THE ZONING IS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'D COME BACK HERE WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT REQUEST, I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
UM, I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN TO THE, UH, TO THE, TO THE, UH, THE KRISHNA HOUSE IN NEW ORLEANS ON ESPLANADE AVENUE.
I GREW UP IN NEW ORLEANS, SO I'M NOT UNFAMILIAR.
AND, UH, YES, I I DO LIKE VEGETARIAN FOOD.
UM, BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT A SPECIFIC, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE LAND GOING FORWARD.
AND IF THIS WERE CONDITIONAL USE, I WOULD BE, I WOULD BE RECOMMENDING THIS FOR APPROVAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THIS DOES COME WITH OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVING STATED THEIR PIECE, I UNFORTUNATELY AM GONNA HAVE TO VOTE TO DENY AT THIS POINT.
VICE CHAIRMAN CRO, VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONER ADDISON, I CAN'T TELL IF YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GEARING UP TO SAY SOMETHING OR NOT.
I, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, RYAN, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION 'CAUSE I TOO, AS, UM, COMMISSIONER GRO HAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING US BACK TO A 3.1.
UM, AND YOU TOO HAD EXPLAINED TO THE APPLICANTS THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY BRING IT AS A CUP AND THEY, THEY KIND OF DENIED OR WANTED TO GO THE OTHER DIRECTION.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE THEM TO AMEND THAT TO A CUP? IS THAT OUT OF THE CATEGORY NOW THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PAID THE APPLICATION AT THIS STAGE? SO AT THIS POINT THERE, THERE WOULD NOT BE AN, AN OPTION TO CAPTURE A, A REFUND.
UM, MUCH OF THE STAFF WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, THE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID, UM, AND EXPENSES, SO ON AND SO FORTH, UM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, TALK TO THEM ABOUT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
UM, I, I BELIEVE STAFF, LIKE I SAID HA HAVE ALREADY HAD THAT DISCUSSION, BUT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO REVISIT THAT.
THERE IS A LITTLE MORE, UM, DESIGN THAT'S INVOLVED ON THE FRONT END FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
BUT THE BENEFIT FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, IS IS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOCKED INTO TO WHAT'S PRESENTED ON THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ON HOW THEY LAY OUT THE PROPERTY, HOW IT, UH, WHERE THE PARKING IS, HOW THEY CITE THE BUILDING'S, UH, LANDSCAPE.
THAT WORK WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BE DONE ANYWAY AND APPLIED FOR, FOR PERMITS.
UM, BUT, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION EXPRESSED BY COUNCIL, COMMISSIONER GROUT, UH, AND OTHERS TONIGHT.
SO WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO REVISIT THAT DISCUSSION.
BUT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE UNDER THIS APP APPLICATION TONIGHT.
WE, WE'D HAVE NO, NO MEANS OF HAVING TO MODIFY IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO IT IS GONNA BE AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON THIS, A 3.1.
AND THEN IF YOU DESIRE TO COME BACK, THERE'LL BE NO PROVISION STOPPING THEM FROM DOING IT IN THE FUTURE WITHIN, UH, WITH THE FUTURE CUP? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S NO WAY TO AMEND THIS CURRENT APPLICATION.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, VOTED UP OR DOWN OR, OR WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT AT SOME POINT, UM, IF THEY CHOSE TO DO SO AND THEN SUBMIT NEW FEES AND A NEW APPLICATION IF THEY CHOOSE TO GO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
[00:40:01]
ROUTE.IF, IF BY CHANCE THAT THIS IS DENIED, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT THEM FOR BEING ABLE TO COME BACK.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME PROVISIONS THAT STOP APPLICANT FROM BRINGING ITEMS BACK BEFORE THE COMMISSION ONCE THEY'VE BEEN DENIED.
IF THIS IS, UH, DENIED TONIGHT, WOULD THAT STOP THEM IN THE FUTURE FROM BRINGING IT BACK UP? WOULD THEY HAVE A 12 MONTH, UM, UH, PROHIBITION FROM BRINGING IT BACK AS AS A NEW APPLICANT? GOOD QUESTION.
UM, THIS WOULD BE DEEMED AS A, A NEW COMPLETELY DIFFERENT APPLICATION.
SO THAT 12 MONTH, UM, WOULD NOT APPLY TO THAT.
UH, AGAIN, I, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS AS, UM, COMMISSIONER GRARD EXPRESSED THAT THE A 3.1 TAKES US BACK A BIT, UM, FROM WHERE WE WERE TRYING TO GO IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE PARISH IN GENERAL.
UH, SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE A 3.1 ITEM, BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU GUYS DECIDE TO MAYBE BRING IT AS A CUP, DO THE ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF DETAILS WITH STAFF, THEN I PROBABLY CAN SUPPORT THE ITEM IN THE FUTURE, BUT NOT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER ADDISON, VICE CHAIR MCGRAW.
I WANNA REITERATE WHAT COMMISSIONER ADDISON SAID IF THIS WOULD, IF THIS CAME IN AS A CUP, UH, I I WOULD BE FULLY IN SUPPORT.
SO MY, MY DENIAL TONIGHT IS OVER THE 3.1, NOT OVER WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
AND IF YOU BROUGHT THIS BACK AS A CUP, I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONER IF I MAY? MR. CHAIRMAN, I THANK YOU FURTHER INDULGING ME.
I THINK THE GENTLEMAN WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
I THINK HE'S WATCHING ONE OF 'EM WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HIM FOR A SECOND.
SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A ONE TO 3.1? BUT I THOUGHT THAT IT'LL BE, UH, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO COMPOSITE NEIGHBORHOOD RN TO CN.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO ITEMS YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE BEFORE US, ONE'S THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND ONE IS THE ACTUAL, UH, REQUEST FOR ZONING CHANGE.
I'LL ASK THE DIRECTOR TO QUICKLY EXPOUND ON ON THAT.
SO AGAIN, I I'M NOT SURE WHO, WHO, UH, SPOKE TO OUR STAFF.
WE HAVE MANY STAFF MEMBERS AND PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS, BUT THERE WAS SOME COMMUNICATION, MULTIPLE, UH, LINES OF COMMUNICATION EARLY ON BEFORE YOU SUBMITTED THE REZONING AND THE COMPANION PLAN AMENDMENT.
UH, THE CONCERNS TONIGHT THAT WERE STATED ON THE RECORD WERE TO RE POTENTIALLY REZONING THE PROPERTY, UM, THE MANY OTHER USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED BY WRIGHT IF THIS REZONING WERE GRANTED.
AND THERE'S NO MECHANISM WITH THE PROPOSED REZONING TO, TO LOCK YOU INTO JUST THE USES YOU DESCRIBED.
UH, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC USES YOU PRESENTED THAT THE BIGGER CONCERN IS THE BROAD OTHER USES THAT ARE ALLOWED BY RIGHTS SUCH AS APARTMENTS.
UH, MULTIFAMILY, NO, WE, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT FAMILY RESIDENCE THERE AT ALL.
IT'S MOSTLY WILL BE THE AREA THAT WILL BE PREACHING, SIR.
AND OF COURSE WHEN THE MONK WILL STAY THERE.
SIR, THAT'S NOT A MULTIFAMILY SIR SITUATION AT ALL.
IF I MAY TRY TO SIMPLIFY THE, THE ISSUE THAT THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE COMMISSIONER ARE NOT WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY IS WHAT YOU COULD DO IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THIS BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT BE LOCKED INTO YOUR SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
WHAT YOU, IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THE ZONING, IT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO DO THINGS THAT YOU STATED YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION OF DOING.
BUT ONCE WE REZONE IT, WE WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF STOPPING YOU FROM DOING IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CONCERN WITH ALLOWING YOU TO DO THAT.
WHEREAS THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED PREVIOUSLY WOULD ALLOW YOU TO SUBMIT A PLAN TO DO SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC AND THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE THE CONCERNS OF THE, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN TODAY.
OKAY? IN FACT, WE SUBMITTED CONDITIONAL USE OF THE PROPERTY.
WE DID THAT BEFORE, BUT WE WERE ADVISED TO DO THIS RRN TWO CN, THE CN MEANS 3.1 FOR NO, NO STEP.
STEPH GAVE YOU TWO OPTIONS AND THIS WAS THE OPTION THAT THAT, THAT YOU PROCEEDED TO GO WITH.
THE OTHER OPTION IS, IS A VERY DIFFERENT ROUTE.
YOU WOULD'VE TO HIRE A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL, PUT TOGETHER A SET OF PLANS, AND THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED AS A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SITE PLAN LOCKING YOU INTO A VERY SPECIFIC LAYOUT OF THE PROPERTY WITH VERY SPECIFIC USES.
WHEREAS THIS PROPOSAL HAS VERY BROAD USES, UH, THAT'S TIED TO IT WELL BEYOND WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED.
YOU'VE NOT, YOU'VE NOT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR THAT PLAN SPECIFICALLY FOLLOWING THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU CAN GET WITH A MEMBER OF THE STAFF AND I'M SURE THEY'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS THAT WILL, WILL BE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
AND I'M SURE WE, MR. HALLA, WAS IT YOU WHO CHOSE TO GO WITH GO THIS PARTICULAR ROUTE?
[00:45:01]
SIR? I, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP YOU GUYS.IT'S, THERE'S NO POINT IN, UH, REALLY, REALLY GOING MORE INTO IT.
UH, YOU SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR REZONING.
YOU'VE NOT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
THE COMMISSION HAS INDICATED THEY WOULD BE FAR MORE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE NOT SUBMITTED AND ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE SUBMITTED.
CERTAINLY WE WILL TRY TO GO THE OTHER ROUTE.
COMMISSION MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE NO MORE, UH, IS, IF THERE IS NO MORE NEED FOR DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION I, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY THE 3.1.
THERE'S A MOTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT, UH, TO DENY THESE TWO ITEMS. I BELIEVE THERE'S A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THESE ITEMS ARE DENIED.
[Items 6 & 7]
ON TO ITEMS NUMBER SIX AND SEVEN, PLANNED AMENDMENT 3 24 AND CASE NINE TWENTY FOUR SIXTY FOUR THIRTY FIVE WINDBORN AVENUE, PA DASH THREE DASH TWENTY FOUR SIX FOUR THREE FIVE WINDBORN AVENUE RELATED TO CASE NINE DASH 24.THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF WINDBORN AVENUE EAST OF EAST BROOKSTOWN DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN A COMPREHENSIVE USES PLAN AMENDMENT FROM NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER TO COMMERCIAL RELATED CASE NINE DASH TWENTY FOUR SIX FOUR THREE FIVE WINDBORN AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL C ONE TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL HC ONE PROPOSED USE MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR.
THE FUTURE BE OUR LE DESIGNATION IS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER PA DASH THREE DASH TWENTY FOUR SIX FOUR THREE FIVE WINDBORN AVENUE RELATED TO CASE NINE DASH 24.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL BASED UPON THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER APPEARING APPROPRIATE AND STAFF CANNOT CERTIFY THE PROPOSED 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.
WE'VE RECEIVED A MESSAGE IN OPPOSITION FROM THE ADJACENT CHURCH.
AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
MADAM, MY NAME IS RELA, I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY ON WINDBORN SIXTY FOUR THIRTY FIVE WIND BONE AVENUE.
I'M COMING HERE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT MY CURRENT SITUATION LIKE, AND THIS IS MY, UH, RENTER.
I CURRENTLY, I'M LIFTING MY PROPERTIES, UH, TO, TO MY RENTER RIGHT NOW AND BEFORE WE OPEN THE TIE AND CURRENTLY USE AS THE TIE SAW, I'M SORRY.
AND, UH, WE GOT ALL THE PERMIT TO OPEN THE THAI SHOP.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE GET THE NOTE THAT THE PROPERTY, WE CANNOT OPEN THE THAI SHOP AND WE RECOMMEND, THEY RECOMMEND US TO DO THE REZONING.
CAN CAN YOU PASS TO HELP PLEASE? SURE.
HOW YOU DOING? COULD YOU SPEAK YOUR NAME FOR THE NAME'S? KATHLEEN MURRAY.
AND I'M HERE LIKE REPRESENTING MY HUSBAND 'CAUSE HE'S THE OWNER OF THE TIRE SHOP, BUT HE DON'T SPEAK A LOT OF ENGLISH, SO I'M A TRANSLATE FOR HIM.
AND UM, WE'RE A SMALL FAMILY AND WE PUT ALL MONEY INTO THE BUSINESS FIRST.
WE DIDN'T KNOW, UH, WE CANNOT PUT THE TIRE SHOP ON THAT PLACE WHEN WE RENT IT AND WE GET ALL THE PERMITS FROM THE CITY, THEY SAY WE CAN LIKE, WE CAN UH, PUT THE TIRE SHOP.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WE WAS TALKING TO EVERYONE AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY WITH OUR SERVICE.
AND I WORK IN THE TIRE SHOP AND I ALWAYS TREAT MY CUSTOMER GOOD AND LIKE WE NEVER HAVE NO COMPLAINT ABOUT NO ONE.
THE OTHER THING BEFORE US, WE HAVE A, I HAVE THE PICTURES OF IT HERE IF YOU WANNA SEE IT.
UM, IT WAS LIKE A NASTY PLACE.
HOMELESS, ENDANGERED PEOPLE WAS AROUND THAT AREA.
AND THEN AFTER WE GET THE BUILDING, WE PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIRS.
WE PA UH, WE PAINT THE BUILDING, WE CLEANED THE JAR, WE WAS FIXING EVERYTHING INSIDE AND UPSIDE FOR MADE THE COMMUNITY HAPPY.
UM, THE ONLY THING WE JUST NEED LIKE IS WE JUST HERE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT US IS ONLY A TIRE SHOP.
IT'S NOT FOR LIKE MECHANIC STUFF.
WE JUST DO FOR REPAIR TIRES, LIGHT PLUGS, PATCH AND INSTALL NEW AND USED TIRES.
NOT FOR HEAVY, UH, COMMERCIAL.
I DON'T KNOW WHO SAY THAT, BUT WE NOT APPLYING FOR THAT.
[00:50:01]
AND WE HAVE A NEIGHBOR I THINK, UM, HE WANNA TALK TO Y'ALL TOO.HE'LL, HE'LL NEED TO FILL OUT A SPEAKER COURT IF HE WISHES TO SPEAK.
WELL IF HE'S FILLED OUT COURT, WE'LL CALL HIM TO SPEAK.
OKAY, OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR CURTIS BEARD.
I SEE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? HOW'S IT GOING? LOOK, UM, I'M A DESERT STORM VETERAN.
I WAS THERE BEFORE THE CHURCH AND AFTER DESERT STORM, I BOUGHT A HOUSE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THAT UH, TIRE SHOP.
IT WAS A CRACKER BARREL AND THE CRACKER BARREL WAS THERE BEFORE ME.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT WAS THERE BEFORE ME.
I KNEW THE GUY WHO SOLD THE LAND TO THE PREACHER WHO BUILT THAT, UH, CHURCH THERE.
IT WAS JUST A EMPTY FIELD AFTER THE CHURCH WAS BUILT, UH, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AFTER THE CHURCH WAS BUILT, CRACKER BARREL SOLD TO CIRCLE K.
AND I WANNA, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I'M NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH THE LAW.
THE LATE JUDGE TYSON IS MY TEACHER.
THE JUDGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE COURTHOUSE ACROSS THE STREET.
I WENT TO SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SO I'M NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THIS CHURCH DECIDED TO, IN CONVENIENCE US, THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE DON'T EVEN GO TO THAT CHURCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WE DON'T EVEN GO THERE.
YOU GO TALK TO ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE DECIDED HE WANT TO USE HIS DOMAIN POWER TO CLOSE.
UH, THAT CIRCLE K, CIRCLE K LOST MONEY.
NOW THEY DECIDE TO MOVE IN THERE AND OPEN A TIE SHOP.
I, I CAN'T SEE NO REASON WHY THAT CHILD SHOP IS HURTING THEM.
IT'S ANOTHER LADY RIGHT DOWN ON THE STREET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHURCH.
SHE'S TRYING TO OPEN UP A SCHOOL FOR THE KIDS AND THEY'RE GIVING HER PROBLEMS. THIS BUSINESS IS NOT MAKING THEM LOSE MONEY.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE COME OVER THERE SAYING THAT UH, THEY ARE BAD PEOPLE, WHICH THEY ARE NOT.
HOW YOU GONNA SAY THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW 'EM.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT THE CHURCH IS PUTTING OUT.
THE CHURCH IS PUTTING OUT THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE SELLING DRUGS OUT OF THERE, SELLING ALCOHOL OUT OF THERE.
I'M SAYING, WHERE YOU GETTING THIS INFORMATION? I LIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PLACE.
MY HOUSE IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEM.
THEY LOOKING AT ME, I'M LOOKING AT THEM.
I CAN SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON.
I ACTUALLY, WHEN, WHEN WHEN, UH, CRACKER BARREL AND CIRCLE CA WAS OPEN, I ACTUALLY COULD HELP THEM OUT BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHEN SOMETHING WAS GONNA HAPPEN, CRIME I COULD STOP CRIME 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT EVERYTHING.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS SIR.
SO I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WANT TO KEEP THEM FROM OPENING WHEN IT, I CAN'T SEE ANY, ANY PROBLEM.
LIKE I SAID, THIS PLACE WAS THERE BEFORE THEM AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GO TO THAT CHURCH.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY USING THEIR POWER TO CLOSE THE PLACE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M, I'M A DESERT STORM.
OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR KEITH BLACK.
IS IT BLACK MALL? MY NAME KEITH BLACKMAN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE TIRE SHOP SHOULD BE OPEN BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF CARS COME THROUGH THERE.
WE TRY TO HELP THEM BUT I THINK THEY TIRE SHOP SHOULD BE THERE.
THEY'RE NOT SELLING NO DRUGS OUT OR NOTHING.
THEY JUST A SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS.
WE HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN FAVOR BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THE FIRST IS FOR MICHAEL MEZA AND THE SECOND IS FOR ME SEAN.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD THAT IS IN OPPOSITION BUT DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK FOR WILLIAM B.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK MR. BATES FOR WILLIAM BATES? YOU MAY COME TO THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES SIR.
GOOD MORNING BOARD AND GOOD MORNING.
UM, WILLIAM BATES JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE THE EXECUTIVE PASTOR
[00:55:01]
OF LIVING FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER WHERE I'VE BEEN A MEMBER SINCE 1997.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CORRECT A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE.
UH, LIVING FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER IS NOT AN OPPOSITION OF THE CRACKER BARREL WAS THERE OR THIS NEW TIRE SHOP.
OUR BISHOP, BISHOP RAYMOND JOHNSON WAS VERY ECSTATIC THAT THERE WAS A NEW BUSINESS THAT WAS GONNA BE PUT NEXT TO THE CHURCH.
UM, BECAUSE AS SHE STATED, THERE WERE SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVING OVER THERE AND IT WAS RUN DOWN.
UM, WE HAD CONTACTED THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY, BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WAS VACATED, WOULDN'T STAY BLIGHTED TO REMOVE SEVERAL, UM, ITEMS OF DEBRIS THAT WAS ON THE PROPERTY.
AND ONCE WE SAW THAT THE PROPERTY WAS TAKEN OVER, UM, OUR BISHOP AND OUR CHURCH, WE WERE HAPPY ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY PUT UP A FENCE.
UM, WE SAW THE WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE SCHOOL THAT'S NEXT TO US, UM, WE ARE NOT IN OPPOSITION OF THAT SCHOOL.
UM, IT'S JUST THE SCHOOL IS TAKING WHATEVER TIME THEY NEED TO GET THE FUNDS TOGETHER TO FINISH DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, OUR ONLY OPPOSITION IS THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY, UM, FROM THE C ONE TO THE HC ONE.
UM, KIND OF CONCERNING WHAT THE OTHER GENTLEMAN HAD SPOKE ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN PERPETUITY TO THAT PROPERTY.
UM, SO THE CHURCH IS NOT OPPOSED TO THE BUSINESS BEING THEIR, IT'S NOT OPPOSED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO THRIVE.
WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO FLOURISH.
UH, WE ARE ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A ZONING ISSUE, THAT'S SOMETHING FAR AND ABOVE WHAT WE DO AS A CHURCH THAT BE GO, THAT GOES BEYOND OUR SCOPE.
UM, BUT WE DO NOT WANT ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO THINK THAT WE ARE BULLYING ANYBODY OR PUTTING ANYBODY OUT OR WANTING SOMEBODY NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THAT'S THE ANTITHESIS OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE STAND FOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OUR ONLY REASON FOR OPPOSITION IS FOR THE ZONING NOT TO BE CHANGED PRIOR BECAUSE OF WHAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE SHOP.
AT THIS TIME I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
SIR MADAM, LOOK LIKE I TALKED EARLIER, WE NOT INTEND TO CHANGE THE REZONING TO ANY PURPLE BESIDE OL BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK TO THE P COMMISSION, THEY SAID WE, WE HAD TO DO REZONING IN ORDER TO OPEN THE
BUT OUR AROUND NEIGHBOR, THEY EVERYBODY OKAY FOR US TO OPEN THE OL WE NOT INTEND TO OPEN ANYTHING LIKE IN, UH, PURPOSE OF REZONING.
WE JUST WANNA OPEN THE OL, YOU KNOW, MAKE FOR THE, FOR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR FAMILY AND WE GET ALL THE PERMITS TO OPEN IT FROM THE PERMIT OFFICE IN MY RENTAL OFFICE.
IT WAS A MISTAKE OR SOMETHING.
BUT UM, I THINK IT'S A BIG MISTAKE.
BUT THE THING IS, I DON'T HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CHURCH EITHER.
I GO INTO CHURCH AND I BELIEVE IN GOD TOO.
AND UM, THE THING IS WHEN WE JUST GOT IT, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE GET ALL THE PERMITS FOR THE TIRE SHOP AND NOW THEY SAY WE CANNOT HAVE A TIRE SHOP IN THAT PLACE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BECAUSE WE GOT ALL THE PERMITS AND NOW THEY WANNA RE RESIGNING THAT BUILDING AND THEY SAY WE WANT A HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
'CAUSE THE ONLY THINGS WE DO IS LIKE BRAKES AND OIL CHAINS, LIKE ALL THE TIRE SHOP, THEY DO IT.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE DO IN THE TIRE SHOP.
AND WE LIKE, IT'S JUST MY HUSBAND AND ME AND MY TWO KIDS.
AND I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO WORK WITH MY OTHER, UH, COUSIN IN THE TIRE SHOP.
SO IT'S ONLY TWO PEOPLE IN THE TIRE SHOP.
WE DON'T HAVE NO MORE EMPLOYEES YET BECAUSE WE JUST OPEN AND THEY RODE LIKE THREE TIMES.
AND MY HUSBAND, HE WAS THINKING TO CLOSE THE TIRE SHOP, BUT I THINK LIKE THE NEIGHBORS, NOT EVERYONE IS A BAD PERSON, YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE IN EVERYONE AND, UM, THE ONLY THING WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN THAT PLACE AND WE HOPE WE CAN STAY.
AT THIS TIME I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS BEFORE INVITING ANY COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE DIRECTOR IF HE COULD, UH, JUST KIND OF SHARE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T ALLOWED WITH THE EXISTING ZONING AND KIND OF MAYBE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THIS POINT.
UH, WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY ARE AND THE, THE MISUNDERSTANDING
[01:00:01]
THAT APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED IN REGARDS TO WHAT THEY COULD AND COULD NOT DO WITH THE PROPERTY.UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN STATED THIS EVENING REGARDING THE PROPOSED USE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, WHAT'S CLASSIFIED AS A A TIRE SHOP IS, IS, UM, CONSIDERED MOTOR MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE AND REPAIR.
AND THAT'S ONLY ALLOWED UNDER HEAVY COMMERCIAL ZONING.
AND THAT'S THE REASON THE APPLICANT'S HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ASKING FOR A PLAN AMENDMENT.
FUTURE B HAS DESIGNATED THE FUTURE LAND USE OF THIS PROPERTY AS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY LIMITED TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
THAT'S THE NEED FOR THE PLAN AMENDMENT CHANGE.
THE COMPANION ITEM IS A REZONING FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
ONE HEAVY COMMERCIAL ONE IS THE FIRST HEAVY COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT THAT MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR AND SERVICE IS ALLOWED.
UH, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE INTENSITY OF THE REPAIR.
SOME OF THE MACHINERY, THE, UH, LUG NUT AIR GUNS THAT TEND TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE, UH, CHANGING TIRES TO THE ONLY ZONING, THE ZONING, THE REZONING IS REQUIRED TO DO THE USE THAT THE APPLICANT'S WANTING TO DO.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PERMITS ISSUED IMPROPERLY.
IF THOSE PERMITS WERE ISSUED IMPROPERLY WITHOUT THE CORRECT ZONING, THERE ARE STEPS THAT THE PERMIT OFFICE AND THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CAN TAKE TO RESEND THAT IMPROPERLY ISSUED PERMIT.
AGAIN, THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE OUTSIDE OF THE REZONING AND THE PLAN AMENDMENT REQUEST TONIGHT BEFORE YOU THANK YOU DIRECTOR HOLCOMB, UH, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER BOYD, IS THIS A SIMILAR SITUATION THAT WHERE THEY COULD DO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER? OR IS THIS, IS THAT NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS? UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONDITIONAL USE OPTION IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE ZONING DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONER GROUT, EXCUSE ME.
UH, THIS SOUNDS REMARKABLY LIKE WHAT THE CASE WE JUST HAD BEFORE WHERE, AND I THINK PASTOR SPOKE TO IT, THAT NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO PER SE, BUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH THIS LAND GOING FORWARD.
YOU OPEN A TIRE SHOP, YOU DO VERY WELL, YOU WANNA MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION.
THIS PROPERTY IS NOW HEAVY COMMERCIAL AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER USES THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THAT.
UM, I I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMISSION, BUT I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE IT IS, IT IS THE OTHER USES AND THEY'RE NOT, CERTAINLY NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WOULD GET HEAVY COMMERCIAL AND TURN AROUND AND SELL THIS.
YOU WANT TO OPEN UP YOUR, YOU WANT TO OPEN UP YOUR, YOUR, UH, YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A DREAM.
BUT IF THE BUSINESS FAILS, WHAT HAPPENS? THAT LAND BECOMES VALUABLE NOT AS A TIRE STORE, BUT IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN UNDER HC ONE.
AND AS WITH THE CASE PREVIOUS, I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE OF THAT.
IF YOU CAME BACK WITH A CUP OR SOMETHING THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVEN AVAILABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF USE.
UM, NOT A CUP, BUT A, YOU KNOW, LIKE AN ICE BUD.
AN ICE BUDD WOULD NOT BE, OR A PUD WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS, WOULD IT? MR. DIRECTOR.
AND I, IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE YOUR BUSINESS, IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE WHERE YOU PLACED YOUR BUSINESS.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WERE STUCK WITH A ZONING THAT YOU CAN'T USE.
SO I'M GONNA, WHEN IT COMES UP, I'M GOING TO, UH, SUPPORT A MOTION TO DENY.
VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IF THERE ARE, OR ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS? I, I SHARE, UH, SIMILAR CONCERNS, UH, WITH VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
UH, I, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE, WE DO CERTAINLY HAVE TO CONSIDER, AS WE DID WITH THE PREVIOUS CASE, THE, THE, UH, IMPLICATIONS OF, UH, AN APPROVAL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THIS, THIS BUSINESS WAS NOT TO SUCCEED OR
[01:05:01]
WAS TO, UH, RELOCATE OR FOR SOME REASON NO LONGER OPERATE AS A TIRE SHOP, THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AND, AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT CAN HAVE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.FOR THAT REASON, I CANNOT, UH, SUPPORT THIS ITEM EITHER.
AND SO I'LL MAKE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FROM THE CHAIR TO DENY THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND THAT.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE.
[11.CONSENT FOR APPROVAL Case 13-24 2900-3000 Valley Street ]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11, CASE 13 24, 2900 TO 3000 VALLEY STREET CASE, 11 DASH 24 33 33 NORTH CASE, 13 DASH 24 2900 TO 3000 VALLEY STREET.THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF VALLEY STREET DRIVE NORTH OF PLUM HAWK DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 ROCA.
THE APPLICANT IS ROBERT HOLFORD.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM LIMITED RESIDENTIAL, A 3.1 AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL C ONE TO NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER NC PROPOSED USE PLANT NURSERY.
THE FUTURE BR LANE DESIGNATION IS COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD CASE 13 DASH 24 2900 TO 3000 VALLEY STREET.
STAFF CERTIFIES THAT THE PRO PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING, BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
I'M THE OWNER OF THE PLANT FARM, MR. HOLFORD, WHO WAS LISTED ON THE APPLICATIONS, THE, UH, ARCHITECT.
UM, WE, UH, I, I OWN AND OPERATE A PLANT NURSERY THERE ON 29 12 VALLEY STREET.
UM, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BUY THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION, UM, THAT IS BEHIND, UH, SOME RESIDENTIAL, UH, AREA IN BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA IN DAWSON'S CREEK.
UM, WE HOPE TO HAVE, WE'RE GONNA LIMIT OUR RETAIL SPACE TO THE PART THAT ALREADY ABUTS THE EXISTING, AND THEN EVERYTHING BEHIND THE EXISTING, UH, RESIDENCES BETWEEN THE RESIDENCES IN DAWSON'S CREEK.
WE CAN HAVE, UH, UH, WE'LL LIMIT THAT USE TO BACK STOCK, UH, MAYBE A TEMPORARY GREENHOUSE OR SOMETHING, A PLASTIC STRUCTURE.
UM, BUT, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'D, WE WOULD LIMIT THE, ANY KIND OF REAL, REAL RE RETAIL USE JUST TO THE PART THAT ABUTS THE EXISTING ALREADY.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO GET DONE TODAY.
AND WE HAVE A, UH, SPEAKER CALL FOR, UH, ROBERT HOLFORD.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ALSO? YES, I'M, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A SLIVER OF LAND THAT'S A THREE ONE NOW, BUT IT'S NOT, THE DIMENSIONS ARE NOT CORRECT FOR TRYING TO DEVELOP ANY KIND OF RESIDENTIAL BEHIND THERE.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY OVERGROWN AND JUST CRASH AND VARIOUS, NOTHING BACK THERE.
SO I THINK THE DESIRE WAS REALLY TO INCREASE THE RETAIL SPACE TO THE, TOWARDS VALLEY STREET ON THE, ON THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, IT WAS JUST THE OWNER OF THAT PIECE OF LAND SOLD IT AS ONE CONTINUOUS PIECE.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL KNOWING THAT IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE A THREE ONE.
UM, AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE LIMITED TO, IT'S A, IT'S, UH, JUST UNDER THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE, SO THAT'S ABOUT 32,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE KNOW WE'RE LIMITED TO A CERTAIN, UH, MAXIMUM RETAIL SPACE, AND THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY JUST TO BE SQUARE OFF THE, WHAT'S EXISTING RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT THE BUSINESS CURRENTLY HAS DEFINITELY IMPROVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WAS DELIGHTED FALLING DOWN OVERGROWN PROPERTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT OPERATES FROM EIGHT TO FIVE.
IT'S LOW NOISE, UH, NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC.
I THINK IT'S IMPROVED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROPERTY TAX AND, UH, UH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT, SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT.
WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKER COURTS THAT ARE IN FAVOR, BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THOSE ARE FOR MALICE BRADLEY AND RONELL BARRINGER.
I'M SORRY, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK MA'AM? OKAY.
JUST QUICKLY RESTATE YOUR NAME.
HI, MY NAME IS MELISSA BRADLEY.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT MY PROPERTY IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE PLANT BOND.
AND EVEN AS A LITTLE CHILD GROWING UP, I RECALL GOING TO
[01:10:01]
THE, IT WAS A CHURCH AND A STORE OVER THERE.UH, THAT PROPERTY STAYED BLIGHT FOR EXTENDED LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO COME AND PURCHASE THAT PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED BY THE PLANT BOND.
IT HAS BROUGHT BEAUTIFICATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SIDEWALKS IN THAT AREA, GREENERY, UH, HOLIDAYS.
IT LOOKS VERY NICE OVER THERE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY OPPOSITION, UH, FOR HIM TO PROCEED.
I DO KNOW THE PROPERTY IN QUESTIONING IS THE EXTENDED PART IN THE BACK, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH FOR NO HOMES TO BE BUILT ON.
WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION.
MY NAME IS MARCUS FERRY SENIOR.
CAN I PASS IT TO EACH ONE OF Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL MIND? UH, YOU CAN HAND THEM TO, UH, COMMISSIONER ADDISON ON THE END RIGHT NOW.
UM, LIKE I SAID, MY NAME IS MARCUS PERIOD, SR.
I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, UM, UH, OPPOSING THE REZONING OF, OF THE PROPERTY FOR MY, MY BUDDY JEREMY, UM, AND MEAN MOWS.
UM, THERE PROPOSED PLAN ORIGINALLY FOR THAT, UH, IS NURSERY VALLEY GREEN NURSERY WAS THE VALLEY GREEN NURSERY, AND THAT'S IT.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE PLANT BORN AND MEOWS.
SO IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AGREED TO.
UM, THE FIRST SESSION, THE NEIGHBOR, UH, WE DID, I DID COME IN HERE AS YOU ALL HAVE THE PACKET I SENT.
UM, WE WAS ACTUALLY OPPOSING IT, BUT MR. JERRY AND I ACTUALLY CAME TO SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT THAT HE WOULD BE A GOOD GUY AND KEEP HIS WORD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE HASN'T.
WELL, SINCE, UH, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID NOT COME TO THE, UH, DEFERRED DATE, UH, IN A, IN OPPOSITION.
UM, NOW WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM HERE WITH MR. JEREMY, A AFTER HE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, UM, THAT WE, WE ALLOW HIM TO REZONE.
NOW HE'S PUSHING FURTHER IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S NOT KEEPING ANY OF HIS WORDS AS HE'S PROMISED.
HE HASN'T HIRED ANYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE ONLY REASON WHY THE, THE YOUNG LADY HERE IS IN FAVOR FOR HIM.
HE ALSO DOES HER SERVICE SERVICES, UM, AND SHE'S ACTUALLY NEW TO THE COMMUNITY.
EVERYBODY, UM, HAS SIGNED THAT PETITION, HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS, SOME 80, 90 YEARS.
UM, WE, WE JUST CONCERNED AS MR. CLIFFORD GROUT SAID, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IF WE CONTINUE TO LET JEREMY, ME MOWS PLANT BORN, SUPPOSEDLY, UH, VALLEY GREEN NURSERY, CONTINUE TO SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD BEHIND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THERE IS NO BLACK BEHIND OUR HOMES.
UM, WE ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR EACH PROPERTY THAT HE'S ACQUIRED BEHIND OUR HOMES.
WE'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF OUR PROPERTIES FOR YEARS, UM, BEHIND OUR HOMES.
AND IT'S EVEN PART OF OUR, SOME, SOME OF US BACKYARDS.
UM, SO WE WANNA BLOCK THIS ZONING AND ANY FUTURE REZONING BECAUSE OF THIS TRUST AND ENVIRONMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.
AND I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I DO A LOT OF THINGS, BUT ON, IN MY HOBBY, I DO SMALL ENGINE WORK RIGHT THERE WHILE, WHILE I WORK OUT IN MY BACKYARD.
I'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME YEARS.
I DO PAPER FOR MY, FOR MY COMMUNITY, EVEN AZIZ GARDENS IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
MS. MARLENE PITMAN, UH, CAME TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETING ON THE EIGHTH, AND SHE HEARD US, SHE HEARD OUR VOICES AND SHE HAD SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT, SIR, GO AHEAD.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 15, 10 SECONDS.
SO THEREFORE, WE, WE WANT, WE PRAY THAT Y'ALL HEAR OUR WISH WISHES AND BLOCK ANY ZONING, OUR FUTURE ZONING BECAUSE OF DISHONESTY, TRUST, AND STATE THE CONCERNS.
MR. WILLIS, IF YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.
UH, I'M OWNER WILLIS AND SON PLUMBING REPAIR AND HOME MAINTENANCE.
AND I'M VERY AWARE OF WHAT MAY BE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE, UH, I'M A FOURTH GENERATION PROPERTY OWNER IN THE AREA.
AND, UH, MY FAMILY IS WHERE AS MR. ISH'S FAMILY HAS BEEN THERE ACTUALLY, WHERE ME AND MR. FERRY MET WITH LIFELONG FRIENDS.
AND, UH, I HAVE A FEELING THAT THIS IS GOING, THIS REZONING WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER REZONING, WHICH WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER REZONING, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY CAUSE MY HOME, UH, IN PROPERTIES THAT MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WORKED TO LEAVE TO US AS, UH, GIVES TO OUR FAMILY AND TO PASS ON TO OUR CHILDREN.
AND THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THOSE HOMES BEING DEMOLISHED.
AND IT WOULD BE REZONED TO, UH,
[01:15:01]
LIGHT COMMERCIAL OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT BE.UH, THE OWNER OF ME MOWS AS WELL.
HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT BLIGHT, BUT THEY CUT DOWN TREES AND LET THEM FALL IN DAWSON'S CREEK.
THAT'S THAT, THAT CREEK HAS FLOODED SINCE I'VE BEEN ALIVE.
I'VE, I'VE KNOWN ANYTIME IT RAINS, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
THEY WANT TO PUT UP A FENCE, THEY CUT THE TREES TO LET 'EM FALL IN THERE.
ANYONE DOESN'T BELIEVE ME, PASS OVER THAT THIS EVENING.
THEY GOT TREES OFF OF THEIR PROPERTY HANGING IN THE CANAL, AS WELL AS THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET.
WHEN WE WANNA SPEAK ON BLIGHTED PROPERTIES, YOU CAN, YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE YOUR OWN PROPERTY PROPERTY ISN'T BLIGHTED WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BLIGHTED PROPERTIES.
I, MYSELF WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT WAS LISTED UNDER ADJUDICATED, BUT MY HOME FLOODED.
SO I HAD TO USE ALL MY FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO, UH, MAKE REPAIRS TO MY HOME.
AND THAT'S WHAT CEASED MY OPERATIONS AS IN PURCHASING THE PROPERTY WHEN IT WAS ADJUDICATED, WHEN THEY HAD A HOME AND A, UH, IT, THE PROPERTY WAS BLIGHTED, IT HAD A HOME AND A CHURCH ON IT.
BUT, UH, MYSELF AS WELL AS THE OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA, I SPEAK ON ALL OF OUR BEHALF.
WHEN WE, I SAY THAT WE PRAY, UH, THAT YOU ALL WOULD, UH, OPPOSE THIS, UH, REZONING, UH, FROM, UH, A THREE ONE TO NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR IKA BOWIE.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS RIGHT NOW IS IF HE PUT STORAGE UNITS OR OTHER THINGS THERE, WILL IT FLOOD OUR AREA? THAT'S ONE THING.
AND THE OTHER THING WOULD BE, AND HE CHANGED IT LATER ON, HE WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE THERE.
THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER CARD.
UH, THEY DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, WE THINK WE, WE TOOK A, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS, UH, ABANDONED AND NOT IN USE AND PUT UP A GOOD LOOKING PLANT NURSERY ON.
AND WE, WE TRY TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE OF THE NEIGHBOR AS WE CAN TO EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, UH, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY ALSO NOT IN USE, HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED SINCE THE, THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS, UM, SECTIONED OFF.
AND AGAIN, WE HOPE TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE AS A NEIGHBOR AS WE CAN RESTRICT, UH, THE RETAIL USE TO WHAT ABUTS THE PROPERTY ALREADY.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, ANY SORT OF STRUCTURE THAT WE'D BE PUT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL WOULD BE LIKE A TEMPORARY HOOP HOUSE KIND OF GREENHOUSE KIND OF THING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A BUSINESS OWNER IN THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE, UH, PLANTED 30 TREES AT THE FLAME SCHOOL THERE, WHICH IS THE ONLY SCHOOL IN VALLEY PARK, UM, JUST OUTSIDE VALLEY PARK.
WE DO WORK, WE VOLUNTEER, WE GIVE MONEY TO BATON ROUGE GREEN.
THERE'S A LARGE INSTALLATION NEXT TO THE INTERSTATE RIGHT OUTSIDE VALLEY PARK.
UM, THE NEXT NEAREST SCHOOL IS, UH, WHAM.
WE, UH, DONATED AND INSTALLED A PERGOLA FOR WHAM.
WE'VE DONE, UH, WE'VE DONATED PLANTS TO, UH, THE NEW MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY.
WE'VE DONATED PLANTS TO THE, UM, UH, FOR BATON ROU TO THE, UM, HOWELL PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN.
SO WE, WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY BEING RESPONSIBLE, UM, CITIZENS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE ON STAFF THAT VOLUNTEER WITH, UH, KEEP TIGERTOWN BEAUTIFUL, THAT WENT OUT AND CLEANED UP THE OVERPASS.
SO WE DO, WE TRY TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE AS POSSIBLE, AND WE, UH, UNDERSTAND AND HEAR THE CONCERNS OF OUR NEIGHBORS.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, BEFORE INVITING ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, OBVIOUSLY A FEW CONCERNS WERE RAISED, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB, CAN YOU, UH, KIND OF CLARIFY WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO WITH ANY OTHER, OR I GUESS LESS INTENSE ZONING? AND ALSO LET ME KNOW WHAT IS THE MOST INTENSE USE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, COMMERCIAL THAT THEY'RE SEEKING? CERTAINLY, UH, THE DIFFERENCE IN
[01:20:01]
THIS ITEM VERSUS THE OTHER TWO ITEMS IS THAT THE APPLICANT'S NOT ASKING OR, OR IS REQUIRED TO ASK FOR A CHANGE IN THE LAND USE CATEGORY UNDER FUTURE VR.UH, THIS LAND IS DESIGNATED UNDER FUTURE VR AS A COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO ONLY COM, UH, COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, UH, COMMERCIAL USES OR ZONING DISTRICTS WOULD BE COMPATIBLE.
THAT'S WHAT THE APPLICANT'S ASKING FOR.
THE MOST RESTRICTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT.
IT HAS THE PROTECTION THAT IT LIMITS RETAIL, UH, STRUCTURES, UH, TO 2,500 SQUARE FEET PER LOT.
UH, OUTDOOR NURSERIES ARE LIMITED, UH, AND OUTDOOR SALES AREA TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET OF OUTDOOR SALES AREA PER LOT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT THE APPLICANT'S ASKING FOR TODAY IS, IS A REZONING, JUST A REZONING, NOT A COMPANION LAND USE AMENDMENT TO THE MOST RESTRICTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR ZONING, MR. UM, DIRECTOR, WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THIS SQUARE FOOT OF THE LOT THAT IS BEING ACTUALLY REZONING? UH, I DON'T HAVE A MAP IN FRONT OF ME.
LEMME PULL THAT INFORMATION UP.
THE TOTAL SIZE OF THE, THE REZONING OF THE AREA REQUESTED IS 32,000, UH, ROUGHLY 32,000 SQUARE FEET IN AREA.
AND I THINK I UNDERSTOOD THE APPLICANT TO SAY THAT IT'S ON THE BACKSIDE OF HIS CURRENT USED, USED PROPERTY THAT HE'S JUST EXPANDING HIS CURRENT FOOTPRINT.
UH, WOULD THAT BE CORRECT AS WELL? THAT'S CORRECT.
IF YOU SEE ON, UH, THE ATTACHED VICINITY MAP TO THE STAFF REPORT, IT'S A, UH, SMALL, UM, SLIVER OF PROPERTY THAT, THAT, UM, BACKS UP TO THE DRAINAGE CANAL THERE ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING BUSINESS AND NURSERY.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, I'M NOT ABLE TO GET IN MY SYSTEM HERE, SO I CAN'T SEE THE MAP.
THAT'S WHY I WAS, UH, SAYING THAT I USUALLY CAN READ MY MAPS FROM HERE.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE AREA IS LARGER, UM, THAN WHAT'S ALLOWED BY THE ZONING DISTRICT, THOSE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS BY THIS ZONING DISTRICT LIMIT HIM, UM, AND RESTRICT HIM TO A FURTHER SMALLER SCALE.
THE OVERALL AREA IS 32,000 SQUARE FEET, BUT AGAIN, HE'S LIMITED IN OUTDOOR, UH, SALES AREA AND STORAGE TO 10,000 SQUARE FEET FOR THE PLANT NURSERY.
AND ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE WOULD BE LIMITED TO 2,500 SQUARE FEET.
NOW, UNDER THIS CURRENT ZONING THAT HE'S APPLYING FOR, HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, THEY TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY PUTTING STRUCTURES ON THAT PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, I HEARD ONE OF THE, UM, PERSONS IN OPPOSITION TO TAKE TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBLE BUILDING SOMETHING ON IT.
IS, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE UNDER THIS ZONING AND THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF PROPERTY THAT HE'S LOOKING TO DO? ONLY ONE SMALL STRUCTURE PER LOT WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER THE ZONING DISTRICT.
ON THE, ON THE WHOLE LOT, I MEAN ON THE WHOLE STRUCTURE.
AND IF IT DIRECTLY ABUTTED ANY RESIDENTIAL USE, THERE WOULD BE A, A BUFFER YARD FOR ADDITIONAL PROTECTION OF FENCING AND ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING.
JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT PART.
I THINK THERE'S A GENTLEMAN IN THE PURPLE SHIRT.
I'M SORRY I DON'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME, BUT CAN YOU COME BACK UP FOR A MINUTE? I GOT HAND OUT THESE HERE, SIR.
UM, YOU GAVE ME SOME OF THE REASONS WHY YOU WERE OPPOSING THIS PARTICULAR, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU ALL MET BEFORE THE INITIAL, UH, APPLICANT AND HE DID NOT LIVE UP TO HIS AGREEMENT.
WHAT, WHAT AGREEMENTS ARE YOU SPEAKING OF IN REGARDS TO, UM, HIM NOT LIVING UP TO AGREEMENTS IN TERMS OF WHATEVER Y'ALL PREVIOUSLY AGREED UPON? CORRECT, YES, SIR.
UM, AS, AS YOU SEE AS EVERYBODY SEE ON THE ORIGINAL PLANS FOR VALET GREEN NURSERY.
WELL, THESE ORIGINAL PLANS, HIS, HIS BUSINESS IS NOT JUST VALET GREEN NURSERY.
THE PLANT BORN IN MEOWS OR THIS PROJECTED TO BE PLANTS, BUT IT'S NOT.
WELL, JEREMY AND I, I HAVE HIS PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER, UM, BEFORE HE EVEN ACQUIRED THE PROPERTIES, UM, HE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TELLING ME HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT HE HAD, UH, ANY POEMS, DEGREES HERE.
UH, AND THAT PEOPLE WERE, WERE UPSET WITH HIM FOR ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY.
UM, PRIME PROPERTY, AS HE SAID.
AND, UM, HE, HE ASKED WHAT I ACTUALLY, WHAT WE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, HE PASSED OUT DONUTS AND, UM, PRETTY MUCH TOLD, TOLD
[01:25:01]
US FIBS KIND OF STORIES.'CAUSE HE DIDN'T KEEP, HE'S END OF DEAL.
HIS END OF THE DEAL WAS TO HIRE EMPLOYEES FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE WHOLE CIRCLE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST PUT SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF HIS BUSINESS, BUT AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND HELP US OUT AND NOT ATTACK OUR PROPERTIES BEHIND OUR HOMES.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID AFTER HE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTIES AND WE ALLOWED HIM TO REZONE IT AFTER WE DIDN'T COME TO THE PERMIT OF, OF THE, OF, OF THE, OF THE SECOND TIME.
UM, AND, AND OF, UH, 16, WELL, HE WENT FORWARD TO, TO CONTACT THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, THE DEVELOPER THAT ACQUIRED THE PROPERTIES IN IN ADJUDICATION, WHICH WE, HE'S TRYING TO JUST REZONE NOW.
AND, AND HE, HE ALSO KNEW THAT EACH PROPERTY OWNER WAS IN INTEREST, WAS INTERESTED IN, HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE PROPERTY BEHIND OUR HOMES.
BUT HE MADE LIKE HE ONLY WANTED BEHIND, UM, THE PLANT BARN AND THAT'S IT.
AND HE, BUT HE AGREED JUST LAST WEEK TO SELL, TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO EACH HOMEOWNERS, MS. DEBORAH, I, MYSELF, AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHED TO BUY THE PROPERTY.
AND HE SAID, WE, HE ASKED US TO HELP HIM GET ONE PORTION BEHIND THE PLANT BORN REZONED UNKNOWN TO US.
HE WAS TRYING TO GET ALL OF IT REZONED, UNKNOWN TO US THAT HE WAS, HE WASN'T BEING HONEST, HE LIED.
I, I CALLED HIM TO, YOU KNOW, TOUCH BASES WITH HIM.
HEY BUDDY, WHAT'S GOING ON? HE SAID, HEY MAN, UH, THAT'S THE DEAL'S OFF THE TABLE, YOU KNOW? NO, YOU CALLED THE CITY ON ME AND I KNOW IT WAS YOU, MARCUS, IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU.
I WOULDN'T DARE WE LET YOU IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WHY WOULD I DO THAT? IT WAS YOU.
I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M GOING FORWARD.
IT WAS YOU AND, AND NOBODY WANTS THAT PROPERTY.
WELL, THE COMMUNITY IS HERE, WE ARE SPEAKING AND WE JUST WANT JUST SERVICE AND WE WANNA BE PROTECTED AND TO BLOCK ANY REZONING.
COMMISSIONER ADDISON, CHAIRMAN MCGRAW.
UM, THOSE ARE SOME FAIRLY STRONG COMMENTS AND I DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY AND THIS IS GETTING PERSONAL AND WE'RE NOT HERE FOR THAT.
MY TWO QUESTIONS ARE THE PROPERTY, THAT'S 3.1.
IF, IF THE, IF THE, IF THE SMALL SLIVER, UH, AGAINST THIS GENTLEMAN'S, UH, NURSERY IS, UH, IS BROUGHT INTO HIS PROPERTY THAT MAKES THIS, AND IT MAY ALREADY MAKE IT, THAT THIS SLIVER OF PROPERTY BEHIND THE A THREE ONE, WHICH IS ALSO A THREE ONE BECOMES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MR. DIRECTOR, IT, IT, IT BECOMES A PIECE OF PROPERTY WITH NO ACCESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, IT WOULD EITHER HAVE NO ACCESS OR VERY LIMITED ACCESS DEPENDING ON THE CONFI CONFIGURATION OF THAT, THAT BRIDGE OVER THE CANAL.
UM, THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT IT BASICALLY WOULD MAKE THIS PROPERTY, I DON'T WANNA SAY UNUSABLE, BUT IT WOULD JUST, IT WOULDN'T BE, IT'D BE GREEN SPACE, DEAD SPACE.
UM, I HAVE A CONCERN WITH THAT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER ISSUES ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID TO WHO AND WHEN AND WHAT PHONE CALLS WERE MADE, I, I CAN'T THAT'S A, THAT'S A HE SAID, HE SAID, AND UNLESS, YOU KNOW, I, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS REZONING.
THERE ARE SEVERAL NEIGHBORS WHO DO, UM, THE, THE OWNER CAN COME BACK UP.
CAN I NEED TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.
I, I REMEMBER THIS ORIGINAL ZONING WHEN IT CAME UP A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
UM, NOW WHAT, WHAT IS MI MOS AND WHAT IS PLANT BARN? MI MOSS IS A, UH, JUST A LAWN SERVICE AND PLANT BARNS, UH, PLANTERS.
SO YOU, YOU HAVEN'T, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE A, A COMMERCIAL FACILITY, A RESTAURANT THAT YOU'VE OPENED OR ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS? NO, SIR.
WE'RE, WE'RE CLOSED EVERY DAY BY FIVE.
AND HE HAS A VESTED INTEREST AND ME NOT GETTING INTO ZONING BECAUSE HE'S USING PART OF THIS LAND ALREADY FOR HIS OWN USE.
AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO PERSONALITIES HERE, BUT THAT'S, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE MAIN OPPOSITION TO IT.
SO, WELL, I SAID I DON'T WANNA GET INTO AGAIN, HE SAID, HE SAID.
AND WHAT'S, WHO'S DOING WHAT TO WHOM AND WHEN.
MY CONCERN IS THE U THE POSITIVE USE OF THIS LAND.
I MEAN, I'M, I'M KIND OF SURPRISED THE CITY HASN'T GIVEN IT BACK TO THE, THE OWNERS OR, OR, YOU KNOW, HAD SOME, BUT THAT'S A MECHANISM THAT'S OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL.
WHAT'S BEFORE US IS BEFORE US.
[01:30:01]
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA BE LIMITED TO WHAT YOU ARE ALLOWED UNDER THAT ZONING.I CAN'T SAY WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO, WHAT BUILDING YOU PUT WHERE, UM, YOU JUST HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ZONING.
SO I'M GONNA THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A FEW MOMENTS, BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR RESPONSES.
MR. UM, I'M NOT SURE YOUR NAME.
MR. CAN YOU COME BACK UP? MM-HMM.
YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY, CORRECT? YES, I AM.
OKAY, SO IT'S NOT A CITY'S PROPERTY, IT'S ACTUALLY A PRIVATE OWNED PROPERTY THAT WE TOOK REZONED HERE.
IT'S NOT HE OWN, YOU OWN THE PROPERTY? YES, SIR.
I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE, WHAT WE STATING HERE.
WE ACTUALLY REZONING PROPERTY THAT YOU AS THE APPLICANT DESIRES TO HAVE REZONED.
THE, UH, THE BUILDING ON THIS RENDERING THAT YOU GAVE US, IS THIS A PROPOSED NEW STRUCTURE OR IS THIS THAT'S OUR, THAT'S IN PLACE THAT THE BUILDING THAT WAS PROPOSED WAS BUILT AND IT'S IN PLACE AND WE'VE BEEN OPEN, SEPTEMBER WAS A YEAR.
AND, UM, UM, WE JUST NEED ONE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE RETAIL SPACE AND THEN SOME, THE PRO THE, THE AREAS BEHIND THE HOUSES, JUST AN AREA TO KIND OF HAVE LIKE A HOLDING AREA, LINES OF PLANTS.
AND PERHAPS THE ONLY STRUCTURES WE REALLY WANT TO PUT ON THERE ARE, UM, GREENHOUSES, WHICH ARE, UH, UH, POOP HOUSES WITH COVERED IN PLASTIC.
ANYBODY ELSE ALSO NEED TO ADD, BECAUSE THIS AREA IS IN A, A FLOOD ZONE, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP, THAT ADDS ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS.
THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT BUILDING OTHER STRUCTURES.
UH, ANYTHING OTHER THAN PLANT STORAGE OR GREENHOUSE NON INHABITABLE BUILDINGS, IT, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? ANY MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER ADDISON, I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE.
THAT ITEM IS APPROVED AT THIS TIME.
[12.CONSENT FOR APPROVAL Case 15-24 9432 Jefferson Highway ]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, CASE 15 24 94 32 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY CASE 15 DASH 24 9 4 3 2 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, EAST OF BLUE BONNET ROAD COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS. THE APPLICANT IS BRYAN
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A CHANGE IN ZONING FROM SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, A ONE TO GENERAL OFFICE, LOW RISE, GOL PROPOSED USE MEDICAL CLINIC.
THE FUTURE BE DESIGNATION IS COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD CASE 15 DASH 24 9 4 3 2 JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
STAFF CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS MURRAY MCCULLOUGH WITH BENCHMARK GROUP.
UH, 1 2 2 3, 2 INDUSTRIAL PLEX BOULEVARD, SUITE NINE, BATON ROUGE, 7 0 8 0 9.
I REPRESENT, UH, THE APPLICANT IN THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AS YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY AND BLUEMONT DRIVE.
UH, AND WE ARE REQUESTING THE USE AS A MEDICAL OFFICE FACILITY.
MY, UH, CLIENT IS WORKS WITH, IS AN PARTNER WITH DR.
WEER, A PLASTIC SURGEON, COSMETIC SURGEON.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE THEIR, UH, MEDICAL OFFICE FACILITY.
UM, IT IS CONSISTENT AS, UH, AS IT STATED WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT.
UH, AND IT IS, UH, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S ACROSS BLUE BON DRIVE IS SOME ATTACHED TOWN HOMES.
AND THEN TO OUR EAST IS ANOTHER OFFICE COMPLEX, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE.
THIS IS NOT MULTIPLE OFFICES, THIS IS STRICTLY THE USE FOR THE DOCTOR, THE WHOLE FACILITY.
SO IT'S NOT FOR RENT PROPERTY THAT I'M AWARE OF AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I'LL, UH, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
IF NOT, UM, WE, WE WOULD, UH, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS REQUEST BE APPROVED.
YOU AND, UH, I HAVE, UH, MR. VOTH HERE WITH THE, UH,
[01:35:01]
HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.I DON'T KNOW IF IT GOT TO YET, BUT HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL.
MR. LAVO, YOU CAN APPROACH AT THIS TIME.
UM, I MURRAY BASICALLY SAID EVERYTHING POINT BLANK OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE.
UH, WE DO HAVE OFFICES STRETCHING ALL ACROSS LOUISIANA AND THIS IS, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN BATON ROUGE AND WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE US SOME MORE, UH, OPPORTUNITY.
WE, UH, CURRENTLY HAVE A LOCATION YOU CAN LOOK IT UP ON, UH, AT 42 12 BLUE BONNET.
FRANKLY, WE'VE LOOKED RUN OUT OF SPACE, UH, NOT A LOT AVAILABLE IN THAT COMPLEX.
WE ACTUALLY MOVED OUR METRO TO THE METRO ON JEFFERSON TO PUT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, BUILDING THERE OR, UH, TO INCREASE OUR SPACE.
AND THIS WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE COMMUNITY A POSITIVE WAY.
WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, SPEAKER CORDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THE IDEA OF THE, THE MEDICAL OFFICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THE OFFICE TO BUILDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE IT ATTRACTS MORE TRAFFIC AND CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY.
SO IT'S AN OFFICE, SO PEOPLE ARE, ARE GONNA COME AND VISIT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE JOGGING AND IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, OR THEY HAVE THE, THE BABIES, THE KIDS ARE CYCLING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I, I DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE FOR THE OFFICE TO HAVE LIKE A, A COMMERCIAL OFFICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I MEAN, WE ALREADY HAVE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE, LIKE THEY'RE DRIVING TOO FAST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT IS, IT IS THE SAFETY RISK.
OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR MUTAR KHAN ON THAT, UH, HI.
THAT AREA IS A STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL.
I WANT IT TO REMAIN STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE ANY NON-RESIDENTIAL VIEWS WILL BRING UNWANTED TRAFFIC AND OUR FAMILIES WALK THERE, JOG THERE, AND I JUST DO NOT WANT THEIR, UH, SAFETY TO BE JEOPARDIZED OR COMPROMISED.
SO I JUST WANT IT TO BE STRICTLY REGISTER.
I ALSO, UH, LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UM, THERE'S BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD, WHICH HAS MULTIPLE PLASTIC SURGERY OFFICES, MULTIPLE MEDICAL CLINICS, UH, AND THEN THERE'S EAST OF BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD, UH, TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE ON JEFFERSON, WHERE THERE'S ALSO MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, INCLUDING A LOT OF THE SIMILAR SIZE AVAILABLE FOR THE EXACT SAME PRICE.
AS I WAS ALSO LOOKING INTO PURCHASING BOTH OF THESE LOTS MYSELF.
UM, THAT IS ALREADY LISTED AS COMMERCIAL ZONE TWO.
THAT WOULD BE MORE IDEAL FOR, UH, THIS KIND OF THING.
THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD, WHICH RUNS ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN, HAS A REPLACED BLUE BON DRIVE THAT HAS, UH, ZONING DISTRICTS, BDD, BLUE BONNET DESIGN DISTRICTS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE ALL OF THESE MEDICAL CLINICS AND VARIOUS DIFFERENT THINGS ARE.
UM, AS FAR AS ON BLUE BON DRIVE, IT IS STRICTLY A ALL THE WAY NORTH, UH, ABOVE JEFFERSON, ALL THE WAY SOUTH BELOW JEFFERSON.
WHERE IT ENDS AT, UH, THE NEW BLUE BONNET DRIVE IS, IS STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL, UH, STREET.
AND AS WE POINTED OUT, UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE FAMILY MEMBERS.
WE OWN, UH, ABOUT FOUR LOTS AND HOUSES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, VASCULAR SURGEON WHO I'VE SPOKEN TO ABOUT IT.
HE OWNS FIVE LOTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S A, UH, GASTROENTEROLOGIST IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE OWNS THREE LOTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE I DIDN'T GET THE SIGNATURES FROM THEM, I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH THEM.
NOBODY WANTS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDITIONAL, BUT THIS IS A REQUEST FOR OFFICE DISTRICT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING BETWEEN DILLA, WHICH RUNS UP AND DOWN NORTH ON THE LEFT SIDE OR THE WEST SIDE BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD, WHICH RUNS NORTH AND SOUTH ON THE EAST SIDE, AND THEN JEFFERSON AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO I 10, THE ENTIRE DISTRICT IS RESIDENTIAL.
THERE'S NO OTHER THAN ON THE BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD ITSELF, I'M SORRY, ON THE BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD ITSELF.
THERE'S NO OFFICE, UH, OFFICE LOCATED ON THERE.
THE BUILDING TO THE EAST THAT THEY'RE DISCUSSING IS IN THE INTERIM OR UM, IN TRANSIT TYPE OF ZONING.
AND IT'S OWNED BY THE STATE OR THE CITY.
SO THEY, THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE ANYTHING NON-RESIDENTIAL.
THE ENTIRE, YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S ALL A A A, UM, EVEN THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF BLUE BONNET DRIVE THAT IS THERE IS A 2.5 TOWNHOUSES, UM, AS WELL AS A ONE, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY A LOT THAT WAS PURCHASED, THAT WAS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, A ONE, AND IT'S BEING CHANGED OVER TO AN OFFICE DISTRICT, THE, YOU KNOW, GENERAL OFFICE LOW RISE.
SO AGAIN, CONSIDERING THE QUALITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
[01:40:01]
BEING AN ENTIRELY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, WE OPPOSE IT FOR THAT REASON.THE SECOND REASON TO OPPOSE IT FOR IS IF THE DOCTOR HAS A REASON TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD SOMETHING.
THERE'S BETTER OPTIONS WHERE THERE'S MORE COMMERCIAL ALL ALONG.
BDD ALONG THE BLUE BARN AND BOULEVARD, THERE'S MULTIPLE OFFICES AVAILABLE, THERE'S MULTIPLE, LOTS FOR SALE.
UH, AND UH, IF WE'RE BUILDING FROM SCRATCH, YOU CAN BUILD OVER THERE OR OTHERWISE.
UM, I MYSELF HAVE, UH, BUILT TWO DIFFERENT CLINICS, SO I DON'T WANT TO BE IN OPPOSITION TO HIM FOR AS FAR AS BUILDING HIS PRACTICE AND BRINGING QUALITY TO THE, UH, CITY AND STATE.
BUT, UH, THERE'S BETTER PLACES TO DO IT RATHER THAN IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
YES, AT THIS TIME I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REBUTTAL.
WE DID, UM, I MEANT TO MENTION THIS IN MY, UH, PRESENTATION.
WE DID SPEAK TO COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS ABOUT THIS EXTENSIVELY.
AND, UH, SHE SEEMS TO BE ON BOARD WITH IT.
UM, AND I DON'T BELIEVE SHE HAD GOTTEN ANY CAUSE OF OPPOSITION, AT LEAST NOT AT THE TIME WE SPOKE TO HER.
THAT BEING SAID, WE THINK THIS IS A, A, A PERFECT TRANSITION.
MANY OF THE PROPERTIES I THINK HE SPOKE ABOUT ON JEFFERSON, BETWEEN SILLA AND ON, PARTICULARLY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF JEFFERSON, ARE GOING COMMERCIAL.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE FACILITIES THAT ARE GOING COMMERCIAL.
THIS PIZZA PROPERTY IS VACANT.
IT'S NEVER GONNA BE DEVELOPED AS A ONE.
IT IS A GREAT TRANSITION BETWEEN THE, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A MULTI-FAMILY.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SINGLE FAMILY OWNED TOWN HOMES, BUT THEY ARE CONNECTED ACROSS THE STREET FROM US AND THEN ADJACENT TO US IS ALSO AN OFFICE COMPLEX.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY PERFECT FOR THE USE THE GENERAL OFFICE.
LOW RISE IS, WHILE IT ALLOWS OTHER THINGS, IT'S FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE AS WELL.
BEFORE, BEFORE THE MEETING, THERE WAS ANOTHER COUPLE OF FOLKS HERE THAT, THAT HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
ONE GENTLEMAN, I GOT HIS CARD, MR. MATT HENDERSON, I THINK HE LIVES IN THE TOWN HOMES.
AND THERE WAS A LADY WITH HIM, AND I APOLOGIZE, I DID NOT GET HER NAME, BUT, UH, THEY HAD ASKED US SOME QUESTIONS.
WE HAD, UM, ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS JUST RIGHT OUT HERE IN THE LOBBY.
THEY ENDED UP LEAVING BECAUSE THEY WERE, THEY SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
AND THEY WERE ADJACENT TO THIS.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
MY, MY CLIENT HAS A PURCHASE AGREEMENT ON IT, AND THE OWNER HAS, HAS AUTHORIZED THE, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REZONING AND THE COM.
THE, UH, PLANNING STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED OR HAS CERTIFIED THAT IT'S CONSISTENT AND THEREFORE WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT, UH, THIS PROPERTY BE RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE COUNCIL.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
I'LL EVEN ASK A FEW IF YOU WANT.
I THINK WE'RE BORN MR. ADDISON.
MR. ADDISON IS, UH, VERY CAPABLE OF KEEPING HIMSELF ENTERTAINED.
I'M SURE HE IS DOING FINE OVER THERE.
WE, UH, WE'VE CONCLUDED THE, WE'RE CONCLUDING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IF SOMEBODY, IF SOMEBODY, IF SOMEBODY CALLS YOU TO, TO SPEAK, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, BUT HE'S, HE'S AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REBUT WHAT YOU SAID AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS DURING YOUR THREE MINUTE, UH, PERIOD.
SO AT THIS TIME, AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL INVITE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION.
VICE CHAIRMAN, MC GRUB, UH, MR. DIRECTOR DOES THE GENERAL OFFICE LOW RISE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, DOES THAT LIMIT THEM IN THEIR SIZES OF BUILDINGS? IT'S, UH, LIMITED BY SCALE.
SO IT'S A, A LOW SCALE BY DEFINITION.
THERE IS A, UH, MORE INTENSE SCALE, GENERAL OFFICE HIGH RISE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, A BUDDING ZONING OF B ONE, IT'S, IT'S AN OLD INACTIVE ZONING DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE MOST, UM, COMPATIBLE ZONING DISTRICT, A SIMILAR ZONING DISTRICT TO THE OLD B ONE.
SO IT, IT, IT IS A, A TRANSITIONAL ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, SIMILAR IN CONTEXT TO THE OLD B ONE NEXT TO IT.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? I'M LOOKING AT YOU MR. ADDISON.
YOU, YOU OKAY? YOU SURE? OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANY MOTIONS? I ALSO NEED TO POINT OUT ON THE STAFF REPORT, IT'S HIGHLIGHTED, THIS IS IN A OVERLAY DISTRICT IN THE BLUE BONNET BOULEVARD OVERLAY DISTRICT.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS AWARE OF THAT.
SO THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION THIS OFFICE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE, UH, WHENEVER THEY SUBMIT FOR SITE PLANNING, LAYOUT AND, AND PERMITTING.
[01:45:02]
THANK YOU.QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND MOTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION MEMBERS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LANDER? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE.
[14. CONSIDERATION TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL MEETING DATE APRIL 22 ]
NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 14, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION TO ESTABLISH A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON MONDAY, APRIL 22ND.YOUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IN APRIL.
IS APRIL 15TH, UH, THE MONDAY BEFORE THIS DATE.
LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS, UH, THE, THE CONSULTANT FOR THE, UM, FLORIDA BOULEVARD MASTER PLAN, THAT'S UNDERWAY NOW, PERKINS AND WILL.
UM, THERE, UH, BILL BATON ROUGE IS COORDINATING THAT EFFORT, BUT THE NATIONAL CONSULTANT TEAM, UH, WITH, WITH LOCAL CONSULTANTS HAVE BEEN, UH, PROCEEDING WITH, WITH WORK AND PROGRESS ON THAT PLAN.
AND THEY SIMPLY REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE, UM, TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING DATE.
AGAIN, I'M, I'M SUGGESTING MONDAY, APRIL 22ND.
THAT'S THE DATE THEY PROVIDED THIS MEETING WOULD BE, BE AT OUR OFFICE, 1100 LAUREL STREET AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
UH, WE WOULD NEED A MOTION, UH, TO SET THAT MEETING DATE.
AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A MORE INFORMAL SETTING JUST TO HEAR FEEDBACK ON THE STATUS OF THAT PLAN, THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE THUS FAR.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, COMING TO YOU LATE LATER THIS SUMMER AS A SMALL AREA PLAN.
BUT AGAIN, THIS WOULD JUST BE SETTING A SPECIAL MEETING DATE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION AT THAT MEETING.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER GROUT, UH, TO APPROVE THE ITEM FOR THIS SPECIAL MEETING.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER? ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS APPROVED.
[DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]
COMMUNICATIONS, BEGINNING WITH DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS.SO A FEW THINGS TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
A REMINDER, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL BE ALL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, MARCH 29TH IN OBSERVANCE OF THE, UH, GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY FOR THE CITY, PARISH AND STATE HOLIDAYS.
UH, THE NEXT MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL BE YOUR REGULAR MEETING ON APRIL 15TH, FOLLOWED BY A SPECIAL MEETING YOU JUST SAID ON APRIL 22ND, THE APRIL 15TH MEETING.
OF COURSE WE'LL BE HERE APRIL 22ND.
THE SPECIAL MEETING WILL BE AT OUR OFFICE AND WE'LL SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS AND MAKE CALLS FOR BOTH OF THOSE.
AND I NEED TO WISH A BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CHAIRMAN.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAIRMAN, WASHINGTON.
I THINK YOU HAD A RECENT BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND.
[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS AND I WILL BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING OUR LATEST EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.DERRICK, UH, THE CURRENT PLANNING DIVISION, SHE'S THE LATEST EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AND SHE'S, SHE HAS PROVIDED A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEPARTMENT IN HER DUTIES.
SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REVIEW OF REZONING APPLICATIONS AND PREPARING ZONING LETTERS.
SHE'S CONSISTENTLY DEPENDABLE AND IS PUNCTUAL AND REPORTING TO WORK IN ALL OF HER ASSIGNMENTS, YOLANDA DISPLAYS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND OVERALL WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST OTHERS.
SHE NEVER HESITATES TO STEP INTO, STEP IN TO HELP WITH NEW TASKS WHEN OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ARE OUT OF THE OFFICE.
PLEASE JOIN ME AND CONGRATULATING YOLANDA.
SHE ALSO IS KIND ENOUGH TO LET US INTO THE BUILDING, UH, TODAY, SO WE'RE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN MOTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT? I'LL SECOND IT FROM THE CHAIR.
ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THE MEETING'S ADJOURNED.