[00:00:04]
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
[ROLL CALL]
FOR TONIGHT'S PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE ROLL CALL. MR. HOLCOMB.
>> COMMISSIONER ELLENDER. COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
>> COMMISSIONER SCROGGS. WE HAVE A QUORUM.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 16TH MEETING? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE]
I'LL NOW ASK MS. JASMINE THOMAS TO COME UP TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. MS. THOMAS.>> GOOD EVENING. PLANNING COMMISSION HAS COMPLETED THE LATEST FIVE-YEAR UPDATE TO THE FUTUREBR LAST YEAR IN 2024.
THIS UPDATE MAY HAVE INCLUDED REVISIONS TO LEAD AGENCY ACTION ITEMS, CHANGES TO LEAD AGENCIES OR UPDATE TO THE STATUS OF THE ACTION ITEMS. ACTION ITEMS WERE SENT OUT TO THE LEAD AGENCIES EARLIER THIS YEAR, NOTIFYING THEM OF ANY CHANGES AND REMINDING THEM OF THE END OF THE YEAR ACTION ITEMS STATUS UPDATES AND COMMENTS.
TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR, OUR OFFICE WILL REACH BACK OUT TO THOSE LEAD AGENCIES TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE ACTION ITEMS AND BEGIN REPORTING ON THE PROGRESS AND STATUS OF THE ACTION ITEMS. WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN UPDATE WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY METROPOLITAN COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, JULY 16TH, AND THE UPDATED PLAN WILL BE ADDED TO THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT OF FUTUREBR. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JASMINE. COMMISSION MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME,
[RULES FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARINGS]
I WILL ASK VICE CHAIRMAN CLIFF GROUT TO READ IN THE RULES FOR CONDUCTING THE 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 ST. 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 NECESSARY INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING BY FILLING OUT A REQUEST TO SPEAK CARD INDICATING WHICH ITEM YOU WISH TO SPEAK, AND TO PLACE THAT CARD IN THE DESIGNATED LOCATION PRIOR TO SPEAKING.
APPLICANT AND APPLICANTS 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 THE DUPLICATION IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
APPLICANT WILL BE ALLOWED A TOTAL 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 WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
IN SUCH CASES, THE PROPOSAL WILL FOLLOW THE STANDARD PROCEDURE. MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GROUT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, MR. BALDWIN.>> CONSENT ITEMS FOR WITHDRAWAL.
ITEM 15, CS-6-25 KNOX AND FARRENBACHER TRACT.
PROPOSED FLAG LOT MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BUHLER DRIVE, NORTH OF NORTH FLANNERY ROAD, WITHDRAWN BY THE APPLICANT ON JULY 8TH.
CONSENT ITEMS FOR DEFERRAL, ITEM 13, CUP-6-25 LOUISIANA MAZE,14162 PEAIRS ROAD.
PROPOSED OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL RECREATION ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF PEAIRS ROAD, EAST OF REAMES ROAD, DEFERRED BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR UNTIL AUGUST 18.
ITEM 19, SP 5-25, MANSIONS IN THE PARK PHASE 2, 7250 PERKINS ROAD, PROPOSED MULTIFAMILY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF PERKINS ROAD, EAST OF KENILWORTH PARKWAY, DEFERRED BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR UNTIL AUGUST 18TH.
CONSENT ITEMS FOR APPROVAL, ITEM 7, CASE 21-25, 15959 HEWWOOD AVENUE, TO REZONE FROM RURAL AND COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE RESTAURANT, C-AB-1 TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL 2, LC2 ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF HEWWOOD AVENUE, WEST OF O'NEAL LANE.
ITEM 8, CASE 22-25, 930 O'NEAL LANE, TO REZONE FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL C2 TO COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE RESTAURANT, C-AB-1, ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF O'NEAL LANE, NORTH OF WOODWICK AVENUE.
ITEM 10, CASE 25-25, 449 AND 455 HEARTHSTONE DRIVE, TO REZONE FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL C1 TO COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BAR AND LOUNGE, C-AB-2, ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF HEARTHSTONE DRIVE, NORTH OF GOVERNMENT STREET.
ITEM 11, PUD-3-23, SUBURB SOUTH BATON ROUGE CONCEPT PLAN REVISION, TO REVISE BY ADDING LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, REDUCE MEDIUM-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, REMOVE COMMERCIAL OFFICE, AND INCREASE OPEN SPACE LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NICHOLSON DRIVE, NORTH OF MAGNOLIA MOUND.
ITEM 12, CUP-4-25, 2475 JACKSON AVENUE.
[00:05:03]
PROPOSED ACCESSORY DWELLING ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF JACKSON AVENUE, EAST OF PLANK ROAD.ITEM 14, PUD-1-24, NICHOLSON WEST CONCEPT PLAN REVISION, TO REVISE TO REMOVE MEDIUM-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, MODIFY HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, AND DECREASE COMMERCIAL OFFICE AREA LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NICHOLSON DRIVE, NORTH OF WEST JOHNSON STREET.
ITEM 16, CS-7-25, IRA W. DEARMOND TRACT, PROPOSED FLAG LOT MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, SOUTH OF STONY POINT BURCH ROAD.
ITEM 17, CS-8-25, LIBERTY HILL PROPERTY, 17111 LIBERTY CREST DRIVE.
PROPOSED FLAG LOT MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF LIBERTY CREST DRIVE.
ITEM 18, CS-9-25, GREEN ACRES, 10165 MEADOWDALE DRIVE, PROPOSED FLAG LOT MINOR SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MEADOWDALE DRIVE, NORTH OF GREEN ACRES DRIVE.
PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF CERTIFIES THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
>> WE'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC TO PULL ITEM 14, PUD-1-24, NICHOLSON WEST CONCEPT PLAN REVISION FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THIS ITEM WILL NOW BE HEARD IN THE REGULAR AGENDA ORDER.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS, YOU HAVE NOW HEARD ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT ARE TO BE TAKEN WITH ONE VOTE.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHO HAVE AN ITEM 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 ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED,
[Items 2 & 3]
THEN WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.>> MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS CAN BE TAKEN TOGETHER.
ITEM 2, PA-4-25, AND ITEM 3, REZONING CASE 23-25.
>> CASE PA-4-25, 15800 AND 16438 SAMUELS ROAD, RELATED TO CASE 23-25.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAMUELS ROAD, NORTH OF OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY, COUNCIL DISTRICT 1, NOEL.
THE APPLICANT IS JONATHAN WALKER.
THE CURRENT FUTUREBR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS AGRICULTURAL RURAL WITH A REQUESTED FUTUREBR LAND USE DESIGNATION OF EMPLOYMENT CENTER.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS RURAL, WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL M1.
PA-4-25, 15800 AND 16438 SAMUELS ROAD, RELATED IS CASE 23-25.
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 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT IS APPROVED, BEING COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS 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.
GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, MR. DIRECTOR.
I'M ONE OF THE OWNERS OF DARKHORSE INDUSTRIES, AS WELL AS DHI PROPERTIES.
WE ARE A SMALL LOCAL SPECIAL DECONSTRUCTION COMPANY ENGAGED IN PILE CUTTING AND CONCRETE MODIFICATION.
WE'RE CURRENTLY BASED IN PORT ALLEN, LOUISIANA, AS WELL AS TEXAS.
WE ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE THIS PROPERTY WITH A REZONING, AS MENTIONED, TO EMPLOYMENT CENTER AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IN ORDER TO RELOCATE OUR BUSINESS TO THIS PROPERTY.
FOR CLARITY ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE PROPERTY, IT IS A FORMER DIRT PIT.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 56 ACRES, AND IT HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY EXCAVATED.
I UNDERSTAND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT'S ALWAYS PRESENT ANYTIME YOU SEE A ZONING LIKE M1 INDUSTRIAL, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IS THE CONCERN THAT MAYBE YOU'RE TAKING A GOOD PIECE OF PROPERTY, A GOOD GREEN PIECE OF PROPERTY, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY USABLE AND ATTRACTIVE IN THE ENVIRONMENT, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND CONVERTING IT TO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT THAT.
MAYBE YOU'RE TAKING A GREEN PIECE OF PROPERTY IN VERY SIMPLISTIC TERMS AND TRANSFORMING IT INTO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BROWNFIELD OR A BROWN PROPERTY, IF YOU WILL, AN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE, INDEED, IT IS VERY MUCH THE OPPOSITE.
THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ALREADY EXTENSIVELY EXCAVATED AS A DIRT PIT.
IT NEEDS EXTENSIVE REMEDIATION TO THE EROSION.
THE PROPERTY HAS PIPELINE SERVITUDES AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE SERVITUDES TO BATON ROUGE BAYOU.
THE CURRENT SITUATION IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
FRANKLY, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE.
WE ARE WILLING TO DO THAT. WE'VE COMMITTED TO DO THAT.
[00:10:03]
IN ORDER FOR US TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AND MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS AS WELL AS RELOCATE OUR BUSINESS THERE, WE DO NEED THIS REZONING APPLICATION.THAT BEING SAID, WE DO THINK IT'S IN THE BENEFIT OF THE PARISH TO BRING THIS PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE, AS I MENTIONED.
IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL USE OF THE PROPERTY, WE'RE LOOKING TO BUILD A 10,000-12,000 SQUARE FOOT COMBINATION OFFICE SHOP WITH A TASTEFUL LAY DOWN YARD IN THE BACK, SIMILAR TO WHAT MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE FOR SOMETHING LIKE CAJUN INDUSTRIES OR TURNER INDUSTRIES, COMPANIES LIKE THAT, THE COMPANIES THAT WE WORK FOR.
THE NATURE OF OUR WORK, SPECIAL DECONSTRUCTION, WE'RE ONE OF TWO COMPANIES IN NORTH AMERICA THAT DO PILE CUTTING AND PILE CRUSHING.
THE WORK THAT WE DO IS NOT ON SITE, IT'S OFF SITE, SO THIS LOCATION IS JUST SUPPORTING THOSE OPERATIONS.
FOR THE MOST PART, IT IS LOGISTICAL, DISPATCH FUNCTIONS, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS, AND MAINTAINING THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS USED OFFSITE, WHETHER THAT'S AT EXXON OR DOW CHEMICAL PLANTS THAT ARE NOT AT THIS LOCATION TO BE CLEAR.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY GETTING SCARED OFF BY THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WE DO.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT HERE. WE'RE JUST GOING TO SUPPORT THE EQUIPMENT HERE.
IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFICS, AS I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN, THIS IS A MEETS AND BOUNDS PROPOSAL.
WE ARE NOT PROPOSING TO REZONE THE ENTIRE PARCEL.
APPROXIMATELY 42-45% OF IT IS PROPOSED FOR REZONING, SPECIFICALLY, LEAVING BUFFER SPACE BETWEEN OUR PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED AND THE NEIGHBORS SO THAT IF THERE IS ANY CONCERN ABOUT FRANKLY, ANYTHING, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF FEET BETWEEN US AND ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS.
THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS I MENTIONED, THE PIPELINES, BATON ROUGE BAYOU, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SO FAR REMOVED FROM THOSE THAT ONCE WE STABILIZE THOSE, OUR COMMITMENT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THEM ALONE.
WE'LL CUT THE GRASS, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STABLE, THEY'RE HEALTHY, THEY'RE SOUND, BUT THOSE AREAS WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED, AND I HOPE THAT'S REFLECTED IN OUR APPLICATION.
IN TERMS OF THE EROSION CONTROL THAT I MENTIONED, WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE EB PARISH PLANNING AGENCIES OR THE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED ON THE DRAINAGE FRONT.
JUST TO MAKE CLEAR OF THAT. IN CASE IT'S HELPFUL FOR BACKGROUND, MY BUSINESS PARTNER AND I BOTH LIVE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
I'VE LIVED IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH MY WHOLE LIFE.
WE ARE NOT COMING FROM OUT OF STATE AND LOOKING TO TAKE OVER THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I'VE LIVED IN EBR MY WHOLE LIFE, AND IN FACT, AS PART OF THIS, AS THE NAME INDICATES, WE WILL BE EMPLOYING PEOPLE, BRINGING PEOPLE FROM TEXAS TO COME LIVE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AS PART OF THIS.
WE THINK IT'S AN EXCITING AND ATTRACTIVE PROPOSAL.
WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL SEE THE SAME.
I'LL BE RESPECTFUL OF Y'ALL'S TIME AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A CALL FROM DUSTIN BUTLER. DOES HE NEED TO SPEAK?
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, SIR.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS BRYANT DIXON AND I'M THE CURRENT PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF ZACHARY.
OUR MAYOR ASKED THAT WE COME AND JUST SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT ON OUR END, SO I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT I JUST WANTED TO READ.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED REZONING AND PLANNED AMENDMENT FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN OUR ZONE OF INFLUENCE.
THE SITE HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN USED AS A DIRT PIT, USE THAT HAS LEFT THE LAND DISTURBED AND LARGELY UNDER UTILIZED.
GIVEN ITS CURRENT CONDITION AND SURROUNDING CONTEXTS, THE PROPOSED LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DESIGNATION IS BOTH APPROPRIATE AND PRACTICAL, I FEEL.
IT ALIGNS WITH THE AREA'S TRANSITION AND ALLOWS FOR MORE STRUCTURED PRODUCTIVE USE OF THE PROPERTY WITHOUT OVERBURDENING INFRASTRUCTURE OR ADJACENT NEIGHBORS.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CHANGE PROMOTES ORDERLY GROWTH, REVITALIZES A LONG UNDERUSED SITE THAT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING NEW ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO THE CORRIDOR.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DO APPRECIATE THE COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR JURISDICTIONS AND WE DO SUPPORT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR APPROVAL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER CORE FOR ASHLEY MCHUGH.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ASHLEY MCHUGH.
I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF ZACHARY.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LETTING US COME AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS REZONING FOR THIS GREAT PROJECT.
IN ZACHARY, WE'VE DEFINITELY WORKED HARD TO WELCOME BUSINESSES THAT WE FEEL LIKE ARE GOING TO ENHANCE OUR ECONOMY AND ALSO ALIGN WITH LONG-TERM GOALS FOR BOTH ZACHARY,
[00:15:05]
BUT ALSO THE PARISH AS A WHOLE, AND WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GOOD FIT FOR THAT.WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE JOB CREATION.
AS THE COMPANY JUST MENTIONED, WE FEEL LIKE IT IS QUITE A BIG DEAL THAT EMPLOYEES WOULD RELOCATE FROM TEXAS AND FROM THE PORT ALLEN OPERATION AS WELL.
AS FAR AS THE EXACT LOCATION, HAVING DIRECT ACCESS TO MAJOR HIGHWAYS, INTERSTATES, WE FEEL LIKE THAT DEFINITELY MAKES SENSE FOR THIS OPERATION IN THEIR TRANSPORTATION ENDEAVORS.
JUST TO CLOSE OUT, WE DEFINITELY SEE DARKHORSE INDUSTRIES AS PART OF ZACHARY'S BROADER STRATEGY FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.
WE FEEL LIKE THIS BUSINESS IS GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR TAX BASE, SUPPORT LOCAL CONTRACTORS, AND ALSO ATTRACT COMPLEMENTARY INDUSTRIES IN THE FUTURE.
IT SENDS A STRONG SIGNAL THAT ZACHARY WELCOMES SERIOUS PROFESSIONAL INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS WHICH WILL BENEFIT ZACHARY AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE AREA. THANK YOU.
>> COMMISSION MEMBERS, THAT IS IT FOR THE SPEAKER CORD.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION THAT I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE.
I REMEMBER THE APPLICANT COMING BEFORE US PREVIOUSLY AND ARTICULATING WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO WITH THE PROJECT, AND THERE WERE SOME AREAS OF CONCERN.
I HAD SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WERE CONCERNED AND SO THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND FIND ANOTHER LOCATION YOU WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND SYNTHESIZE IT AND DO SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ARE IN SUPPORT OF AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MESSAGES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS IN OPPOSITION, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE HAS RECEIVED ANY CALLS IN OPPOSITION.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT, I'M SURE COUNCILMAN HOPE SHARES THOSE SENTIMENTS.
>> MR. CHAIR. I KNOW IT'S NOT MY TURN, BUT MAY I SAY ONE BRIEF NOTE.
I'M GRATEFUL YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS IN MY BEST INTEREST TO BRING UP THE PREVIOUS HEARING, BUT SINCE YOU DID, THANK YOU, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE ROOM IN PARTICULAR.
I'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME REALLY GOOD ADVICE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE IN TERMS OF ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, REACHING OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS, TALKING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE I EVER SHOWED UP IN THIS ROOM.
IN RETROSPECT, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO ME, BUT IT WAS NOT, AND SO THANK YOU, AND I THINK THAT HELPED ME GREATLY.
COMMISSIONER ADDISON, I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL.
THE FEEDBACK YOU GAVE ME WAS TO SPEAK WITH THE STAFF, AND THAT ADVICE WAS EQUALLY VALUABLE, AND I'LL CLOSE MY COMMENTS HERE JUST TO SAY THAT THE STAFF HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL THROUGHOUT, STARTING WITH THE DIRECTOR, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MR. HANNA, MR. JEREMY, ALL THE ENCOUNTERS WE'VE HAD HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE REMARKS.
I'LL OPEN FOR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
>> I TOO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND A PLACE FOR YOUR COMPANY IN THIS PARISH, AND IT'S WELCOME TO HAVE A PLACE THAT YOU FIT A LITTLE BETTER AND I FEEL WELCOMED.
AS A CORPORATION, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANKS, YES AND THANKS FOR BELIEVING IN OUR PARISH AND TRY TO STAY HERE.
WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
>> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A SECOND, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, I HOPE YOU'RE NOT MAD AT THE COMMISSIONER FOWLER, DON'T LET HER STEAL THAT FROM YOU.
>> I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU BEING A YOUNG MAN THAT LISTENS.
YES, AND THEN WHAT YOU DID SO YOU TO BE COMMENDED FOR THAT AND WISH WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR IN A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THOSE TWO ITEMS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[4. Case 13-25 T 1482 Lobdell Avenue (Deferred by the Planning Director from May 19 and Councilmember Adams from June 16)]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 4, CASE 13-25 T 1482 LOBDELL AVENUE.>> CASE 13-25 T 1482 LOBDELL AVENUE.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF LOBDELL AVENUE NORTH OF LA SALLE AVENUE.
I ALSO RESTRICT 11 ADAMS. THE APPLICANT IS MORGAN BARBECK.
FUTURE BR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, A1, THE ZONING OF NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, NO.
CASE 13-25 T 1482 LOBDELL AVENUE.
>> 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 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
>> THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED EIGHT MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION TO THIS REZONING REQUEST.
[00:20:02]
I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD AND NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.>> GOOD EVENING. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF OUR ZONING APPLICATION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER. SPEAK FOR HER.
THE DAVID PATERSON IS WITH LAND SOURCE.
WE ENGAGED LAND SOURCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LOT AND THE LOCATION AND THE SURROUNDING BOUNDARIES AND COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND AND DETERMINING BEST USE FOR THE PROPERTY, AND IN DOING SO, LOOKING AT THE BOUNDARIES, IT CURRENTLY FALLS WITHIN THE BOCAGE CULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH WAS RECENTLY ZONED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH THE INTENTION OF ATTRACTING PROPERTIES, SUCH AS STUDIO PARK OR AN [INAUDIBLE] OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THIS PROPERTY IS SCALED, MUCH SMALLER, IT BORDERS CURRENTLY A OFFICE BUILDING WITH COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS ON ONE SIDE, BEHIND IT IS A CANAL, BEHIND THAT IS I THINK IT'S B2, TOWNHOMES AND GOODWOOD AVENUE IN THE FRONT OF IT.
BASED ON VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS, IT APPEARS THAT A1 IS REALLY NOT WITH THE PROPERTY IS REALLY NEEDED THERE.
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE ZONING WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER FIT, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN ADAMS FOR SUGGESTING THAT WE MEET WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
WE HAD A NICE CONVERSATION WITH THE GOODWOOD PROPERTIES ASSOCIATION.
THANKS TO DENNIS [INAUDIBLE], I'M SORRY, AND OTHERS FOR COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS, AND WE HAD A SMALL TURNOUT RELATIVELY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK AS A RESULT, WE PUSHED BACK THE ZONING REQUEST A FEW MEETINGS AND ADJUSTED OUR ORIGINAL APPLICATION BASED ON THESE VALUED CONVERSATIONS.
IT DID PROVIDE HEALTHY DIALOGUE WITH QUESTIONS THAT HOPEFULLY CLARIFIED SOME OF THE INTENTIONS AND SHED LIGHT ON SOME UNKNOWNS, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING DEFINITIONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, WHAT IT CAN BE, WHAT IT CAN'T BE, THE SIZE, THE SCALE, AND JUST BY DEFINITION ALONE, NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE ZONING IS PRETTY CONCISE BASED ON PREVIOUS STUDIES AND APPLICATION.
WE FEEL IT'S A REALLY GOOD FIT.
SOME OF THE CONCERNS WERE DUE TO TRAFFIC, WE LIVE IN A BIG CITY, EVERY PROPERTY OWNER CONTRIBUTES TO TRAFFIC IN THE CITY.
IT'D BE NO DIFFERENT. BY DEFINITION OF THE ZONING, THE TRAFFIC WOULD BE LIMITED TO OFFICE HOURS ONLY.
I THINK THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME CONCERNS.
ALSO THE SIZE AND SCALE, AGAIN, BY DEFINITION OF THE ZONING WOULD LIMIT IT TO SMALLER THAN WHAT YOU CAN BUILD RESIDENTIALLY.
THE CURRENT OWNER HAS BEEN AN OWNER.
SHE'S BEEN A GREAT STEWARD FOR THE PROPERTY FOR THE PAST 14 PLUS YEARS.
SHE'S PROUD TO BE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BOCAGE CULTURAL DISTRICT AND BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
WITH THIS REGARD, SHE'S LOOKING TO WORK WITH PROFESSIONALS AND QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO FIND A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE THAT WOULD PROVIDE A TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ITS RESIDENTS, ALSO ENHANCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SERVICE THAT THOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE CURRENTLY USING AND APPRECIATE AND WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO AS FAR TO VISIT.
IN SUMMARY, I THINK NO NEIGHBORHOOD ZONING MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, NEIGHBORS, AND PROVIDING UPDATES AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. DAVID PATERSON WITH LANDSOURCE, 6730 EXCHEQUER DRIVE BATON ROUGE.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE CATRONS,
[00:25:02]
YOU JUST HEARD FROM VICTOR.I WAS CONTACTED BACK IN FEBRUARY BY THE CATRONS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY, AND FROM DAY 1 AND CONSISTENTLY TO THE LAST FIVE MONTHS, THE CATRON HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE PROPERTY THAT IS IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF THIS UNIQUE PART OF TOWN, AND THAT RESPECTS BOTH THE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS.
THE LAST FIVE MONTHS HAS INVOLVED MANY EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS WITH OUR COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS. SHE'S BEEN TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL AND THE LEADERSHIP OF A FEW OF THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
MY INITIAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE CATRONS WAS FOR LC1, LIKE COMMERCIAL, BUT AFTER SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PLANNING STAFF AND THEM INFORMING US THAT THEY COULDN'T CERTIFY THAT, WE DECIDED TO APPLY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
THIS ZONING NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS THE USES ALLOWED AND ALSO THE SIZE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
THEN IN MAY, WE REQUESTED THAT THE PLANNING DIRECTOR DELAY OUR PROJECT TO PROVIDE MORE TIME TO WORK WITH THE AREA RESIDENTS, AND IN RESPONSE TO THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NEIGHBORS, THE CATRONS DECIDED TO SCRAP THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL REZONING AND REZONED THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, WHICH FURTHER LIMITS THE USES AND THE SIZE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
THEN IN JUNE, WE ASKED LAURIE ADAMS TO DEFER OUR REQUEST A SECOND TIME TO ALLOW FOR THE CHANGE OF NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE AND TO PROVIDE MORE TIME TO TALK WITH THE RESIDENTS AND SET UP AN IN PERSON MEETING, WHICH WE DID.
THE MEETING TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY, JULY 8TH.
THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 25 RESIDENTS REPRESENTING SEVEN DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS, WHICH INCLUDED GOODWOOD ESTATES, GOODWOOD VILLAGE, TILTON COURT, BOCAGE CONDOS, NORMANDY ACRES, TOWNSHIP AT OLD GOODWOOD, LOBDELL ACRES.
I FELT LIKE THE MEETING WENT VERY WELL.
AFTER A COUPLE OF SHORT PRESENTATIONS FROM MR. CATRON AND MYSELF, THERE WAS A Q&A THAT LASTED ABOUT 35 MINUTES.
UP TO THAT POINT, THE ONLY DISSENTING COMMENTS THAT WE HAD HEARD CAME FROM ONE COUPLE THAT LIVE IN NORMANDY ACRES.
MR. CATRON AND I WERE ASKED TO LEAVE THE ROOM SO THAT THOSE PRESENT COULD HAVE PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS.
ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, WE WERE INVITED BACK TO MEET WITH FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENTED OFFICERS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE SUBDIVISIONS.
WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE RECEIVING A LETTER OF SUPPORT, WHICH WAS OUR GOAL.
WE WERE TOLD IN THIS PRIVATE MEETING THAT THEY WERE 4-5 OF THE 25 PRESENT THAT WERE IN OPPOSITION TO OUR REZONING.
SOME OF THOSE WERE THE EIGHT COMMENTS THAT YOU RECEIVED.
WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE BYLAWS OF THE SUBDIVISION, I'M ASSUMING GOODWOOD ESTATES, PREVENTED THEM FROM SUPPORTING ANY REZONING OTHER THAN A1, AND THAT WE WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY SUPPORT, AND IN FACT, THEIR OFFICIAL POSITION WOULD BE OPPOSING OUR REZONING REQUEST.
DENNIS [INAUDIBLE] THE GOODWOOD ESTATES REPRESENTATIVE, INDICATED THAT HE WOULD SPEAK TONIGHT.
I ASSUME YOU'LL HEAR FROM HIM ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP AND WOULD NOTE THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING, BUT ALSO WOULD COMMENT FAVORABLY ON OUR EFFORTS TO APPEASE THE AREA NEIGHBORHOODS, AND NO DOUBT THERE ARE FOLKS HERE THAT WILL CONFIRM WHAT I'M TELLING YOU ABOUT THAT MEETING.
TONIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRAFFIC.
NO SURPRISE LIVING IN BATON ROUGE.
THE TRAFFIC ON LOBDELL. I LOOKED INTO THIS.
I CALLED MOVE BR, AND I'VE CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS A PROJECT TO UPGRADE THE SIGNALS AT JEFFERSON CORPORATE AND ALSO TO LENGTHEN THE TURN LANES, WHICH IS WHAT CAUSES A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE BACKUP ON LOBDELL.
THIS PROJECT IS IN DESIGN AND IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 2026.
REGARDING THE USES, I DON'T THINK YOU ALL HAVE THIS, BUT THIS IS A LIST OF USES FOR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE HAS 13 PERMISSIBLE USES, 13, AND OF THOSE, THE CATRONS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN A BANK,
[00:30:04]
A MEDICAL OFFICE, GENERAL OFFICE, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION AND ART GALLERY.THERE IS NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THE FIVE USES LISTED AS LIMITED OR CONDITIONAL.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THOSE ARE, GROUP HOME, VETERINARY OFFICE, VETERINARIAN OFFICE, ART STUDIO, DAYCARE, LIVED WORK, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT THOSE ARE THE FIVE.
THE SITE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL IN OUR OPINION, AND WE FEEL THAT ALLOWING THIS REZONING WOULD REALLY SERVE TO EFFECTIVELY DRAW THE LINE BETWEEN AND WOULD BE A GOOD TRANSITION BETWEEN THE INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL THAT YOU HAVE SOUTH OF OUR SITE AND THE RESIDENTIAL NORTH OF OUR SITE.
FINALLY, THE RESTRICTED SIZE, WHICH IS 2,500 SQUARE FEET AND 2,500 SQUARE FEET OF BUILDING, THAT'S IT, AND I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT THE USABLE AREA OF THIS LOT ONCE YOU TAKE OUT SERVITUDES IS LESS THAN HALF OF AN ACRE, 02,500 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE AND HALF AN ACRE, BUT THE RESTRICTED SIZE ALLOWED BY THIS ZONING ASSURES THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE A NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT ON TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN SPITE OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR.
I MENTIONED ABOUT THE BUILDABLE AREA, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK AND WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF MY REQUEST SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS BEFORE THE METRO COUNCIL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE SEVERAL CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
THE FIRST IS FOR TOMMY CAMPBELL.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. CAMPBELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION.
I LIVE IN 14,33 LOB DOWN, WHICH IS DIAGONALLY ACROSS FROM THAT LOT, SO I'VE BEEN IN THAT PROPERTY AND MY PROPERTY ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THE CURRENT OWNER, WHO WAS WANTING TO MAKE A ZONING CHANGE.
THIS ZONING CHANGE WOULD BE A DRASTIC DEPARTURE FROM THE FEEL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS REFERENCED EARLIER, THIS APPRECIABLE OFFICE ACTIVITY AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
SOUTH OF THE LAB DE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY INTERSECTION, WHICH IS A BAD TRAFFIC INTERSECTION.
THE RIGHT TRAFFIC IS HORRIBLE.
WE'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED MANY ACCIDENTS ON PEOPLE TRYING TO BYPASS TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR, WHICH IS MORNING, LUNCH, AND CLOSING TIME, 5:00, WHICH WOULD BE THE OPENING HOURS OF THE PREFERRED ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT WON'T ABATE TRAFFIC, IT'LL MAKE IT WORSE.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS PRIMARILY A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
THERE AREN'T ANY BANKS, THERE AREN'T ANY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES ON OUR STREET, AND WE DON'T REALLY NEED IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A PLETHORA OF THEM ALL UP AND DOWN JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, ALL UP AND DOWN JEFFERSON AND JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, GOING NORTH AND GOING SOUTH.
WE'VE GOT TOWN CENTER, WE'VE GOT BOCAGE, AND WE GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DRSILLA, WITH ROSS'S MARKET, ET CETERA.
WE DON'T NEED THAT FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHAT WE NEED IS MORE GREEN SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD HOUSES ON.
I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT RIGHT NOW, ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY IS A COMMERCIAL FACILITY.
IT USUALLY HAS FOR LEASE SIGNS OUT; IT'S NOT ACTIVE.
AFTER HOURS, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMERCIAL PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO IT THAT'S VACANT, AT NIGHT, NOT POPULATED WITH PEOPLE WATCHING OUT FOR THE PROPERTY.
ACTIVITY COULD BE HAPPENING BEHIND THE PROPERTY AND ALONG THE CANAL.
I SEE THAT HAPPENING, AND OTHER BIG COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE CANALS ADJACENT TO THEM IS HOMELESS ACTIVITY AND PEOPLE DO THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VISIBLE.
TO HAVE THAT SET THE STAGE FOR ADDITIONAL CREEP NORTHWARD ON LOBDELL AVENUE IS A MONSTER CONCERN OF MY FAMILY AND THE FAMILIES ON BOTH SIDES OF OUR PROPERTY.
ONE OTHER CONCERN THAT WE HAVE IS DESPITE THE OWNER HAS TAKEN GREAT CARE OF THE PROPERTY FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS, WHICH IS TRUE, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, NEVER ATTEMPTED TO SELL IT AS A ONE AND ADD NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THERE.
[00:35:01]
AND IF THEY HAD ASKED US AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR BLOCK, THEY WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED SELLING THE PROPERTY AS THE HOMES. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR DENNIS VDRIN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE.
ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
I KNOW IT'S A VOLUNTEER POSITION.
I AM THE ZONING CHAIR OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS GOWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE HOA FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, SPOKEN MANY TIMES BEFORE THIS BOARD.
I THINK WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION WITH BOTH THE BOARD AND THE STAFF.
WE ALWAYS COME WITH GOOD QUESTIONS TO MR. HOLCOMB AND HIS STAFF.
I WANT TO TRACE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE.
THE APPLICANT FIRST APPLIED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
THAT WAS JUST TOTALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND THE STAFF SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT CERTIFY IT.
WE HAVE A GREAT COUNCIL PERSON.
SHE REACHED OUT TO US AND SHE SAID, HEY, DENNIS, CAN YOU KNOCK ON THE DOORS OF ALL THE IMMEDIATE ADJACENT RESIDENTS? CAN YOU TALK TO THE ADJACENT BUSINESSES? CAN YOU WORK WITH THE OTHER HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS AND ATTEMPT TO COME UP WITH A CONSENSUS? TRY TO BUILD CONSENSUS.
WE DID, ON JULY 8, WE HAD A MEETING.
WE HAD ABOUT 25 OF ALL OF THE IMMEDIATE ADJACENT RESIDENTS AND THE HOAS.
AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE COULD NOT.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID, A ONE DO NOT SURRENDER.
WE COMMUNICATED THAT TO MISS ADAMS, AND WE BELIEVE SHE'S SUPPORTIVE OF MAINTAINING A ONE-RESIDENTIAL THERE. BUT WHY? WELL, THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.
NONE. THEY HAVE NO IDEAS. THEY HAVE NOTHING.
THEY JUST SAY, NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, WE'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING DOWN THE LINE.
THE RESIDENTS THERE SAY, HEY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
MAYBE IF THEY HAD SOLID PLANS, THEY WOULD MAKE US FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE.
IT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO A CONDO ASSOCIATION OF 39 UNITS.
IT WILL IMMEDIATELY IMPACT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT NOISE POLLUTION, LIGHT POLLUTION FROM A BUSINESS.
THEY WILL CAUSE SOME CONCERNS FOR THOSE RESIDENTS.
MR. CAMPBELL TALKED ABOUT LOBDALE BEING A RESIDENTIAL STREET. IT IS.
THERE HAS BEEN RECENT RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION WITH TILTON COURT THERE THAT BUILT EIGHT BEAUTIFUL HOMES DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THIS OFFICE WILL BE.
SO THERE IS DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ON THAT STREET IN NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> LET'S HEAR FROM SOME OTHERS.
>> OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JEAN BERGERON.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JEAN BERGERON.
I AM A BOARD MEMBER FOR OLD GOODWOOD VILLAGE, WHICH IS THE 39 UNITS THAT ARE DIRECTLY BEHIND ANYTHING PROPOSED.
IT'S THEM, THE CANAL, IN OUR VILLAGE.
WE ARE PRIMARILY OLDER PEOPLE THERE, AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING THAT.
I HAVE LIVED THERE 30 YEARS, AND MANY PEOPLE LIVED THERE MORE THAN I DID, LONG TIME.
WE HAVE BEEN PUSHED IN FROM THE SOUTH WITH ALL THE ART STUDIO, AND IT'S ALL COMMERCIAL NOW, AND WE HAVE A LOT COMMERCIAL.
WE WANT TO TRY AND KEEP OUR LITTLE VILLAGE AND AROUND US GREEN.
A HOUSE, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIGHT POLLUTION, THE GARBAGE WE ARE IN OPPOSITION, TWO OF OUR OWNERS WHO DIRECTLY LIVE ON THE CANAL RIGHT BY THE CANAL, SENT E MAILS TO LAURIE TODAY AND THE COMMISSION TO
[00:40:02]
STATE THEIR CONCERN BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SINGLE OLDER WOMEN THERE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BE RESIDENTIAL AND NOT ANY COMMERCIAL AT ALL.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR HAMPTON GREENWALD.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS, HAMPSON GREENWALD, 6911 JOLIET AVENUE.
I AM THE CURRENT PRESIDENT FOR THE GODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.
OUR ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATED IN MEETING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ALLOW THE OWNER AND NEARBY RESIDENTS TO COME HERE ABOUT THE PLANS AND VOICE ANY FUTURE CONCERNS.
IN SIMPLE TERMS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS OPPOSED TO THE CHANGES TO THE A1 ZONING.
LOBDELL HAS SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN TRAFFIC OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND CONTINUED COMMERCIAL EXPANSION WILL ONLY EXACERBATE THAT ISSUE.
WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY WORKED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO SUSTAIN THE DENSITY ASSOCIATED WITH A ONE RESIDENTIAL, AND THAT IS THE POSITION OF THE BOARD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR SCOTT SIMON.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SCOTT SIMON.
I LIVE AT 75, 05 TILTON COURT, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE CERTAINLY IN A POSE OF IT, AND I'D LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT YOU ALL AND WHERE YOU MIGHT LIVE, AND HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT YOU IF YOU WERE LIVING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
THE OTHER THING I'D ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS WHO ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM FOR? A DEVELOPER, A SINGLE HOMEOWNER, OR A LANDOWNER VERSUS RESIDENTS, AND THIS IS THE KEY WORD IS RESIDENTS, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE TROUBLE MAKING A LEFT OUT OF THE STREET AS IT IS.
WE'VE HAD GUNFIRE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'VE HAD TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED BY A HIT AND RUN.
THERE'S ENOUGH DEVELOPMENT ALONG JEFFERSON.
I HEARD SOMEONE SPEAK ABOUT THE BUILDING THAT'S NEXT DOOR TO WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT MIGHT BE.
IT'S ALWAYS VACANT ACROSS THE STREET.
THERE'S ALWAYS VACANCY AT THAT OTHER COMMERCIAL BUILDING.
I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER NOT TO SUPPORT AS RESIDENTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW YOU WOULD FEEL LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS.
CERTAINLY, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR DANE HUP.
I'M SORRY. THEY INDICATED THEY DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THE SAME GOES FOR ANNALEE CAMPBELL AND CAROLINE MESSENGER.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK TO SPEAK FOR A FIVE-MINUTE REBUTTAL.
>> THANK YOU. WELL, WE'VE BEEN DEMONIZED.
WE UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERN ABOUT SPECULATION, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE 13 ALLOWABLE USES IN THIS PARTICULAR ZONING, THE GATES, AND I BELIEVE, THIS, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS 2,500 SQUARE FEET, THE LESS THAN A HALF ACRE OF BUILDABLE LAND.
I THINK THIS COULD BARELY QUALIFY AS COMMERCIAL EXPANSION, AS SOMEONE PUT IT.
THE CONDOS REFERRED TO ARE ACROSS THE CANAL FROM THE SITE.
WE ASK RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM. VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
>> MR. VDRIN, CAN YOU COME FORWARD? I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF COMMENTS TODAY ABOUT KEEPING THIS A ONE.
THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SITTING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
>> WE'VE SEEN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A PROPERTY, USUALLY AN EDGE PROPERTY LIKE THIS.
THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON GODWOOD THAT SAT FOR 20-SOME YEARS UNTIL SOMEBODY CAME ALONG AND SAID, LET'S DO AN I SPUD, OR THEY ENDED UP DOING THREE HOUSES ON THAT.
[00:45:03]
IT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED NOW, BUT THEY'VE SAT VACANT FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS A ONE.IT WAS AT A POINT IN AN AREA THAT HAD WAS TRANSITIONING TO COMMERCIAL, AND NOBODY WANTED TO PUT A HOUSE ON IT.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH YOUR ASSOCIATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANY INTERESTED IN ANYONE LOOKING TO BUY THIS TO BUILD A HOUSE, WHICH YOU KNOW OF?
>> IT'S NEVER BEEN FOR SALE AS FAR AS WE KNOW THAT.
WE'VE NEVER SEEN FOR-SALE SIGN OF ANY KIND.
>> BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, I KNOW, TRUST ME.
PEOPLE COME TO MY HOUSE WANTING TO BUY IT SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S A HOUSE AND IT'S RIGHT OFF GODWOOD.
>> I LIVE [INAUDIBLE] IN BROAD.
BUT, USUALLY, YOU SEE THE INTEREST IF THERE IS SOME.
MY CONCERN IS, IF YOU KEEP IT A ONE, IS IT JUST GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO MOW AND PAY TAXES ON AS A VACANT PIECE OF LAND? THAT'S WHAT I'M WRESTLING WITH HERE.
>> THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
>> BUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT FOR SALE, AND YOU AND I'VE HAD A DISCUSSION IN THE PAST ABOUT TRANSITIONAL PROPERTY PROPERTIES.
>> WE ALREADY HAVE COMMERCIAL JUST SOUTH OF IT.
MY CONCERN IS IS THAT THE LIMIT OF THE TRANSITION? IS THE COMMERCIAL THAT'S THERE NOW? LOOK, I JUST RECENTLY WAS LOOKING TO GO INTO THAT BUILDING, AND IT'S NOW RENTED.
THERE IS AREA ACROSS THE STREET.
THAT'S, I'VE CASUALLY LOOKED AT THAT.
SURE. THE THING IS THAT I BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TRANSITION, YOU HAVE TO SAY STOP SOMEWHERE.
IS THIS THE POINT TO STOP? THAT'S THE QUESTION I HAVE.
>> WHAT I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS IF THIS PROPERTY SIMPLY IS NOT NEVER GOING TO BE A ONE.
WHAT DO WE DO? BUT THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT'S IN THE USE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE? DEFINITELY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. I COULD NOT SUPPORT.
NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT CONCERN ME BECAUSE ONCE WE REZONE, IT'S NOT REZONING TO THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
IF THEY HAD COME BACK AND SAID, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND, BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE A SPUD OR SOMETHING, THEY CAN LOCK THEM IN, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I THINK YOU MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS OF A PROBLEM WITH IT IF YOU COULD SAY, OK, THIS IS GOING TO BE BLANK.
THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANT TO REALLY ASK.
>> FIRST OFF, IF YOU COME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BRING YOUR ARCHITECTURAL FIRM; WE'D WELCOME YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I'M ALREADY AROUND THE CORNER ON GOODWOOD, RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE LIBRARY.
>> BUT WE'RE ALWAYS, WE'VE ALREADY GONE AHEAD AND MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH OUR CURRENT LANDLORD, AND WE'RE GOING TO STAY THERE BECAUSE I'M SURE IF HE'S WATCHING, I DON'T WANT HIM THINKING, MY GOODNESS, I'VE LOST HIM AGAIN.
>> THAT'S MY CONCERN IS WHERE IS THE LINE, BUT ALSO IF THIS IS NOT VIABLE? THAT'S ANOTHER.
IF IT'S NOT VIABLE AS A ONE, IF IT'S NOT VIABLE AS COMMERCIAL.
I'M TRYING TO GET A LINE HERE IN MY MIND. THANK YOU, VDRIN.
>> COMMISSIONER FOWLER, HOW HAD THE APPLICANT COME BACK OWNER [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHAT HAS BEEN THE DISCUSSION OF WHY THEY WANT TO DO THIS NOW? WHY ARE THEY REZONING IT NOW? HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY INTEREST IN A BUYER OR THEM DEVELOPING A SPECIFIC PROPERTY?
>> THEY HAD IT IN THEIR MIND TO GET IT REZONED BEFORE THEY PURSUED A BUYER.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER THEN FROM WHAT WE'RE USED TO, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY SAID FROM THE BEGINNING.
THERE'S FIVE OWNERS, A GROUP HOME, THERE ARE FIVE THINGS THAT ARE EITHER LIMITED OR CONDITIONAL.
THE THINGS THAT ARE CONDITIONAL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO DO IT, THE THINGS THAT ARE LIMITED, THERE'S A LIST OF CONDITIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET BEFORE THEY'LL ALLOW IT, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> THERE'S BEEN TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO INTEREST IN A1, NO OFFERS, A1, NOR HAS THERE BEEN ANY INTEREST IN SELLING THE PROPERTY.
THE OWNER IS INTERESTED IN BEAUTIFYING THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHE LIKES WHAT WAS DONE AT STUDIO PARK, MALLS FIELD, BUT SHE LIKES THAT CONCEPT.
SHE LIKES DAN CONNALLY, THE RED ONION THAT'S THERE AND GOES TO THOSE DIFFERENT PLACES.
[00:50:02]
SHE LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONAL TYPE SERVICE TO GO IN THERE THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBOR.>> THE IDEA IS THAT SHE'S GOING TO DEVELOP IT OR SHE'S GOING TO REZONE IT AND HAVE IT DEVELOPED, SELL IT TO SOMEONE TO BUILD AND DEVELOP?
>> SHE HAS NO INTENTION TO SELL IT.
>> NO INTENTION OF SELLING IT?
>> SHE HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS TO LOOK AT THE BEST POSSIBLE USE AND DO A SEARCH OF CANDIDATES FOR THAT.
SHE'LL BE SELECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BRING SOMEONE IN THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN BEING THERE FOR A LONG TERM, IS NOT LOOKING IN HAVING A LOT OF TURNOVER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, KEEPING IT STABLE. THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE DONE, COMMISSIONER FOWLER, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS NOW? YOU CAN SIT ON THEM IF THEY NEED TO MARINATE A LITTLE BIT.
>> LOOKING AT THIS PROPERTY, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS HERE, AND FORGIVE ME, BUT AS A REAL ESTATE APPRAISER AND A REAL ESTATE BROKER, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THIS BEING NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.
I DO NOT SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE TRAFFIC ISSUES WITH THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING THAT'S LIMITED TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE, AND IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, JUST MY OPINION, I COULD BE WRONG, IT'S IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE A HOUSE BASED ON WHERE IT'S AT.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE A1 IN MY PERSONAL OPINION.
THAT'S WHERE FOR ME, THIS IS A GREAT FIT FOR THE AREA IN WHICH IT'S GOING TO DEMAND A HIGH QUALITY OFFICE BUILDING JUST PURELY FOR THE VALUE OF THE LAND ITSELF. THAT'S MY COMMENT.
>> CAN THE APPLICANT COME BACK UP, THE OWNER?
>> ONE OF THE BIGGER CONCERNS, AND ONE I RAISED, AND I THINK IT'S A CONCERN FOR SOME OTHERS IS TO REZONE SOMETHING, IT DOESN'T LOCK YOU INTO, YOU WANT TO DO AN OFFICE BUILDING, OR YOU WANT TO DO A DENTIST'S OFFICE OR SOMETHING.
HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDERED DOING, THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORS IS, WHAT'S THIS GOING TO BE? I GOT TO TELL YOU, IT'S A CONCERN TO ME WHEN I HEAR, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GET IT REZONED AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. THAT BOTHERS ME.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER FOWLER, I DON'T EVER SEE AN A1 HOUSE GOING ON HERE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE NEIGHBORS NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO GO THERE.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT OUR JOB TO PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AT THIS SITE.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED DOING A SPUD OR AN ARK WHERE YOU COME BACK WITH A SPECIFIC HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, HERE'S WHERE THE PARKING IS GOING TO GO, HERE'S WHERE THE LANDSCAPE IS GOING TO GO, HERE'S WHERE THE WALK IS GOING TO BE, HERE'S WHERE THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT GOES BACK TO TO THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES OVER, ALL OF THAT, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT?
>> WELL, I WILL SAY THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS HAD THE PROPERTY FOR 14 YEARS AND SHE'S IN NO RUSH TO RUN OUT AFTER THE MEETING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND DO ANYTHING WITH THE PROPERTY.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG STUDY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TIME.
SHE HAS EXPERIENCE BUILDING OTHER PROPERTIES AND IN THE PAST, HAS DONE ABOUT A 90-ACRE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS A BROAD TRACK OF WOODED PROPERTY, TURNED IT INTO A 90-LOT SUBDIVISION, PUT IN PAVED STREETS, UNDERGROUND PAVING, BROUGHT IN A SCHOOL SO KIDS DIDN'T HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] CONSCIOUS OF.
>> I'M IN NO WAY QUESTIONING THAT.
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS SHE BUILD SOMETHING, YOU'LL SELL IT, THEN IT FAILS, AND THEN SOMEBODY SAID WE WANT TO BANK HERE, THEN WE NOW HAVE IT BY RIGHT, WOULD THAT HAPPEN? I DON'T KNOW. I'VE SEEN SOME BANKS PUT IN SOME PRETTY STRANGE PLACES PARTICULARLY IN BATON ROUGE.
>> WE'RE NOT PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT ONE TYPE OF A BUSINESS OR ANOTHER.
WE WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO COMPLIMENT THE AREA.
>> THAT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD, BUT I THINK THE CONCERN OF THE NEIGHBORS, AND AGAIN, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER FOWLER, I DO NOT THINK THIS IS EVER GOING TO BE A1.
>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT JUST PARTICULARLY WHEN I SEE THINGS LIKE BANK, THAT'S NOT A SITE FOR IT.
I KNOW IT PROBABLY WON'T HAPPEN BUT I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD, BUT SOMEBODY COULD. I DON'T KNOW.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE NECESSARILY BIG ENOUGH FOR A BANK.
>> YOU LOOK AT GULF COAST AROUND THE CORNER AND IT'S ON A PRETTY TIGHT SITE.
IT'S MY BANK. I GO THERE ALL THE TIME.
>> ONE GOOD THING, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS DID BRING US TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE HOME OWNERS.
[00:55:01]
>> COULD YOU MOVE CLOSER TO THE MIC, SIR?
>> COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS DID BRING US TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND NOW THAT WE KNOW THEM, WE PLAN TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AT EVERY STEP AND GET THEIR INPUT AS WELL TOO BECAUSE WHATEVER DOES END UP THERE IS HOPEFULLY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S INTENDED [INAUDIBLE].
>> THIS IS WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IS, WE APPROVE THIS AND THE GUY WITH THE HOUSE ABOVE IT PASSES AWAY, OR SELLS, OR DOES SOMETHING, AND WHOEVER BUYS IT SAYS, WELL, YOU APPROVED THE GUY OVER HERE.
LET'S KEEP GOING. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT ON LOT THOUGH.
I'VE INVESTED IN THAT COMMUNITY 20 YEARS, THAT'S WHERE MY OFFICE HAS BEEN RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
I KNOW THE AREA WELL, AND DENNIS IS RIGHT, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRANSITION, AND I BELIEVE AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU JUST GOT TO SAY NO, YOU'RE DONE.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS TOO FAR? I THINK I REALLY NEED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.
I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S MY TWO CENTS, AND WE'LL GET TO IT WHEN WE GET TO IT. THANK YOU.
>> ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONER? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM? ANY MOTIONS? COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
>> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? NOTED OBJECTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
ANY ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS OR FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THIS ITEM IS APPROVED.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 5,
[5. Case 19-25 3825 North Sherwood Forest Drive ]
CASE 19-25 3825, NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST DRIVE.>> CASE 19-25 3825, NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST DRIVE.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST BOULEVARD, NORTH OF TOLEDO BEND AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HURST.
THE APPLICANT IS EDWIN VELASQUEZ.
[INAUDIBLE] LAND USE DESIGNATION IS MIXED USE.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS LIGHT COMMERCIAL C1 WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL 2, HC2.
CASE 19-25 3825, NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST DRIVE.
>> 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 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
>> THE PLANNING COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED 41 MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION.
ALSO, COUNCILMAN HURST HAS EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN IN THE AMOUNT OF OPPOSITION THAT HAS SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO OUR OFFICE, AND HE IS ALSO OPPOSED AT THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, SIR.
MY NAME IS EDWIN VELASQUEZ FROM HONDURAS.
BEEN HERE OVER 20 YEAR IN THIS CITY.
>> SIR, COULD YOU BRING THE MIC A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU? THANK YOU.
>> ALREADY GOT MY SMALL BUSINESS.
I BUY THE PIECE OF LAND A COUPLE OF YEAR AGO.
I HAVE MY BUSINESS ABOUT 12 YEAR AGO, SMALL BUSINESS.
I PAY RENT TO DIFFERENT PLACES.
I TRY SEE CAN MAKE MY OWN PLACE TO DO THE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OF MY NEIGHBOR AROUND THE PIECE OF LAND I HAD.
TRY DO THE BEST I CAN WITH MY NEIGHBOR AROUND THE PIECE OF LAND I HAD, AND THIS WHY OVER HERE, SEE I CAN CAN GET APPROVED TO MAKE MY OWN BUILDING.
I REALLY HARD TO EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE THERE'S NO NATURAL LANGUAGE I READING.
I GOT MY DREAM LIKE EVERYBODY SPANISH COMING TO THIS COUNTRY,
[01:00:01]
GET OPPORTUNITY TO GROWING UP, THE ONLY THAT I CAN SAY REALLY HARD TO ME TO EXPLAIN TO MY POINT TO HOW I CAN GIVE MY OWN PLACE.>> I HAVE MAYBE CAN EXPLAIN BETTER FOR ME.
I CAN GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAND TO SPEAK TO EVERYBODY, SEE HE CAN EXPLAIN BETTER FOR ME.
>> IS HE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE? HE CAN HELP SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF IF YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO. YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM.
>> IF I COULD JUST MAYBE SPEAK FOR HIM.
>> CAN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF?
>> YOU WANT ME TO READ THAT? ONE SECOND. I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU ALL. I'M SPEAKING FOR MR. EDWIN VELASQUEZ.
WHERE DID THAT GO? HOLD ON. THERE IT IS.
>> COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, SIR?
>> COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD?
>> MY NAME IS JOHN SEIGEL, S-E-I-G-E-L.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE CITY OFFICIALS OF BATON ROUGE.
MY NAME IS EDWIN VELASQUEZ, OWNER OF EDWIN'S SERVICE REPAIR, AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT HAS BEEN BUILT ON A FOUNDATION OF HONEST WORK, RELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND A STRONG COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR FORMAL APPROVAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW BUILDING THAT WILL HOUSE AND EXPAND OUR OPERATIONS.
WHAT WE'RE NEEDING IS A REZONING FROM C1 TO C2.
THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN BASICALLY INACTIVE.
THERE'S NOTHING ON THAT PROPERTY.
WE'RE REQUESTING TO PUT A BUILDING ON THERE, GENERATE MORE INCOME FOR THE CITY AND OBVIOUSLY FOR MR. VELASQUEZ.
EDWIN REPAIRS SERVICE STARTED A SMALL FAMILY EFFORT OVER THE YEARS THROUGH DEDICATION AND SACRIFICE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW CREATING JOBS, HIRING TECHNICIANS, SERVING MANY FAMILIES THROUGHOUT BATON ROUGE, WHICH I AM ONE OF THEM.
HOWEVER, OUR CURRENT FACILITIES ARE NO LONGER SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DEMAND OR TO OFFER THE PROPER WORKING AND SERVICE CONDITIONS.
THE BUILDING WE PROPOSE IS NOT JUST AN UPGRADE FOR OUR BUSINESS, IT IS A DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE CITY.
THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WILL CREATE NEW LOCAL JOBS BOTH DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND THROUGHOUT ONGOING OPERATIONS, AND OF COURSE, IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, OFFERING A MORE SUITABLE AND COMFORTABLE SPACE FOR THOSE WHO RELY ON US.
WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO MEETING ALL MUNICIPAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SAFETY REGULATIONS, AND TO BUILDING A STRUCTURE THAT BLENDS HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THAT FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS THAT CAN GROW RESPONSIBLY WITH TRANSPARENCY, DEDICATION, AND TRUE LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT NOT ONLY IS VIABLE, BUT TRULY BENEFICIAL FOR BATON ROUGE AND FOR OURSELVES.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I'VE KNOWN MR. VELASQUEZ FOR 20 YEARS, STARTED OUT AS A SMALL LITTLE SHOP.
HIS CURRENT SITUATION IS CROWDED, TO SAY THE LEAST.
THERE'S NO PARKING FOR VEHICLES THAT COME IN.
YOU HAVE TO PARK ON NEIGHBORS GRASS AND EVERYTHING.
WITH THIS BUILDING THAT HE'S PROPOSING, IT'LL DEFINITELY HELP HIS BUSINESS TREMENDOUSLY.
THE C1 TO C2 IS NOT THAT BIG OF THE DEAL BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION ON NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL IMPACT ANY OF THE NEIGHBORS.
THE CLOSEST BUILDING IS A FAMILY DOLLAR, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE 200-FOOT AWAY MAYBE.
>> BEHIND THAT, OR TO THE TO THE WEST SUBDIVISION,
[01:05:01]
IS PROBABLY 400 FOOT AWAY.I DON'T THINK THERE'D BE ANY NOISE PROBLEM BEING A MECHANIC SHOP.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A RIFLE RANGE OR WHATEVER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I COULD SAY TO SWAY YOUR OPINION, AND HOPEFULLY THAT YOU'LL AGREE WITH HIM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> WE HAVE ONE MORE CORE THAT IS IN FAVOR, AND THAT IS FOR FELICIA HILL.
YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT, SIR. THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO SAY FOR 15 YEARS NOW.
I'VE KNOWN MR. EDWIN FOR ABOUT SEVERAL YEARS.
FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN ACTUALLY FIX THEM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP TAKING THEM BACK.
HE ALSO WORKS IN A COMMUNITY FIXES ON THE LAUNDRY MATS, HE FIXES SERVICES THERE, THEIR STUFF, THINGS LIKE THAT.
JUST HELP SINCE HE'S OWNED THE LAND THAT'S OVER THERE.
THE LAND, THE LANDSCAPING WAS TERRIBLE.
BUT SINCE HE'S OWNED IT, HE HAS BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE UPKEEP.
I CAN ASSURE YOU, IF HE'S GOING TO OWN A MECHANIC SHOP RIGHT THERE, HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL AREA, THEIR CARS WILL BE FIXED.
HE DOES FIX THEM AND THE SHOP THAT THEY HAVE ON FLORIDA, IT'S SO MUCH TRAFFIC GETTING TO THE SHOP.
AT LEAST ON SHERWOOD, WE CAN JUST GET THERE, GET OUR CAR TAKEN CARE OF AND LEAVE.
THERE WON'T BE ANY TRAFFIC TO BOTHER PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S ABOUT ALL THAT I COULD SAY, EXCEPT HE'S A GOOD PERSON.
HE DOES GOOD WORK, AND IT IS NEEDED IN OUR AREA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE SEVERAL CORES THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION.
THE FIRST IS FOR, IS IT MONTERO CARNEY? YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU. I AM MONTERO CARNEY, AND I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PARK FOREST FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
I WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH BOTH THE ASSOCIATION AND THE CRIME DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN A SAFE CRIME FREE COMMUNITY AND MAINTAIN OUR PROPERTY VALUES.
I SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THE PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE TO ALLOW FOR A MECHANIC SHOP.
WE AND PARK FOREST ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN PREVENTING BLIGHT, WHICH IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT OUR PARISH.
WE WELCOME BUSINESSES THAT ENHANCE THE NEARBY COMMUNITY AS WELL AS PARK FOREST.
BUT ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP WILL ONLY NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY WITH NOISE AND TRAFFIC.
I MUST ALSO BE NOTED THAT ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP WILL BE THE SOURCE OF NOISE, AND AGAIN, WE WILL BE INUNDATED.
WE'RE ALREADY INUNDATED WITH MECHANIC SHOPS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL WITHIN A MILE OR A MILE AND A HALF OF OUR AREA.
THE BLIGHT WILL CONSIST OF PILED UP JUNK CARS AND TIRES.
THERE IS ONE SUCH BUSINESS ABOUT A MILE FROM THE PROPOSED BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE 311 CALL CENTER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.
THAT ISSUE HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED.
IN SUMMARY, I REITERATE THAT ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PARK FOREST AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP.
I HAVE PICTURES HERE THAT I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THAT MAYBE YOU CAN PASS AROUND AND SHOW SOME OF THE MECHANIC SHOPS THAT ARE WITHIN A MILE OR SO OF OUR AREA, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BLIGHT AND THE STACKED CARS AND THE TIRES, ETC.
>> AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP THEM, YOU CAN GIVE THEM TO COMMISSIONER ADDISON RIGHT HERE ON THE END.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CORE IS FOR DEBORAH DOW.
>> WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
>> ABSENT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS MECHANIC SHOPS ON GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID A TECHNICAL STUDY, BUT THERE ARE OVER 28,000 CARS THAT CURRENTLY PASS ON GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD DAILY.
ON SHERWOOD FOREST, THERE IS EAST BAG PAIRS TRANSFER FOR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
[01:10:01]
THERE'S NUMEROUS BUSES THAT THE TRAFFIC IS BACKED UP FROM THAT DROP OFF CENTER ALL THE WAY TO GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD.THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS ONE, ON GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, I LIVE IN PARK FOREST.
WE'RE ALREADY SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN LOW INCOME HOUSING.
WE HAVE THE NEW FACILITIES THAT WERE PUT ON DREW ROAD, AND THEN WE'RE SANDWICHED IN BY THOSE BY THE LIBRARY.
IT'S GOING TO DECREASE THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES WHEN YOU REZONED TO A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
WE WERE REZONED BACK LAST YEAR WITH A 9,700 BLOCK OF GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, WHERE THERE WERE AN OPEN STORAGE FACILITY.
I'M NERVOUS HERE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT ANYWAY, THE BUSINESSES THAT'S ON GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD NOW ARE POORLY MAINTAINED.
A LOT OF THEM, THERE'S NO UNIFORMITY.
THE BUILDINGS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE VACANT, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BUSINESSES IN THOSE BUILDINGS.
IF YOU GO DOWN GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, YOU WILL SEE THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED WITH IS THE DECREASE IN PROPERTY VALUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF IS THAT WHEN YOU LIVE IN A LOW INCOME ZIP CODE, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LOW INCOME ZIP CODES PAY MORE FOR INSURANCE BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE APT TO FILE A CLAIM.
THAT HAS BEEN STATED IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS DOCUMENTS.
THE OTHER THING THAT CONCERNS US IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES GOING DECREASING, WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE INCREASE IN CRIME.
WHEN YOU START TO REZONE INTO A HEAVY COMMERCIAL AREA, THEN YOU START TO LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING TO ATTRACT.
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT [LAUGHTER] THOSE ARE THE POINTS.
I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES, SO I WANT TO TAKE THAT UP.
>> OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR PATSY LEDAY SAYS IF NEEDED. WOULD SHE LIKE TO SPEAK?
MY NAME IS PATSY LEDAY AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARK FOREST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
I STAND IN OUR POSITION OF THIS REZONING.
I HAVE WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? I THINK I'VE BUILT ON PARK FOREST AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO RAISE MY KIDS IN PARK FOREST.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS REZONING TO HAVE IT, I'M NOT EXACTLY NOT TOO CLEAR ABOUT ALL THIS, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW INTO WHAT IT WOULD TRANSITION TO, IT MAKES ME THINK WHAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND MY COMMUNITY IS GOING TO CHANGE TO.
I'M OKAY WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN FAMILY AND GROW SOMETHING.
BUT I THINK ABOUT MY FAMILY TOO AND MY COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE.
WHEN I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE UP TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR MY HOME LOOKING AT BLIGHTS ALL THE TIME, I SEE THAT ENOUGH AROUND THE AREA.
TIRES AT GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST AND SAY THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT RIGHT NOW THAT'S HOW I FEEL, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE US TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
IF THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME THING THAT WOULD GROW IN THE AREA OR WOULD BE EVALUATED TO PUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, LET US BE SOMETHING THAT CAN GROW OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT A COMMUNITY WHERE IT REPRESENT EVERYBODY AND AS WELL AS KEEPING IT SAFE AND KEEPING IT BEAUTIFIED.
THANK YOU AND I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER MAYBE KEEPING IT IN A POSITION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR TROY FLOWERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A FAST TALKER, SO ALL HANG ON THERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TROY FLOWERS.
I AM A RESIDENT OF PARK FOREST, AND I'M AGAINST THIS MECHANIC SHOP COMING.
I AM 300 FEET AWAY FROM THAT MECHANIC SHOP.
THIS PLACE IS BUILT LIKE THIS, LIKE A TRIANGLE.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR HEALTH.
THIS GUY COME OUT BRING THIS THING TO A HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
HE TOLD US WE'RE GOING ON DIESEL TRUCKS, STANK DIESEL SMELL.
[01:15:04]
THAT WILL HURT OUR LUNGS.THE NOISE, THE AIR RANK, THE AIR COMPRESSOR, SEE ALL HOURS AT NIGHT.
THE PROBLEM PUG BOTH CARS THERE.
THIS GOING TO TOTALLY KNOCK DOWN OUR PROPERTY VALUE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DEVELOP A JUNK IN OUR AREA.
FROM WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, YOU FLIP ANOTHER WHITE TRUCK OVER THERE NOW.
I DON'T SEE WHERE YOU POINT A FLAP, SIT THE BIT ON TOP OF THE FLAP.
PLAN JUST PUT THE BILL ON TOP OF DIRTY.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE AGAINST THAT.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THEY FOUND ME WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING, ALL THAT'S COMING STRAIGHT TO COMMUNITY.
NOT TO MENTION THIS PLAY CATCH A FIRE, IT BUST AND WOULD BE GONE IN THE AIR.
WE MUST AND I ASK YOU, WE MUST LOOK INTO THIS, LOOK AFTER FOR OUR HEALTH, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR KIDS.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON, I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE TAKE THIS CONSIDERATION.
WE DO NOT NEED A MECHANIC SHOP.
WE GOT A LUMP OF JUNK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAIN [INAUDIBLE].
THIS IS PER HOUSING, NOW, THE GUY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE MECHANIC SHOPS WITH IT. DON'T BRING IT TO US.
THE TRAFFIC, GET IN AND OUT OF TOLEDO B, WILL BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE DOLLAR STORE HERE, THE TESCO STATION HERE.
I ASK YOU ALL LOOK AFTER PEOPLE, HELP US. TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
YOU ALL LIVE IN THE AREA, YOU ALL WE WANT THE SAME TIME.
YOU WALK OUT OF THE HOUSE, YOU WANT TO RE CLEAN FRESH AIR.
WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE TO BE SICK AND DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG.
DIFFERENT CHEMICALS GETTING INTO OUR LUNGS.
THEY'RE GOING TO SAY ONE THING AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER.
IT WOULD NOT BE DONE THE WAY YOU ARE SAYING.
I ASK YOU ALL, PLEASE TAKE THIS CONSIDERATION.
BUT THANK YOU, MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL, MAY GOD KEEP YOU ALL, MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR LILIAN CROSLEY.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LILIAN CROSLEY.
I BELIEVE I MOVED OVER THERE IN '97, I CAN'T DO THAT MATH, EVEN THOUGH I AM A RETIRED FORMER BANKER.
I COMMEND MR. VELASQUEZ, IF I'M SAYING HIS NAME RIGHT, I WAS A BUSINESS BANKER, SO I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO SUBMIT THEIR PLACE AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY WORKED [INAUDIBLE].
I HAVE GREAT CONCERN AND I AM IN OPPOSITION OF THE ZONING CHANGE.
THE ZONING CHANGE TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL WHILE HE HAS GREAT INTENTS AND PLANS TO PURSUE THIS AND IS GOING TO OPEN A MECHANIC SHOP.
ONCE THAT ZONING CHANGE IS APPROVED, AND IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, SOMETHING HAPPENS AND HE CAN NO LONGER OPERATE THAT BUILDING, IT'S STILL HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
THE NEXT OWNER CAN COME IN AND DO WHATEVER THEY DESIRE TO DO ONCE WE GET THAT ZONING CHANGE IN PLACE.
THE PICTURES THAT WERE HANDED AROUND, IF YOU WOULD LOOK CLOSELY AT THE ONES ON THE NORTH SHERWOOD SIDE, THOSE WERE VERY GOOD IDEAS AT THE TIME THOSE BUSINESSES STARTED, AND IT IS A VERY BIG EYESORE NOW.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE VANS, I THINK IT'S CALLED ON GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD. IT'S GOT CARS.
I COULDN'T GET IN THERE TO TAKE THE PICTURE.
I HAD TO GO ACROSS THE STREET, AND I HAD TO GO AROUND BECAUSE IT'S SO CROWDED IN THERE.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING THIS TYPE OF LOOK START TO SATURATE NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST, THIS BLOCK FROM NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST AT THE RAILROAD TRACKS ALL THE WAY TO GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY HEAVY COMMERCIAL OR DOLLAR STORE, AND THE DOLLAR TREE, THE ONLY THINGS THERE.
YOU MOSTLY HAVE CHURCHES AND TOWN HOMES AND WHATNOT.
IF WE START TO ALLOW THESE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS ON THAT END, IT'S GOING TO LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE THE SHERWOOD TO FLORIDA END OF NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST.
I WENT DOWN CHOCTAW FROM SHERWOOD DOWN TO MONTEREY.
THERE'S A PLETHORA OF AUTO BILL SERVICE BUSINESSES THERE.
SEVERAL OF THEM ARE NO LONGER OPERATING.
THERE'S A FACE SIGN ON AT LEAST TWO OF THEM.
BUT IF YOU DO A DRIVE AROUND JUST THE TWO MILES AROUND THERE, YOU CAN PROBABLY COUNT 20 AUTOMOTIVE SHOPS.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT BUSINESS.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ZONING CHANGE BECAUSE IT OPENS US UP TO
[01:20:01]
MANY MORE THINGS THAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR HENRY WASHINGTON.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HENRY WASHINGTON.
I THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'VE BEEN IN PARK FOREST SINCE ABOUT 1989, AND IT'S A VERY GOOD AREA TO LIVE.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LITTLE ISSUES WE'RE FIGHTING.
THIS NEW SHOP BECOMING ANOTHER ISSUE, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE WANTING A PERSONAL BUSINESS, BUT NORTH BOUNDARIES IS CONSTANTLY FIGHTING BLIGHT PROPERTY, JUST A COMBINATION OF THINGS, AND WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING EXTRA TO FIGHT.
CHANGING THE ZONE IS NOT GOING TO HELP US AT ALL.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED WHERE I'M AT NOW, IT WAS MORE AND NICER IN THE SENSE THAT IT WAS MORE GREEN, LESS BUSINESSES.
THE BUSINESSES THEY DID HAVE WERE OPERATING.
SO NOW IT'S LIKE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BLIGHT PROPERTY ALL AROUND, AND WE DON'T NEED TO BRING IN MORE STUFF TO BE LAID ON TO BE BLIGHT PROPERTY.
IT'S A NICE COMMUNITY FOR THE FAMILIES, I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT LIKE THAT.
I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE A LONG TIME, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN JUST KEEP IT LIKE IT IS AND NOT CHANGE THE ZONE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT CARD IS FOR JACQUELINE, IS THIS ROAN-LEA?
>> ROAN-LEA. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY.
[LAUGHTER] GOOD EVENING, MA'AM.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JACQUELINE ROAN-LEA, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARK FOREST CRIME PREVENTION IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE CHANGING FROM C1 TO HC2.
REASON BEING EVERYTHING EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID.
ALSO, I'M LOOKING AT BRINGING MORE BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA.
WITH THE MOVE BR AND Y'ALL BEING TO EXTEND SHERWOOD FOREST.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRIME AREA, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN MORE RESTAURANTS.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN RETAIL.
WHAT ABOUT A NEIGHBORHOOD WALMART? WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN THINGS THAT WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T HAVE A STORE CLOSE BY.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IN SOME THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE OUR AREA HEALTHY.
MAKE MORE BUSINESSES WANT TO COME IN.
UNFORTUNATELY, A MECHANIC SHOP HAS A BAD REPUTATION, AND I'M NOT SAYING I MAY NOT LATER ON WANT TO CHANGE TO HC.
I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW, I NEED TO PUT SOME THINGS THERE THAT'S GOING TO BRING SOME THRIVING BUSINESSES AROUND MY AREA.
I HAVE BEEN IN MY HOME 27 YEARS.
I'M GETTING READY TO RETIRE AND HEAD NORTH.
I WASN'T PLANNING ON MOVING, BUT IF YOU BRING THE WRONG TYPE OF BUSINESSES AROUND ME, MY HOME IS ALMOST PAID FOR, YOU'LL FORCE ME TO MOVE BECAUSE I'M GETTING TOO OLD FOR ALL THIS.
WE HAVE 50 MILLION MECHANIC SHOPS, AND HEY, I COMMEND THE GUY TRYING TO BUILD HIS COMPANY, BUT IT'S JUST NOT FOR US RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED SOME MORE HEALTHY COMMERCIAL RETAIL BUSINESSES AROUND THE PARK FOREST AREA. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SPEAKER CARDS THAT ARE IN OPPOSITION THAT DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
THOSE ARE FOR SHERA FLOWERS AND SHANNON SIMMS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE BACK TO THE PODIUM FOR A FIVE-MINUTE REBUTTAL.
>> I TELL YOU WHEN I BUY THAT LAND BEFORE, THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH, LIKE THEY SAY.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WHENEVER I BUY, I KEEP IT CLEAN.
THERE'S NO TARGET SHOP LIKE THEY SAY, IT'S JUST A MECHANIC SHOP.
THE TOLEDO, THE SERVICE ROAD, I CUT THE GRASS ALL THE TIME RIGHT THERE.
BEHIND ME IS THE WATER COMPANY.
I LET IT GO THROUGH TO MY LAND.
LAST WEEK, THEY PUT NEW GENERATOR.
I GIVE THE KEY TO THE WATER COMPANY.
[01:25:03]
THEY GO THROUGH BECAUSE 18-WHEELER, THEN NO CAN GO THERE.THAT ROAD IS MINE TOO FOR THE WATER COMPANY.
THAT ROAD, THE WATER COMPANY, IT'S MINE, AND I LET GO THROUGH, THE 18-WHEELER THROUGH MY LANDS.
LAST WEEK, THEY PUT NEW GENERATOR AND I TRY TO KEEP IT CLEAN, MY LANDS, NO TRASH LIKE THEY SAY.
I THINK THEY GO IN BACK, THEY SAY A LOT OF NOISE BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY CLOSE TO TO HOUSE.
I TRY THE BEST I CAN DO, AND THE NEIGHBOR KEEP IT CLEAN, THE ROAD.
THE GUY HE TALKED TOO, HE KNOWS ME. HE CLEANED.
HE CUT OUT THE TRASH AROUND THE TOLEDO DRIVE OR TOLEDO ROAD.
I TRY LOOK GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THEY SEE THE NEXT LAND, THE GROUND LIKE THIS HIGH, A LOT OF TRASH, TOO.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY SAY THEY ABOUT THE PIECE OF LAND I HAVE BECAUSE I KEEP IT CLEAN.
WHENEVER I BUY, I CLEAN AROUND.
ONLY THAT I CAN SAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. COMMISSION MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE ASKING FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
DIRECTOR HOLCOMB, COULD YOU JUST VERY BRIEFLY, THE REQUEST TO REZONE IS FROM A LIGHT COMMERCIAL OR C1, TO A HEAVY COMMERCIAL 2, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> CAN YOU TOUCH ON THE DIFFERENCES AND WHAT THE MOST INTENSIVE USES ARE AS THEY RELATE TO THOSE CATEGORIES?
>> HEAVY COMMERCIAL ZONING, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED HERE, HC2, INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL, MORE INTENSIVE USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED IF THIS PROPERTY WERE TO BE REZONED.
THIS BODY HERE TONIGHT IS SIMPLY MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
THAT RECOMMENDATION WILL GO ON TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING NEXT MONTH.
FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL USES, FIRST OF, BOTH ZONING CATEGORIES, THE EXISTING ZONING CATEGORY AND THE PROPOSED, ALLOW ALL GENERAL RETAIL USES, SO TYPICAL BUSINESSES, TYPICAL GAS STATIONS, RETAIL SALES WOULD BE ALLOWED IN BOTH.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCES THAT HEAVY COMMERCIAL ALLOWS WOULD BE MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR, MOTOR VEHICLE SALES, CAR WASHES, LIMITED OUTDOOR STORAGE, THINK OF CONTRACTING YARDS OR LAWN CARE MAINTENANCE BUSINESSES, THOSE WOULD BE ALLOWED IN HEAVY COMMERCIAL, ALONG WITH BUILDING MATERIAL SALES AND SERVICE WOULD BE ALLOWED.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION. COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
>> HE CAN'T DO ANY AUTOMOTIVE WITH HC1.
THE LOWEST HE CAN DO WITH HIS PURPOSE OR WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IS HC2.
THIS BODY DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECOMMEND A HC1 IF THE APPLICANT IS WILLING TO DOWNGRADE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION. COMMISSIONER BOYD?
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, I KNOW YOU JUST SAID THIS, BUT HC1 WOULD ALLOW HIM TO DO WHAT HE'S WANTING TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. BUT BASED ON THE OPPOSITION I'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND THAT SHARED COMMENTS OF CONCERN IN OPPOSITION, I BELIEVE THAT OPPOSITION WOULD STILL BE THERE WITH HC1.
>> BUT IT WOULD ALSO LIMIT IT ON THE HIGH END OF THE SPECTRUM OF WHAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE USES?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. IT WOULD TAKE LARGER-SCALE DEVELOPMENTS AND THOSE MORE INTENSIVE LARGER USES OUT THE PITCH.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR A MOMENT, MR. DIRECTOR, I'M NOT ABLE TO GET IN MY COMPUTER, SO I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THIS LOT? WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT A LOT.
WHAT'S THE SIZE OF IT? I'M NOT ABLE TO SEE THE MAP.
>> IT'S AN IRREGULAR-SHAPED LOT, BUT IT'S APPROXIMATELY 1.35 ACRES BASED ON OUR ANALYSIS.
[01:30:04]
>> 1.35 ACRES. OF COURSE, I HEARD MOST OF THE OPPOSITION, OF COURSE, ARE OPPOSED TO, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AND MY APPRECIATION, OPPOSED TO THE MECHANIC SHOP BEING PLACED THERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WHAT I DID WANT TO ASK, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO ASK ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.
SINCE I KNOW MS. ROY WELL, I'M GOING TO ASK HER TO COME BACK UP, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
YOU KNOW I WAS GOING TO PICK ON YOU.
[LAUGHTER] I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
MR. EDWIN INDICATED HE'S BEEN IN THE BUSINESS NOW 20-SOMETHING YEARS, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE GENERALITY OF THE BUSINESS ITSELF, AND I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT, BUT MY EVALUATION IS ALWAYS ON THE PERSON HIMSELF, NOT SO MUCH AS THE GENERALITY OF WHAT COULD BE.
IF HE'S BEEN THERE 20 YEARS AND HIS BUSINESS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD ANYONE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT.
YOU TALK ABOUT BLIGHT, BUT IF HIS PLACE IS NOT BLIGHT, YOU TEND TO SAY WE CAN ELIMINATE BLIGHT.
>> NOW, HE'S NOT THERE NOW, BUT HE'S BEEN IN BUSINESS 20 YEARS, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, THAT'S WHAT HE'S INDICATED.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE I DID HEAR THE OPPOSITION.
BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, TO BE FAIR TO THE APPLICANT, WE SHOULD EVALUATE THE APPLICANT ON WHAT HE OR SHE DOES. THAT'S ONE THING.
THAT'S A CLEAR INDICATOR OF WHAT A PERSON IS GOING TO DO, IS WHAT THEY CURRENTLY DO.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED THAT QUESTION. LET ME SEE.
SHE'S BEEN MY FRIEND SO LONG, AND WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER SO LONG, AND WE GREW UP, SO I'M NOT REALLY PICKING ON YOU.
IT'S THE POINT THAT I'M JUST TRYING TO RAISE THAT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT FOR ME SITTING HERE, IS THAT WHAT A PERSON DOES IS WHAT THEY'RE PROBABLY MORE LIKELY TO DO.
BUT THE LOT SIZE WAS A CONCERN.
I KNOW IT'S LIABLE ON HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HE CLEANED THE LOT.
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
WHEN HE BOUGHT IT, IT WAS NOT ONE WAY, AND NOW HE'S KEPT IT UP.
THAT'S AN INDICATOR THAT HE WANTS TO BE A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR.
HE WANTS TO BE A GOOD BUSINESSMAN.>> NO. [BACKGROUND]
>> WELL, LET ME DO THIS. ANYBODY WHO HAS A CONCERN OR A STATEMENT, I'M LETTING THEM COME TO THE MIC.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT BECAUSE I ASKED HER TO COME, BUT I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE COME.
[OVERLAPPING] LET ME DO THAT BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO HEAR.
LET ME GET THE ORDER BACK FOR.
BECAUSE SHE SPOKE, I'D LIKE HER TO COME.
MA'AM, I'D JUST LIKE HER TO SPEAK, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
>> OUR CONCERN IS ABOUT THAT BUILDING. IT'S REZONING.
WE HAD A REZONING DONE LAST YEAR AT THE 9,700 BLOCK OF GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD AND PLATT.
WHAT HAPPENED THERE IS THAT IF YOU GO DOWN PLATT ROAD NOW, WHERE THE OLD WINN-DIXIE USED TO BE ON WHAT WAS IT CALLED?
>> SAVE A LOT WAS THERE. THEY PUT AN OPEN STORAGE FACILITY THERE THAT STORES OLD, BEAT-UP CARS, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE ENTRANCE.
WHEN YOU REZONE, YOU OPEN UP THE AREA FOR ALL KINDS.
HE'S JUST SAYING THOSE THINGS, BUT WHEN YOU GO TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL, THEY COULD PUT A CEMENT COMPANY THERE ON THAT ROAD.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH IS THAT IF YOU LOOK ON CHOCTAW, WHERE THEY REZONED ALL OF THAT, AND LOOK AT THE LA BELLE AIRE.
WHEN THEY REZONED, ALL THE WAY DOWN CHOCTAW, BEHIND CHOCTAW NOW, ALL LA BELLE AIRE, ALL OF THAT WENT DOWN.
THEIR PROPERTY VALUES WENT DOWN, CRIME RATE INCREASED, EVERYTHING.
WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW SAYING WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE A HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
WE DO KNOW THAT SHERWOOD FOREST IS GOING TO EXTEND ALL THE WAY OUT.
WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD, THAT'S FINE BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE NEW DEVELOPED.
THAT COULD PROBABLY BE HEAVY COMMERCIAL.
OUR HOMES ARE SITTING BACK THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THAT ONE BUILDING COMING.
WHEN YOU REZONE, AND MR. HOLCOMB KNOWS THIS, YOU OPEN THE AREA UP FOR ALL OTHER HEAVY COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE HIS SHOP IS AT, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT MR. VEL, I'M NOT SURE HIS NAME.
WE DO APPRECIATE HIM WANTING TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN YOU OPEN THAT UP, IT'S NOT JUST FOR HIM, IT BECOMES FOR EVERYBODY.
AGAIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE ITEM.
>> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON TO DENY THIS ITEM.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? THERE'S A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, DO WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT?
[01:35:07]
>> I'M VERY MUCH ON THE FENCE WITH THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
I THINK THIS NEEDS TO I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE TO BE HANDLED AT COUNCIL.
WHAT WE DO IS A RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE NOT THE FINAL AUTHORITY.
I HATE TO SAY IT, I AGREE WITH THE NEIGHBORS.
THIS SEEMS TO BE A BRIDGE TOO FAR.
AT A CERTAIN POINT, LIKE I VOTED WITH THE LAST ONE, AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU HAVE TO SAY NO.
I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO SEE THIS, I REALLY DO.
I'M GOING TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE BECAUSE THAT WILL SEND IT TO COUNCIL.
I THINK IN BETWEEN, YOU ALL CAN TALK TO MR. VELASQUEZ AND SEE IF MAYBE YOU ALL CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT AND SWAY IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
NOW, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO VOTE IN THE POSITIVE. THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DENY FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON, AND A MOTION RECEIVED TO SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FOWLER.
WE HAVE ONE NOTED OBJECTION FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION?
>> SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS DENIED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 5,
[6. Case 20-25 T 11920 West England Avenue]
CASE 20-25 T11920 WEST ENGLAND AVENUE.>> CASE 20-25 T11920, WEST ENGLAND AVENUE.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WEST ENGLAND AVENUE, WEST OF STENSON AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, HURST.
THE APPLICANT IS RODNEY VINCENT.
FUTURE PR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, A1 WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL A 2.7.
CASE 20-25 T11920, WEST ENGLAND AVENUE.
>> STAFF CANNOT CERTIFY THE REQUESTED CHANGE OF ZONING.
WHILE IT CONFORMS TO UDC REQUIREMENTS, IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROVISIONS CALLING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, PARTIALLY BEING LOCATED ADJACENT TO HOMES WITH LARGER FRONTAGES ON THE SAME STREET, WHICH MAY ALTER THE CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> WE DID RECEIVE A MESSAGE TODAY IN OPPOSITION FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES. GOOD EVENING.
>> GOOD EVENING. MYRA RICHARDSON.
I AM REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER AND PROPERTY OWNER.
MY NAME IS MYRA RICHARDSON AT 4333 MARY BELL COURT, WHICH IS SIX MINUTES AWAY FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND SPEAK.
IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT, THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS REQUESTED TO BE FROM A1-A2.7 SPECIFICALLY FOR A BETTER USAGE OF THE PROPERTY AND TO BE ABLE TO START WITH OUR FIVE LOT DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A MINOR DEVELOPMENT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES, FIREFIGHTERS.
THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE A STARTER HOME.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE VALUE OF THAT COMMUNITY.
IN FACT, IT WILL RAISE THE VALUE OF THAT COMMUNITY.
WE HELD A COMMUNITY MEETING AT GREENBRIER ELEMENTARY, AND COUNCILMAN DARRYL HURST CAME IN SUPPORT FOR THAT MEETING FROM SHOVELING SAND JUST LAST WEEK AND ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME IN THE RAIN TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT THEIR QUESTIONS FOR IT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY IN THAT PROJECT HAD BEEN IDLING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND WE'RE EXCITED WITH YOU ALL SUPPORT IN YOUR INQUIRIES TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN INVENTORY ISSUE IN BATON ROUGE.
WE HAVE FAMILIES WHO WANT TO HAVE HOUSING HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HAVE TO GO OUT OF THE PARISH TO FIND IT.
THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC COMMUNITY, AND WHILE I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PERCEPTION OF CHANGING THE EXTERIOR OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT IS AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, SO MANY OF THOSE OWNERS WERE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES NEARBY, WHICH HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THEIR HOME VALUE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THAT AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THAT PROPERTY VALUE AND HAVE EVEN THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND THEIR DAUGHTERS AND THEIR SONS MOVE BACK INTO THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH A LOT OF THEM VOCALIZED.
THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD BEEN THERE SINCE THE '80S.
WE HAD ONE WHO WAS 50-YEARS-OLD AND WENT TO GREENBRIER AND SHE SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE WANTED TO SEE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FAMILIES COME BACK INTO THAT COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A HUGE WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL, AND I HUMBLY ASK FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT,
[01:40:01]
AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS IN RELATION TO THIS MATTER.>> THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL SPEAKER COURSE, SO I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR MOTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
>> THAT'S A RECORD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
>> I LOVE YOU GUY. THANK YOU, GUY.
I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU ALL.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR APPROVAL.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SECOND FOR VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
>> ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY NEED FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS APPROVED.
> THANK YOU ALL. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 9,
[9. Case 24-25 1540 North Foster]
CASE 24-25 1540 NORTH FOSTER.>> CASE 24-25 1540, NORTH FOSTER DRIVE.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH FOSTER DRIVE, NORTH OF GUS YOUNG AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, HARRIS.
THE APPLICANT IS SHANTEL KNOX.
FUTURE BR LAND USE DESIGNATION IS MIXED USE.
THE EXISTING ZONING IS LIGHT COMMERCIAL, C1 WITH A REQUESTED ZONING OF COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, BAR AND LOUNGE, C-AB-2.
CASE 24 25 1540 NORTH FOSTER DRIVE.
>> 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 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
>> PLAN AND COMMISSION OFFICE HAS RECEIVED FOUR MESSAGES IN OPPOSITION TO THIS REZONING REQUEST.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES.
WE MADE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN LINE.
TO ME, I'M JUST BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY.
EVERYTHING IS ALREADY IN PLACE ALREADY.
THEY ALREADY HAVE DOLLAR STORE, GAS STATION, FASHION STORE, A FEW COUPLE OF OTHER BUILDINGS.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH BRINGING IT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, BUT I'M SCARED.
I DON'T REALLY TALK IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
BUT I'M JUST HOPING THAT YOU ALL APPROVE ME TO START MY NEW BUSINESS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE CARD THAT IS IN OPPOSITION THAT IS FOR SABRINA HONOR.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR THREE MINUTES, MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS SABRINA HONOR, AND I'M THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF EBR READINESS ELEMENTARY.
I AM THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET AND I AM CONCERNED THAT WE WILL HAVE A BAR AND A HOOKAH LOUNGE ACROSS THE STREET FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW IT MAY BE TO POLICY BECAUSE THIS IS NOT MY PURVIEW.
I DON'T KNOW PLANNING AND ZONING. I'M AN EDUCATOR.
BUT HERE ARE THE THREE THINGS I WANTED TO ADDRESS.
JUST LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE OTHER CONSTITUENT ABOUT TALKING TO THE STAKEHOLDER, COMING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET TO VISIT THE SCHOOL AND TALK TO US.
JUST LET US KNOW THAT YOU'RE COMING BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S NOT IN GOOD TASTE TO HAVE A BAR ACROSS THE STREET FROM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION? WILL THEY BE SERVING ALCOHOL DURING THE DAY? IS IT A NIGHTTIME THING? I DON'T KNOW ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
GUESS WHAT? I AM A SMALL MAN ON THE TOTEM POLE.
MAYBE THAT INFORMATION WENT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO DO THIS TYPE OF THING, BUT BECAUSE I'M THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW BECAUSE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WILL BE COMING TO SCHOOL IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THIS IS A NEW DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THIS WASN'T HERE IN MAY.
NOW WE HAVE A BRAND NEW BAR AND HOOKAH LOUNGE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHAT IS THE ALCOHOL BOUNDARY? CAN YOU HAVE ALCOHOL THAT CLOSE? WHEN I SAY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SCHOOL, I MEAN LITERALLY I CAN STAND OUTSIDE THE DOOR OF THE SCHOOL,
[01:45:04]
TAKE A PICTURE AND SEE THE LOUNGE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET.I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT.
WILL IT BE CONSUMED ACROSS THE STREET? I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS THIS THE LOOK THAT WE WANT TO HAVE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, WE DO NEED BUSINESSES.
WE NEED STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA.
I'M JUST CONCERNED AND WOULD LIKE SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED, SO I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WHEN MY STAKEHOLDERS ASK MRS. HONOR, THERE'S A NEW BAR ACROSS THE STREET SINCE WE LEFT, AND THE ANSWER IS LOOK LIKE YES.
THAT'S WHY I OPPOSE OF THIS NEW ZONING REQUEST.
>> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT'S THE EXTENT OF OUR SPEAKER COURSE.
I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
>> I'M NOT THE APPLICANT. I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER AND I'M HELPING HER TO BUILD HER FIRST BUSINESS.
>> SHE'S A BARTENDER SOMEWHERE.
SHE CAME TO ME AND PROPOSED THIS IDEA, WHICH IS OPENING A BAR, SPORT BAR.
I'VE BEEN A PROPERTY OWNER FOR SIX YEARS OVER THERE.
I'M DOING MY BEST TO CLEAN THE PLACE, AND I THINK EVERYBODY HAS SEEN WHAT I DID TO THE PLACE.
MY MAIN THINGS IS NOT TO HAVE AN ISSUE OVER THERE AT ALL.
THE TIMING OVER THERE IS GOING TO BE AFTER 5:00, WHICH IS 5:00 - 12:00, THE TIMING FOR OPERATION.
A SPORT BAR FOR ELDER PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DO KARAOKE, ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO AS FAR AS HAVING A GOOD TIME.
MY MAIN THINGS, I HAVE A HIGH VALUE PROPERTY.
I DON'T WANT TO RUIN MY PROPERTY VALUE.
I WILL MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TENANTS IN THERE AND SUPPORTING FIRST BUSINESS FOR SHANTEL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSION MEMBERS, AT THIS TIME WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER ADDISON, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE ABOUT TO BEAT YOUR RECORD THIS TIME, ARE YOU?
>> MOVE FOR DENIAL. IT'S A TIE.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DENY THIS ITEM FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
YOU MAY BE A SMALL MAN, BUT YOU REPRESENT MANY SMALL MEN AND WOMEN.
THOSE CHILDREN THAT ARE OVER THERE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU ARE CORRECT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT THIS IS NOT SITTING IN THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
I DEFINITELY SECOND THAT MOTION.
>> MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON, DENY.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, THAT ITEM IS DENIED.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 14,
[14. CONSENT FOR APPROVAL PUD-1-24 Nicholson West, Concept Plan Revision]
PUD-1-24, NICHOLSON WEST CONCEPT PLAN REVISION.>> PUD-1-24, NICHOLSON WEST CONCEPT PLAN REVISION.
PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NICHOLSON DRIVE NORTH OF WEST JOHNSON STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, COLEMAN.
THE APPLICANT IS CAROLYN MARTIN.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A REVISION TO REMOVE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, MODIFY HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND DECREASE COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE.
FUTURE VR LINE USE DESIGNATION IS MIXED USE.
PUD-1-24 NICHOLSON WEST CONCEPT PLAN REVISION.
>> STAFF CERTIFIES THAT THE PROPOSED REQUEST MEETS THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR A PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT, BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES AND CONFORMING TO UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MEMBERS AT THIS TIME, I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING. NAME IS ANDRE RODRIGUE WITH STANTEC CONSULTANT SERVICES HERE TO REPRESENT THE APPLICANT, CAROLYN MARTIN, ON BEHALF OF THIS PROJECT.
AS IT WAS NOTED, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A REVISION TO THE CURRENT PUD.
THE PUD 1-24 CAME TO THIS COMMISSION AND GOT APPROVED BY THE METRO COUNCIL APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO FOR A MIXED USE OF COMMERCIAL, MEDIUM, AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES ALSO WITH OPEN SPACE.
AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO DIVIDE WHAT WE WANT TO EXACTLY BUILD AND COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR THAT FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, IT WAS TO DETERMINE THAT MEDIUM DENSITY WAS PROBABLY NOT WHAT WAS BEST USED FOR THAT.
[01:50:05]
ALSO THE HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL QUANTITY, THE UNITS THAT WE HAD IN THERE ORIGINALLY WERE TOO HIGH FOR THE AMOUNT OF AREA THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED.WE'VE COME BACK WITH A REVISION HERE TO REMOVE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FROM THE PUD ALTOGETHER TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF UNITS OF HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL UNIT, BUT INCREASE THE AREA THAT'S DESIGNATED FOR THERE.
OVERALL, A LOWER DENSITY USED ALTOGETHER.
COMBINE THAT WITH NOW THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS AREA THAT WE COULD USE FOR OTHER USES, THE OFFICE USE HAS DECREASED TOO.
JUST TO RECAP, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WILL DECREASE FROM 380 UNITS DOWN TO 315 UNITS, WHICH IS ABOUT A 17% DECREASE.
THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE BASE, WE'RE REQUESTING TO REDUCE IT FROM 287,000 TO 105,000.
THEN ALSO ON THE ACREAGE FOR COMMERCIAL OFFICE, WE'RE REDUCING IT FROM 10.7 TO 7.6, WHICH IS JUST UNDER A 30% REDUCTION.
WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT MIGHT BE FOR THIS CASE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CARDS THAT ARE IN FAVOR.
I'M LOCATED AT THE PROPERTY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AT 2475 NICHOLSON, RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF WEST JOHNSON.
THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, MY PARENTS HAVE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE BEFORE I TOOK OWNERSHIP OF IT.
THAT LOT HAS BEEN VACANT FOR SOME 50 YEARS.
THERE'S BEEN THREATENED TO HAVE USE OF IT AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT DEVELOPING AND IT'S ALL FALLING THROUGH.
I'M IN VERY BIG FAVOR OF MAKING BEST USE OF THAT PROPERTY AND GOING TO A LOWER DENSITY USE SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME.
I JUST LIKE TO SEE IT GO FORWARD.
HAVING THAT VACANT LAND IS PUT IN A SERIOUS GAP BETWEEN LSU AND DOWNTOWN, AND EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO DRAW THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, I THINK WOULD BE QUITE USEFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR OTHER COURT AND SUPPORT IS FOR NICOLE DAY, WHO HAS INDICATED THAT SHE DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE TWO COURTS IN OPPOSITION.
THE FIRST IS FOR NEEMIA TATMAN.
>> AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR YOUR YOUR TIME.
APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION. I KNOW IT'S PRETTY LATE, BUT I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK.
I LIVE OFF OF 1720 NICHOLSON DRIVE, REDSTICK LOFTS, I AM THE HOA PRESIDENT.
AS THE FORMER PERSON THAT JUST STOOD UP MENTIONED, I THINK WE WERE ALL PRETTY EXCITED WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
I'M A CIVIL ENGINEER, ALSO PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
I'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS THROUGHOUT FROM NEW ORLEANS TO [INAUDIBLE].
PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AS A HOME OWNER IN THE AREA.
BUT I'LL SAY THAT WITH SHORT LIVED.
QUITE A BIT OF DISAPPOINTMENT WORKING WITH THIS DEVELOPER.
AROUND THE TIME OF MARCH, THERE WAS A STORM THAT KNOCKED OVER A FEW TREES.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THIS OWNER REGARDING THAT ISSUE.
UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THAT TIME, THAT THOSE TREES DID FALL INTO MY PROPERTY.
NOT ONLY DAMAGED MY PROPERTY, OUR RESCUE PUP IS PRETTY SCARED TO GO BACK OUTSIDE IN THAT AREA NOW.
QUITE A FEW ISSUES HERE THAT I WOULD SAY FOR MYSELF, BUT AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE IN THE PROPERTY.
WE'VE TRIED TO REACH OUT, AND AS MS. COLEMAN MENTIONED, ABOUT ENGAGING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
LACK OF ATTENTION, LACK OF RESPONSE.
IT'S ALSO CREATING SOMEWHAT OF A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN OR NUISANCE.
WE'VE SEEN UNHOUSED FOLKS LIVING IN THAT AREA, AS YOU SAW THE PICTURES, QUITE A BIT OF OVERGROWTH THERE. THAT'S A CONCERN.
AS COUNCILMAN HUDSON MENTIONED, THAT'S A KPI, KEY PERFORMING INDICATOR OF HOW SOMEONE IS GOING TO MANAGE THEIR PROPERTY THERE.
I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN WE'VE BEEN SEEING.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE NOISE LEVELS AT NIGHT, VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION AND THINGS BEING DONE IN THAT AREA, UNSECURED PROPERTY.
THEN ALSO, THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT THE FLOODING IN THE AREA, TOO,
[01:55:01]
AS WE'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF CHANGES DUE TO THE REZONING, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE A TRUE PLAN AND THEY'RE READY TO EXECUTE IT.AGAIN, EXCITED TO SEE THE GROWTH, BUT THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO ENGAGE WITH US AND BUILD THE TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.
IN TRYING TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS HERE, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY EFFORT TO DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT COURT IS FOR CAITLIN OSHA.
>> HI. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I ALSO LIVE AT THE REDSTICK LOFTS.
MY UNIT IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THESE TREES AS WELL.
ACTUALLY CAME TO THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING ON JUNE 24 OF 2024 TO TRY AND MAKE CONTACT WITH CPRT, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE DODGED CALLS, EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY TIME I'VE SEEN THEM AT OUR PROPERTY WAS WHENEVER MR. TATMAN HAD AN ISSUE WITH A TREE FALLING ON IT.
AS PART OF THE HOA, I JOINED THEM.
THEY PROMISED TO HAVE THE TREES HANDLED WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
THEY ALSO PROMISED TO HAVE THE TREES HANDLED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ORIGINAL REZONING MEETING ON JUNE 24, 2024.
I CANNOT, IN GOOD FAITH, THINK THAT THEY WILL DO SOMETHING PROPER WITH THE PROPERTY.
I'M TRULY WORRIED THEY'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND IT'S GOING TO REMAIN BLIGHTED.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU GUYS TO VOTE IN OPPOSITION UNTIL THEY HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS, AND UNTIL WE GET THOSE TREES DOWN AND UNTIL WE GET THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE AWAY FROM OUR PROPERTY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE THE APPLICANT BACK FOR A FIVE MINUTE REBUTTAL.
>> THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS, AND I WILL RELAY THOSE OVER TO THE PROPERTY OWNER IN REGARDS THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
BUT TODAY AND TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING FOR A REVISION TO THE PUD SO THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH DEVELOPMENT TO THE NEXT STEP.
THE NEXT STEP, AS YOU KNOW, WILL BE FILING A FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THAT IS THE INTENTION TO DO THAT IMMEDIATELY ONCE THIS GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.
AGAIN, THE ASK HERE IS TO REDUCE THE DENSITY OF HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL OR ELIMINATE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE SPACE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT CAN GO FORWARD AND BE FILED HERE IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER AND START OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, THAT'LL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I'LL INVITE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION. COMMISSIONER COLEMAN?
I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE MEDIUM DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL, MODIFY, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND ALL OF THAT.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL. I HAVE MET, LET ME SAY THIS WITH CAROLYN MARTIN A COUPLE OF TIMES.
BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU ALL AT ANY MEETINGS? NEITHER HAVE YOU ALL REACHED OUT TO ME.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THESE TREES IF YOU CAN, AND IF NOT, THEN THIS COMES BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AM I CORRECT, RYAN?
>> THIS ITEM THAT WE'RE HEARING RIGHT NOW IS JUST PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL.
>> JUST PLANNING AND SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THESE TREES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND WEREN'T.
IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING HER, YOU OUGHT TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT SOME OF THIS, SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN JUST SLIDE ON AND SAY THAT YOU JUST HERE FOR THE DENSITY, RESIDENTIAL, WHATEVER ALL THE WHOLE MOUTHFUL OR WHATEVER.
IF TREES HAVE FALLEN IN THE ON THEIR PROPERTY AND WE'VE HAD TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, I AM NOT AWARE OF THE TREES.
I AM HERE FOR THE TECHNICAL MATTER OF OF THE PRODUCT ITSELF, OF WHAT THIS CASE IS HERE.
I WILL BE MORE THAN GLAD TO GET WITH MS. MARTIN AND TALK ABOUT THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TREES ARE ADDRESSED.
[02:00:03]
I'M ASSUMING THAT THE TREES ARE ON THE WEST BOUNDARY ARE WHAT'S BEING CONCERNED HERE.THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
THAT WOULD BE UNDER THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY HAD AGREED UPON OR WHAT THEY HAD DISCUSSED BEFORE.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT THE PROPERTY OF HOW IT WOULD BE LOOKED AT THE PROPOSAL OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE CAME WITH THE PUD A YEAR AGO AND PRESENTED IT.
AND AGAIN, WE WERE HAVING THIS REVISION HERE AS WE WERE GOING FORWARD TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN SO THAT IT CAN GO FORWARD WITH DEVELOPMENT.
I APPRECIATE THAT WITH THE TREES.
I DO AGREE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME COMMUNICATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT THE PERSON TO ADDRESS THAT COMMUNICATION.
I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER FURTHER AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO TO RESOLVE THE CONCERNS THEY HAVE WITH THE TREES AND ALSO IF THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON SHOWING HOW THE DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE.
AGAIN, WHEN WE COME TO THE FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, THAT WILL SHOW EXACTLY HOW EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED OTHER THAN JUST THE CONCEPTUAL USES WHICH ARE BEING SHOWN RIGHT NOW.
>> DEVELOPING TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY.
RYAN, TALK TO ME ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS CAN I HAVE THIS TO COME BACK BEFORE US? TELL ME WHAT CAN I DO?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS ASKING DIRECTOR HOLCOMB ABOUT COMMISSIONER COLEMAN WAS THAT THIS IS QUESTION WE COULD CERTAINLY FLOAT TO THE APPLICANT.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND SOME INACTION AS IT RELATES TO SOME IDENTIFIED ISSUES ON THE PROPERTY.
WE WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO ALLOW SOME COORDINATION POSSIBLY THROUGH YOUR OFFICE FOR RESOLVING THOSE ISSUES AND MAYBE CREATING STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORS AND MAYBE MAKING EVERYBODY FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I'LL ASK THE QUESTION, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO A DEFERRAL FOR FOR A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME SO THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS CAN TAKE PLACE?
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND THAT WE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO THAT SO THAT EVERYTHING IS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT, AND THEN I FEEL BAD NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
>> I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE WITH IT. I UNDERSTAND.
IT BE UPON YOU ALL TO REACH OUT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MEETING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS TRANSPARENT AND THAT TREES NOT FALLING OVER PROPERTY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. UNDERSTAND THAT.
ONE QUESTION I ASK IS THE TERM ON THAT? HOW LONG [INAUDIBLE]?
>> WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER COLEMAN.
WE'LL GENERALLY GO 30 OR 60 DAYS AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TIME SENSITIVE THE PROJECT IS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ISSUES ARE READILY ADDRESSED.
>> I THINK THAT IF WE GIVE THEM 30 DAYS, IS 30 THE LEAST THAT I CAN DO.
THIRTY DAYS, AND THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU ALL TIME TO HAVE YOUR PLAN TOGETHER.
I HAVE PICKED UP TREES, BURNED TREES, OR DONE SOMETHING WITH ALL THOSE TREES ON THE FOLK PROPERTY, AND THEN WE CAN FORGE AHEAD WITH.
I WOULD HAVE HOPED THAT I WOULD HAVE HEARD FROM YOU ALL BEFORE SITTING HERE TODAY, AND I DIDN'T, SO 30 DAYS.
>> ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION TO DEFER THE ITEM?
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR 30 DAYS.
>> THAT MOTION SECOND BY VICE CHAIRMAN.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION TO DEFERRING THE ITEM 30 DAYS? YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION OR COMMENT, COMMISSIONER HURST.
>> I HAVE COMMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE WHEN THIS MEDIUM BECOMES A PLACE TO MEDIATE PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
IF THESE RESIDENTS HAVE USED THIS MEDIUM AS A MEANS OF GETTING DEVELOPERS OR ANYBODY ELSE TO DO THEIR JOB.
WHEN I SAID TO THE OTHER APPLICANTS THAT IT IS AT LEAST NOT MINE TO TRY TO MEDIATE PEOPLE AS CONCERNS HERE.
IF YOUR CLIENTS WERE LOOKING TO DO A DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PARISH AND THEY DON'T DO A GOOD JOB OF WHAT THEY CURRENTLY DO, THEN WHO'S GOING TO MEDIATE IT AFTER WE APPROVE IT? WHO'S GOING TO MEDIATE YOUR DEVELOPMENT AFTER IT'S BEEN APPROVED BY THIS GOVERNMENT? THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO.
IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS, REDUCE THE COMMERCIAL,
[02:05:04]
REDUCE THE RESIDENTIAL, AND ALL THAT, THOSE ARE GOOD ITEMS. THAT'S GOOD IDEAS.BUT THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHO THEY ARE.
WHILE YOU ARE THE MESSENGER AND YOU'RE THE ENGINEERING FIRM THAT REPRESENTS THE CLIENT. THAT'S ONE THING.
BUT THE RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TWO YEARS HAVE TO RUN BEHIND ANY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.
I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A SPUD, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A REZONING OR WHATEVER IT IS.
WHAT YOU DO IN THE PRESENT IS AN INDICATOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE WE APPROVE IT, WE'RE NOT HERE TO MEDIATE WHETHER A DEVELOPER MEETS WITH RESIDENTS, WHETHER THEY KEEP THEIR GRASS CUT, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ONCE WE APPROVE IT.
THAT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR.
IT MS. COLEMAN'S DISTRICT AS A COUNCIL PERSON, BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, THAT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR. I'M GOOD, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER THIS ITEM FOR 30 DAYS TO BE HEARD AT THE NEXT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FROM COMMISSIONER COVEN, THAT MOTION RECEIVED A SECOND FROM VICE CHAIRMAN GROUT.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE THAT ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR 30 DAYS.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS BEGINNING WITH DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS.
[DIRECTOR'S COMMENTS]
>> I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK. ONLY ANNOUNCEMENT IS THE NEXT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO AUGUST 18.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HOLCOMB.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS.
[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR MOST RECENT EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH, GLENN HANNA, PLANNING PROJECT COORDINATOR.GLENN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA AND ASSOCIATED COUNCIL ITEMS ARE KEPT ON THEIR ASSIGNED MEETING TRAJECTORIES.
HE ALSO COORDINATES THE REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF STAFF REPORTS FROM ALL DIVISIONS, AND HE MAINTAINS OPERATIONS IN OUR RESOURCE CENTER, MAKING SURE IT IS STAFFED AT ALL TIMES.
GLENN PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE INTERVIEWING OF NEW STAFF MEMBERS AND ANALYZES MANY OF THE SPECIALIZED PARKING ASSESSMENTS NEEDED FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
HE IS CONSISTENTLY DEPENDABLE ON ALL HIS WORK ASSIGNMENTS.
HE IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE EMPLOYEE WHO IS VERY DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION.
PLEASE JOIN ME ONCE MORE CONGRATULATING GLENN.
[APPLAUSE] ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? IF NOT IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COLEMAN, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ADDISON.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, MEETINGS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE. GOODNIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.