Mar 17, 2025 Planning Commission

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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,

[ROLL CALL]

COMMISSIONER ADDISON. COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER BOYD HERE. COMMISSIONER BROWNELL HERE.

COMMISSIONER ELLENDER. COMMISSIONER FOWLER HERE.

COMMISSIONER SCROGGS HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR HOLCOMB. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO APPROVING THE MINUTES? SEEING NONE. THESE ITEMS HAVE NOW BEEN APPROVED AT THIS TIME.

I WILL ASK VICE CHAIRMAN CLIFFORD GROUT TO READ IN THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS.

[RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS]

ANY INTERESTED MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON AN ITEM FROM THIS AGENDA MAY COMMENT IN PERSON AT CITY HALL, 222 SAINT LOUIS STREET, THIRD FLOOR, ROOM 348.

DURING THE MEETING, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DESIRING TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR ITEM SHOULD REFER TO A MEETING AGENDA AND COMPLETE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY FILLING OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD INDICATING WHICH ITEM YOU WISH TO SPEAK, AND PLACE IT IN THE EXCUSE ME IN THE DESIGNATED LOCATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING, APPLICANT AND APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE PROPOSAL WILL SPEAK FIRST FOR A TOTAL OR COMBINED PERIOD OF NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.

PROPONENTS WILL SPEAK, 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.

APPLICANTS WILL BE ALLOWED A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES FOR REBUTTAL.

OPPONENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO REBUT. ITEMS PLACED IN 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 THE ITEM.

IN SUCH CASES, THE PROPOSAL WILL FOLLOW THE STANDARD PROCEDURE.

MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.

WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

TRACK PROPOSED FLAG LOT. MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JACKSON ROAD, WEST OF HUGHES ROAD.

WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT ON FEBRUARY 21ST. CONSENT ITEMS FOR DEFERRAL ITEM NINE, CUP 4 20, SAINT THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL BUILDING ADDITION.

PROPOSED BUILDING ADDITIONS TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF SHERBROOK DRIVE, EAST OF DARTMOOR DRIVE. DEFERRED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DON JUNIOR TO APRIL 21ST.

CONSENT ITEMS FOR APPROVAL. ITEM FIVE, CASE 825, 1201 MILLERVILLE ROAD TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL.

TWO LC TWO LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF MELVILLE ROAD, SOUTH OF OLD HAMMOND HIGHWAY.

ITEM SIX PUD 200 DUNKIN DONUTS FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVISION.

PROPOSED REVISION TO THE SITE. CIRCULATION AND PARKING ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WESLEY DRIVE, WEST OF BURBANK DRIVE. ITEM 7200 DUTCH BROTHERS COFFEE FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

PROPOSED RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THRU ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF WESLEY DRIVE, WEST OF BURBANK DRIVE. ITEM 8, PUD-507 OCHSNER HEALTH SYSTEM SURGERY EXPANSION.

THE GROVE FINAL DEVELOPMENT, FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN REVISION THREE.

PROPOSED REVISION FOR BUILDING ADDITIONS. LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE GROVE BOULEVARD, SOUTH OF INTERSTATE TEN. ITEM 11, CS 225 ROY A SCHNOEBELEN TRACT PROPOSED FLAG LOT MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HOOPER ROAD, EAST OF MICKENS ROAD. PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF CERTIFIES THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.

THANK YOU, MR. BALDWIN. COMMISSION 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 THIS COMMISSION WHO HAVE AN ITEM THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE PULLED FROM CONSENT AND HEARD AS PART OF THE REGULAR AGENDA? ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOYD, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SCROGGS.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO ACCEPTING THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE, THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.

MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS CAN BE TAKEN TOGETHER.

[Items 2 & 3]

PA 125 18510 SAMUELS ROAD.

RELATED CASE 725 PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAMUELS ROAD, SOUTH OF MOUNT PLEASANT ZACHARY ROAD,

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THE CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS AGRICULTURAL RURAL.

THE REQUESTED FUTURE BR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS EMPLOYMENT CENTER.

THE EXISTING ZONING IS RURAL, WHERE THE REQUESTED ZONING OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL M1.

PA 125 18510 SAMUELS ROAD RELATED TO CASE 725.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PLAN AMENDMENT BASED UPON EXAMINATION OF THE AREA AT A FURTHER LEVEL OF DETAIL AND COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING USES.

STAFF ALSO CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING IF THE COMPANION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT IS APPROVED, BEING COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.

PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED NINE 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 NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.

GOOD EVENING. DOES. IT NEED TO BE CLOSER TO THE MIC? THERE YOU GO. LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.

IS THAT BETTER? YES, SIR. EXCELLENT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. AGAIN.

MY NAME IS SCOTT SANDERS. I'M WITH AMBROSE PROPERTY GROUP.

MY ADDRESS IS 8888 KEYSTONE CROSSING, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, 46240.

AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY ZACH SCHMIDT WITH CSRS.

AND HE'LL INTRODUCE HIMSELF AFTER I GIVE A FEW REMARKS.

OUT OF OUT OF THE GATE. I'LL START BY SAYING, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TONIGHT, PLANNING COMMISSION TO HEAR OUR TWO REQUESTS FOR REZONING THIS PROPERTY.

AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR JOINING AN EVENT LIKE THIS.

WE AT AMBROSE ARE VERY ACCUSTOMED TO HEARINGS LIKE THIS.

WE DEVELOP NATIONWIDE, AND THE PRODUCT WE DEVELOP IS E-COMMERCE, DISTRIBUTION TYPE WAREHOUSING.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AT THESE EARLY STAGES TO HEAR FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE LEAD FORWARD ARE VERY RESPONSIBLE AND DO RIGHT BY EVERYBODY. THAT'S JUST KIND OF HOW WE DO BUSINESS.

I'LL START BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EARLY DAYS OF FIRST STEP FOR US.

OUR GOAL IS TO DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION TYPE FACILITIES THAT ATTRACT LARGE BUSINESSES, THAT ATTRACT JOBS, THAT ATTRACT INVESTMENT. AND ONE OF THE VERY FIRST QUESTIONS WE GET WHEN TALKING TO THESE TYPE OF CUSTOMERS NATIONWIDE IS, IS THE PROPER ZONING IN PLACE FOR THIS PROPERTY THAT YOU WANT TO SHOW US, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEKING HERE TODAY.

I IMAGINE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BOTH INTERESTED IN JUST WHAT IS THIS PROPERTY LIKELY GOING TO BE DEVELOPED FOR, WHICH I'LL SHARE BRIEFLY HERE AND THEN ALSO PROBABLY HAS VERY SIMILAR CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR A LOT TRAFFIC, POLLUTION, NOISE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT ARE APPROPRIATE CONCERNS AND THINGS THAT WE WILL MITIGATE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THE PARISH.

SO WHAT IS IT THAT WE PLAN TO DEVELOP? IT IS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HEAR INDUSTRIAL, YOU THINK OF THINGS LIKE SMOKESTACKS AND HEAVY MANUFACTURING.

THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO. THAT'S NOT THE BUSINESS WE'RE IN. AND THAT'S NOT THE TYPE OF BUILDINGS THAT WE'LL DEVELOP. OUR BUILDINGS ARE CLEAN.

WE HAVE VERY SUSTAINABLE FEATURES IN THESE BUILDINGS.

AND REALLY, THE ONLY YOU KNOW, USE OF THESE BUILDINGS IS AUTOMOBILES AND PEOPLE COMING TO WORK, AND THEN TRUCKS MOVING GOODS IN AND OUT OF THESE FACILITIES. AND IT'S THE TYPE OF BUILDING WE DO ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE CHOSE THIS SITE, AND ZACH WILL HIT ON THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE BASED ON ITS LOCATION.

WE FELT THAT THERE WAS OTHER VERY SIMILAR ZONING THAT WE'RE SEEKING IN THE AREA.

AND ALSO THE LOCATION ON I 61 HIGHWAY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AND TO SOME OF OUR TRAFFIC.

SO I'LL STEP ASIDE AND LET ZACH SCHMIDT WITH CSRS ADDRESS MORE OF THE TACTICAL NATURE OF OUR SUBMISSION.

YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. ZACH SCHMIDT, 8555 UNITED PLAZA BOULEVARD.

SO, YEAH, SO, AS SCOTT SAID, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HERE FOR A REZONING REQUEST. WE HAVEN'T SUBMITTED ANY SITE PLAN DOCUMENTS, SO WE KNOW IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROPOSE HERE. SO WE WANTED TO GIVE A COUPLE OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS. AND THEN INVITE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER.

SO FIRST OFF WITH REGARDS TO ACCESS, WE PLAN FOR THE MAIN ACCESS TO BE OFF OF HIGHWAY 61.

SO NO ACCESS WILL BE PROPOSED. OFF OF BARNETT ROAD, WHICH IS THE ROAD DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE PROPERTY OR EAST OF THE PROPERTY.

THE ONLY THE ONLY PURPOSE WE WOULD PUT ACCESS ON BARNETT ROAD WOULD BE IF WE'RE REQUIRED TO FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY OR EMERGENCY VEHICLE STANDPOINT.

WE DO PLAN TO SUBMIT A DRAINAGE IMPACT STUDY WITH OUR SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL THAT WILL SORT OF DETAIL OUR DRAINAGE PLAN AND EVERYTHING THAT'S REQUIRED BASED OFF THE UDC FOR THAT.

FOR NOISE. WE DO HAVE A PLAN TO USE, YOU KNOW, EARTHEN SCREENINGS ALONG BARNETT ROAD AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS TO,

[00:10:06]

WE WILL PREPARE FULL LIGHTING PLAN WITHIN THE PLANNING COMMISSION SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL THAT WILL DETAIL OUT THE FOOT CANDLES AND, YOU KNOW, SHOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY IMPACT AT THE PROPERTY LINE.

SO WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKER CARDS IN OPPOSITION.

THE FIRST IS FOR KATHY ROGELIO. ROGELIO. THANK YOU.

BOTH MY PROPERTIES ON BARNETT ROAD ARE ADJACENT TO THE NORTH PROPERTY LINE OF 18510 SAMUELS ROAD.

BEING A PRIVATE MUSIC TEACHER AND PERFORMER ON BOTH ORGAN AND PIANO, AS WELL AS A PIANO TUNER TECHNICIAN REBUILDER SENDS ME TO SOME OUTSIDE JOBS.

HOWEVER, MOST OF MY WORK IS DONE FROM HOME AND ALMOST ALL OF IT REQUIRES EXTREME QUIET SURROUNDINGS FOR CONSECUTIVE HOURS.

SOME OF MY WORK INCLUDES TUNING MY PERSONAL INSTRUMENTS FOR REHEARSALS, WHETHER SOLO OR ENSEMBLE, TEACHING LESSONS, AND PREPARING FOR PERFORMING.

THEREFORE, THE PA 125 EMPLOYMENT CENTER WOULD PROHIBIT MY ABILITY TO CONTINUE MAKING A LIVING AS I AM SELF-EMPLOYED.

MOREOVER, CASE 725 M-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL REZONING WOULD CAUSE ME SEVERE HEARING LOSS, THEREBY CAUSING GREAT PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HARM BY ALSO ENDING MY SELF-EMPLOYMENT LIVELIHOOD.

BOTH THE AFOREMENTIONED PA AND M-1 BECOME A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL HIGHWAY TRAVEL FOR US AND OTHERS AS SLEEP DEPRIVATION FROM 24 OVER SEVEN INDUSTRIAL NOISE CAUSES DRIVERS TO BECOME ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL WHEN DRIVING.

OTHER CONCERNS ARE HAZARDS TO MY CHICKENS AND BEES, MY GARDEN AND MYSELF REGARDING ANY KINDS OF TOXINS GENERATED BY SUCH A DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER AIRBORNE OR FROM WATER OR WATER RUNOFF.

SINCE ALL OF MY PROPERTIES WILL BE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THESE THINGS, MUCH OF THE WATER RUNOFF DRAINS TO BOTH MY PROPERTIES.

MOREOVER, THE GREATER VOLUME OF AND THE FASTER THE RUNOFF CAUSED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT PROHIBITS MY ABILITY TO WALK OR DRIVE ON MY PROPERTIES WHERE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO IT. THIS IS A DAILY NECESSITY. INCREASE IN INDUSTRIAL NOISE WILL NOTICEABLY DECREASE MY CHICKENS EGGS PRODUCTION.

LIGHT POLLUTION WILL PREVENT ANY SKYGAZING WHICH IS EXCELLENT.

CURRENTLY INCREASE IN SURROUNDING TRAFFIC VOLUME WILL BE INTOLERABLE.

WHAT PROTECTION WILL BE PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT CRIME FROM OCCURRING? HOW WILL THIS AFFECT OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND TAXES? ARE THERE ANY STUDIES REGARDING THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF OUR WILDLIFE AND ITS HABITAT, AS THIS AREA IS KNOWN TO BE OUTSTANDING HABITAT FOR DEER, FOX, BLACK BEAR, GOLDEN AND BALD EAGLES, WILD GEESE, DUCKS AND TURKEYS, TO NAME JUST A FEW.

PERHAPS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO DEVELOPING 18 510 SAMUELS ROAD INTO A WILDLIFE PRESERVE INSTEAD OF AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER. M-1 INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR CHLOE STRICKLAND. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. I'M ALSO A PROPERTY OWNER OF MULTIPLE PROPERTIES ON BARNETT ROAD.

AND I'M ADJACENT TO THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S BEING REZONED.

I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE REZONING. THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL REZONING IS VERY VAGUE AND OBSCURE, AND THE FACT THAT BASICALLY THE PROPERTY OWNER OR DEVELOPER WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD ANY FORM OF BUILDINGS SHORT OF A CHEMICAL PLANT OR A REFINERY ON THIS LOCATION.

AT THE TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE SAYING A WAREHOUSE, BUT IT IS RAISES STILL RAISES A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS IN MY MIND.

ONE WHAT IS THE DRAINAGE? IS THERE A PLAN FOR THE DRAINAGE? BECAUSE WE ARE, AS KATHY SAID, A DRAINAGE PROBLEM.

WE HAVE A DRAINAGE PROBLEM THERE ALREADY. WHAT ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS WILL MY PROPERTY BE SUBJECT TO? IS THERE ANY POLLUTION THAT'S GOING TO BE GENERATED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT? WILL THERE BE LOUD, DISTRACTING NOISES AT RANDOM HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT? AND WHAT BENEFITS WILL MY PROPERTY RECEIVE FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT OR REZONING? WILL MY PROPERTY VALUES GO UP OR GO DOWN? WILL THE DEVELOPMENT CAUSE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS AND DAMAGE TO OUR SMALL AND UNDER-MAINTAINED ROADS IN OUR AREA. WILL THE DEVELOPMENT DRAW IN VARIOUS VAGRANTS UNDESIRABLES? WILL CRIME INCREASE DUE TO THIS DEVELOPMENT? WE ENJOY A QUIET LIFE HERE AND ENJOY RECREATION ON OUR PROPERTY.

WE HUNT, FISH, RIDE ATVS AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE SUBJECTED.

[00:15:04]

TRY EATING THANKSGIVING DINNERS WITH YOUR FAMILY OR GETTING A BED REST AT NIGHT WHEN THERE COUPLING, DROPPING TRAILERS AND RECOUPLING TRAILERS AND MOVING FREIGHT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

I WORKED IN INDUSTRY A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE 24/7 OPERATIONS.

IF WE WANTED TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA, WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BOUGHT A HOUSE AND RESIDED THERE.

IF YOU HAVE A PLAN AND YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE WHAT YOU LIKE, THEN MOVE THERE.

OKAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST IDEA FOR THIS PROPERTY IS, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE GOING AND THE CITIZENS THAT ARE GOING TO BE YOUR NEIGHBORS AND TAKE THEM INTO ACCOUNT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DESTROY OR DEGRADE THE PEACE AND THE SOLITUDE OF THE CITIZENS WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO MOVE ANY OTHER PLACE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JAMES ADAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JAMES ADAMS. I AM A RESIDENT ON THE 18,000 BARNETT ROAD. AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS HERE BECAUSE AS THE FELLOW RESIDENTS HAD SPOKEN ALREADY INVADING OUR PRIVACY HERE, WE DID BUY WHAT WE LIVE AT BECAUSE OF PRIVACY.

WE ENJOY THE PRIVACY THAT WE ARE SO BY OUR BUSINESSES COMING IN TO TRY TO MOVE IN AND DO WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS MAKING IT A LITTLE INCONVENIENCE FOR US. OKAY. SO MY CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO SEE SOME CLARIFICATION TOO, REGARDING THE NEW BUSINESSES AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE PLANNING.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE AS OF NOW, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING.

WE'RE JUST TOLD JUST WHAT THEY MAY BE DOING, AND WE JUST NEED TO GET A CLARITY OF WHAT IT IS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT GROWTH AND PROGRESS ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND THE BUSINESSES AND OUR COMMUNITY IS CRUCIAL FOR ME TO ENSURE THAT ANY CHANGES MADE ARE IN THE BEST INTERESTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL RISKS THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTS MAY POSE TO OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE ME MORE DETAILS ON THE PLANS AND, AND THE BUSINESSES THAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO ACCUMULATE HERE. AND I WOULD TAKE I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION ON THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL. SO, AGAIN, I JUST HAVE A CONCERN OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

AND AGAIN IT WILL AFFECT US. UNDOUBTEDLY IT WILL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE MARKED THAT THEY DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.

I'LL READ THOSE NAMES IN FOR THE RECORD. MARK STRICKLAND, GEORGE GILMORE, GARY STRICKLAND, DALE O'QUINN, TIMOTHY DUPUIS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.

THANK YOU. AGAIN, I STATED IT WHEN I FIRST STEPPED UP HERE, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, THESE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT HANDLES ALL OF THESE THINGS AND ADDRESSES THESE CONCERNS IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. THINGS I HEARD ARE NOISE CONCERNS. I WILL TELL THE PLANNING COMMISSION TODAY THAT WE WILL PERFORM A SOUND STUDY TO HELP GIVE EVERYBODY FACTUAL INFORMATION OF HOW, YOU KNOW, OUR DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT IMPACT ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

LIGHT POLLUTION WAS BROUGHT UP. WE WILL PERFORM AND THIS WILL ALL COME WITH OUR SITE PLAN THAT WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

WE WILL PERFORM A LIGHT STUDY TO PROVE THAT WE HAVE 0.0FT CANDLES, THAT MEASURES ZERO LIGHTING IN OUR PROPERTY LINES, AND ALL OF OUR FIXTURES WILL COMPLY WITH CODE THAT SENDS LIGHT DOWN, NOT OUT.

TRAFFIC IS A CONCERN, ESPECIALLY TRAFFIC ON BARNET ROAD.

AGAIN, WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF PUTTING ANY TRAFFIC ONTO BARNET ROAD.

WE LIKE THIS SITE AND WE'RE HERE ABOUT THIS SITE BECAUSE OF THE ACCESS TO HIGHWAY 61.

[00:20:04]

AS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT, WE WILL DO AN ENDANGERED SPECIES STUDY AND DO IT ON EVERY PROPERTY WE DEVELOP ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO WE WILL HAVE THAT STUDY IN HAND.

I'LL LET ZACH SPEAK TO DRAINAGE. BUT WHAT I DO WANT THE COMMISSION TO HEAR AND WHAT I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR IS, WHILE NOT REQUIRED, WE ARE VERY ACCUSTOMED. AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO A COMMUNITY OUTREACH SESSION PRIOR TO OUR SITE PLAN, WHERE WE SIT DOWN, SHOW FOLKS WHAT OUR SITE PLAN LOOKS LIKE, HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY OF WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, AND DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE ADDRESSED.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AFTER OUR TODAY, WE'RE HERE JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, ZONING A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE POSITIVE STEPS GOING FORWARD, WE WILL DO THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND WE WILL SHOW THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE PLAN TO ATTEND OR TO DEVELOP TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE CONCERNS. AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THAT INPUT INTO OUR SITE PLAN THAT WE ULTIMATELY SUBMIT.

CAN YOU ADDRESS ZACH, SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ISSUES? YEP, YEP. SO ON DRAINAGE LIKE I SAID, WE WILL SUBMIT A FULL DRAINAGE IMPACT STUDY WITH THE SITE PLAN SUBMITTAL.

WE WILL USE DETENTION PONDS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RUNOFF THAT THE DEVELOPMENT CREATES.

THAT WAY, WE HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES PER THE CODE.

AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THE TALK ABOUT PRIVACY, RIGHT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS IN THE SITE PLAN CODE THAT REQUIRE US TO PROVIDE CERTAIN BUFFERS, WHETHER IT'S LANDSCAPING BUFFERS, STREET BUFFERS ALONG THE ADJACENT PROPERTY WITH DIFFERENT ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS.

SO WITH OUR ZONING OF INDUSTRIAL NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL, WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE PRETTY STRINGENT BUFFER REQUIREMENTS AND STREET YARD REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED WITHIN THE SITE PLAN.

SO THERE WILL BE A LANDSCAPING BUFFER ALONG BARNETT ROAD TO HOPEFULLY SCREEN THE DEVELOPMENT FROM THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER SCROGGS.

SO HAVE Y'ALL MET WITH THE NEIGHBORS AT THIS POINT? NOT YET. NOPE. WE WILL DO THAT PRIOR TO OUR SITE PLAN SUBMISSION.

OTHER QUESTIONS. DIRECTOR HOLCOMB, WAS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION YOU FELT YOU NEEDED TO PROVIDE? OR MAYBE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE ANY CLARIFICATION ON? I DO NEED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS ITEM IS UP FOR CONSIDERATION.

TONIGHT'S ACTION BY THIS BODY IS SIMPLY A RECOMMENDATION ON TO COUNCIL.

COUNCIL HAS A FINAL AUTHORITY ON ANY REZONING CHANGES OR FUTURE LAND USE CHANGES.

THIS ITEM IS SCHEDULED TO GO AS OF NOW BEFORE THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON MARCH 19TH.

SO THIS WEDNESDAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPLICANT WANTS TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT COUNCIL OR PROPOSED ACTION AT COUNCIL REGARDING THAT TIMELINE. SURE, WE RECOGNIZE IT'S A TIGHT TIMELINE BETWEEN TODAY AND TWO DAYS FOR THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO ASK TO DEFER THE COUNCIL MEETING.

SO WE CONTINUE TO GAIN INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE WHEN WE COME BEFORE COUNCIL, WE'RE ASKING TO DEFER IT EITHER TO THE APRIL OR MAY HEARING, TO JUST MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THE INPUT WE CAN AND BE PREPARED FOR TO ANSWER THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AT THAT MEETING.

WE'LL HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE ON WEDNESDAY, BUT WE'LL ASK TO DEFER IT FOR AT LEAST ONE, MAYBE TWO MEETINGS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LEVEL OF DETAIL.

TONIGHT IS JUST A REQUEST TO INITIATE A CHANGE OF ZONING.

THERE IS NO FINAL ACTION BY THIS BODY IF AND WHEN THE ZONING WERE TO BE CHANGED.

BASED ON THE SIZE AND SCALE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COME BACK BEFORE THIS BODY ON A PUBLIC HEARING SITE. PLAN SUBMITTAL.

THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL REGARDING THE LAYOUT, THE PARKING, THE SIZE AND SCALE OF THE BUILDING, EXACT ELEVATIONS, LANDSCAPING, ACCESS, VEHICULAR ACCESS, PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS, EMERGENCY ACCESS, LIGHTING, ALL OF THOSE DETAILS AND MORE WOULD BE REQUIRED AS PART OF THAT PACKAGE SUBMITTAL.

SO THERE'S A LEVEL OF DETAIL WOULD BE LOOKED AT AND WORKED OUT ON THE NEXT STEP OR PHASE OF THIS PROJECT BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO PROCEED.

ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION? VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT. HEARING WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAID, I THINK AT THIS TIME, I THINK AT THIS POINT, I'M FAVORABLE TO THE TO THE ZONING REQUEST AND TO THE PLAN AMENDMENT CHANGE.

SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.

[00:25:03]

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. THOSE TWO ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

[4. Case 6-25 1808 Perkins Road]

FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE EXISTING ZONING IS LIGHT COMMERCIAL C1 WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMERCIAL, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, RESTAURANT AND CAB. CASE 625 1808.

PERKINS ROAD. STAFF CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR A CHANGE OF ZONING BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

COMPATIBLE WITH. COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.

PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED TWO MESSAGES IN SUPPORT TO THIS ITEM AND TEN MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION.

THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES. GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT.

SO, I GUESS GABRIELLE MCKELLAR HERE FOR 1808 PERKINS ROAD.

AND JUST TALK ABOUT MY? OKAY. I AM I GUESS I'LL START FROM THE BEGINNING BECAUSE OF RENTED THIS PROPERTY OF 15 MONTHS AGO IN ORDER. I SAW THAT IT WAS A COMMERCIAL C1 SPACE AND THAT IT WAS INHABITING A NEGATIVE SPACE FOR THE BLOOMING COMMUNITY.

JUST COMPLETELY OVERGROWN, ABANDONED OR GAS STATION.

SO, AS THE OWNER TOLD ME, I WAS THE 132ND PROPOSAL TO RENT THE SPACE AND WAS GRANTED THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT ALONG THE WAY AS FAR AS TRYING TO REVIVE A BUILDING WITH NO POWER, WATER OR BUT IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. ALONG WITH OPENING A SNOWBALL STAND THIS SUMMER OUT OF MY HORSE TRAILER, WHICH I RENOVATED INTO THE MEANS TO DO SO WHILE I WAS STILL WORKING ON THE BUILDING.

MY HOPE IS TO REZONE TO NCAB IN ORDER TO BOTH HAVE LIKE LITTLE BITES, LITTLE CHARCUTERIE BOARDS, LITTLE TINY BURGERS, TINY HOT DOGS, S'MORES, ALONG WITH THE PARENTS BEING ABLE TO INSTEAD OF BRINGING THEIR BOTTLE OF WINE AND THEIR PICNIC THAT I GET TO SERVE THEM THAT BOTTLE OF WINE DURING THEIR PICNIC.

AS WELL AS OFFER THEM A BEER WITH THEIR CRAWFISH DURING LUNCH.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO, I WANT TO CREATE A SPACE THAT GENERATES MEMORIES FOR THE FAMILY.

HENCE THE PICNIC TABLES SURROUNDING THE BUILDING.

I LOVE THAT DATE NIGHTS BECAME PEOPLE DRESSED UP TO COME SIT AT A YELLOW PICNIC TABLE.

AND THAT KIND OF BEING RAISED IN PURVIS, MISSISSIPPI, OLDEST OF NINE KIDS, HOMESCHOOLED FAMILY IS EVERYTHING.

AND GENERATING A SPACE WHERE THE KIDS COULD HAVE CHALK AND DRAW ON THE BUILDING, DRAW ON THE GROUND, DRAW ON THE TABLES. THAT'S WHAT YOU CANNOT DO AT HOME.

SO THE PARENTS HAD A RELAXATION WHILE THEIR CHILDREN WERE AT PLAY.

THE HEIGHT OF HUMAN EXISTENCE IS WHEN WE ARE AT PLAY.

THAT'S WHAT MY FATHER RAISED ME ON. AND SO I AM.

I WANT TO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE MY GENERATION HERE IN HERE IN BATON ROUGE TO PURSUE THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE HAVE LOST THEIR LIFE AT LIKE THIS BUILDING HAD THE TREES GROWING THROUGH IT, THE AROUND IT, THE MOLD, THE SO CLEANING IT UP, SAWING EACH TREE DOWN, DOING IT ALL BY MYSELF.

UNTIL THE LAST MONTH, I WAS EXTREMELY BLESSED BY WHLC AND HILL CONSTRUCTION COMING IN TO HELP ME COMPLETE THAT PROJECT TO OCCUPANCY LAST THURSDAY, AND THIS WAS A 15 MONTH DREAM FOR ME TO SEE THAT BUILDING OCCUPIABLE AND TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO HELP ME CREATE IT'S PURPOSE. LIKE I TELL PEOPLE, MCDONALD'S WASN'T BURGERS UNTIL BURGERS WAS KNOWN AS MCDONALD'S,

[00:30:02]

WE WERE THE 18TH STATE IN THE UNION IN THE 1800S.

IT JUST FITS THE SPACE. IT FITS THE COMMUNITY.

THE CHILDREN THAT SHOWED UP THIS SUMMER WAS JUST, I MEAN, YOU WOULD NEVER GUESSED AND THAT SO MANY WERE IN THAT AREA AND THEY WERE ALL WALKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PERKINS ROAD TO THEN WALK DOWN.

AND I WANT THEM TO BE FEEL SAFE WALKING ON OUR SIDE.

AND THAT WAS JUST A REALLY, REALLY NEAT EXPERIENCE.

AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO, FOR IT TO GROW. IT'S BEEN VERY SLOW.

MY OTHER, MY OTHER ENTITIES HAVE SUPPORTED THE ATTEMPTED MEANS ALONG WITH MANY, MANY CREDIT CARDS TO TRY TO KEEP THIS THING GOING. AS I WAS TRYING TO PERMIT IT, I THINK 19 TIMES, AND THERE WAS A HOLE HERE OR THIS THERE, OR I TRIED TO DO PLUMBING ON THE BATHROOM MYSELF AND THAT DIDN'T WORK TOO WELL. SO IT'S JUST BEEN A, I'M A REAL ESTATE AGENT AS WELL. AND SO JUST TRYING TO DO SOMETHING REAL WITH THE STATE WAS IS A VERY LARGE PASSION FOR ME.

AND YEAH, I WAS JUST BUILT TO BETTER EVERYTHING, TO DO EVERYTHING AS IF YOU'RE DOING IT FOR THE LORD.

AND SO THAT IS THAT IS 1808 TO ME. AND I WANT IT TO BE A COMMUNITY SPOT.

A FAMILY SPOT. A SPOT WHERE YOU CAN BRING YOUR GRANDCHILD IN TO SEE THE SIX CENT COKE MACHINE THAT I STILL HAVE IN THE BUILDING, WHICH IS WHAT WAS IN THERE WHEN I FOUND IT. AND I JUST I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE THE I LOVE THE BLESSING OF THIS BOARD AND ALL BEHIND ME IN ORDER TO DO SO. I'LL JUMP IN.

REX CABANISS, 1213 STEWART AVENUE. WE'RE JUST PROVIDING PRO BONO ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTATION TO MISS GABRIELLE, AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AGAIN, IT'S A RELATIVELY BLIGHTED PROPERTY AS WE SPEAK.

IT'S RIGHT ALONG PERKINS ROAD. IT REALLY COULD BE A GEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE AN AMENITY FOR NEIGHBORS.

AND THAT'S GABRIELLE'S INTEREST. AND OUR MY ROLE IS JUST TO HELP PUT THAT INTO PLACE AND HERE TO PRESENT THAT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SPEAKER CARDS.

IF YOU'VE CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SPEAKER CARDS.

WE HAVE WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION.

OUR FIRST IS FOR MARY BERRIOS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARY BERRIOS.

I'VE OWNED THE PROPERTY AT 1621 BLOUIN AVENUE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.

IT BACKS UP DIRECTLY TO THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, THIS PROPOSED CHANGE OF ZONING.

I AGREE THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN BLIGHTED, AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT SOMEONE IS TAKING AN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING IT.

WHAT WE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IS THE THOUGHT OF THEM SELLING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES THERE.

IT SEEMS TO FLY IN THE FACE OF WHAT THE PROPONENT WANTS TO MAKE THIS INTO, WHICH IS A FAMILY ORIENTED, COMMUNITY FRIENDLY, NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY PLACE SERVING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, WHILE MY GRANDDAUGHTER COMES OUT OF THE BACK GATE.

TO GO GET A SNOWBALL IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME FEEL VERY SAFE.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, YOU ALSO KNOW THAT COMING EASTBOUND ON PERKINS ROAD, THAT'S A SOMEWHAT OF A BLIND CURVE RIGHT THERE, AND THE THOUGHT OF PEOPLE CONSUMING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND HAVING A GOOD PARTY TIME AND PULLING OUT ONTO PERKINS ROAD TO ME IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.

PUBLIC SAFETY WISE. IT'S SIMPLY NOT GOT THE CONFIGURATION OF THAT ROADWAY TO MAKE IT VERY FRIENDLY.

AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE VIRGIL, YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NARROW, IT'S NOT VERY WELL MAINTAINED, AND FEW, IF ANYONE, WOULD EVER USE THAT SIDE AS AN AREA OF INGRESS OR EGRESS.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS FOOT TRAFFIC COMING ALONG PERKINS ROAD AND WALKING RIGHT INTO WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONSUMING OPENLY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND THEN LEAVING. AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE OPPOSED TO.

I AM THRILLED THAT SHE HAS MADE THAT SNOWBALL STAND.

WE HAVE SUPPORTED THAT SNOWBALL STAND. MY GRANDDAUGHTER LOVES HER SNOWBALLS, BUT I DO NOT WANT MY GRANDDAUGHTER OR ANYONE ELSE'S GRANDDAUGHTER, ANYONE ELSE AT ALL EXPOSED TO THE DANGER OF OPENLY SERVING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT THAT LOCATION.

IF YOU WANT TO DRINK, GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF PERKINS ROAD OVERPASS.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS BARS AND RESTAURANTS, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO CONSUME THOSE THINGS.

I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY SOMEONE THINKS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY VENUE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY AND BUILD MEMORIES, HAS TO INVOLVE THE SERVICE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

IT'S SIMPLY NOT REQUIRED. AND FOR THAT REASON, WE OPPOSE IT.

AND I REALLY HOPE YOU ALL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

[00:35:04]

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR. OKAY.

WELL, I READ ABOUT THIS ONLINE, AND IT SAID IN THERE THAT THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROPERTY WERE TOO SMALL. SO, IT DOESN'T MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR THE ZONING THAT'S PROPOSED. OTHER THINGS I LIVE IN 1775 PERKINS ROAD, RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY. SO, WE HEAR EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON THERE.

NOT EVERYTHING, BUT WE HEAR MORE THAN WE'D LIKE.

AND ALSO, THEY HAVE BRIGHT LIGHTS THAT SHINE INTO OUR HOUSE. AND THEY'RE ON ALL NIGHT. ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR CLARK GERNON, JUNIOR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, PLAN COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS CLARK J. GERNON JUNIOR. I RESIDE AT 2357 HORACE STREET IN POETS CORNER NEIGHBORHOOD, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70808. WELL, I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS DORMANT PROPERTY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS BACK IN COMMERCE.

I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS REZONING REQUEST AND THE ASSOCIATED BUSINESS.

ANYTIME YOU HAVE A REQUEST TO ALLOW ALCOHOL SALES UNDER, IN THIS CASE, NCAB ON A PIECE OF LAND THAT IS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USE AS A NEED FOR A THOROUGH VETTING OF THE REQUEST.

OF COURSE, AS A RESIDENT OF POETS CORNER SINCE 1992, I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE FUTURE OF THIS PROPERTY.

AS A NEIGHBOR AND A POSSIBLE PATRON, AND TO DATE, I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED IN ANY WAY ON THE INTENT OR PLANS OF THIS BUSINESS TO START SERVING ALCOHOL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. ULTIMATELY, REGARDLESS OF THIS BUSINESS'S INTENTION, ONCE THE PROPERTY IS ZONED TO SERVE ALCOHOL, OTHER BUSINESSES CAN DO THE SAME.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE A SAY IN THE PROCESS. THESE ARE A FEW OF MY PARTICULAR CONCERNS ON THE RECENT REVIEW OF UDC.

THE ZONING RULES FOR NCAB STATE THE MAXIMUM AREA FOR SUCH A BUILDING IS 2500FT².

BASED ON THE INFORMATION I SAW ONLINE AND A ROUGH CALCULATION OF THE AREA PRESENTED, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT'S MORE LIKE 3200FT², WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL.

MY QUESTION IS IF THAT'S INTENDED, SINCE THIS REZONING REQUEST IS A COMMERCIAL USE IS ADJACENT TO LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, HOW IS THE TEN FOOT WIDE LANDSCAPE BUFFER YARD TO BE ADDRESSED SINCE THE LOT IS VERY SMALL.

SINCE THIS REZONING REQUEST IS A COMMERCIAL USE AND IT APPEARS TO NEED, BASED ON MY KIND OF ESTIMATES, 10 TO 8, I'M SORRY. 8 TO 10 PARKING SPACES. HOW ARE THOSE SPACES TO BE ADDRESSED ON THE LOT? AGAIN, DUE TO ITS SIZE, VERY SMALL, VERY SMALL SIZE.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE OF THE SUBSTANDARD NATURE OF THE ROADS WITHIN POET'S CORNER, WHICH TEND TO BE ABOUT 14 TO 15FT WIDE WITH NO SHOULDER, OBVIOUSLY STREET PARKING COULD BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN SOME CASES.

THE ZONING RULES FOR NCAB STATE THE ALCOHOL SALES CANNOT BE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME.

MY QUESTION IS, HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE POLICED BY THE CITY PARISH? AND THEN TWO LAST THINGS. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW IS THE HOURS OF ALCOHOL SALES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER THE CURRENT, THE PROPOSED ZONING AND WOULD DRIVE THROUGH ALCOHOL PICKUP, BE ALLOWED UNDER THE PROPOSED ZONING? BASED ON THESE QUESTIONS, I REQUEST THE PLANNING COMMISSION DENY THE REZONING REQUEST AT THIS TIME,

[00:40:02]

OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR LAWRENCE DANIOFF.

YEAH. LAWRENCE DANIOFF. I'M ALSO. I LIVE ON HORSE STREET.

JUST ONE HOUSE DOWN FROM CLARK WHO JUST SPOKE.

IF I KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY, I WOULDN'T NEED TO COME UP HERE.

SO HE PRETTY MUCH ELOQUENTLY SAID EVERYTHING THAT I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT.

BUT THE ONE THING I WILL ADD, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS GO OVER TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, TO HARROD'S FLOWERS OR THE COFFEE SHOP NEXT DOOR.

CAN I ASK THAT QUESTION? CAN'T DO A QUESTION AND ANSWER? IT'S JUST A COMMENT PERIOD, SIR. THAT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. ANYWAY, THAT'S A VERY NARROW STREET, JUST LIKE CLARK JUST MENTIONED.

AND THE PARKING THAT'S ALLOWED THERE. I CANNOT ENTER OR EXIT EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE IN THE EVENING OR MIDAFTERNOON COMING FROM WORK.

RIGHT. I SEE THE SAME THING HAPPENING ON VIRGIL STREET ALSO.

THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK. SO WHERE ARE YOU GOING? TO PUT ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT TO ENJOY THESE DRINKS OR FOOD? THERE'S JUST THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK. AND WHAT IT IS, IT'LL BLOCK PEOPLE COMING IN OFF OF PERKINS ONTO VIRGIL, OR LEAVING VIRGIL TRYING TO EVEN GET ONTO PERKINS.

SO FOR THAT REASON, PLUS WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE PLANS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT SHE'S PROPOSING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION.

I'M OPPOSED TO THE REZONING, TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR AMY DEWITT.

THE FLOOR IS YOURS FOR THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS AMY DEWITT. I LIVE AT 2430 CATO STREET IN POETS CORNER.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S BEEN BEFORE Y'ALL NUMEROUS TIMES ON ZONING ISSUES.

THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY ALREADY ZONED FOR LIGHT COMMERCIAL, AND IT IS OWNED BY JIM LACKETT, WHO OWNS SEVERAL PROPERTIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL ON PERKINS ROAD.

IN THE 20 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL THESE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN MINIMALLY MAINTAINED.

TWO IN THE LAST 20 YEARS HAVE BEEN CONDEMNED, AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THE OLD GAS STATION IS PROBABLY THE MOST GLARING EXAMPLE OF NEGLECT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WHEN THE SNOWBALL STAND OPENED. PEOPLE WERE THRILLED THAT THERE WAS FINALLY SOMEBODY THAT WAS DOING SOMETHING DECENT THERE AND IMPROVING THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN BEING WORKED ON CONTINUOUSLY.

WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. THAT SAID, THERE'S NOW A REQUEST TO SERVE ALCOHOL THERE.

AND THAT I'M AWARE OF. THE ONLY BUSINESS THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE IS A SNOWBALL STAND.

ALSO, THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY A SMALL BARBER SHOP.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT I DON'T ASSOCIATE ALCOHOL WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO BUSINESSES.

YOU'RE GETTING A HAIRCUT. YOU'RE GETTING A SNOWBALL, YOU'RE DRINKING. I DON'T GET THAT.

SO WE HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT. AND EVEN THOUGH MISS MCKELLAR IS THE ONE REQUESTING THE ZONING CHANGE, THE PROPERTY BELONGS TO JIM LACKETT, AND SHE'S LEASING THAT PROPERTY.

SO WHEN SHE'S NO LONGER A TENANT THERE, THEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE? THAT THAT ZONING CHANGE STAYS WITH THE PROPERTY.

IT DOESN'T GO WITH THE PERSON WHO'S RUNNING THE BUSINESS THERE RIGHT NOW.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT PROPERTY BECOMES SIGNIFICANTLY MORE VALUABLE.

IT NOW HAS THE CAB ZONING. SO WHAT'S TO SAY, AS HAS HAPPENED ALL ALONG PERKINS ROAD NUMEROUS TIMES, THAT THE CUTE LITTLE SNOWBALL STAND DOES NOT MORPH INTO A DAIQUIRI BAR OR A PACKAGED LIQUOR STORE.

WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND IT'S VERY LIKELY.

WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF BARS AND RESTAURANTS THAT SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE FREQUENT THOSE, AND THEY'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OVERPASS.

IT WORKS OUT GREAT. SO DO WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER SOURCE OF ALCOHOL NOW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I DON'T THINK SO. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL RECONSIDER THIS ZONING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR ROBERT REED.

[00:45:09]

I'M OPPOSED TO THE REZONING FOR ALCOHOL BEVERAGE BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, ONCE IT'S ZONED FOR ALCOHOL, IT'LL BE THERE FOREVER. THE SAME WAY IT'S COMMERCIAL FOR A PRE-WORLD WAR TWO GAS STATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 60 YEARS BEFORE THE INTERSTATE WAS CONSTRUCTED, AND SHE MAY HAVE GRAND IDEAS FOR IT, BUT SHE IS A TENANT.

AND ONCE HER LEASE IS UP, IF THIS CHANGES TO ALCOHOL BEVERAGE, SHE'S OUT.

THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWS A DESIRE FOR THIS AREA TO BE A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

A BAR WILL JUST DESTROY OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.

THE OTHER SIDE 100 OAKS IS GREAT WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.

GREAT BUSINESSES, GREAT NEIGHBORS. THEY ALL CLOSE AT SIX COUNTRY CORNERS OPEN TILL SEVEN.

BUT IN THE EVENING IT HAS BEEN ACTUALLY PEACEFUL FROM THE OVERPASS TO CITY PARK.

NOW THE SNOWBALL STAND HAS ALREADY DISTURBED THAT AND AN ALCOHOL REZONING WILL MAKE THAT EXPONENTIALLY WORSE.

A BAR IN OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WILL, AT A MINIMUM, BE A CONSTANT NOISE LIGHT LIKE HE TALKED ABOUT.

LIGHTS ARE ON ALL NIGHT LONG. TRAFFIC AND TRASH NUISANCE AND BRING DOWN OUR PROPERTY VALUES.

YOU COULD EASILY DENY REZONING BASED ON THESE ISSUES OR THE TERRIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY, BUT YOU SHOULD DENY BASED ON SAFETY, BASED ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

JUST THE SMALL SNOWBALL STAND HAS CREATED SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES AND A BAR WILL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC ON VIRGIL AND THE TERRIBLE, YOU KNOW, THE DANGEROUS INTERSECTION THERE.

SO PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PARK ON VIRGIL. THEY WANT TO PARK IN FRONT OF PERKINS.

THE VIDEO YOU PLAYED AT THE BEGINNING HAD PEOPLE PARKING ON THE SIDEWALK.

SO THE FRONT PROPERTY LINE IS ESSENTIALLY THE DRIP LINE OF THEIR ROOF.

SO ANY PARKING IN FRONT IS ON THE SIDEWALK. WHEN THEY ALLOW AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PARK ON THE SIDEWALK, IT CREATES SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

IF CARS ARE PARKED ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF 1808, I PERSONALLY DO NOT HAVE THE SIGHT DISTANCE WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO SEE VEHICLES TRAVELING DOWN PERKINS. I CANNOT SEE ANYTHING UNTIL THE BACK END OF MY CAR IS ALREADY OUT INTO THE ROADWAY.

THIS ALSO CREATES A SERIOUS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES.

I HAVE EXPERIENCE, AND I'VE WITNESSED MANY TIMES PEOPLE TRYING TO WALK DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND HAVE TO MOVE OUT INTO THE ROADWAY TO GO AROUND THE CARS PARKED ON THE SIDEWALK, INCLUDING MOTHERS PUSHING BABY STROLLERS AND KIDS WALKING THEIR DOGS TO THE PARK.

AND THIS IS JUST WITH THE SNOWBALL STAND RUN OUT OF A TINY TRAILER.

IT WILL BE EXPONENTIALLY WORSE WITH A BAR THERE.

SOMEONE WILL GET HIT, INJURED, OR EVEN KILLED AND WILL MOST LIKELY BE ME, ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS OR A KID WALKING THEIR DOG TO THE PARK.

ONE LAST THING. JUST BECAUSE THE OWNER ALSO OWNS THE ADJACENT PROPERTY, THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE THERE, PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW ANY WAIVERS FOR BUFFERS, FENCING, ETC.

DO NOT CREATE OBSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SALE OF THIS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. THEY ALREADY ADVERTISE FOR PARKING IN THE FRONT YARD OF THAT PROPERTY.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR SARAH BONGIORNI.

HOW CLOSE WAS I? PERFECT. REALLY? I AM SARAH BONGIORNI.

I LIVE AT 1631 BALLOON AVENUE. AND WE IF YOU GO OUT THE BACK FENCE, WE OPEN DIRECTLY ONTO VIRGIL, ACROSS FROM THE JUST RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE SITE.

AND PRIOR TO THAT WE LIVED DOWN. WE LIVED IN POETS CORNER, DOWN AT THE CORNER OF VIRGIL AND OVID.

SO, I'VE SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'M OPPOSED TO THE REZONING. I REALLY THINK IT'S JUST NUTS AND SO DANGEROUS TO TRY TO PUT THIS THERE.

AND I'VE WALKED THERE, WALKED THERE WITH MY CHILDREN, BIKED THERE, LIKE I SAID, FOR 25 YEARS.

I MEAN, THEY'RE MUCH OLDER NOW, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT JUST ALCOHOL SALES, MIXING, IT'S ALREADY DANGEROUS. EVEN THOUGH IT'S QUIET THERE.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY A BLIND CORNER. IT'S MORE THAN A 90 DEGREE ANGLE WHERE PERKINS AND VIRGIL MEET, SO THERE'S NO VISIBILITY. IT'S REALLY TERRIBLE.

AND THAT IS ALSO WHEN YOU'RE COMING FROM PERKINS AND TURNING ONTO VIRGIL, YOU'RE MAKING A BLIND TURN.

YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT IS AHEAD OF YOU. AND IF THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE PARKING ALONG VIRGIL, THEY WILL EXTEND INTO THE STREET AND FURTHER OBSTRUCT VISIBILITY AND MAKE IT ADDITIONALLY DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AND SO FORTH.

THERE'S VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR ON SITE PARKING, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON NEIGHBORS.

I ALSO WANT TO I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE NOISE. THEY WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE IN OUR LIVING ROOM LOTS OF TIMES.

[00:50:01]

BUT THE OTHER THING WAS, I DID A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST WITH DEQ JUST TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS SITE, BECAUSE I WAS FAMILIAR WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STATE OF IT.

AND WHAT I FOUND IS THAT THERE ARE STILL FOUR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS FROM WHEN IT OPERATED AS A GAS STATION MANY YEARS AGO.

THEY WERE NEVER PROPERLY REMOVED OR CLOSED. THE OWNER, MR. LOCKETT, WAS INFORMED FIRST IN 2003 AND THEN IN 2008 DURING ON SITE FIELD INSPECTIONS THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO.

AND HE PROMISED IT'S IN THE FIELD NOTES RIGHT THERE THAT HE WOULD GET RIGHT ON THAT AND DO WHATEVER WAS NEEDED TO BRING THAT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW.

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO RECORD THAT HE EVER DID.

SO THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE CONCERN AS WELL. THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THAT AND THE IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE NEW USE FOR THAT WHEN IT'S NEVER BEEN DEALT WITH PROPERLY. HAD THE PRIOR USE DEALT WITH OR CLOSED PROPERLY? THE OTHER THING IS PEOPLE HAVE NOTED THE NARROW STREETS, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT IT'S REALLY PEOPLE HAVE TO PULL TO ONE SIDE TO PASS EACH OTHER THEY ARE SO NARROW. AND WHEN I USED TO WALK THERE WITH OUR KIDS, WE WOULD PULL OUT OF THE STREET AND WALK, YOU KNOW, STAY ON THE SIDE WHEN PEOPLE WOULD PASS US.

BUT EVEN WHEN YOU STAND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TALK WITH PEOPLE, IF THERE ARE LITTLE KIDS THERE AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DART OUT INTO THE ROAD. I MEAN, THERE IS NO MARGIN FOR ERROR BACK THERE AS IT IS.

AND I THINK THE IDEA OF ADDING ALCOHOL SALES THERE JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR KEVIN BONGIORNI.

THANK YOU. AGAIN, I LIVE ON 1631 BLOUIN AVENUE, SO IT'S OPPOSITE THAT.

AND AGAIN, LIKE MY WIFE SAID, IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY THE BACK OF OUR PROPERTY OPENS UP ONTO VIRGIL STREET, RIGHT ACROSS FROM WHERE THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED.

AND IT IS, IT'S A UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOOD IN BATON ROUGE.

THERE'S NO THROUGH TRAFFIC IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT IS A REALLY SELF-CONTAINED, QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND NOBODY THAT DOES NOT LIVE THERE CIRCULATES THROUGH IT.

SO IT'S REALLY A UNIQUE PART OF BATON ROUGE. I CAN SPEAK, I DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK HYPOTHETICALLY ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH PARKING. YESTERDAY I WENT OUT INTO MY OUT INTO THE BACK ONTO VIRGIL STREET, AND THERE WERE CARS THAT WERE BLOCKING THE STREET.

THEY WERE HALFWAY OUT INTO THE STREET. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, PEOPLE HAD TO BECAUSE IT IS A ONE LANE ROAD.

PEOPLE HAD COMING DOWN THE STREET, HAD TO GO OFF THE STREET ONTO MY PROPERTY, AND NOW I HAVE RUTS IN MY IN MY PROPERTY THAT NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO FIX THAN MYSELF. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.

AND IF THIS IS APPROVED, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST RHETORICAL, IS WHO DO I CONTACT WHEN SOMETHING IS DONE TO MY PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF THE PARKING OR THAT BUSINESS? WHO DO I CALL WHEN THE NOISE IS TOO LOUD? WHO DO I CALL WHEN THERE'S TRASH IN THE YARD THERE? WHO DO I CALL WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKED IN MY YARD? IS THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT I WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, SOME HELP IN THIS REGARD IS THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH PARKING AT ALL AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE FOR PARKING.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE GO TO BARRACUDA TACO, BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT PEOPLE END UP PARKING ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, ON WISTERIA TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE. BUT THOSE STREETS ARE MUCH WIDER THAN OUR STREET.

OUR STREET IS ABOUT HALF OF THAT. SO, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO NOT SUPPORT THIS REQUEST.

AND IT IS A DETRIMENT TO OUR TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR NANCY KEEGAN.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, I'M NANCY KEEGAN.

I LIVE AT 2229 OAK STREET IN POETS CORNER NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND LISTENING TO ALL OUR CONCERNS.

EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID MOSTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S KIND OF UNIQUE. RENTERS, OWNERS PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES.

PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY, VERY YOUNG, FROM NEWBORNS TO A 96 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO RIDES HER TRICYCLE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, THESE ARE VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO WALK OUR STREETS, AND THEY DO WALK OUR STREETS.

[00:55:06]

AND THEY ARE POORLY MAINTAINED. THERE'S RUTS, THERE'S BUMPS, A CAR GOING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ROCKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

IT'S ALREADY DANGEROUS ENOUGH WITH JUST THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WHAT WE REALLY CANNOT HAVE IN THERE IS ALCOHOL FUELED CARS GOING THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU KNOW, WITH DRIVERS WHO MAY BE SLIGHTLY IMPAIRED.

AS HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE, IF YOU'RE WALKING YOUR DOG AND A CAR COMES DOWN THE STREET, YOU HAVE TO GET COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID THAT CAR.

AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF IT'S A CAR THAT CAN'T CONTROL ITSELF OR A DRIVER THAT CAN'T CONTROL THEMSELF? SO I'M ASKING YOU TO OPPOSE THIS. PLEASE HELP US KEEP THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS IT IS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL CALLER THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, AND THAT IS FOR JOSEPH KEEGAN.

GOOD EVENING SIR. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOE KEEGAN.

I LIVE WITH NANCY ON OVID STREET. WE'VE BEEN THERE 34 YEARS, RAISED ALL OF OUR KIDS.

THERE WE ARE NOW, MY DAUGHTER LIVES ON PERICLES STREET AND RAISING TWO GRANDCHILDREN, SO WE GET TO DO ALL THAT.

I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY SPECIFIC THINGS, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF STATISTICS.

WITHIN ONE BLOCK OF THAT, WE HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND A TEN YEAR OLD WHO WOULD LIKE TO RUN AROUND A LITTLE TRIANGLE CIRCLE IN THE EVENING, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEM. WE HAVE A LATE ELEMENTARY AND A LATE JUNIOR HIGH KID WHO WOULD LIKE TO WALK AROUND THE BLOCK GOING DOWN ON PERICLES.

WE HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND AN EIGHT YEAR OLD.

MY CHILDREN WHO LIKE TO WALK AROUND THAT BLOCK AROUND, THEY'RE GOING TURNING AROUND ON OVID STREET, YOU HAVE TWO, ONE AND THREE YEAR OLDS, AND THEN YOU JUST PEPPERED ALL ALONG THERE, ONE, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS ALL THE WAY DOWN.

THIS IS AN ALCOHOL. IT MEANS DRIVE IS IMPAIRED.

IT MEANS OUR CHILDREN BE AT RISK. PLEASE DENY THIS PETITION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ALL THE COMMENTS WE ALL HAVE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SIR.

WE HAVE SEVERAL MORE CALLERS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION BUT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.

I'LL READ THOSE NAMES IN FOR THE RECORD, JOHN WIRT, CHRISTINE JONES.

CLAUDIA GILMER, GINA PAREDES AND DAVID BECKMEIER.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.

THANK YOU, SIR. WOULD YOU MIND GIVING ME A TWO MINUTE? LET ME KNOW WHEN THERE'S BEEN TWO MINUTES. SURE.

THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. AS FAR AS I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, I.

I HEAR THE CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE BEHIND ME FOR THOSE CONCERNS.

THERE ARE THINGS I CAN DEFINITELY DO BETTER, LIKE PROHIBIT PARKING IN THE FRONT AS I AM GUILTY OF MYSELF TO UNLOAD THE CAR REAL QUICK.

AND I DEFINITELY, I DO AGREE AND THAT WILL STOP.

AS FAR AS THE LIGHTS WE HAVE, WE DID HAVE BRIGHT LIGHTS IN THE BEGINNING IN ORDER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION EVERYONE TO SEE AND SEEING THAT IT WAS TOO BRIGHT, IT WE DID CHANGE THAT AND TO AND WE CAN CHANGE IT AGAIN.

AS FAR AS I LOVE, HEARING THE SNOWBALL STAND IS A POSITIVE.

THE SNOWBALL STAND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN. HOWEVER, THE $5 SNOWBALLS ARE NOT GOING TO PUT BACK WHAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS, AND I WANT SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND AS FAR AS MY PLAN, MY PLAN DEPENDS ON THE CAPITAL TO DO SO.

WITH THE CAPITAL TO DO SO, IT WILL REMAIN FAMILY FRIENDLY.

SMALL BITES, REASONABLE BUSINESS HOURS BECAUSE IT IS A COMMUNITY.

I WANT ZERO DISTURBANCE AT NIGHT PAST BEDTIMES OF ANY AGE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE WERE RAISED.

I AM LOOKING, I'M LOOKING TO ADD TO THIS GEM IN THE COMMUNITY NOT TO TAKE AWAY AND IT THAT'S ALL I WANT IS FOR IT TO REMAIN A FAMILY OR NOT A REMAIN TO BEGIN TO BE A FAMILY ORIENTED SPACE, NOT A SPACE THAT'S ABANDONED AND BLIGHTED AS WELL AS MY GOAL IS TO FURTHER THAT MISSION INTO THE OTHER BLIGHTED PROPERTIES BETWEEN ME AND THE NEXT CORNER, WITH THE CAPITAL TO DO SO AND THE FOLKS AROUND ME THAT MAY BE INTERESTED.

THAT IS, THE LONG TERM GOAL, IS TO FIX EVERY SINGLE BLIGHTED PROPERTY OWNED BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL.

[01:00:02]

AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THESE ISSUES AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY ONES WE WANT TO ADDRESS.

GABRIELLE HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER RACCA HAS BEEN GUIDING US TO FIRST GO FOR THIS ZONING REQUEST.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY STEPS TO GO FORWARD BEFORE THE OPERATION WOULD ACTUALLY BE IN BUSINESS, BUT THIS WAS WHAT WE WERE ADVISED TO DO AS A FIRST STEP.

AND WE HAVE A SESSION WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE METRO COUNCIL ZONING BOARD AND CAN DISCUSS THIS FURTHER.

WE WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP AND POSSIBLY WITH COUNCILMAN RACCA LEADING THAT DISCUSSION.

BUT TONIGHT WE JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR INPUT ON THE ZONING REQUEST, KNOWING THAT ALL THESE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES, SITE PLANS, BUILDING PLANS ARE ALL FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.

SO TONIGHT, IT'S JUST STEP ONE OF MANY TO GO.

AND GABRIELLE CERTAINLY WANTS TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.

AND THAT'LL TAKE DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL THE PARTIES HERE AND SOME WHO PERHAPS COULDN'T JOIN US TONIGHT.

AND WE WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO SCHEDULE THAT WITH MISS RACCA'S DIRECTION.

SO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL THIS EVENING, AND WE INTEND TO WORK CAREFULLY ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. AND THE NUMBER TO CALL FOR ANY TRASH OR ANYTHING THAT I WERE TO DO WOULD BE MY CELL PHONE NUMBER IS CURRENTLY ON THE WEBSITE, 1808PERKINS.COM. SO THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER I'D WANT ANYBODY TO CALL BECAUSE I WOULD WANT TO FIX THAT MYSELF.

THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS AT THIS TIME I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE INVITING QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR HOLCOMB IF HE COULD PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION ON.

ONE OF THE THINGS MENTIONED WAS THAT THIS APPLICATION DOESN'T MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS.

CAN YOU TOUCH ON THAT PARTICULAR CONCERN? CERTAINLY.

THERE'S A ON PAGE TWO OF THE STAFF REPORT, IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING I DO ADMIT.

ON THE MINIMUM SIZE REQUIREMENT, THE 7500FT², THAT'S ACTUALLY FOR THE EXISTING ZONING.

SO THAT DOES NOT APPLY. THIS BUSINESS AND PROPERTY IS WHAT'S CLASSIFIED AS A LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.

SO THE SIZE REQUIREMENT FOR THE ZONING THAT'S REQUESTED NCAB NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL WITH ALCOHOL BEVERAGES ALLOWED ON PREMISE AND CONSUMPTION. THERE IS NO SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENT FOR THAT, SO THERE'S NO ERROR.

THERE'S NO NONCONFORMITY THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.

YES, IT IS A LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE AND PROPERTY NOW, BUT THEY'RE NOT MAKING IT MORE NON-CONFORMING BY REQUESTING THE ZONING.

OKAY. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB. ANOTHER QUESTION OR CONCERN, RATHER, THAT WAS RAISED WAS REGARDING THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN SHARE REGARDING THAT ENVIRONMENTAL? CERTAINLY. WE GOT SEVERAL COMMENTS SUBMITTED TO US, AS WELL AS A FEW PHONE CALLS REGARDING RELATED TO POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON THE PROPERTY. AS, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, THIS PROPERTY HISTORICALLY WAS A OLD SERVICE STATION WITH GAS PUMPS.

THERE ARE FOUR UNDERGROUND SERVICE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS THAT DO EXIST UNDERGROUND NOW ON THE PROPERTY.

ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ARE NOT HANDLED BY OUR DEPARTMENT OR THIS BODY.

TONIGHT, THOSE WOULD BE ANOTHER STATE DEPARTMENT, LOUISIANA DEQ.

THERE IS A HISTORY. WE DID DIG THROUGH. THERE'S QUITE A FEW HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THE WEBSITE THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.

I DID PERSONALLY GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE.

THERE'S THERE'S MULTIPLE PAGES. THERE'S 40 OR 50 PAGES OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS ON THIS SITE GOING THROUGH THOSE DOCUMENTS.

DEQ DID TAKE SEVERAL SITE VISITS, THE FIRST BEING IN 2003.

UPON VISITING IN 2003, LDEQ INSPECTED THE PROPERTY, MET THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THAT TIME ON THE PROPERTY.

THERE'S PICTURES OF HIM AND REFERENCES TO HIM WHAT THEY OBSERVED WAS CONFIRMATION OF FOUR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.

THE FILL PORTS HAD BEEN FILLED AND BLOCKED WITH CONCRETE, AND THE APPLICANT SHARED WITH DEQ THAT THEY ALSO FILLED BEFORE FILLING THE FILL PORTS WITH CONCRETE. THEY FILLED AFTER DRAINING THEM WITH SAND AND WATER, AND THAT WAS PER THE FIRE MARSHAL IN 1979 AND WAS STATED, AND THAT'S PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD.

THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY CONTAMINATION ON THE SITE OR ANY ADDITIONAL CONCERNS IN THAT 2003 SITE VISIT, THAT IT WAS CLOSED AFTER THAT VISIT. AGAIN, THEY WERE CALLED BACK IN 2013.

[01:05:05]

THE COMPLAINT IN 2013 WAS ABOUT A POTENTIAL CONCERN ABOUT A WHOLE OR PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF AN UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK.

THEY INVESTIGATED IT AND THE QUOTE AS PART OF THAT DOCUMENT FROM THE INVESTIGATOR FROM DEQ STATES THERE APPEARS TO BE FROM THE COLLAPSE OF PARTIAL COLLAPSE, APPEAR TO BE FROM ROTTEN TREE STUMP THAT WAS CUT DOWN SOME TIME AGO.

THAT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT THERE. AND THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION THAT WAS INCLUDED AS A QUOTE FROM THE INSPECTOR IN 2013.

THEN THEY REVISITED THE SITE IN 2019 ABOUT A CONCERN ABOUT ROADWORK NEARBY.

THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY ADDITIONAL CONTAMINATION OR CONCERN IN 2019.

I DID PERSONALLY REACH OUT TO LDEQ TODAY. THEY RESPONDED BACK BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH AND THE DOCUMENTS ON FILE WITH THEIR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK STAFF THAT, BASED ON THE INFORMATION LDEQ HAS, THE TANKS WOULD BE CONSIDERED CLOSED.

SO THERE IS NO REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO BE REMOVED.

AND THAT'S DIRECTLY FROM LDEQ TODAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. HOLCOMB. SO A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED.

I TOOK SOME NOTES. I'M SURE YOU DID, TOO. THE APPLICANT OBVIOUSLY APPEARS TO BE RECEPTIVE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THEM ARE REGARDING ENFORCEMENT. ENFORCEMENT FOR PARKING, NOISE, TRASH, LITTER, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

ENFORCEMENT FOR THE ALCOHOL SALES. THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED WITH THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE AGENCIES THAT THAT THAT WOULD HANDLE THAT.

AND SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT COMPONENT AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, I THINK ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE THINGS THAT I THINK SHE'S ABLE TO DO WITH ITS CURRENT ZONING THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS RIGHT. SO, THIS, THIS CHANGE IN APPLICATION WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALLOW THEM TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN THE WAY THAT IT AFFECTS THOSE PARTICULAR CONCERNS.

IF YOU COULD TOUCH ON SOME OF THOSE AND MAYBE KIND OF CLARIFY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED, WHAT'S ALLOWED CURRENTLY AND WHAT WOULD BE ALLOWED, AND WOULD IT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE, LESS RESTRICTIVE.

SO, THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE THAT HAD THOSE, THAT WIDE RANGE OF CONCERNS COULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE? CERTAINLY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL BE HAPPY TO. I BELIEVE IT WAS MR. GERNON WHO HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS. I TOOK A FEW NOTES ALONG WITH THE CHAIRMAN.

THE FIRST THING WAS THE ABC ON ENFORCEMENT, THE MOST RESTRICTIVE ZONING THAT WOULD ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO DO WHAT SHE HAS INTENDED TO DO.

AND THAT PROMPTED HER TO REQUEST THE ZONING. THE MOST RESTRICTIVE ZONING IS THIS ZONING THAT SHE'S REQUESTING.

NCAB, IT IS REQUIRED. THERE IS A MAXIMUM BY RIGHT OF 2500FT².

THE METES AND BOUNDS DESCRIPTION IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN THAT.

I BELIEVE IT'S ROUGHLY 3200FT², BUT THERE WILL BE A NOTE WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THE BUILDING OFFICIAL THAT ABSOLUTELY, THE EXISTING ORDINANCES AND THE EXISTING ZONING REQUIREMENTS LIMITED THE LIVABLE, THE LIVABLE AREA WHERE COMMERCIAL TENANTS AND THE PUBLIC IS ALLOWED IN, HAS TO BE LIMITED TO 2500FT².

I BELIEVE SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE INCLUDES WHAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN KIND OF A CARPORT OR STORAGE AREA.

SO SOME OF THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE WOULD HAVE TO BE BACKED OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

THAT COULD NOT BE WITHIN THE MAX 2500FT². THAT IS ALLOWED BY.

RIGHT. IF IN THE FUTURE SHE WANTED TO COME AND EXPAND, EXTEND THAT AREA OR EXPAND THAT AREA.

THE ZONING OF NCRB DOES ALLOW YOU TO GO BEYOND 2500FT², UP TO 5000FT² ONLY WITH A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPLIED FOR AT A LATER DATE BEFORE THIS BODY, WITH A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING.

A QUESTION WAS RAISED ON WHO ENFORCES THE FOOD SALES VERSUS ALCOHOL SALES, BECAUSE THE ZONING THAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS A VERY RESTRICTIVE ZONING, NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE ALCOHOL ZONING. THE MAJORITY OF ALL SALES, 51% HAS TO BE FOOD SALES OTHER THAN ALCOHOL. SO THE ABC OFFICE HAS ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT GO AND DO AUDITS ON BUSINESS, ON BUSINESSES.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO KEEP ALL RECORDS, RECEIPTS AND PROVE UPON ANY PENDING AUDIT THAT THEY'RE MEETING THAT REQUIREMENT.

IF FOR SOME REASON THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE FOUND IN VIOLATION.

THERE ARE STEPS THAT THE ABC OFFICE CAN TAKE TO REVOKE A SEPARATE ALCOHOL LICENSE AND PUT THEM IN A POTENTIAL VIOLATION IF THERE WERE TO BE PROVEN

[01:10:08]

SO BUILDINGS DON'T STAY IN A BLIGHTED STATE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MEET CURRENT PARKING TRENDS.

THEY'LL HAVE TO GET CREATIVE. THEY'LL HAVE TO RELY ON EITHER BICYCLE TRAFFIC, PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, OR GET CREATIVE ON LEGAL PARKING SPACES. BUT PARKING.

I MENTIONED THE CREDITS THAT ARE ALLOWED. THOSE ARE CALCULATED AND THOSE WOULD BE ENFORCED AT THE PERMITTING LEVEL.

SO THERE ARE. I DID CHECK WITH THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.

THERE'S NO ACTIVE VIOLATIONS ON THIS PROPERTY.

THERE ARE PERMITS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING APPLIED FOR, WHICH ARE TOTALLY FINE AND IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE EXISTING C1 LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING, AND THEY'RE IN VARYING LEVELS OF OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

NOW, IF AND WHEN THIS THIS ZONING WERE TO BE GRANTED, THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE PERMIT INSPECTORS WOULD LOOK AT A DETAILED PLAN, MAKING SURE THE ALCOHOL AREA WAS UNDER THE 2500FT².

THEY DID HAVE THE REQUIRED PARKING ALONG WITH THOSE, THOSE CREDITS THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO ASK FOR.

LANDSCAPING. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT IS A LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE NOW.

IT WAS, OUR RECORDS INDICATE IT WAS A GAS STATION AND EITHER VACANT OR IN VARYING FORMS OF COMMERCIAL USE GOING BACK TO THE 70S ON THERE. SO, THERE WOULD BE NO ADDITIONAL BUFFER YARD REQUIRED.

MY UNDERSTANDING THE PERMIT OFFICE WOULD LOOK AT THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BUFFERS ARE ONLY REQUIRED FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT ON A VACANT GREEN SITE.

THIS IS AN EXISTING BUSINESS THAT HAS OPERATED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

SO, A BUFFER OR LANDSCAPE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE REQUIRED.

IF THE APPLICANT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE ONE. THEY CAN WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER WITH THE RESIDENTS ON THAT.

THE OTHER QUESTION WAS REGARDING EXISTING USES NOW UNDER THE CURRENT C1 ZONING.

SO, THE EXISTING ZONING IS C1. IT'S BEEN ZONED C1 LIGHT COMMERCIAL FOR DECADES.

C1 IS ONE OF OUR MOST PERMISSIVE ZONING DISTRICTS, AND YOU CANNOT REZONE TO C1 ANY LONGER.

IN FACT, IT WAS REPLACED BY THREE VARIATIONS, LIKE COMMERCIAL ONE, LIGHT COMMERCIAL TWO, AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL THREE.

SO C1 ALLOWS MANY NON-DESIRABLE USES RIGHT NOW BY REQUESTING A LARGE CHUNK OF THIS PROPERTY TO BE REZONED FROM C1 TO NCAB, THEY'RE WERE ACTUALLY ONLY GAINING ONE USE THAT WOULD BE ON PREMISE ALCOHOL, SO LONG AS THEY MET THOSE 51% FOOD SALES ON THE PROPERTY, THEY WOULD BE LOSING QUITE A FEW USES THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO NOW.

AND I'LL QUICKLY RUN THROUGH JUST A HANDFUL OF THOSE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED NOW, BUT WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED IF IT WAS TO BE REZONED TO NCAB.

FRATERNITY, SORORITY HOUSE IS ALLOWED UNDER C1 GROUP HOMES.

MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS, SHORT TERM RENTALS WOULD BE ALLOWED.

HOSPITAL, MUSEUM, WIRELESS TOWERS, BED AND BREAKFAST, COMMERCIAL RECREATION, LAWN MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND STORAGE. FARMER'S MARKET, FILM AND SOUND STUDIO PRODUCTION, FUNERAL HOME, LAUNDROMAT.

PERSONAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT, PLANT NURSERY, RECEPTION HALL.

ALL OF THOSE USES ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED NOW, AND WOULD BE OFF THE TABLE IF AND WHEN THIS PROPERTY WERE TO BE REZONED.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT.

VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? I HAVE A I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.

IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD, PLEASE. AND I'LL ASK YOU ALL TO ONCE VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT HAS ASKED THIS QUESTION, I'LL ASK YOU JUST KIND OF STAY CLOSE TO THE PODIUM IN CASE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THERE WAS THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE ABOUT DRIVE THROUGH SALES. DO YOU HAVE ANY INTENTION OF DRIVE THROUGH SALES? NO, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER SCROGGS. THIS IS FOR DIRECTOR HOLCOMB WITH REGARDS TO LDEQ, DID THEY EVER SAY THAT A NO FURTHER ACTION LETTER

[01:15:06]

COMMISSIONER BROWNELL. I'M LOOKING IN OUR DATABASE AND I SEE WHERE ONE OF OUR INSPECTORS FROM THE PERMIT OFFICE WENT OUT ON A COMPLAINT.

THERE'S A FENCE THAT'S PUT UP ALONG VIRGIL. LOOKS LIKE MAYBE A TEMPORARY FENCE.

THERE'S NO PERMIT FOR THAT. WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? I HEARD THERE WAS. WELL, IT'S MY FIRST PARADE AS AN OCCUPIABLE SPACE.

SO THAT WAS MY TEMPORARY FOR THE FOR THE PARADE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE INSIDE WAS SAFE.

SAFE? SAFE. I DIDN'T REALIZE I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THOSE LEVELS.

FOR A TEMPORARY FENCE. I WAS SITTING THERE DIGGING POST HOLES.

BUT THIS IS A LEARNING CURVE FOR ME AND I REALIZED THERE WAS MUCH, MUCH CHEAPER STUFF IS STRETCHY THAT I DON'T SEE HOW THAT KEEPS ANYONE OUT OF ANYTHING.

BUT AGAIN, I WAS RAISED ON A FARM AND HORSES AND CATTLE AND SUCH, AND SO I WAS JUST KIND OF THAT'S THAT WAS MY LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE ON A TEMPORARY FENCE. COULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF MONEY IN NOT DOING SO, BUT IT SHOULD BE.

IT'S UP TODAY. IT'S GONE. IT WAS JUST FOR THE PARADE.

AND MY APOLOGIES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THAT. OKAY.

HE'LL BE BACK OUT ON THE 27TH, IT LOOKS LIKE, TO MAKE SURE IT'S GONE.

OKAY. VICE CHAIR MCGRAW HAS ANOTHER QUESTION.

YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE DIRECTOR. I KNOW THERE WAS A STATEMENT MADE BY SOMEONE SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT A BAR.

YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU SERVE FOOD, YOU MUST SERVE 50% TO COMPLY WITH THIS.

WITH THIS ZONING, IF YOU SERVE MORE THAN 50%, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT ZONING CATEGORY.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE AFTER HERE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. VICE CHAIRMAN. THE ZONING THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING IS PRIMARILY A NEIGHBORHOOD, SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE RESTAURANT ZONING THAT'S REFERENCED ON THE STAFF REPORT TO RESTAURANT FOR IN ADDITION FOR SNOWBALLS, SHE WOULD HAVE TO SERVE FOOD. CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. THAT'S FINE. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THAT PACKAGED LIQUOR.

SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BECOMING A PACKAGED LIQUOR STORE RIGHT NOW. IT COULD BE A PACKAGED LIQUOR STORE. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THE EXISTING LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING CERTAINLY DOES ALLOW FOR LIQUOR STORES, WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS RETAIL SALES, TO BE ALLOWED BY. RIGHT. THEY OF COURSE WOULD HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE PROPER PERMITTING AT THE ABC OFFICE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? COMMISSIONER SCROGGS. OKAY. YES. COMMISSIONER BOYD.

CAN YOU GIVE ME? I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON YOUR BUSINESS HOURS, BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE LIKE FOR? HOW LATE ARE YOU GOING TO BE OPEN? WHAT TIME ARE YOU GOING TO OPEN? I MEAN, MAYBE JUST A PROJECTION. I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A.

THE PROJECTION PAST SUPPORTING STAFF OTHER THAN MYSELF IS TO I MEAN, I WOULD SAY AT DARK AND I HAVE SAID CLOSING AT DARK, BUT WITH TIME CHANGE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE 5:00.

SO, I MEAN, PROJECTING NEVER, NEVER AFTER NINE.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO NEED FOR EVERYBODY'S EATING DINNER.

AND THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU GET INTO THE BEDTIME, YOU KNOW, 8 TO 9.

I ENJOY HAVING STAFF OR DURING SNOWBALL SEASON THAT LIVED IN SURROUNDING HOMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD WALK HOME. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S A REASONABLE HOUR FOR THAT OR BIKING HOME OR I JUST I WANT TO BE ABLE TO EMPLOY I WANT TO BE THAT PEOPLE'S FIRST JOB LIKE I WAS THIS SUMMER. IT WAS REALLY NEAT AND I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.

SO DEFINITELY IT WOULD NEVER BE A LATE NIGHT THING.

AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE BAR THING ALSO. BAR WOULD PROHIBIT CHILDREN, FAMILIES THAT WOULD COMPLETELY THERE'S NOTHING.

I WANT IT TO BE A FAMILY SPOT. SO, I DEFINITELY I WILL YES I WOULD SAY DEFINITELY CLOSE BY NINE.

ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER BOYD. OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT. I'VE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THIS STORY.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS FASCINATED ABOUT THIS SITE AND IT'S APPARENTLY IT HAS BEEN COMMERCIAL THE EARLIEST I FOUND WAS 1967, BUT APPARENTLY THAT WAS WHEN THE ZONING WAS PUT IN.

[01:20:01]

HAVING SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES IS SOMETHING I GREW UP WITH IN NEW ORLEANS.

WE ALWAYS HAD A CORNER GROCERY STORE. THERE WAS ALWAYS A CORNER STORE YOU COULD WALK TO.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'M FROM NEW ORLEANS. YOU HAD DRIVE THROUGH DAIQUIRIS, BUT THIS IS NOT A DRIVE THROUGH DAIQUIRI.

BUT THE IDEA OF HAVING A NEIGHBORHOOD IN ENTERPRISE THAT PEOPLE COULD USE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I FIND A PLUS. I GO TO MANY RESTAURANTS WHERE THERE ARE LOTS OF KIDS RUNNING AROUND, AND YOU CAN BUY A BEER.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING DRUNK IN THE RESTAURANTS PURPOSELY.

SO TO SEE A PIECE OF PROPERTY BEING PUT BACK INTO COMMERCE AND BEING PUT BACK INTO COMMERCE, THAT IS NOT A IF YOU A MORE NEIGHBORHOOD FRIENDLY USE, I THINK.

I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD IDEA. YES. SHE'S GOING TO SERVE DAIQUIRIS.

I, I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD COME HERE WOULD BE NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE WHO I THINK WOULD BE FAR MORE DISCIPLINED THAN, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM DOWN LSU, AS MANY OF US WERE AT ONE TIME.

SO AT THAT FOR SAYING ALL THAT, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS.

THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER GROUT TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.

IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.

ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? THERE'S ONE NOTED OBJECTION FROM COMMISSIONER BROWNELL.

ANY ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS APPROVED. MR. DIRECTOR, I BELIEVE AT THIS TIME WE CAN MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS BEGINNING WITH YOUR

[DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]

MONDAY, APRIL 21ST. QUICK REMINDER THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 18TH FOR THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO WISH A SLIGHTLY BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CHAIRMAN ROSSIE WASHINGTON, WHO I BELIEVE CELEBRATED HIS BIRTHDAY THIS THIS PAST WEEKEND.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! THANK YOU SIR. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS, AND I'LL BEGIN THAT WITH

[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]

PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING CAROLINE MAASS.

COMMISSIONERS CAROLINE SERVES AS THE PRIMARY SUPPORT FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND THE COMPLETE STREETS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

CURRENTLY, SHE'S COLLABORATING WITH THE LOUISIANA.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE ON A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OR CLG GRANT TO UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN BUILDING SURVEY.

ADDITIONALLY, CAROLINE'S PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE COMPLETE STREETS BIKE COUNT SUBCOMMITTEE.

HER PROACTIVE APPROACH AND COMMITMENT TO ENSURING TASKS ARE COMPLETED PROMPTLY HIGHLIGHT HER INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.

CAROLINE'S POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND DEDICATION MAKE HER A HIGHLY DESERVING RECIPIENT OF THIS RECOGNITION.

PLEASE JOIN ME ONCE MORE IN CONGRATULATING CAROLINE. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.

SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN. ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.