Aug 20, 2025 Council Zoning

[00:00:03]

WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ZONING MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2025.

WE'RE GOING TO CALL A MEETING TO ORDER, ASHLEY, WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM.

BE REMINDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON EACH AGENDA ITEM, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PROPONENTS.

WE'LL SPEAK FIRST AND FOLLOWED BY THE OPPONENTS.

EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, AND THEN THE PROPONENTS OR THE APPLICANT WILL BE ALLOWED A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.

[1. 25-00604 Case 13-25 T 1482 Lobdell Avenue]

COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 6 TO 1.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE HAVE A LIST WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR.

WE HAVE DAVID PATTERSON. GOOD EVENING, DAVID PATTERSON WITH [INAUDIBLE], 6730 EXCHEQUER DRIVE, BATON ROUGE. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY.

THE CATRONS, I WAS CONTACTED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR BY THE CATRONS TO REZONE THE PROPERTY.

AND FROM DAY ONE AND CONSISTENTLY THROUGH THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THE CATRONS 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 SIX MONTHS HAS INVOLVED A LOT OF EMAILS, PHONE CALLS WITH OUR COUNCILWOMAN LAURIE ADAMS. AND THANK YOU FOR HER HELP AND GUIDANCE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF A FEW OF THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORHOODS.

IN MY INITIAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE CATRONS I RECOMMENDED THAT THEY APPLY FOR LC ONE, THAT CAME FROM ME, NOT FROM THE CATRONS. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PLANNING STAFF, WE DECIDED TO APPLY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.

THIS ZONING SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITS THE USES ALLOWED AND THE SIZE OF ANY DEVELOPMENT.

BUT IN MAY, WE REQUESTED THAT THE PLANNING DIRECTOR DELAY OUR PROJECT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO WORK WITH THE AREA RESIDENTS.

THEN, IN RESPONSE TO DISCUSSION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CATRONS DECIDED TO SCRAP THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONING AND REQUEST NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, WHICH IS NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE NONRESIDENTIAL ZONING THAT WE HAVE IN THIS PARISH. IN JUNE, WE ASK LAURIE ADAMS TO DEFER OUR REQUEST A SECOND TIME TO ALLOW FOR THE CHANGE TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, AND TO PROVIDE MORE TIME TO TALK WITH THE RESIDENTS AND SET UP AN IN-PERSON MEETING.

THIS MEETING TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY, THE JULY 8TH.

THERE WERE 20 APPROXIMATELY 25 RESIDENTS PRESENT, REPRESENTING SEVEN DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS GOODWOOD ESTATES, GOODWOOD VILLAGE, TILTING COURT, BOCAGE CONDOS, NORMANDY ACRES TOWNSHIP AT OLD GOODWOOD, AND LOBDELL ACRES.

WE FELT THE MEETING WENT WELL. AFTER PRESENTATIONS FROM MR. CATRON AND MYSELF, THERE WAS A Q&A PERIOD LASTING ABOUT 35 MINUTES.

MR. CATRON AND I WERE ASKED TO STEP OUT. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, WE WERE INVITED BACK INTO THE ROOM TO MEET WITH FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENTED OFFICERS OF ONE OR MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULDN'T BE RECEIVING A LETTER OF SUPPORT, WHICH HAD BEEN OUR GOAL THAT NIGHT.

WE WERE TOLD THAT IN THIS PRIVATE MEETING THERE WERE 4 OR 5 OF THE 25 PRESENT THAT WEREN'T IN, THAT WERE IN OPPOSITION TO OUR REZONING REQUEST.

WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE BYLAWS FOR THE SUBDIVISION, AND 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 TO OPPOSE THE REZONING.

SO WITH THE TIME THAT I HAVE LEFT. MR. PASTOR, YOU HAVE ABOUT 10S.

OKAY. I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. PARDON ME.

I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

WITH THE TIME I HAVE LEFT, I'D LIKE TO TO ANTICIPATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS.

I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT, TOO. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. AND I APOLOGIZE. WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE CLOCK PULLED UP, WE'RE GOING TO MANUALLY TRACK.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT? SEE, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THOSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.

[00:05:03]

WAS ONE OF THEM, RIGHT AT LEAST? JEAN. JEAN. OH, I'M TOTALLY WRONG.

I APOLOGIZE. HEY, IT WAS THE QUIZ. HELLO. I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE.

MY NAME IS JOAN BERGERON. I LIVE AT 1630 LOBDELL AVENUE IN OLD GOODWOOD VILLAGE.

I'M ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND I AM HERE TO SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF THE BOARD AND OUR OWNERS TO GIVE YOU OUR POSITION.

WE HAVE 39 TOWNHOMES. SEVEN, EIGHT OF OUR TOWNHOMES ARE DIRECTLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THIS PROPERTY, RIGHT ACROSS THE CANAL. SO THEY WOULD BE VERY AFFECTED BY ANY REZONING.

SO WE ARE IN OPPOSITION FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

FIRST OF ALL I WAS ON THE BOARD BACK IN 2011 WHEN ANNE CONNELLY WANTED REZONING FOR HER ART GALLERY AND A FITNESS CENTER AND A RESTAURANT.

AND WE LIVED THROUGH THAT. AND IT WAS WONDERFUL BECAUSE WE MET WITH THEM.

THEY LAID OUT TO US WHAT THEIR PLANS WERE, WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THERE.

WE ASKED THEM TO MOVE THE RESTAURANT FROM RIGHT NEXT TO OUR PROPERTY TO A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY BECAUSE OF NOISE.

THEY DID THAT, AND IT WAS NOT WHAT I FEEL. THAT'S KIND OF WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.

AND WHEN I LOOKED UP THE OFFICIAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEFINITION, IT SAYS IT IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

WELL, HOW CAN WE BE IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON DOING.

I KNOW IT'S RESTRICTIVE, BUT THE LIST IS KIND OF LONG WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.

SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE IN OPPOSITION. WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT NEGATIVE IMPACT AND ALSO MORE OF THAT.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. THE OTHER LITTLE OFFICE BUILDING THAT IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THEM TO THE SOUTH IS ALWAYS UP FOR LEASE.

IT'S GOT VACANCIES ALL THE TIME, AND WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH LOITERING AND STUFF, AND WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VACANCIES AND PEOPLE GOING IN, YOU KNOW, BEING AROUND THAT BUILDING.

SO WE DON'T WANT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE VACANT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.

SO WE HAVE, LIKE I SAY, 39 TOWNHOMES. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF SOMEBODY LIVING IN OLD GOODWOOD VILLAGE IS 22 YEARS.

WE ARE VESTED IN THIS AREA. WE WANT IT TO STAY RESIDENTIAL AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET ON THE EAST SIDE FROM THEM, THERE WAS A PIECE OF LAND THAT WAS DEVELOPED LIKE 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS A LITTLE PIECE OF LAND THAT'S L-SHAPED.

AND WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD NEVER GET DEVELOPED, AND IT GOT DEVELOPED WITH A-1.

SO TO SAY THAT YOU DON'T THINK IT WILL EVER BE SOLD AS A-1, IT'S LIVING PROOF THAT IT DOES.

SO I APPRECIATE BEING HERE AND CONSIDERING US AS LONG TERM RESIDENTS TO BE IN A POSITION OF CHANGING THE ZONING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION HAMPTON GRINNELL.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS.

I'M HAMPTON GRUNWALD, 6911 JOLIET AVENUE. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, OUR ASSOCIATION PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS TO DISCUSS FUTURE PLANS FOR THIS SITE AND SHARE CONCERNS.

WE APPRECIATED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OPEN DIALOG.

WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE PROPERTY OWNERS REPRESENTATIVE FOR REVISING THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FROM NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

THAT CHANGE DID SHOW A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN.

HOWEVER, WE STILL BELIEVE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A RESIDENTIAL USE THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE EXISTING A1 RESIDENTIAL ZONING, AN OPTION THAT IS NOT YET BEEN ACTIVELY PURSUED.

AS AN ASSOCIATION, WE REMAIN OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE ZONING FROM A1.

LOBDELL HAS ALREADY SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND CONTINUED COMMERCIAL EXPANSION WILL ONLY EXACERBATE CONGESTION SAFETY CONCERNS AND ERODE THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER WE VALUE. WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS IN OUR BROADER NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THEY'RE THOUGHTFULLY PLACED, BUT THIS PROPOSAL MOVES COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY DEEPER INTO RESIDENTIAL TERRITORY, BEGINNING TO DIVIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG THE LOBDELL CORRIDOR.

OUR POSITION IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY, SAFETY AND COHESION OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT ABOUT A PERSONAL OPPOSITION TO ANY INDIVIDUAL.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION.

I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO PRESERVE THE CURRENT A1 ZONING AND GIVE FULL CONSIDERATION TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT ALIGNS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHARACTER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.

[00:10:06]

MY NAME IS DENNIS GREEN. I LIVE AT SIX, FIVE, EIGHT TWO ESPLANADE AVENUE.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, THE GOODWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY, MANY ZONING ISSUES. AS CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AT THE REQUEST OF MISS ADAMS, WE WE HAD A PUBLIC MEETING.

WE KNOCKED ON DOORS AND INVITED ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO COME TO A MEETING, WHICH MR. PATTERSON REFERRED TO THAT OCCURRED ON JULY 8TH.

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WITH MISS [INAUDIBLE] AND TALKING WITH MISS ADAMS, THAT MAYBE WE WOULD FIND A PATH TOWARDS BEING SUPPORTIVE OF COMMERCIAL OR OF AN OFFICE BUILDING. BUT WHAT WE FOUND WAS STRICT 100% OPPOSITION.

ALL OF THOSE WHO LIVED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT, AND WHO WAS GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE THE DEVELOPMENT, SHOWED UP AND EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS. THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.

AND THE MOST THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN.

THE APPLICANT HAS MADE NO DECISION THAT WHAT HE'S GOING TO BRING THERE, HE JUST SAYS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT FITS, SOMETHING THAT WORKS WELL, IT COULD BE A LOT OF THINGS.

THE LIST IS QUITE, YOU KNOW, QUITE LONG AS WHAT IT COULD BE.

AND IF WE KNEW, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY IF WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HIS PLANS WERE.

IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE DON'T. AND THE OTHER THING THAT THEY'RE FEARFUL OF IS THE COMMERCIAL CREEP THAT A PARTICULAR AREA OF OLD GOODWOOD IS A VERY NICE AREA, VERY, VERY NICE MILLION DOLLAR HOMES WITH LOTS OF PROPERTY TAXES PAID TO THE CITY.

THERE'S COMMERCIAL. YEAH, IT'S ON NEAR RIGHT NEXT TO JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.

IF YOU ALLOW THIS ONE, IT'S A CREEP. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE FURTHER INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? YOU'LL APPROVE THIS. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK HERE OPPOSING THE NEXT ATTEMPT.

A NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMERCIAL OR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE ON THE NEXT PIECE OF PROPERTY.

SLIPPERY SLOPE BEGIN TO CREEP INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO FIGHT LIKE THE DICKENS TO STOP IT.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO OPPOSE THIS. MISS ADAMS HAS BEEN SENT.

I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN SENT EMAILS OR PETITIONS.

I THINK 200 SOMEWHAT FOLKS HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION IN OPPOSITION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S, SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THEM.

SO PLEASE, LET'S KEEP IT RESIDENTIAL. KEEP IT A1.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, ANNA LEE CAMPBELL.

HI. MY NAME IS ANNA LEE CAMPBELL. MY HUSBAND AND I, ALONG WITH OUR FIVE CHILDREN, HAD LIVED AT 1433 LOBDELL AVENUE FOR 16 YEARS.

LAST TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, I STARTED AN ONLINE NEIGHBORHOOD PETITION REGARDING THE REZONING OF 1482 LOBDELL AVENUE FROM A ONE SINGLE FAMILY TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

THIS POSITION, THIS PETITION WAS STARTED BECAUSE THE OWNER, MR. CATRON, AND THE DEVELOPER CLAIMED THAT ONLY FOUR RESIDENTS AT THE JULY 8TH CAFE AMERICAN MEETING, ONLY FOUR OPPOSED THE REZONING. AS OF 401 THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAVE ACHIEVED 223 SIGNATURES SUPPORTING OUR PETITION TO KEEP THIS LOT A ONE SINGLE FAMILY THROUGH CHANGE.ORG. THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS SAYING NO TO COMMERCIAL CREEP.

THE RESIDENTS OPPOSE THE REZONING CHANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

A BUSINESS OF ANY KIND IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE OVERWHELMING RESIDENTIAL FEEL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

LOBDELL HOLDS A BEAUTIFUL, TREE FILLED, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BUILT AS FAR BACK AS 1895, WITH RESIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCUPIED THEM FOR DECADES.

LOSS OF GREEN SPACE, ADDING A BUILDING AND A PARKING LOT FULL OF CONCRETE DOES NOT IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AN OVER DILUTED MARKET. THE CURRENT LANDOWNER AND DEVELOPER HAVE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES POTENTIAL BUSINESSES OF WHAT COULD BE A BANK, THEY HAVE SAID ATM, URGENT CARE AND INSURANCE BROKERS.

WE, BY THEIR OWN WORDS, THEY HAVE NO REAL CLEAR PLAN OF WHAT THEY WANT TO BUILD.

GIVEN THIS INFORMATION, OUR RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT THERE ARE NO LESS THAN 23 EXISTING BANKING AFFILIATES, THREE INSURANCE AFFILIATES, TWO URGENT CARE CENTERS, ALL WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY.

WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE DOCTOR, DENTAL, MEDICAL, HAIR SALON, BOUTIQUE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, YOU NAME IT. SAFETY CONCERNS DUE TO TENANT SUSTAINABILITY, THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR,B1 IS CONSTANTLY UP FOR LEASE AND ALWAYS

[00:15:03]

ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAYS AND ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY ON LOBDELL AT THIS AT THIS JUNCTION WOULD CREATE YET ANOTHER BLIND SPOT OF OUR MIDDLE TURNING LANE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS THAT ALREADY OCCUR. A LITTLE HISTORY.

IN 2011, MR. KAREN'S MOTHER BOUGHT THIS LAND.

WHEN WE MET HER, SHE SAID SHE LIVED IN MORGAN CITY, AND SHE WANTED TO REZONE THIS LOT TO COMMERCIAL FOR A SALON.

FAST FORWARD TO 2025. OTHER THAN THE NEIGHBOR MR. WILSON, WHO LIVES RIGHT NEXT DOOR, MOWING THIS LOT FOR THE FAMILY FOR 14 YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTIVITY TO BUILD OR MOVE TO THIS LOCATION.

THE FIRST ACT BY THE THE APPLICANT DEVELOPER THIS YEAR WAS TO SEEK COMMERCIAL REZONING FOR THIS LOT.

WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY AT THE JULY 8TH CAFE AMERICAN MEETING IF HE WOULD CONSIDER PUTTING A HOME ON THE LOT AND SELLING IT AS A ONE, HE ANSWERED WITH A RESOUNDING NO. WHEN ASKED IF HE WOULD CONSIDER SELLING TO A DEVELOPER WHO WOULD PUT AN A ONE FAMILY, SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON THIS LOT AGAIN, HE SAID NO.

OLD GOODWOOD RESIDENTS ARE UNITED IN THIS MATTER.

WE SAY NO TO COMMERCIAL CREEP. PLEASE VOTE NO ON REZONING THIS LOT FROM A-1 TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT Y'ALL HAVE LISTENED, READ MY EMAIL, HOPEFULLY LOOKED AT MY PETITION AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO EVER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OPPOSED BUT NOT WISHING TO SPEAK.

CAROLINE MESSENGER. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? PLEASE COME ON AND STATE YOUR NAME. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

MY NAME IS TOMMY CAMPBELL. MY WIFE AND I LIVE WHERE WE'VE LIVED THERE FOR ACROSS THE PROPERTY SINCE 2009.

THERE ARE 3 OR 4 BASIC REASONS WE ARE OPPOSED TO THIS.

ONE, THERE IS NO COMPELLING REASON FOR THE CHANGE.

OKAY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH THEIR PROPERTY, BUT THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS CHANGE. THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORS OVERWHELMINGLY HAVE INVESTED THEIR PERSONAL TIME AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN KEEPING THIS PROPERTY. ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT IN A STATE OF DECLINE.

IT'S IN A STATE OF STAYING AT A VERY WELL MAINTAINED RATE.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO TAKE DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES OR LOT AND CHANGE IT TO IMPROVE IT BY PUTTING A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE IN THERE.

SO AGAIN, THERE'S NO COMPELLING REASON. THERE ARE NO LACK OF SERVICES IN THE AREA.

IF YOU LOOK UP CORPORATE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, THERE ARE IN GOODWOOD, THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF SERVICES AVAILABLE THAT COULD THAT COULD BE AVAIL OURSELVES UP.

SO WE'RE NOT DYING FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES. THERE IS NO PLAN.

THERE'S NO PLAN ON WHAT TO DO WITH THIS LOT. WE HAVE MET WITH MR. CATRON IN NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, AND HE SAID THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN AND TAKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN, BUT MAKING POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO IT. HOWEVER, FOR 14 YEARS, THE THE PROPERTY HAD A HOME ON IT AND IT HAD TREES ON IT.

AND FOR 14 YEARS, THOSE TREES HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN AND THE HOUSE IS GONE.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE.

OKAY, SO THEIR FIRST MOVE WAS TO PETITION FOR A COMMERCIAL ZONING.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE. AND SO AGAIN, THERE'S NO COMPELLING REASON TO CHANGE WHAT THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE PLAN TO TO SERVE A NEIGHBORHOOD INTEREST. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND REFUSING THIS PETITION.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PROPONENT, MR. PATTERSON. OH. I'M SORRY. PLEASE. ONE SECOND, MR. PATTERSON. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

HI, I'M CAROLINE MESSENGER. I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK.

I DON'T LIKE SPEAKING, BUT. SO I'M EXTREMELY NERVOUS.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY I EMAILED MISS ADAMS, AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS Y'ALL REAL QUICKLY.

WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER OFFICE THERE. THERE'S GOT TO BE A TRANSITION LINE BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, AND THERE IS NO REASON THAT THAT LOT WOULDN'T SELL RESIDENTIAL.

OLD GOODWOOD IS A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT WOULD SELL IF THEY PUT A HOUSE ON IT OR SOLD IT AS RESIDENTIAL FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BUILD.

AND I THINK IF IT GOES COMMERCIALLY, YOU START THE COMMERCIAL CREEP, JUST LIKE THE OTHERS HAVE SAID.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THE THE BEAUTY AND THE HISTORIC AND ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INSTEAD OF STARTING THIS, THAT LOT NEEDS TO BE THE TRANSITION LINE OF, NO.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT, MR. PATTERSON? YEAH. MY TIME LIMITED ON REBUTTAL.

THREE MINUTES ON REBUTTAL. YES, SIR. OKAY THEN I GUESS IT'S BEST THAT I ADDRESS THE SPECULATIVE NATURE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

[00:20:08]

OF THOSE 12, THERE ARE FOUR THAT THE CATRONS HAVE NO INTEREST IN.

AND THOSE ARE UTILITY FACILITY, PARK BANK AND A PARKING FACILITY.

THE EIGHT REMAINING USES. THERE'S EIGHT REMAINING PERMISSIBLE USES.

EDUCATION INSTITUTION, GOVERNMENTAL FACILITY, PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION, MEDICAL OFFICE, OFFICE, ART GALLERY, AND FILM AND SOUND PRODUCTION.

VERY LIMITED OPTIONS FOR THE CATRONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS IS A PERFECT INFILL CANDIDATE. THEY HAVE WE'VE CONSULTED REAL ESTATE EXPERTS, WE'VE CONSULTED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS.

AND THIS THIS LOT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL.

AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT REQUESTING NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS SORT OF MERGES TOGETHER, GIVING THE NEIGHBORS SOME SENSE OF WHAT WILL GO THERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME GIVING THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY SOME FLEXIBILITY.

SUSTAINABILITY? THE CATRONS WON'T BE BUILDING A BUILDING, SPECULATING THAT SOMEONE WILL WANT TO LEASE IT.

INSTEAD, THEY WILL FIND A BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO BE IN THE AREA AND FITS THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE CRITERIA, AND TO THEY WILL DO A BILL TO SUIT. THE CATRONS WILL ALSO BE SEEKING TO DO A BUILD TO SUIT WITH A TENANT IN EXCHANGE FOR A LONG TERM LEASE, SOMETHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TEN YEARS.

SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT THIS IS THE IDEAL OPTION.

AND FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED THE OTHER LIMITATIONS ARE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT CAN ONLY HAVE 2500FT² OF BUILDING, AND THE BUILDABLE AREA OF THIS LOT IS LESS THAN HALF AN ACRE. AND THEN ANOTHER RESTRICTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE IS THAT NOTHING THAT CAN BE LOCATED ON THIS LOT CAN HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH, NO DRIVE THRUS. SO I'M PRETTY SURE EVEN IF WE WANTED A BANK, A BANK ISN'T GOING TO LOCATE HERE.

SO I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS AN IDEAL ARRANGEMENT.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING STAFF AND APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND WE CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE A FAVORABLE VOTE FROM YOU TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN MOAK.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING UP. SO LET'S START WITH THE THE LOT NEXT DOOR.

THAT'S A I MEAN, LOOKS LIKE THE SAME THING THAT THEY'RE BUILDING NEXT DOOR.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE LOT NEXT DOOR IN THE COMMERCIAL? COMMERCIAL THAT'S IN THERE TO THE SOUTH. DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH? CORRECT. YEAH. THAT PROPERTY IS ZONED B1. B1 IS AN OLDER, INACTIVE ZONING DISTRICT.

IT'S A CLOSE EQUIVALENT TO THE ZONING THAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING HIM.

OKAY. THEN YOU HAVE YOUR EMPTY LOT AND THEN YOU HAVE A RESIDENTIAL HOME.

CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING ON GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTLY RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHOWS WHEN THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN.

MARCH OF 2025. SO WHAT WITH THE LOTS LIKE THEY ARE NOW COMMERCIAL OR OFFICE, THEN AN EMPTY LOT AND THEN RESIDENTIAL.

WHAT DOES THE MASTER PLAN STATE AS FAR AS WHAT THIS CALLS FOR? SO THE FUTURE BR LAND USE DESIGNATED FOR THIS PROPERTY, AND THAT'S FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH ON THIS PROPERTY, THE LAND USE MAP HAS IT DESIGNATED FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

THAT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD LAND USE CATEGORY IS COMPATIBLE WHERE APPROPRIATE WITH SMALL SCALE OFFICE BUILDINGS AT THIS SCALE UNDER 2500 SQUARE FOOT OR LESS.

AGAIN WHERE APPROPRIATE ON A MAJOR ON A ON A MAJOR STREET.

SO DOES OWNING A1 IS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS LOCATION? A1 OR SMALL SCALE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE, WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH THAT LAND YOU.

OKAY, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE DEVELOPED OUR MASTER PLAN ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE

[00:25:09]

AND WHAT YOU DID. YOU HAD YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL STRIP MALLS AND EVERYTHING.

THEN YOU SLOWLY DWINDLED DOWN INTO THE OFFICE SPACE.

JUST STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEN YOU WENT INTO YOUR RESIDENTIAL. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M SEEING HERE.

I MEAN, THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF BRINGING DOWN, THERE'S A HOUSE BUILT ON THE OTHER SIDE, SO WE'RE BRINGING IT DOWN TO WHERE IT'S NOT A HEAVY COMMERCIAL OR A STRIP MALL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'S COMMERCIAL, RIGHT LITERALLY NEXT DOOR TO IT.

THERE'S A COMMERCIAL ACROSS THE STREET FROM THAT COMMERCIAL.

I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT WOULD FIT APPROPRIATE.

THERE WAS SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THEY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE DON'T WANT THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE.

AND SOMEBODY ALSO SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT THE THE RESIDENTIAL HOME BUILT ON IT EITHER.

SO DO WE WANT TO JUST LEAVE THE LOT EMPTY? AND I THINK THAT'S UNFAIR TO THE PROPERTY OWNER IN THAT REGARD.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE DO YOU WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND BUY THE PROPERTY AND LEAVE IT EMPTY? I MEAN, MAKE AN OFFER ON THE PROPERTY AND LEAVE AN EMPTY, IF THAT'S WHAT WHAT A CERTAIN GROUP WANTS TO SEE.

BUT I SEE, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST ME. I SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS FAR AS WHAT'S GROWING AROUND IT.

I THINK IT IT FITS IN. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD DETERMINING LINE THAT WOULD END THE CYCLE.

EVERYTHING PAST THERE IS RESIDENTIAL. IT SETS A GOOD BOUNDARY.

SO I WOULD I WOULD ASK REQUESTS TO APPROVE IT.

MOTION TO APPROVE. COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. COUNCILWOMAN RACCA. COUNCILWOMAN HER THE LAST WORD.

IS THERE SOMEBODY FROM THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE? ALL RIGHT, SO. AND I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE.

BUT OFTENTIMES THIS COUNCIL WILL LISTEN TO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, AND WE'LL MAKE A DECISION BASED UPON THE COMMENTARY THAT WE HEAR COMING IN.

AND IT'S OFTENTIMES EMOTIONAL. BUT WE FOUND OURSELVES THIS COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL BEFORE US IN LITIGATION BECAUSE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO DO.

AND THEN WE DENY THEIR ABILITY TO CHANGE THOSE THINGS.

WE'VE HAD IT HAPPEN BY THE COUNTRY CLUB. WE HAD IT HAPPEN IN MY DISTRICT BEFORE I GOT HERE, AND THE RESIDENTS OF MAGNOLIA WOODS WERE VERY ANGRY BECAUSE WHAT THEY VOTED AND SAW HAPPEN IN CHAMBERS WENT TO THE 1980.

SEE, IT WAS OVERTURNED YEARS LATER, AND THEN THIS SUBDIVISION JUST CROPPED UP OUT OF NOWHERE.

AND PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.

AND IT ENDED UP BEING LITIGATION. SO BASED UPON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WHAT MR. HOLCOMB HAS SAID AND YOUR STUDY OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AND THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THIS COUNCIL.

DO WE HAVE LIABILITY BY DENYING? DO WE EXPOSE OURSELVES TO LIABILITY BY DENYING THIS REQUEST? WHAT I WOULD SAY, COUNCILWOMAN RACCA, IS THAT THE OFFICE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS CERTIFIED THAT THIS PROPOSED REQUEST DOES MEET THE MINIMUM CRITERIA IN THAT IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING USES THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE UDC AND THAT IT CONFORMS WITH THE MASTER USE PLAN.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU, IS THAT THEY'VE MADE A DETERMINATION THAT IT DOES MEET THOSE.

IT DOES MEET THOSE CRITERIA. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. THANK YOU. SO THIS THIS ONE HAS BEEN A REALLY TOUGH ONE FOR ME.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AND A LOT TO CONSIDER.

SOMETIMES THESE THINGS ARE CUT AND DRY. BUT CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THE INTENTIONALITY THAT GPO HAS WITH REGARD TO A1 ZONING.

[00:30:04]

RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S IN YOUR MISSION STATEMENT. THIS IS THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.

I'VE SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE PROPERTIES AROUND, LOOKING AT THE ZONING.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, ON THAT SAME SIDE OF THE STREET ARE TWO VERY, VERY DEAR FRIENDS.

MELISSA THIBODEAU WAS MY WHO LIVES TWO PARCELS OR THREE PARCELS DOWN WAS MY DAUGHTER'S PRE-K AND SECOND GRADE TEACHER.

AND I AM PRETTY SURE THAT MY DAUGHTER WOULD JUMP IN FRONT OF A BUS TO SAVE MRS. THIBODEAU. SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING TEACHERS YOU'LL EVER MEET IN YOUR LIFE.

AND I HOPE SHE SEES THIS VIDEO BECAUSE WE COULD NOT LOVE HER ANYMORE.

AND THEN TWO MORE PARCELS DOWN IS THE SHANNON FAMILY.

AND WE, OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN VERY CLOSE WITH THEIR FAMILY, AND THERE ARE NO CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH WE WOULD WANT TO PUT THESE DEAR FRIENDS OF OURS AT ANY, AT ANY RISK. SO IN EVALUATING THIS, I SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF REALTORS WHO OPERATE IN THAT AREA WHO UNDERSTAND REAL ESTATE IN THE AREA.

AND I'VE ALSO LOOKED AROUND THE REST OF THE DISTRICT ON SIMILAR ROADS, SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES A ONE ZONING AND SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD DEAL.

I'VE GOT TWO BLOCKS ON JEFFERSON HIGHWAY THAT I KNOW SOME PEOPLE IN HERE HAVE HEARD ABOUT AND HAD TO DEAL WITH IN THE PAST THAT ARE A1 HOUSING, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS SUBDIVIDED THE INSIDE WITH PLYWOOD AND THEY ARE RENTED OUT BY THE ROOM.

AND IF THE NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO THOSE HOUSES COULD HAVE IT ALL BECOME NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, THEY WOULD IN A HEARTBEAT, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY BAD SITUATION AND HAS BEEN FOR PROBABLY CLOSE TO A DECADE FOR THAT, FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SPEAKING WITH REALTORS FOR THE AREA, THEY TELL ME THAT THEY DO NOT SEE A MARKET FOR IT TO BE SOLD AS A1. IT IS NOT A DEEP LOT.

AND SO TO BUILD THE KIND OF HOUSES THAT ARE BUILT TODAY, THE HOUSE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH ON LOBDELL AND HAVE VERY LITTLE BACKYARD AND THEY DON'T SEE A MARKET FOR IT. REZONING IT TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE IS GOING TO GO IN. I HAVE ANOTHER PARCEL, A PIECE OF LAND ON PERKINS ROAD THAT WAS ZONED COMMERCIAL, A MUCH MORE INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL ZONING THAN THAN THIS WOULD BE THIS IS NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, THE MOST RESTRICTIVE AND LEAST DIFFICULT, LEAST INTENSIVE ZONING POSSIBLE NEXT TO NEXT TO A1.

THAT, THE COMMERCIAL DID NOT WORK. NO ONE HAS COME ALONG.

NO ONE HAS BOUGHT THE LAND. NO ONE HAS WORKED WITH THE LANDOWNER TO TO A COMMERCIAL BUILDING.

AND SO NOW I THINK THE LANDOWNER MAY GO BACK TO RESIDENTIAL.

I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS. I WANT TO SEE LOBDELL IN THAT AREA REMAIN RESIDENTIAL.

I LOVE THE THE BIG OPEN YARDS THAT THAT PEOPLE HAVE ON THAT ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET.

I LOVE THAT AREA. IT VERY MUCH FEELS TO ME LIKE WHERE I GREW UP AND SOME OF THE STREETS IN BIRMINGHAM.

BUT I DO THINK THAT I DO THINK THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNREASONABLE REZONING.

I THINK THAT, MR. CATRON WILL, WE'VE ESTABLISHED LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

I, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IF MY COLLEAGUES THINK THAT THIS IS PERMISSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE YOU KNOW, WE WOULD KEEP THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AND WORK WITH HIM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MET THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORS AND HAD SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD AND ADDS TO THE VALUE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

RYAN, LET ME ASK YOU TO COME BACK UP JUST FOR A MINUTE, PLEASE.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LANDSCAPING, SO I KNOW THERE'S NO LANDSCAPING ATTACHED TO NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, BUT LET'S SAY IT DOES GET REZONED AND SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND SAYS, I DO, I WANT TO BUILD AN OFFICE FOR MY

[00:35:05]

SO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE DOES HAVE A LANDSCAPE CHAPTER, AND THAT CHAPTER IS ENFORCED AT THE PERMITTING LEVEL.

AND IT'S BASED ON USES, NOT ON ZONING. SO IF THE ZONING WERE TO BE APPROVED TONIGHT IN THE APPLICANT IN THE FUTURE APPLIED FOR A PERMIT TO BUILD A SMALL SCALE NEIGHBORHOOD SIZE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE, THERE WOULD BE A LANDSCAPE BUFFER AND A LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENT THAT WOULD BE ENFORCED BY THE PERMITTING OFFICE.

THOSE PLANS WOULD BE REVIEWED BY PROFESSIONAL PLAN REVIEWERS AT THE PERMIT OFFICE AND THE BUFFER IS BASED ON USES, SO THIS WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE USE DIRECTLY ABUTTING A RESIDENTIAL USE PROPERTY.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, AND I BELIEVE IT IS ON THE NORTH SIDE, THEN A TYPICAL BUFFER LANDSCAPE BUFFER WOULD BE ENFORCED AND WHAT THAT INCLUDES IS IS A TYPICAL 6 OR 8 FOOT FENCE WITH LANDSCAPING SHRUBS OR TREES.

AND THERE'S DIFFERENT VARIATIONS BASED ON THE INTENSITY OF THE USE.

BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, IS THERE WOULD BE A LANDSCAPE BUFFER ALONG THAT PROPERTY LINE.

IN ADDITION, THERE IS LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS TO ANY SMALL PARKING AREA.

AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL LANDSCAPE, A STREET YARD PLANNING AREA ALONG LOBDELL THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT AND ENFORCED AS WELL.

ANOTHER ANOTHER QUESTION. SO THIS ZONING ONLY ALLOWS FOR A 2500 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, IS THAT CORRECT? SO THAT IS THE MAXIMUM FOOTPRINT, BUILDING SIZE PER LOT 2500FT².

IF SOMEONE WERE TO BUILD A HOUSE THERE, HOW WHAT WOULD THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE BE FOR, FOR A HOME. SO UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING, THERE IS NO SQUARE FOOTAGE REQUIREMENT.

THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE LOT, AS LONG AS IT WAS PROPERLY PERMITTED.

IT'S IT'S ESSENTIALLY UNLIMITED. OKAY. DOES THAT MEAN THERE HAVE TO BE SOMETHING ALONG THE EDGE? THERE COULDN'T BE ZERO LOT LINE. YOU COULDN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO THE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO MEET THE BUILDING LOT SETBACKS, THE FRONT, THE SIDE AND THE REAR SETBACKS. BUT UNDER NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICE, THERE IS A 2500 SQUARE FOOT CAP BY RIGHT.

IF THE APPLICANT FELT THE NEED TO EXCEED THAT 2500 SQUARE FOOT CAP THERE IS, THERE ARE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.

THEY COULD CHOOSE TO APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND SUBMIT PLANS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO GO BEYOND THE 2500 SQUARE FOOT UP TO 5000FT². BUT AGAIN, THAT WOULD REQUIRE AND TRIGGER A ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE WE WOULD NOTIFY ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, AND THEN IT WOULD BE UNDER SCRUTINY FOR FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

AND SO WHEN YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY SOMEONE YOU KNOW, DOES DECIDE, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A BUILDING BUILT THERE. THERE IS A PROCESS THAT, THAT THEY GO THROUGH WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO APPROVE SITE PLANS.

IS THAT CORRECT? ABOVE 2500FT. NO, JUST FOR THE 2500.

I MEAN, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THE SITE PLAN.

WE DON'T. OUR OFFICE DOES NOT. BUT THE PERMITTING OFFICE DOES.

SO THERE IS A PROCESS WHERE IT'S REVIEWED AND LOOKED AT THE PLACEMENT, WHERE THE DRIVEWAY IS.

YOU KNOW HOW PEOPLE ACCESS THE PIECE OF PROPERTY.

TRAFFIC IS AT THE TABLE FOR THOSE PERMITTING DISCUSSIONS, AS WELL AS MY UNDERSTANDING.

THE INGRESS EGRESS, THE LAYOUT TO THE PROPER SITE, TRIANGLES, LIGHTING, THE PROPER BUILDING HEIGHT.

THEN THE DETAILS OF THE BUILDING CODE, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING MEETS PROPER CODE REQUIREMENTS AND UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.

YES, RIGHT. AND THERE'S CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, TIME FOR INPUT AND DISCUSSIONS AT THAT POINT AS WELL IS MY WHAT MY, MY INVOLVEMENT IN PAST PROJECTS HAS BEEN. THANK YOU.

I THINK THAT IS I THINK THAT IS IT. RYAN. LOOKING TO CHECK AGAIN, I KNOW YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN IS I, I DO UNDERSTAND.

I WISH THAT I WISH THAT WE HAD A PROJECT AND WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THAT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE IT EASIER. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IN THE OLD GOODWOOD AREA BECAUSE THE REZONING EFFORTS CAN BE SO

[00:40:02]

SO THIS HAS BEEN THIS HAS BEEN SEVEN MONTHS. AND A LOT OF TIMES BUSINESS NEEDS TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY THAN THAT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR WORKING THROUGH THIS WITH US.

I PROMISE YOU, IF THIS PASSES, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT GOES IN THERE ADDS QUALITY CHARACTER AND ADDS ADDS TO THE AREA. THANK YOU.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE A SECOND ON APPROVAL? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO TAKE ITEMS TWO AND THREE TOGETHER.

[Items 2 & 3]

COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE NOEL. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE 7-0.

CASE 7-25 185 OLD SAMUELS ROAD TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM RURAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAMUELS ROAD, SOUTH OF MOUNT PLEASANT ZACHARY ROAD. COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, NOEL.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM ON THESE ITEMS? SEEING NO GO, GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION TO DELETE BY CHAIR.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE TOGETHER.

[Items 4 & 5]

PA 4-25 15800 AND 16438 SAMUELS ROAD TO AMEND THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN FROM AGRICULTURAL, RURAL TO EMPLOYMENT CENTER, LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAMUELS ROAD, NORTH OF OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY.

COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE NOEL. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE. CARRIED 7 TO 0.

FIVE CASE 23-25 15800 AND 16438 SAMUELS ROAD TO REZONE FROM RURAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF SAMUELS ROAD, NORTH OF OLD SCENIC HIGHWAY.

COMMISSION ACTION MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED. SEVEN ZERO.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM AND MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JONATHAN WALKER. HERE ON BEHALF OF DHI PROPERTIES AND DARK HORSE INDUSTRIES, COMPANIES OF WHICH I'M AN OWNER.

WE ARE THE OWNER AND THE PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPER OF THIS PROPERTY.

IT IS CURRENTLY RURAL AND WE ARE SEEKING LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING FOR IT.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH IT, THE PROPERTY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN OPERATED AS A DIRT PIT AND UNSANCTIONED DIRT PIT.

IT'S ABOUT 57 ACRES. IF IT HELPS TO VISUALIZE IT, IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PARISH LANDFILL, ABOUT A MILE OR TWO NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 61 HIGHWAY 964 JUNCTION BY JETSON.

IT'S ACROSS THE STREET AGAIN FROM THE LANDFILL AND GEST TECH.

WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO OPERATE A CONSTRUCTION OFFICE WITH AN ATTRACTIVE LAID DOWN YARD AND AS THE TITLE, REFERENCES AND EMPLOYMENT CENTER. I LIVE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, AS DOES ABOUT HALF OF MY WORKFORCE.

OUR COMPANY IS CURRENTLY BASED IN WEST BATON ROUGE.

WE WOULD BE CONSOLIDATING OUR OPERATIONS TO EAST BATON ROUGE, SPECIFICALLY TO ZACHARY, AND BRINGING OVER SEVERAL OF OUR TEXAS PERSONNEL AS PART OF THE MOVE. WE WELCOME ANY SUPPORT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE FOR THIS.

WE THINK IT'S A WIN NOT ONLY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ZACHARY, BUT ALSO MORE BROADLY FOR THE PARISH.

IT'S CLEANING UP WHAT IS CURRENTLY A NEGATIVE AND A NICE WARRANT, TURNING INTO SOMETHING THAT'S HELPFUL AND POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. I'VE MET WITH THE APPLICANT.

AND AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS THAT THEY REACHED OUT TO, AND THERE'S BEEN NO OPPOSITION.

AS AS THE APPLICANT STATED, THIS IS A, THIS IS A POSITIVE NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT BUT FOR THE PARISH.

ON CLEANING UP A PROPERTY AND ALSO FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.

SO WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH ITEMS. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM SIX. CASE 1925 3825 NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST DRIVE TO REZONE FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL TO

[6. 25-00835 Case 19-25 3825 North Sherwood Forest Drive]

[00:45:04]

COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO DENY CARRIED 6 TO 1.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I SEE WE HAVE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR ANTONIA COLEMAN CROMP.

HI. ANTONIA COLEMAN CROMP. EDWIN VELASQUEZ IS ACTUALLY A FRIEND.

AND I'M HERE BASICALLY TO TRY TO ASSIST BECAUSE THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A LANGUAGE ISSUE THE LAST TIME.

BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2022, MR. VELASQUEZ ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY.

IT WAS BASICALLY AN UNDEVELOPED AREA, TRIANGULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY ON SHERWOOD FOREST AT THAT TIME.

HE CLEARED, CLEANED IT UP, CLEARED IT OUT, FENCED IT IN.

AND SINCE THAT TIME HE HAS BASICALLY MAINTAINED IT.

HE THOUGHT HE WAS BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE COMMUNITY BY BASICALLY CLEANING IT AND PICKING UP POLICING THE AREA WITH REGARDS TO THE TRASH AROUND THE AREA.

BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL HE ERECTED THE SIGNS ADVISING THAT HE WANTED TO OPEN A MECHANIC SHOP THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD VOICED CONCERN.

I SPOKE WITH COUNCILMAN HURST ON YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT NO ONE ADVISED MR. VELASQUEZ THAT BASICALLY THEY DIDN'T WANT A MECHANIC SHOP.

ANOTHER ONE IN THAT AREA. HE LIVES RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AROUND THE CORNER FROM THIS PROPERTY.

SO HE BASICALLY ACQUIRED AN UNDEVELOPED AREA AND CHOSE TO DEVELOPMENT.

HE'S SEEKING TO MOVE HIS BUSINESS FROM FLORIDA BOULEVARD TO A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT HE ACQUIRED AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. WHILE I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEVER ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS ANY ISSUE BEFOREHAND, AND BY THE ADMISSION OF THE STAFF OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S REPORT, IT IS IN LINE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THEY HAD RELEASED INITIALLY.

AFTER SPEAKING TO UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCILMAN HURST, IT'S NOT EXACTLY IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.

BUT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A GOOD PLACE FOR MR. VELASQUEZ TO BE IN AFTER HAVING DONE SO MUCH WITH THE PROPERTY.

SO HE HAD PREPARED A POWERPOINT, BUT AGAIN, NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT IT THREE DAYS BEFORE HE EMAILED IT TO YOUR TECH PERSON TO SEE IF THEY COULD SUBMIT IT.

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY RAISED DURING THE COMMISSION MEETING HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THAT POWERPOINT.

THE VISIBLE OR THE EYESORE OF HAVING A MECHANIC SHOP.

THERE WAS A PRESENTATION. IT ADDRESSES THE APPEARANCE OF THE FACILITY.

IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE NOISE. AND SO HOPEFULLY IF YOU DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE POWERPOINT, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.

THANK YOU. AND LOOK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPPOSITION TIME TO SPEAK.

AND THEN Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME UP AND HAVE THREE MORE MINUTES TO REBUT ANYTHING THAT YOU HEAR AS REASONING.

SO THAT MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO HIGHLIGHT THINGS IN THAT POWERPOINT.

OKAY. GOOD DEAL. DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? HE HAD SOME PHOTOS. DID YOU? OH, SURE. SURE. IF YOU HAVE, MR. GAUDET, HE'LL PASS HIM AROUND. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS? OKAY. IN OPPOSITION, WE HAVE TROY FLOWERS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. COUNCILOR TROY FLOWERS IN THE NAME.

I'M HERE TO OPPOSE. I'M A GUEST AT MCKENNEY SHOP.

I LIVE IN PARK FIRST. I DON'T LIVE, LIKE, MAYBE THREE FOUR IN THE FOOT FROM WHERE WE BUILT THE COUNTY SHOP.

IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARK FOREST.

IT'S GOING TO KNOCK DOWN OUR PROPERTY VALUE. NOT TO MENTION THE NEGATIVE IMPACT WILL HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.

[00:50:09]

IT LOOKED LIKE A PURE JUNKYARD. OKAY, SO WE DON'T NEED THAT.

PLUS, FOR HEALTH REASON LIKE MY CONDITION. AND THAT IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.

WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE WITH THEIR TRAFFIC AND WITH THE NOISE, THE COMPRESSOR, THE OIL SMELL WHEN THE RAIN AND THE WIND BLOWING, BLOWING ALL THIS INTO OUR LUNGS. AND WE I, WE., I AM VERY AGAINST THAT.

AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THIS GUY IS DOING. HE'S TRYING TO PUT PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE.

WE LOOK AFTER OUR HEALTH. AND ANYONE WHO LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY WILL BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND WHAT HE ARE DOING.

AND HE'S SAYING HE KEEP THE PROBLEM BECAUSE Y'ALL GO LOOK AT THIS PROFIT.

HE'S SAYING, LOOK AT IT NOW. LOOK AT WHERE HE AT NOW.

HE CALLED HIMSELF CUTTING THE GRASS AND TRYING TO MAKE THINGS LOOK SO GOOD.

WE KNOW THEY SAY ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER. SO I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO SPEAK.

I DON'T WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY, BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE LOOK AT OUR HEALTH.

LIKE I SAID, WE'RE MONITORING OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU SEE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE PROPERTY VALUE GOING UP. PROPERTY TAX GOING UP AND COMING HERE TO STAY HERE ON OUR PROPERTY.

AND WE TRY AND SAVE OUR PROPERTY AFTER THE 2016 FLOOD.

EVERYBODY REBUILDING PARK FOREST BECAUSE WE LOVE PARK FOREST. WE TRY AND KEEP PARK FOREST A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE DO NOT NEED A CANDY SHOP THAT CLOSE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE GOT ALL THIS BAD AND WE'RE JUST NOTHING BUT WHEN THAT CLOSE.

SO I URGE YOU ALL, AND I DEEPLY ASK YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THIS CONSIDERATION AND DENY THIS.

HELP US STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE. DO WHAT'S RIGHT IN YOUR HEART.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED. YOU SAID Y'ALL THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.

REJECT THIS THING. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO SPEAK.

MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE IN YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

AND MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT, SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, WE HAVE DEBRA DOW.

AND I KNOW I HAVE TWO PAIRS OF GLASSES. SO EVERYBODY THINKS IS.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS. DEBORAH DOW. PARK FOREST IS ONE OF THE FEW PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S LEFT IN BATON ROUGE THAT HAS MAINTAINED ITS VALUE HOW EITHER HAS INCREASED OR REMAIN THE SAME.

THE PACKAGES THAT YOU'RE GETTING CONTAINS THE DEFINITION OF OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL.

IT CONTAINS THE STATUTE AND THE MANDATE TO THIS PLANNING WHAT THE PLANNING DIRECTOR HAS TO CONSIDER.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS.

THE REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THIS UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE IMPLEMENT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADOPTED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING HEALTH, SAFETY, MORALS AND THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEY HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO LESSEN CONGESTION ON THE STREETS, TO PREVENT OVERCROWDING OF LAND, TO AVOID UNDUE CONCENTRATION OF POPULATION. THEY HAVE BEEN MADE WITH REASONABLE CONSIDERATION, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO THE CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT AND ITS PECULIAR SUITABILITY FOR THE PARTICULAR USES, AND WITH A VIEW OF CONSERVING THE VALUE OF BUILDING AND ENCOURAGING THE MOST APPROPRIATE USE OF LAND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

THE PARK FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD STARTS, THE PARK FOREST NEIGHBORHOOD, SITUATED BETWEEN MONTEREY BOULEVARD AND NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST, IS SERVED BY SEVERAL SCHOOLS GEO PREP ELEMENTARY, FOREST PARK FOREST MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH HOSTS 480 STUDENTS, AND PARK FOREST ELEMENTARY, WHICH HAS 523 STUDENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, EACH MORNING AND AFTERNOON, 90 BUSSES TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TRANSFER STATION ON NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST AND VARIOUS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS, AND DURING THE SUMMER, OVER 500 BUSSES ARE MANAGED FOR MAINTENANCE AT THAT LOCATION AND TRANSFER TO CHOCTAW.

THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE STATES THAT THE PURPOSE OF HC2 COMMERCIAL IS TO PERMIT A VARIETY OF COMMERCIAL AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES, ALONG WITH MULTIPLE FAMILY AND RESIDENTIAL USES.

BUILDINGS WITHIN THEIR WILL ALLOW BUILDINGS WITHIN THE LIMIT OF SIX STORIES.

THE CODE ALSO PROVIDES AN THAT'S ON PAGE SEVEN OF YOUR PACKAGE THAT ACTIONS BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR UPON RECEIPT OF A COMPLETE APPLICATION FOR A ZONING CHANGE. IT HAS TO BE THE CHANGE HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SATISFIES THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.

[00:55:04]

10S. OKAY. IT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU TAKE INTO UNDUE CONGESTION THE OVERSUPPLY OF THE TYPE OF LAND USAGE.

AND WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT I GET THROWN OFF. I KNOW THAT.

TO FINISH THE THOUGHT, I JUST TRY TO WARN EVERYBODY.

WHEN YOU DO THAT, I GET I HAD THAT HAPPEN AT THE LEGISLATURE AND IT THROWS ME OFF.

SO I'LL. OKAY, LET ME FINISH. ANYWAY, AND ALL OUR FOCUS IS CENTERED ON THE CONGESTION ISSUE, THE DEVALUATION OF OUR PROPERTY AND CRIME AS THE PROPERTY VALUE GOES DOWN, CRIME INCREASES.

SO YOU KIND OF LIKE. I THOUGHT I HAD PRACTICE FOR THREE, THREE MINUTES, BUT YOU KIND OF THREW ME OFF.

THANK YOU. YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, LINDALE BROWN.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LINDALE BROWN. I LIVE AT 12136 EAST OF FACTS AVENUE, MONTICELLO SUBDIVISION.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU ALL AT A ISSUE THAT I FEEL IS A ISSUE OF SIMPLICITY.

I WAS SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THE PERSON WANTING TO MOVE HIS BUSINESS FROM FLORIDA BOULEVARD TO OVER IN NORTH SHERWOOD, PERHAPS WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND HAVE THE ANSWER FOR HIM.

IF HE'S ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD, THAT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD LOCATION FOR A TIRE PLACE TO COME IN ON WHERE HE WANTS TO COME.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AS MUCH BUSINESS WHERE HE CAN GET TO.

TO ME, A BETTER SPOT WOULD BE ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD, WHERE HE MAY ALREADY EXIST, AND PERHAPS FIXING UP THAT LOCATION.

THE THING IS THAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN BACK THERE IN MONTICELLO FOR OVER 43 YEARS.

MY KIDS WERE LOCAL KIDS WHO ARE EDUCATED. THEY'VE LEFT, THEY COME BACK HOME, THEY ARE HAPPY TO COME HOME.

AND I DO NOT WANT MY KIDS ASHAMED TO COME HOME BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AROUND.

AND RIGHT NOW WE ALREADY HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE MECHANIC ENTIRE SHOPS IN THE VERY AREA WHERE HE'S WANTING TO COME. SO IN SOME WAY, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM.

THE COMPETITION OF HAVING THAT MANY TIRE AND MECHANIC SHOPS IN THE SAME SPOT.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS FOR YOU TO VOTE NO. IF THE NEED WAS THERE, THEN I'D BE HERE ASKING YOU TO BRING US ANOTHER TIRE SHOP OR A MECHANIC SHOP. SO THE THING IS THAT WE WANT TO KEEP IT AS A VERY GOOD RESIDENTIAL AREA.

AND LIKE WE PREVIOUSLY SAID, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE ALL ARE, I'M NOT ASKING ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL WOULDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES OR YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. IF I WAS SITTING IN YOUR SEAT, I WOULD SPEAK UP AND SAY, NO, LET'S KEEP STRONG, GOOD LOOKING NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES FOR THE BOULEVARD.

GOOD LOCATION FOR A MECHANIC AND A TIRE SHOP.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. AND IF ALL I'M ASKING IS FOR YOU TO VOTE.

NO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, ZEDD PRATT.

EXCUSE MY APPEARANCE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO A PRAYER MEETING TONIGHT, AND I MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT LATE NOW, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S WHY I'M DRESSED THE WAY I'M DRESSED.

I LIVE AT 44, 20. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. ALWAYS.

I LIVE AT 4423 MONTICELLO BOULEVARD. AND AS THE PREVIOUS PERSON SAID IN MONTICELLO, IT'S NOT A, LIKE A A SUBDIVISION. IT'S A COMMUNITY. ALL OF US, MOST OF US HAVE LIVED IN THE OVER 30 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN THERE 39 YEARS. AND I WAS GOING TO ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS MONDAY, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN THERE OVER 40 YEARS.

SO IT IS IT'S A WAY OF LIFE. NOW WE COME OUT OF THE SUBDIVISION, WE GO TO SHERWOOD FOREST.

THERE'S NOTHING ON SHERWOOD FOREST THAT WOULD BE HELPED BY A MECHANIC SHOP OR TIRE SHOP.

IT WON'T ADD ANYTHING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE WE LIVE.

MATTER OF FACT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A REST, A BIG RESTAURANT WOULD, GIVE US THAT, A SIT DOWN RESTAURANT.

BUT THERE'S NO WAY THAT ANYTHING LIKE A TIRE SHOP OR A MECHANIC SHOP OR ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP US.

THE OTHER THING IS, IF THAT THING IS NOT KEPT TO PERFECT ORDER, THEN ALL IT DOES IS DETERIORATE INTO SOMETHING ELSE AND IT BECOMES AN EYESORE, AND LATER IT CAN BECOME A HEALTH HAZARD AND IT BECOMES A SAFETY HAZARD.

SO SPEAKING FOR MY FOLK WHO LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY OF MONTICELLO.

[01:00:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION IS JACQUELINE LEE.

I TAKE MY GLASSES OFF. GOOD EVENING, I'M JACQUELINE LEE.

I LIVE AT 10088 GAMMA DRIVE AND I'M PARK FOREST CRIME DISTRICT CRIME DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PRESIDENT.

I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE ZONING CHANGE AT 3825 NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST.

ALTHOUGH I WELCOME COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, MY VISION IS RESTAURANTS, CONVENIENCE STORES, BAKERIES, WALMART, DRUGSTORES, BUSINESS.

THAT HEALTH IS HEALTHY FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUSINESS THAT HELP US TO FLOURISH.

I'VE BEEN LIVING IN MY HOME FOR 27 YEARS. I'VE SEEN STORES COME AND I'VE SEEN THEM GO.

I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE OVER SEVEN MECHANIC SHOPS IN THE AREA.

WE WORK HARD IN PARK FOREST SERVICE SUBDIVISION TO KEEP DOWN BLIGHT.

WE MISS THE THE PARKING THAT'S ON THE CORNER OF GREEN WILLOW SPRINGS ROAD AND PLATTE. WE MISSED THAT SMALL SIGN, SO WE'VE BEEN WATCHING TO SEE WHEN YOU ARE MAKING A ZONE CHANGE, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED THIS ALL AROUND OUR BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE WORKED HARD. WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT THE MAYOR SAY HE WANTS GET RID OF BLIGHT, UPKEEP OUR PROPERTIES, WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU ALL.

YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT HE WANTS TO BUILD A MECHANIC SHOP, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED IN OUR AREA.

OUR AREA IS ALREADY SATURATED WITH A LOT OF MECHANIC SHOPS, SO I TOTALLY OPPOSE AND I WILL PLEASE, PLEASE WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO ALSO VOTE THIS DOWN.

WE DON'T NEED IT IN OUR FOREST. WE'RE WORKING TOO HARD.

WORK WITH US BECAUSE WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. WISHING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.

SHOSHANA STEWART. HELLO, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND IT'S MY PLEASURE. I AM SHOSHANA STEWART. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF PARK FOREST EAST CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND CRIME PREVENTION IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

AND OF COURSE, SPEAKING WITH MY FELLOW RESIDENTS AND THOSE PERSONS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR SUBDIVISION AS THE NEIGHBORING SUBDIVISIONS WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THE REZONING OF LIGHT COMMERCIAL TO THE HEAVY COMMERCIAL.

AND WE'RE OKAY WITH THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL, BUT THIS CORRIDOR IS PRIMED FOR GOOD GROWTH.

OF COURSE, IN NORTH BATON ROUGE AND WITH THE MICKENS WIDENING, THE SHERWOOD NORTH SHERWOOD WIDENING AND NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST EXTENSION THAT WILL CONNECT THOSE. AND SO THIS WILL BE A PART OF A, YOU KNOW, A THOROUGHFARE THAT WILL CONNECT WITH NICHOLSON TO HOOVER.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS, AS YOU KNOW, BURBANK STARTS AT NICHOLSON, TURNS INTO SIEGEN, TURNS TO SHARE WITH FOREST, THEN THEN TURNS INTO NORTH, SHARED WITH FOREST.

THAT WOULD THEN TURN INTO MICKENS AND HOOVER.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS PRIME, YOU KNOW, REAL ESTATE AS FAR AS WHAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT EXISTING FLOW OF RESIDENTIAL AND THE CONNECTION THAT EXISTS TO MAINTAIN. AND SO WE ASK YOU GUYS, AS SOME OF THE OTHER PERSONS THAT HAVE CAME UP TO SEEK AN OPPOSITION, WE'RE ASKING YOU GUYS TO ALLOW THAT COMMUNITY TO STAY, THE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT IT IS WITH THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL THAT DOESN'T BRING THE TYPE OF TRACTION THAT WILL BRING WITH THE HEAVY COMMERCIAL, WITH THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS IN THAT AREA.

WE INVITE BUSINESSES, BUT WE WOULD LIKE BUSINESSES, AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, RETAIL RESTAURANT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO SOME OF THE FACTS WERE STATED ABOUT SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN AT SPORTS.

I AM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT, AND SHE WAS ACCURATE AS FAR AS THE INTAKE,

[01:05:05]

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID TOO, IT JUST KIND OF PUTS, YOU KNOW, A DISADVANTAGE FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE RELEASED IN THAT AREA FOR BUSSES AS WELL. SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND OF COURSE VOTE NO TO THIS ITEM. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS PAT SELDEN AND I'M WITH THE PARK FOREST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, SO I HAVE SOME PICTURES. THIS IS.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. SO I DO STAND IN OPPOSITION OF THIS ZONING AND LIKE EVERYONE SAID AS WELL, EVERYONE HIT ON SOME GOOD POINTS. AND I WILL SAY THIS THAT I WANT TO START OFF WITH I'M NOT FROM HERE.

BUT WHEN I STARTED SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, I MOVED TO ONE OF THE APARTMENTS ON GREENWOOD SPRINGS ROAD.

AND AS I GOT CLOSER TO FINISHING, I'VE ALWAYS RODE IN PARK FOREST AND MONTICELLO, AND DURING THE HOLIDAYS I USED TO LIKE WHEN IT WAS LIT UP AND I'M LIKE, THIS IS GOING TO BE MY PLACE OF HOME.

AND JUST LIKE WHEN MR. TROY SAID, IT'S NOT JUST A SUBDIVISION, IT'S A COMMUNITY.

WE ALL WORK HAND IN HAND. PARK FOREST. PARK FOREST EAST, MONTICELLO.

SO WE LOVE WHAT WE HAVE AND WE LOVE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE LIKE IT TO CONTINUE TO BE A BEAUTIFUL, RESILIENT COMMUNITY, A SAFE PLACE TO STAY, A SAFE PLACE, A PLACE FOR OUR KIDS TO CALL HOME AND BE EXCITED TO COME HOME IN A SAFE PLACE TO COME AND RIDE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE DON'T WANT TO SEE BLIGHT. AND AS SOME OF THE PICTURES YOU SEE WITH HIS BUSINESS, THERE'S TIRES THAT'S OUT THERE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER MECHANIC SHOP THAT SURROUNDS GLENWOOD SPRINGS ROAD AS FAR AS NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST, AND ALL YOU SEE IS TIRES AND EVEN BROKEN CARS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO SEE WHEN I DRIVE DOWN NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST.

I LOVE WHAT I SEE NOW, NOW WHAT HE HAS I'M OKAY TO LOOK AT.

BUT TO SAY REZONING TO SOMETHING HAPPEN AND THEY WOULD ATTRACT THAT KIND OF ATMOSPHERE AGAIN OF WHAT HE HAS ON FLORIDA.

I'M AGAINST IT. AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LISTENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.

AND YES, MA'AM. EITHER ONE. JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LILLIAN CROSSLEY. I AM CURRENTLY THE TREASURER FOR THE PARK FOREST CRIME PREVENTION AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

LIVED IN PARK FOREST FOR OVER 25 YEARS NOW, I BELIEVE, AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVE WITH THE ASSOCIATION SINCE I'VE MOVED THERE.

I MOVED FROM MONTICELLO, SO I'VE LIVED IN THAT AREA MY WHOLE 40 SOME YEARS HERE IN BATON ROUGE.

MY CONCERN WITH THIS REQUEST IS ON REQUEST. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A MECHANIC SHOP.

YES. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT THERE. BUT AS I APPRECIATE IT, THE CURRENT ZONING THAT THE PROPERTY ZONE WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT.

SO I'M QUITE CONCERNED AS TO WHY THEY WANT A HEAVY COMMERCIAL ZONING THAT WILL DO SOMETHING MUCH MORE DRASTIC THAN WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF DOING.

APPARENTLY, WHEN HE INITIALLY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WHAT THE INTENT IS THAT GOES FROM THE C-1 TO THE HEAVY COMMERCIAL THAT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.

BUT MY BIGGER CONCERN IS HE RETIRES IN 15 YEARS.

HE'S READY TO SELL. THE NEXT BUYER CAN DO BASICALLY WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH THAT PROPERTY, BECAUSE IT IS NOW ZONED HEAVY COMMERCIAL, AND THERE'S NOT A THING WE CAN DO AS PROPERTY OWNERS.

THAT'S THE DANGER WITH CHANGING PROPERTIES LIKE THIS.

BECAUSE SOMEBODY WANTS TO OPEN A BUSINESS, YOU GOT TO LOOK PAST THEIR BUSINESS AND INTO WHAT ELSE CAN COME TO THAT PROPERTY.

THAT MONSTROSITY ON GLENWOOD SPRINGS, THAT PLAT.

PLEASE GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AT THAT. HAVE WE BEEN ALERT ENOUGH? WE WOULD HAVE FOUGHT THAT TOOTH IN THERE. THAT'S A I SAW THAT I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE TO YOU ALL.

ALL THESE TRUCKS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. THAT USED TO BE A SUPER, SUPER ONE.

I THINK IT WAS. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE COME WHEN THEY TRAVEL UP AND DOWN GREENWOOD SPRINGS ROAD.

I PERSONALLY DROVE AROUND. IF YOU GO DOWN CHOCTAW BETWEEN NORTH SHERWOOD AND MONTERREY, THERE ARE PROBABLY 20

[01:10:03]

ONCE YOU PASS MONTERREY, THERE ARE AT LEAST SIX ON GREENWOOD SPRINGS ROAD.

WE DO NOT NEED THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS ON NORTH SHERWOOD.

NORTH SHERWOOD HAS SOME LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND IT'S ALL VERY ATTRACTIVE.

YES, SOME OF THEM COULD DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER JOB OF THE LITTER LIKE THE I THINK IT'S FAMILY DOLLAR THAT'S THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF LITTER BUILDING UP OVER THERE AND THEY NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY BECAUSE THAT BECOMES AN EYESORE WHEN THEY ALLOW IT TO JUST FESTER. SO WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING TO DETRACT FROM THE APPEARANCE AND THE PROPERTY VALUES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE WORK HARD FOR WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE WOULD LIKE OUR SUPPORT AND HELPING US TO PROTECT OUR INVESTMENT.

THANK YOU.

STATE NAME FOR RECORD, PLEASE, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON.

PRO TEM AND METRO MEMBERS. MY NAME IS REGINALD WILLIAMS. I'VE BEEN IN PARK FOREST FOR 25 YEARS. MY KIDS ARE GROWN AND GONE.

WE ARE EMPTY NESTERS, AND I JUST LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF BUSINESS THAT THAT WOULD BRING ON SHERWOOD FOREST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE WOODED AREA RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM AN UNDEVELOPED.

AND IF YOU GO UP AS FAR AS ON THE SOUTH END, JUST ACROSS THE TRACK, YOU'RE BETWEEN DARRYL DRIVE AND CHOCTAW [INAUDIBLE] TWO TIRE SHOPS FROM A CANDY SHOP. AND IF YOU PULL IT UP ON GOOGLE MAP, THEY GOT CARS EVERYWHERE, TIRES ALL OUT THERE ON DISPLAY LIKE THERE'S SOME KIND OF BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENT, YOU KNOW. AND WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR INCOME? AND BUSINESSES ARE AROUND HIS BUSINESS WHEN IT BECOMES LIKE THE ONES ON DARRYL DRIVE AND SHERWOOD FOREST, YOU KNOW, TWO TIRE SHOPS. NOW GIVE ME THE BUSINESS MINDSET ON THAT SITUATION WITHIN A BLOCK, TWO MECHANIC SHOPS WITHIN A BLOCK. YOU KNOW, I WORK HARD.

I'M OFF TODAY. LOOK AT ME. THIS IS MY ATTIRE.

AND AS MR. PASTOR, MY NEIGHBOR SEES, THAT'S MY NEIGHBOR.

I'M GONNA DO IT YOURSELF. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR PROPERTY, AND I AND I, AND I'M AGAINST THIS, YOU KNOW? I KNOW HE HAS TO MAKE A LIVING. ME, TOO.

I'M EMPTY NESTER. MY WORK, MY WORK DAYS ARE HERE TO SHORTEN OVER TIME.

ME, I DON'T PLAN ON ANOTHER MORTGAGE SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE OF BLIGHT EVERYWHERE.

WE JUST FOUGHT A BATTLE WITH THE PUFFED UP SHOP WANTING TO BE ON THE [INAUDIBLE] LIKE I TOLD THEM AT THAT ALL ALCOHOL BOARD MEMBER THAT AIN'T MY KIND OF GROCERY STORE. WHERE I GO IN THERE, TWO CARTONS OF EGGS AND FOUR GALLONS OF MILK.

THAT AIN'T MY TYPE OF GROCERY STORE. WHO WANTS THAT WHEN THEY COME IN YOUR SUBDIVISION? HE COULDN'T EVEN ANSWER THAT WHEN THEY ASKED HIM WHERE HE STAYED AT IN THAT SITUATION. NOW, LOOK WHERE WE AT NOW.

AND I DON'T POSE AGAINST IT. I'M VERY MUCH AGAINST.

I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS TO MAKE A LIVING, YOU KNOW? BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.

THE APPLICANT CAN COME BACK UP AND YOU HAVE A THREE MINUTE REBUTTAL.

I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING ABOUT THE THEY TAKE A PICTURE OF WHERE I WAS.

BUT I KNOW I CAN DO NOTHING BECAUSE I OWN AND PLACE.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW. CAN WE SEE THE PHOTO THAT THEY GAVE YOU? BECAUSE HE'S NOT THE OWNER. HE OCCUPIES ONE BAY.

THAT IS A FACILITY HE OCCUPIES ONE DAY. CAN WE SEE THE PICTURE? DO WE NEED TO SEE IT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PLACE, I KNOW CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.

YES, AND I WILL.

YEAH, IT'S JUST UP FRONT. YEAH, JUST THE FRONT.

SO I MEAN, IT IS THE PROPERTY, BUT IT'S THERE'S ALSO JUST ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY.

THERE'S A UTILITY STORAGE FACILITY. IT'S WHERE WE KEEP OUR VOTING MACHINES FOR CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT.

RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THERE ARE THE WAREHOUSE IS THERE, AND IN FRONT OF THAT IS WHERE THEY KEEP A LOT OF THE UTILITY TRUCKS THAT RESPOND WHENEVER THERE IS AN INCIDENT OR POWER OUTAGES. A LOT OF THE ELECTRICAL.

SO THAT'S THE UTILITY TRUCKS THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE PHOTOS.

THOSE CARS THAT ARE THERE, THERE IS ACTUALLY SEVERAL MECHANIC SHOPS AND A BODY SHOP THAT'S IN THERE, WHICH IS WHY HE'S ACTUALLY TRYING TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER FACILITY.

HE OCCUPIES ONE BAY IN THIS, ACTUALLY TWO BAYS.

[01:15:04]

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. SO IT'S NOT HIS JUST TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR THE OPPOSITION IN REGARDS TO LESSENING ABOUT THE CONGESTION, THE STUDY THAT YOU'RE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE DID SAID THAT THIS REZONING MEETS ALL OF THE QUALIFICATIONS.

WHEN MISS LINDELL TALKED ABOUT AND MISS DEBORAH TALKED ABOUT THE MEANING OF THE ZONING AND THE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE ZONING, HE MEETS ALL OF THOSE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE REZONING.

IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, THE BUILDING AND THE STRUCTURE THAT HE PLANS TO ERECT WILL HAVE A FENCING THAT COVERS EVERYTHING WHERE THE VEHICLES WILL BE STORED.

WITH REGARDS TO IT WON'T LOOK LIKE A JUNKYARD.

ALL VEHICLES ARE REPAIRED AND DISPATCHED OUT ON A DAILY BASIS.

HE DOES KEEP A CLEAN AND ORGANIZED APPEARANCE IN THE AREA THAT HE OCCUPIES.

IF SOMEONE HAD. ABOUT 10S. COME UP TO HIM, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT.

AND THEY DO FOLLOW OSHA PROTOCOLS, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT ANYTHING EXPLODING.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED 16 COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM SIX.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOING TO BE IT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

I WILL GO TO COUNCIL. MR. HOLCOMB. MR. BALDWIN.

ONE OF Y'ALL. PLEASE. I'M JUST CURIOUS. IT WAS STATED THAT WITH THE CURRENT C-1 ZONING THAT A MECHANIC SHOP COULD GO THERE. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH. NO, THAT'S THAT'S INCORRECT. THE REASON FOR THE REZONING APPLICATION TONIGHT IS FOR THE PROPOSED USE LISTED ON THE APPLICATION.

IT'S WHAT WE WOULD CLASSIFY AS MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIR, WHICH IS CLEARLY NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING LIGHT COMMERCIAL.

IT IS A PERMITTED USE UNDER THE REQUESTED ZONING.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYTHING? HISTORICALLY, AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMEWHAT SUBJECTIVE, THAT YOU WOULD THINK IS FAR MORE INTENSE THAN A MECHANIC SHOP GOING FROM THE LIGHT COMMERCIAL TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL THAT COULD BE ALLOWED.

SO HEAVY COMMERCIAL DOES INTRODUCE SOME MORE INTENSE USES ON IT THAT COULD BE ALLOWED IN THE PROPERTY, BECAUSE ONCE YOU REZONE IT, IT IS REZONE FOREVER.

THERE'S OTHER USES. IF IT WERE TO BE REZONED TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL 2, WOULD BE A CEMETERY WOULD BE A PERMITTED USE THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED A BUILDING MATERIAL SALES, CABINETMAKING, MILLWORK, CARWASH, CONTRACTOR'S YARD, CONVENIENCE STORE WITH A GAS STATION.

RIGHT NOW, UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING, IT'S LIMITED FOUR PUMPS.

IT WOULD BE UNLIMITED PUMPS UNDER THE THE PROPOSED ZONING, HEAVY EQUIPMENT SALES, A HOTEL MOTEL WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER THE PROPOSED ZONING, LABORATORY, LAWN MAINTENANCE FACILITY, CAR SALES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THE REASON I ASKED THAT AND SOMEONE BROUGHT IT UP IS, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT HE MAY RETIRE, AND THEN WOULD, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD IT BE? YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL.

AND I IF YOU'VE HEARD ME FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT ZONING ISSUES, IT'S NOT WHAT THE APPLICANT IS TELLING YOU THEY WANT TO DO.

NOT THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US YOU WANT TO DO, BUT YOU KNOW, THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

PEOPLE DIE, PEOPLE GO BANKRUPT. THERE'S MONEY ISSUES, BUT THE ZONING STAYS.

AND SO FOR ME, WHEN I LOOK AT A ZONING ISSUE, I ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT IS THE MOST INTENSE USE POSSIBLE WITH THE REZONE IN AN AREA.

AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE, OKAY, I CAN SWALLOW THAT.

OR THE, THE AREA CAN, OR THE CONSTITUENTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

THEN OKAY, BUT IF NOT, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT THEIR PLAN IS.

THAT'S IMPORTANT. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT I WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK BEYOND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ZONING, BECAUSE IT HAS YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE MOST INTENSE USE COULD BE.

THAT'S HOW I'VE USED ZONING ALL THE TIME. I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING NOW.

IT'S THAT WAY WITH LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND WITH HEAVY MULTIFAMILY USE.

I MEAN, YOU CAN PUT APARTMENTS ON IT. I DO BELIEVE WITH THE HEAVY COMMERCIAL, YOU CAN PUT MORE APARTMENTS HIGHER.

YOU CAN PUT MORE STORIES. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND I THINK WE SHOULD REVISIT THAT AGAIN AND REMOVE MULTIFAMILY FROM COMMERCIAL ZONING AND

[01:20:03]

BUT THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ON AND I JUST WANTED TO OFFER HOW I VIEW ZONING.

SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN NECESSARILY WHAT THE APPLICANT IS SAYING THEY'RE LOOKING TO BRING.

COUNCILMAN HURST. THANK YOU, MR. VELASQUEZ, FOR WANTING TO INVEST IN THIS COMMUNITY.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I BELIEVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO OPEN A BUSINESS IN THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE IS GREAT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT ECONOMIC STIMULUS AND GROWTH.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE CERTAIN PLACES AND SPACES WHERE THINGS SHOULD GO.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AROUND THAT.

FIRST. I'LL START OFF WITH THE PICTURES. THERE'S MORE.

THEY GAVE YOU A SMALL BOX OF WHAT'S AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IF YOU GO DOWN A COUPLE BLOCKS DOWN SHERWOOD FOREST, GO A COUPLE OF BLOCKS EACH WAY ON CHOCTAW, MONTEREY AND NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST.

THERE'S MECHANIC SHOPS EVERYWHERE, TIRE SHOPS EVERYWHERE.

WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THE DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK ABOUT A TIRE ORDINANCE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES LOOK BETTER.

AND THOSE ARE PRIMARILY ONES IN BATON ROUGE. ALL RIGHT.

NUMBER TWO IS, I THINK SHE'S SHOWN A HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD AND BRANDON COMBINED.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY DID WE TAKE ALL OF THIS MONEY FROM MOVE BR, SPEND 13 MILLION ON NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST, SPEND ANOTHER 25 MILLION ON THE NORTH SHERWOOD FOREST EXTENSION, AND THEN SPEND ANOTHER 25 MILLION ON MICKENS WIDENING TO PUT A TIRE IN MECHANIC SHOP TO MAKE IT NON INVESTABLE.

WE'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT FLORIDA BOULEVARD RIGHT NOW.

THE MINUTE WE DO THIS, WE OPEN THE FLOODGATES.

AND SO WE TALK ABOUT MULTIFAMILY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

AND I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT ANOTHER QUICK STORY ABOUT HOW THIS THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE UNITED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO PROTECT THEIR PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

THEY TALKED ABOUT PUTTING UP SMOKE SHOP. THEY WENT AGAINST THE ATTORNEYS. EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT CAN WE END UP LITIGATION? WELL, YOU CAN GET AN END OF LITIGATION IF YOU VOTE BEFORE IT OR AFTERWARDS, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH PUFFED UP SMOKE SHOCK.

GUY LIVES IN THE COUNTRY CLUB, BUT HE WANTS TO OPEN A VAPE SHOP IN PARK FOREST.

WELL, THEY SHUT IT DOWN BECAUSE THEY BANDED TOGETHER AS MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES AND KICKED IT OUT OF THEIR OVER WHERE BRETT CURRENTLY IS.

THE THE OLD HEADQUARTERS GOING TO SHERWOOD FOREST, ACROSS THE STREET WHERE THEY STAGED THE FEMA TRAILERS.

SO CURRENTLY IT HAS CONTINUED OPERATION BECAUSE OF ITS PREVIOUS USE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT THE ONLY ONE TO COME AND MAKE IT M-1 INDUSTRIAL ZONING.

ALL THREE OF THEM GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, NOT IN MY BACKYARD, RIGHT? BECAUSE WITH THE NUMBER TWO MOST VISITED PARK SYSTEM IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH RIGHT THERE, WHY WOULD WE PUT INDUSTRIAL USES ACROSS THE STREET THAT WOULD BE A DETRACTOR FOR RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT.

THEN THEY CAME TOGETHER RIGHT NEXT DOOR. IT JUST SEEMS THAT'S JUST THE DUMPING GROUNDS, RIGHT? BUT ALL THE STORM DEBRIS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WAS DUMPED RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN BRETT'S PROPERTY.

THEY BANDED TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR DUMPING STOPPED OVER THERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD SMELL MOLD, MILDEW AND CONTAMINANTS FOR MONTHS UNTIL THEY TOOK IT FROM THAT AREA TO OTHER AREAS.

SO WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS AND WHAT SHOWRUNNER SAID WAS RIGHT, THIS IS A STREET THAT WILL GO FROM NICHOLSON TO HOOPER.

BURBANK TURNS INTO SIEGEN AND SIEGEN TURNS INTO SHERWOOD.

SHERWOOD TURNS IN THE NORTH SHERWOOD, IT'LL BE THE EXTENSION, MICKENS AND IT'LL END IN HOOPER.

OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE THE HIGH HOUSEHOLD MEETING INCOMES IN THIS AREA IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.

LEVERAGE THAT FOR NEW ROOFTOPS, WHICH COMES UP NEXT AS NUMBER SEVEN, BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER THERE AS POSITIVE.

AND TO ADD MORE ROOFTOPS SO THAT WE GET THE AMENITIES THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO GROW.

AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO REASON FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO THAT PART OF TOWN UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO CENTRAL, IT'S ON INTERSTATE. THERE'S NO RETAIL, BUT THE HOUSEHOLD MEETING INCOMES IS OVER $100,000.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO WHEN YOU START PUTTING THESE THINGS OVER THERE, YOU MAKE EVEN MORE OF A DECLINE.

IN NORTH BATON ROUGE. THIS IS LOW HANGING FRUIT.

THIS IS OPPORTUNITY. AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TYPE OF INVESTMENT AND IT STARTS WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CITY OF EAST BATON ROUGE, CITY OF BATON ROUGE, THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE HAS MADE THAT DECISION.

I WISH FRED WAS HERE BECAUSE ONCE FRED PUT OUT THE PLAN FOR THE NORTH SHERWOOD EXTENSION, HE HAD TONS OF BUSINESSES CALLING HIM TO ACTUALLY BUY A PROPERTY ALONG WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE THAT CORRIDOR, SO THAT THEY CAN PLANT BUSINESSES THAT FIT INTO WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING, YOU KNOW, TELL EVERYBODY YOU'LL HEAR NEXT WEEK AGAIN.

BUT THE TARGET AUDIENCE DIDN'T START WITH ME. IT STARTED WITH SHARON, MAN. SHE WAS LEAVING SHERWOOD FOREST, GOING DOWN THE FLORIDA BOULEVARD, COMING DOWNTOWN FROM ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD, SHE SAID I PASSED 15 TIRE SHOPS AND PROBABLY 15,000 TIRES.

[01:25:05]

BUT SHE SAID, HOW ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT FLORIDA BOULEVARD AND ALL THESE PLANS WHEN IT'S NOT INVESTABLE? AND SO WE START ALLOWING THESE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD OPERATOR, BUT THIS AREA OF TOWN NEEDS A SPECIFIC TYPE OF INVESTMENT.

AND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, I DON'T WANT IT.

THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL IS WHAT AM I MOST FOCUSED ON.

AND I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH THIS, BRANDON. THERE'S A OH, HE GAVE IT TO ME.

OKAY. ON MICKENS ROAD, THERE'S A PROPERTY SIMILAR ZONED COMMERCIAL AT THE END OF MICKENS.

ON AROUND GEORGE, COULDN'T GET OFF OF IT. KIND OF WHAT LAURA WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PREVIOUS ONE I DON'T I MAY BE SAYING THE WRONG WHERE THEY WANTED TO DO ONE THING IN 16 YEARS LATER IT WASN'T PURCHASED THE WAY.

SO NOW THE ZONING AND THE IMPACT OF THAT ZONING IS WHAT BRANDON TALKS ABOUT WHEN IT TRANSFERS OWNERS.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. SO I JUST URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO.

I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR SHOWING UP BECAUSE THEY SAY NORTH BATON ROUGE DOESN'T SHOW UP.

AND Y'ALL DID IT TODAY. NOT ONLY ONLINE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COUNCIL.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES UP THERE. SO Y'ALL ARE SHOWING THAT WE CARE.

WE WANT TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE MAYOR'S VISION OF NO BLIGHT AND IMPROVING IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS BLIGHT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL. BUT WE JUST HAVE ENOUGH.

AND THE FINAL THING THEY SPOKE ABOUT WAS TOO MUCH OF ONE ITEM IS AN ABILITY TO DENY. AND I BELIEVE BY THE PICTURES THAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY, WE HAVE SOME REALLY BAD OPERATORS UP TO Y'ALL.

I KNOW Y'ALL CAN'T SEE EM IN THE PICTURES, BUT THESE ARE THE ONES, LIKE ON FLORIDA BOULEVARD WITH TIRES EVERYWHERE, BROKEN DOWN CARS. IT'S THE FEAR OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

BUT WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE. WE NEED JASON'S DELI.

WE NEED. I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ADD VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE THERE BECAUSE OF THINGS BEING IN A WALKING DISTANCE. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP. I THANK YOU ALL FOR STANDING UP.

AND I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO VOTE NO. SO THAT'S A MOTION TO DENY.

A MOTION TO DENY. IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DON JR.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM SEVEN.

[7. 25-00836 Case 20-25 T 11920 West England Avenue]

COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE. HURST. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIES 7 TO 0.

IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? OH, SORRY. I THINK I'M ON THAT LIST THERE TO SPEAK TO FOR NUMBER SEVEN.

IS THAT ENGLAND LIST IN THE BACK? I SIGNED UP OUT THERE.

THAT'S OKAY. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. OKAY. AGAIN.

MY NAME AGAIN. I'M ED PRATT. I LIVE AT 4423 MONTICELLO BOULEVARD.

ONE THING I JUST WANT TO BRING ABOUT 30, 30 YEARS AGO, I USED TO COVER THESE MEETINGS.

SO PLEASE, DIDN'T LOOK AS NICE AS THIS, BUT, I MEAN, I USED TO COVER THESE MEETINGS, SO I GOT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.

BUT ANYWAY, I AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT MY SUBDIVISION IS AND HOW IT'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THAT.

I HEARD ABOUT IN SOME MEMBERS OF THE SUBDIVISION, HEARD ABOUT THE THE PLAN TO BUILD IN THE BACK.

I'M NOT WHOLLY OPPOSED TO IT, BUT MY THING IS, I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN THERE, THE EFFECTS IT MIGHT HAVE ON FLOODING, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT I WAS AT A ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON MONDAY AND WE HAD ABOUT 50, MAYBE 50, 55 PEOPLE THERE.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS THING COMING UP.

AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT SAYING KILL IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO SEE WHAT THIS THING IS AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT OUR SUBDIVISION.

WE HAVE A SUBDIVISION OF ABOUT 700 HOUSES, SO YOU'RE GOING TO ADD MORE TO THAT.

IT MAY START WITH SIX, MAY END UP WITH 10 MILLION, UP WITH 20, MAY END UP WITH 40.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO HEAR FROM THE PERSON THAT WANTS TO BUILD BACK THERE.

THERE WAS A MEETING 2 OR 3 WEEKS AGO, KIND OF A QUICKLY CALLED MEETING.

I THINK THEY HAD TEN PEOPLE AT THAT MEETING AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

[01:30:03]

LIKE I SAID, WE HAD 50 PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE SUBDIVISION, BUT APPARENTLY SOMETHING HAPPENED.

HE COULDN'T COME THERE TO THAT MEETING. WE NEED HIM IN FRONT OF MORE PEOPLE FROM OUR SUBDIVISION TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE MAY ALL JUMP FOR JOY AND SAY, THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER, BUT WE JUST NEED MORE TIME AND MORE INFORMATION AND THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I SEE NOW WE GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HURST. HEY RYAN, YOU MIND COMING TO THE MIC, PLEASE? SO LET ME TELL Y'ALL THE WAY THAT MONTICELLO WAS BUILT, LIKE MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS OF DIFFERENT FILINGS.

AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LAST FILING OF MONTICELLO.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM WITH LARGER YARDS, BUT LIKE A HALF A BLOCK DOWN THE ROAD.

IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT ZONING.

SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PLAN FOR ROOFTOPS AND GROWTH, I SAID, RYAN, EXPLAIN THIS TO ME.

HE SAID, HEY, MAN, YOU GOTTA YOU GOT ABOUT A BLOCK WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED THE SAME WAY AND ABOUT A BLOCK DOWN THE ROAD, YOU GET TO THIS EXACT SAME ZONING WITH THE SECOND FILE IN MONTICELLO.

SO IT'S VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE GROWTH OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO I SAID, RYAN, I'M NOT GOING TO APPROVE IT UNLESS WHAT HAPPENS, YOU ASK, THAT THE APPLICANT HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AND POST NOTICE OF THAT PROPERTY. YOU AND I HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

YOU AND I SHARED SOME COMMENTS ON THOSE EXISTING SMALLER LOTS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN CERTAIN FILINGS OF MONTICELLO.

IF YOU LOOK UNDER PAGE TWO, UNDER NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY, STAFF ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS REZONING WOULD INTRODUCE SLIGHTLY SMALLER LOTS FOR NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL THAT IT WOULD BE LIMITED TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE EXISTING HOMES THAT ARE IN THE AREA AND YOU SEE UNDER THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY SECTION.

SMALLER LOT WITH MINIMUM OF 55FT ALREADY EXIST IN MONTICELLO.

SPECIFICALLY, THE NINTH FILING IN THE ABUTTING PARK FOREST EAST SUBDIVISION HAS 8.82 ZONING, WHICH ALSO ALLOWS SMALLER MINIMUM LOT WIDTHS OF 65FT.

AND IF YOU ALL KNOW MONTICELLO AND PARK FAR EAST, UNLESS YOU LOOKED AT THE SIGNS, YOU WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE ALMOST INTERCONNECTED, LIKE STRATFORD AND CONCORD OR SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES THAT HAPPEN.

AND SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE I MADE THE CONTRACT TO JUMP THROUGH HOOPS, I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO APPROVE IT UNLESS RYAN SAYS IT'S GOOD.

RYAN SAID IT WAS GOOD, SAID, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE APPROVAL UNLESS THE COMMUNITY DOES.

IT SAID YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT A MINIMUM OF THREE SIGNS AND THE MAJOR CORRIDORS.

WHAT HE DID A WEEK IN ADVANCE TO THE MEETING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT WAS COMING UP.

PEOPLE WHO SAW THE SIGNS SHOW SHOWED UP. I DID REACH OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO POST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT THE TIME.

SO I POSTED IT ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA. I POSTED ON MY LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE FOR MY DISTRICT, AS WELL AS MY PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND THEN FOR EVERYBODY THAT I HAD ON MY PHONE, I TEXTED OUT THE NOTIFICATION.

WE ENDED UP WITH PROBABLY ABOUT 10 OR 15 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP THERE.

BUT LONG STORY SHORT IS THAT IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IN THAT MEETING WITH ZERO QUESTIONS.

AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS QUESTIONS WERE ASKED.

BUT THERE WAS A VOTE BY EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM.

AND IT WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS HOW DOES IT AFFECT, HOW DOES IT AFFECT US AS IT RELATES TO OUR CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND FLOODING? THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE FLOODING, AND THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE LIFT STATION IF THE CITY PARISH WERE REQUIRED.

SO WHATEVER IMPACT THAT THE NEW DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY, THEY WOULD HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE COSTS.

THE RESIDENTS SAID WE NEED THE ROOFTOPS BECAUSE WITHOUT THE NEW ROOFTOPS, THERE IS NO NEW INVESTMENT WITHOUT SHOWING GROWTH ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I THANKED THE DEVELOPER FOR COMING OUT.

I THANK THE NEIGHBOR FOR SHOWING UP AND I WANT TO SUPPORT IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

WITHOUT ROOFTOPS, THERE ARE NO NEW INVESTMENT.

I ASK FOR THE MOTION TO APPROVE. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM EIGHT CASE 20.

[8. 25-00837 Case 21-25 15959 Hewwood Avenue]

CASE 21-25 15959. HEWWOOD AVENUE TO REZONE FROM RURAL TO COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE RESTAURANT CAB ONE TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL TWO ON PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF HEWWOOD AVENUE, WEST OF O'NEAL LANE.

[01:35:05]

MOTION TO APPROVE CARRY 7 TO 0. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HI, MY NAME IS JOE MOORE WITH REMAX COMMERCIAL.

I'VE REPRESENTED THE CLIENT. I LIVE AT 8288 BRANDON DRIVE.

MISS LOU AND HER HUSBAND HAVE OWNED THE PROPERTY FOR 25 YEARS.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ZONE RURAL, BUT THEY WANT TO GET IT ZONED PROPERLY, SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE WISHING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR.

TONG HON. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. SO I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

PLEASE, SIR. SO, DO THEY ALREADY HAVE A BUSINESS HERE? OH, YEAH. IT'S BEEN OCCUPIED. IT'S A COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER.

OH OKAY. WITH EIGHT SUITES. OKAY. AND THEY JUST RENOVATED THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED HEAVILY IN HURRICANE IDA.

OKAY. AND SO THEY PUT A NEW ROOF ON IT, AND THEY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON IT TO BRING IT UP TO CURRENT STANDARDS.

OKAY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE BRINGING IN ANY KIND OF NEW BUSINESS.

THEY'RE JUST CHANGING THE THE ZONING. NO, THEY'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING THE ZONING TO A THEY DID HAVE ONE SUITE THAT WAS ZONED FOR CA1B FOR BAR, BUT THEY'RE ELIMINATING THAT. SO NOW IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE COMMERCIAL ONE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.

OKAY. SO THEY'RE JUST BASICALLY UPDATING THE ZONING.

CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SIR. APPRECIATE IT.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. YES. APPROVE PLEASE.

THANK YOU. MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MOAK. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NINE. CASE 22-25 930 O’NEAL LANE TO REZONE FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL C-2 TO

[9. 25-00838 Case 22-25 930 O’Neal Lane]

COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE, CARRIED SEVEN ZERO. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MOAK.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM TEN. THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED ON THIS ITEM.

[10. 25-00839 Case 24-25 1540 North Foster]

COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, HARRIS. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO DENY CARRIED SEVEN ZERO COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

MOTION TO DELETE. DELETE. YES. MOTION TO DELETE BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 11. CASE 25-25 449 AND 455 HEARTHSTONE AVENUE, HEARTHSTONE DRIVE TO REZONE FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL C-1 TO COMMERCIAL

[11. 25-00840 Case 25-25 449 and 455 Hearthstone Drive]

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS TRAVIS NOOTE. I'M THE OWNER OF BOOMERANG COMEDY THEATER. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO EAST BATON ROUGE.

I HAVE NO PREPARED COMMENTS. I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I'M LOOKING, WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP SINCE WE'VE BEEN THERE.

I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR COMEDY IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND IMPROV IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S IT'S KNOWN NOW.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SHAW CENTER ON A RECURRING BASIS FOR A MURDER MYSTERY.

WE'VE GOT A TROUPE THAT REGULARLY PERFORMS RIGHT DOWN JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM HERE AT THE MANSHIP NOW.

SO WE'VE DONE SOME GREAT THINGS WE'RE WORKING WITH VISIT VR, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ALCOHOL LICENSE. NOT REALLY TO SELL.

WE GOT READY, THE RADIO BARS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, STEPS FROM MY FRONT DOOR SO THEY THEY CAN HANDLE THAT PART OF IT.

THE PRIVATE EVENTS THAT WE DO, BACHELORETTE PARTIES OR WE HAD A MARDI GRAS TROUPE OR CREW THAT THAT CAME THERE AND THAT'S SOMETIMES A HARD SELL IF THEY CAN'T YOU KNOW, CRACK A BEER AND YOU KNOW, AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AT A PRIVATE EVENT THERE WITH WITH SOME COMEDIANS.

SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY THING THAT I'M LOOKING FOR AGAIN, RADIO BARS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, WE SHARE A WALL WITH FORMER BUSINESS DIY DISCO.

THEY CLOSED DOWN, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY ZONED AND APPROVED FOR ALCOHOL SALES.

WE ALSO SHARE A ROOF WITH ELSIE'S PLATE AND PIE, HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OWNERS OF THOSE PLACES.

SO I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU KNOW, WITH YOU GUYS KIND OF GRACES GETTING THIS APPROVED AND CONTINUING TO HELP BUILD COMEDY IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA. I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

[01:40:02]

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. CAN WE REQUEST THAT HE GIVE LESSONS TO SOME OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO THINK THEY'RE COMEDIANS, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER HUDSON SPECIFICALLY? [LAUGHS] COULD WE GET COMMITTEE LESSONS? OH, HELLO. THAT WAS A LOT OF LAUGHS RIGHT THERE. COUNCILMAN GAUDET COMEDIC TIMING IS JUST PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT. WHAT ITEM ARE WE ON? 12. ITEM 12, PUD 3-23 SUBURBS OF BATON ROUGE.

[12. 25-00841 PUD-3-23 Suburb South Baton Rouge Concept Plan Revision]

LOCATED ON EAST SIDE OF NICHOLSON DRIVE, NORTH OF MAGNOLIA MOUND.

COUNCIL DISTRICT TEN, COLEMAN. COMMISSION ACTION, MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7 TO 0.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MY NAME IS RAY GOFF AND I'M A RESIDENT OF MAGNOLIA TERRACE, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THAT ZONING. THE ONLY PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THIS IS THE CURRENT LAND DEVELOPER IS BEING A LITTLE TARDY ON MAINTENANCE OF THAT AREA. AND WHEN I SAY TARDY, THERE'S TREES FALLING IN THAT AREA, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OVERGROWTH AND THERE'S VERY POOR MAINTENANCE, VERY POOR. THERE'S VERMIN AND DISEASED TREES.

IT'S REALLY BAD. AND IT'S AN EYESORE TO THE NICHOLSON DRIVE CORRIDOR.

THE FOLKS ARE GOING TO GAMES AT LSU AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE AGAINST ANY HIGH RISE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA, SUCH AS OFFICE BUILDINGS AND OR COMMERCIAL, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ESTHETICALLY IMPROPER FOR THAT MIDWAY BETWEEN DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE AND LSU. WE FEEL WE'RE KIND OF LIKE MIDWAY BETWEEN DOWNTOWN LSU AND WE DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. AGAIN, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE ALL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AS LONG AS IT'S LOW DENSITY HOMES FOR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I'M MIKE BRUCE WITH STANTEC ENGINEERS REPRESENTING THE DEVELOPER.

AND JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. THIS IS A MOVE TO REDUCE THE DENSITY OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

THERE AREN'T ANY HIGH RISES TAKING ALL THE COMMERCIAL OUT OF IT. AND THEY WERE NOTIFIED A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT MAINTAINING THE TREES BETTER.

AND THEY'VE DONE A MUCH BETTER JOB. THEY'VE GONE IN THERE. BUT I'LL REITERATE THAT TO THE DEVELOPER THAT THOSE CONCERNS ARE STILL OUT THERE.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL. WANT TO REITERATE THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TREES, BECAUSE WE HAD A CONVERSATION BEFORE AND THEY DID REMOVE SOME THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REMOVED, BUT LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE.

HAPPENS. I SO MOVE. MOTION APPROVED BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM 13, RV 5-25 PARKWAY DRIVE, REVOCATION, THE REQUEST TO REVOKE PORTION OF THE 60 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY FOR PARKWAY DRIVE,

[13. 25-00864 RV-5-25 Parkway Drive Revocation]

COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, GAUDET. COMMISSION ACTION, NO HEARING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS REQUIRED PER THE UDC SECTION 3.6.3.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? THERE IS NOBODY HERE, SO I DOUBT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

COUNCILMAN GAUDET MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. COUNCILWOMAN AMOROSO.

MEETING'S ADJOURNED. COUNCILMAN MOAK, YOU CAN SPEAK AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.