[0:04] Welcome, everybody, to the Metropolitan Council's only meeting this Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

[0:10] We'll call the meeting to order. Actually, do we have a quorum?

[0:13] We have a quorum.

[0:15] Number one, case two, dash 25, 8125 Jefferson Highway, a rezoned property from transition B1 to light commercial one, LC1 located on the north side of Jefferson Highway, south of Brandon Drive.

[0:28] Council District 11 Adams commission action motion to approve failed four to

[0:32] four there's been a request for a 30-day deferral we have a motion motion my

[0:38] councilwoman Adams second my councilman Hudson I'm sorry I apologize I'm moving

[0:42] ahead anybody wishing to speak on this item seeing no one go to council motion

[0:50] my councilwoman Adams second my councilman Hudson any opposed motion carries

[0:54] for 30 deferral. I have to RV to dash 25 a mansor property public drainage

[1:00] revocation a request or a vocal portion of 135 foot public drainage

[1:05] servitude located on the north side of old Perkins Road east of Pico lane

[1:09] council district nine Hudson Commission action no hearing before the planning

[1:12] Commission required for the UDC section 3.6.3 anyone here wishing to speak on

[1:18] this item?

[1:22] Mr. Brian Aguilar in favor but does not wish to speak. I'm Brian

[1:27] I was representing the applicant here as Continental Enterprises.

[1:34] We have a piece of property here that we were trying to do some work on

[1:39] and found out there is an old drainage servitude on the old portion of Ward's Creek.

[1:45] And that was realigned approximately in 2001.

[1:49] We've got some old maps from CSRS that were done way back then.

[1:53] Again, I just don't think it was ever officially removed the servitude and rededicated to where

[2:01] the channel exists at the moment.

[2:04] So that's what we're basically trying to do.

[2:06] We're trying to dissolve the servitude that is no longer, the channel is no longer there.

[2:11] The channel was realigned and we're just going to move the servitude in line with

[2:17] where the present channel is today.

[2:19] We thought it was done years ago.

[2:21] Obviously there's no record of it actually being approved and that's what we're

[2:25] asking for you today is a revocation of server 2 and a realignment of that same

[2:32] server 2 on the present channel.

[2:37] That's it. Anyone else wish to speak on this

[2:40] item?

[2:43] Seeing no one go to council. Motion by Councilman Hudson. Second by

[2:47] Councilman Hurston. He opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Item 3 case 5-25

[2:53] 1895, 1896, 1858, 1844, Wooddale Boulevard,

[2:57] derisional property from heavy industrial M2

[2:59] to heavy commercial one, H.C.1, located on the east side.

[3:03] A Wooddale Boulevard north of Exchange Place,

[3:05] Council District 6, Dunn, Jr., commission action,

[3:08] motion to approve, carried 9-0.

[3:10] Anyone here wishing to speak on this item?

[3:15] Seeing none, we'll go to Council.

[3:17] We have a motion.

[3:18] Motion by Councilman Hertz, second by Councilwoman Adams.

[3:20] Any opposed?

[3:22] I'm sorry, by Councilman Dunn, Jr.,

[3:23] second by Councilman Adams.

[3:25] items. Any opposed? Motion carries. I'm going to take items 4 and 5 together. There's been

[3:30] a request for a 60-day deferral on these items. Item 4, PA1-2518510, Samuel's Road to Amend

[3:37] Comprehensive Land Use Plan from Agricultural Rural to Employment Center, located on the

[3:42] east side of Samuel's Road, south of Mount Pleasant, Zachary Road, Council District 1,

[3:46] and O, Commissioned Action Motion to Approve, carried 7-0. Number 5, Case 7-2518510,

[3:52] Samuel's Road to reasonable property from rural to light industrial M1 located

[3:57] on the east side of Samuel's Road south of Mount Pleasant Zachary Road.

[4:01] Council District 1-0 commission action motion to approve carry 7-0. Anyone

[4:05] here wishing to speak on items 4 and 5?

[4:09] Seeing none go to council motion to

[4:12] approve 60-day deferral second by councilwoman Adams motion by the

[4:17] Anyone opposed? Motion carries. Item 6, case 6-25 1808 Perkins Road to

[4:25] rezone property from light commercial C1 to neighborhood commercial alcoholic

[4:30] beverage restaurant NCAV located on South Side of Perkins Road east of Virgil

[4:35] Street, Council District 12, Raqqa. Motion to approve carried 6-1.

[4:44] What's that?

[4:49] Oh

[4:49] yeah. So anyone here wishing to speak on this proponent will speak first and

[4:53] and then opponents will speak after.

[4:54] Anyone wishing to speak has a proponent of item number six.

[5:05] Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

[5:08] Please state your name and address the direct.

[5:11] Gabriel McKellar, 1808 Perkins Road is my project.

[5:17] And I guess I'll just share, as I did before,

[5:20] that I'm hoping to reason from C1 to NCAB

[5:24] so that I can serve food and beverages to the neighborhood area.

[5:31] And as I stated before, so that originally a snowball stand,

[5:37] or I gutted my horse trailer on property to be a snowball stand,

[5:40] so that I could offer something on property until we were permitted occupancy,

[5:47] which we were last Thursday, thanks to hill construction, WHLC architecture.

[5:54] But all the families that are bringing a bottle of wine with their picnic or their beer with their crawfish, I would love to be able to serve those items.

[6:05] And that way it adds to the fact that it's for the family. The adults can have their beverage as well as the kids can have their snowballs.

[6:13] And it's been really, really neat to be a part of this unbelievable community.

[6:18] one-of-a-kind for sure as well as the property has been and very, very educational.

[6:24] Last opened in 1967 and learning how to achieve power and water, things like that was really incredible.

[6:36] So that is my goal to bring a family-oriented space or bring it back to life there at 1808 Perkins Road

[6:44] And I really, I mean, the key is for the neighborhood to be a part of it.

[6:50] Otherwise, it's already a failure.

[6:55] So I like my yellow picnic tables and the old gas station,

[6:57] and I want to be like the other cities that are bringing old buildings back to life.

[7:02] That is my goal, and I thank you all for that.

[7:10] Any other proponents?

[7:12] And I'm Rex Cabanus, 1213 Stuart Avenue.

[7:16] We're the architects on the project, and I'm here just to support, but mostly answer

[7:20] any questions you may have this evening.

[7:22] Thank you.

[7:27] Any other opponents?

[7:32] Any opponents?

[7:33] We shouldn't speak.

[7:36] Oh, we have a list here.

[7:38] Kevin Bonjorni?

[7:40] That's me.

[7:40] I stepped up first.

[7:42] Yes, my name's Kevin Bonjorni.

[7:44] I live on 1631 Blu and Avenue.

[7:47] My property is right across the street of this stand.

[7:54] I wasn't going to speak today after the way I felt that the public was treated at the last meeting, the planning and zoning meeting.

[8:04] Ten people spoke.

[8:06] There were five other people who did not speak, and then they said that they had received a number of other comments from people in the community,

[8:14] community. And they were completely dismissed. And it was very clear that what people had

[8:22] to say was not of importance. And so I thought it was not going to speak. But then today

[8:26] I drove by the 1808 stand. And there was a car parked illegally at a stop sign. And

[8:36] it was impeding the traffic right there at the sign. And it was there for, I don't

[8:44] at least 15 minutes. And it brought to my attention just how important to understand

[8:51] that this is a blind and dangerous intersection. Virgil Street on the Perkins is very blind and

[8:59] dangerous. And to have cars parked, whether legally or illegally, like this car today,

[9:06] that will impede traffic and prohibit egress and ingress into the neighborhood,

[9:11] will increase the danger to that and chance of accident in that neighborhood.

[9:20] And I just want to have you understand and acknowledge and have it on the record

[9:28] and noted that by increasing and putting parking in this neighborhood,

[9:34] the way it is is going to cause more accidents

[9:37] and that you acknowledge that and understand that that's what's going to happen.

[9:42] I don't know how liability works, but I just wanted to be acknowledged and recognized that this increases the danger in the area.

[9:52] I know that the architect the other day brought to our attention as well that a member of the council is assisting them in this.

[10:01] And so I don't harbor any illusion that this won't be passed, but I just wanted to bring this to your attention.

[10:09] Thank you.

[10:11] David Bickmeyer.

[10:24] I'm David Bickmeyer.

[10:25] I live right across this Perkins Road from the establishment of 1808.

[10:32] When I first heard about this, the sandwich shop and the snow cones, I wished them well.

[10:37] It sounded like a nice little neighborhood piece.

[10:40] two days before the meeting last week I heard about the alcohol first time. It's an invitation

[10:48] for disaster. The safeties that I've already been mentioned. I live right across the street.

[10:52] Our house right now cannot be darkened because all the lights coming off that site. I don't

[11:01] know what it's going to be like with alcohol. There is no parking. Perkins Road goes from

[11:06] four lanes, the two lanes and right by our house and the traffic is heavy, it moves fast.

[11:12] As the previous gentleman mentioned, it's safety hazard.

[11:16] You cannot get in and out through those intersections, the blind intersection on Virgil in particular.

[11:24] One of the things that bothers me is the person trying to get this zoning is not

[11:31] the owner of the property, it's a tenant.

[11:34] The owner of the property is Jim Lackett, he is notorious for the lack of maintenance

[11:40] on his property and the entire block is blighted from his, I think, seven or eight or nine properties

[11:46] that have no maintenance at all, the station being one of them.

[11:51] Once this tenant is gone, Jim Lackett has full potential to do anything alcoholic with

[11:57] that he wants.

[11:58] And we're in the edge of a historical district, the city park is a block away, and I think

[12:03] this is just an invitation for disaster.

[12:06] I don't think a lot of things have been thought through.

[12:08] I don't know why it's being rushed the way it is, and I would like to see this postponed

[12:12] until some decent studies and some considerations of all the issues involved are highlighted

[12:19] and dealt with.

[12:21] Thank you.

[12:26] Sarah Bonjoni.

[12:32] Hi.

[12:33] I'm Sarah Bonjoni.

[12:33] I live on Bluen Avenue which are the rear of our property opens on to Virgil

[12:39] directly across from the site. I want to say first that I admire Gabrielle's

[12:45] determination and creativity but this is not the right place to put this

[12:48] business and it does create traffic hazards on a neighborhood that's very

[12:53] quiet but has extremely narrow maybe 14 or 15 foot wide streets as it is.

[12:58] There's no shoulder, there's poor visibility, there's a real traffic

[13:02] I can't stress to you enough how blind the intersection is at Virgil and Perkins.

[13:08] We were – so I do oppose this for that reason.

[13:13] I think the idea of serving alcohol so close to Perkins Road and then deliberately wanting

[13:20] families to come there and, you know, for the children to play and everything is just

[13:23] such a bad combination because there is no room for error there.

[13:27] I remember years ago because I've lived in for 20 years and then before that five years

[13:33] on Ovid and Virgil.

[13:35] We would walk with our kids there.

[13:37] It's so narrow there that you have to completely step out of the street if one car goes by.

[13:42] It's that close to you.

[13:43] It's almost like they brush you physically almost if it's that close.

[13:46] And I remember fussing at my husband who spoke just a couple of minutes ago when

[13:50] he was standing near the edge of the street talking with a neighbor and one of our

[13:54] daughters who was three at the time.

[13:56] And he's just talking away and I busted him afterwards and said, what are you doing?

[14:00] You cannot have a conversation with another adult when you are standing that close to

[14:04] those trapping.

[14:04] I don't care how quiet it is because there's no room for error there.

[14:08] And now you'd be on a have additional congestion, worsened visibility and so forth,

[14:14] as well as that fast traffic on traffic, excuse me, on Perkins.

[14:19] I also want to note that there were about 10 speakers in opposition at the commission.

[14:23] And then when I looked at the agenda today, it just said 6-1 as in approving it, but that is not the full story.

[14:29] I used to be the secretary on the board of the National Charity League here at the River Road chapter, and I had no experience serving on a board.

[14:40] So I would type up everything. I was like, oh my God, like he's looking left now. I was typing a novel every time.

[14:45] But let me tell you, people knew exactly what happened. It was highly entertaining to my coach board members, but I knew exactly what happened.

[14:53] and there was no way you couldn't know what happened.

[14:55] All that was on the background was a 6-1 vote,

[14:58] and that does not tell the story.

[14:59] So I'm...

[15:00] I wanted to point that out. I also wanted to ask you to delay this. It feels like it's

[15:04] being rushed through, and this is a good idea. I spoke to Gabrielle the other day, and like

[15:10] I said, I admire her energy and her determination and creativity. Those are good things, but

[15:15] this is being pushed through too quickly. And, you know, suspicion and distrust arise

[15:20] when you don't communicate clearly with people and people don't know what's going

[15:24] on. So talk to people, let people know what's going on. I was a big admirer, and I'm

[15:29] glad to be here tonight because I really looked up to the way that you all had

[15:33] the library the issue and you came to a compromise and I felt like you

[15:39] listened. I did not feel like the zoning commission listened. Okay, thank you.

[15:43] Thank you. Deborah Rowe.

[15:52] Good afternoon, y'all. I'm happy to be here to speak on

[15:58] behalf of the neighborhood. I live at 1755 Perkins Road. I have lived there

[16:04] for many years. I probably need to back up. I have a loud voice. Anyway, I live in a home

[16:12] that has been mortgage-free for years, and I want to say that many of the homes in our

[16:20] neighborhood close to this location are long-term residents who are living in their homes now

[16:28] mortgage-free. I lived there for a long time because I worked at the Catholic

[16:33] Life Center. I was the director of Catholic Charities and I could walk to

[16:38] work and come back. My home has paid off and I'm intending to spend my

[16:42] retirement years there. Likewise are many other people in the area. With this

[16:50] project we were very happy to have the cute novel stand and Gabriella in

[16:58] in the neighborhood, very sweet people, but then all of a sudden it's turning into a business,

[17:04] it's turning into a restaurant. Gabriella has told, I'm sure all of you and all of us

[17:12] about her passion for young people, and that's the group that she wants in her location,

[17:20] but it just hit me yesterday, okay, so we want to gather young people, but we also

[17:26] want a liquor license and I'm just somehow that just a seeming contradictory to me. I'm

[17:33] sorry honey. The other thing I wanted to talk about was that corner again I think it's been

[17:42] well described. The corner of Lydia and Perkins has a curve when you first turning onto it

[17:51] But it's a slight curve and even with nobody else on it, you can't see further than a block.

[17:59] Now that area behind the property has been laid with gravel, as if it's going to be

[18:05] a parking area, we don't know because there has been zero communication with the neighborhood

[18:15] except for in the form of personal conversations some of us have had.

[18:21] There's been no information shared with the neighborhood.

[18:25] There's been no opportunity to have a public hearing.

[18:29] So we don't really know what's going on.

[18:31] We've gone from serving children to wanting to serve liquor

[18:35] and now we have to have a restaurant in order to serve the liquor

[18:39] and there's no parking anywhere around.

[18:43] So, I just wanted to say that in that particular location, we've talked about the speed on

[18:51] Perkins Road, and during rush hour it can be very fast.

[18:56] That particular location of that, quote, old gas station for years was where the

[19:04] police parked.

[19:06] They hid at the side of the building to give speeding tickets to people coming down Perkins.

[19:14] So having a family facility, a snowball stand was fine, but liquor is not.

[19:22] So thank you very much. Appreciate your time.

[19:24] Thank you.

[19:25] Robert Reed.

[19:31] Metro Council.

[19:32] Robert Reed, 1832 Perkins Road.

[19:35] Our families live two doors down from the old gas station for 29 years.

[19:40] Hopefully you received my e-mail this morning.

[19:43] We are opposed to the rezoning of NC with alcoholic beverage.

[19:47] I'm a professional civil engineer.

[19:49] I've taught traffic safety merit badge to the Boy Scouts numerous times.

[19:55] I want it on public record.

[19:57] This property has significant public safety issues.

[20:02] It is one thing to have safety issues within a residential neighborhood that everyone is

[20:07] aware of and can mitigate.

[20:09] It is another to have a commercial space that you invite the general public into and it's

[20:15] quite another thing to then serve alcohol in that space.

[20:19] Virgil Street is narrow in a bad condition and that intersection is dangerous.

[20:24] The curve in Perkins Road and the wooden fence there have greatly reduced the site

[20:28] distance for people turning in or pulling out.

[20:31] but the neighborhood is aware so they use other connecting streets.

[20:35] The parking at 1808 should be the gravel parking in the back of the property,

[20:40] but patrons of the Snowball stand also recognize the danger of this intersection.

[20:45] So they park in front on parkings.

[20:47] The building is on the property line.

[20:49] The only parking is on the sidewalk.

[20:52] My sight distance backing out of my driveway was not great when 1808 was vacant,

[20:58] But I learned to be cautious living there for 29 years now with cars parked on the sidewalk

[21:03] I cannot see oncoming traffic until the back end of my car is in the road and

[21:09] Traffic on Perkins does not have enough time to see me

[21:12] One of my family members or myself are going to get hit

[21:17] And this is with a snowball stand run out of a tiny horse trailer

[21:21] Just imagine what it will be with a restaurant serving alcohol and the patrons will have to back out also

[21:28] and then the danger to the traveling public on Perkins.

[21:32] Also, when they park on the sidewalk, it blocks pedestrian traffic.

[21:36] Just last week, preparing for the parade, I saw a mom pushing a baby stroller.

[21:42] I saw a couple walking back from Perks Coffee and a girl walking her dog.

[21:47] I'll have to move out into Perkins Road with a limited sight distance in order to walk around the parked cars.

[21:53] I've had to do this numerous times walking my own dog.

[21:56] Again, this is with a small snowball stand.

[21:59] What will it be like with a restaurant serving alcohol for eternity?

[22:04] Some sort of guardrail or bollards need to be placed to block patrons from parking on

[22:10] the sidewalk.

[22:11] All parking should be in the back of the property on Virgil.

[22:15] You should deny the with alcohol beverage and deny any permit for occupancy until

[22:20] this is corrected.

[22:21] This is all on you.

[22:23] This is a public safety issue.

[22:25] Also, we have Country Corner a block away with grape-fried chicken, crawfish, crabs, beer, wine.

[22:33] There's no demand for this.

[22:37] Amy DeWitt.

[22:46] Hi, my name is Amy DeWitt.

[22:47] I live at 2430 Kato Street in Poets Corner.

[22:51] I was looking over what the Office of the Planning Commission had on their site.

[22:57] And I see that this lot did not meet conformity there.

[23:06] However, changing zoning, I realize, does not increase or decrease whether it conforms.

[23:15] That said, when you add alcohol there, that is going to make it more of an attractive nuisance.

[23:25] It's going to draw more people there.

[23:29] And because it is non-conforming, there is no parking, there's no room for this.

[23:36] Like all the other people have said, I've lived in that neighborhood for 20 years.

[23:41] All of Jim Lackett's property is in a gross state of disrepair.

[23:46] And certainly the gas station was a prime example.

[23:50] And the fact that it isn't now service is great, but do we really need alcohol there?

[24:00] Also, I noticed that they said public, this is back the planning and zoning, said that

[24:06] they had notified all the property owners within 300 feet and Poets Corner Neighborhood Association.

[24:14] I have been the Vice President, the President, and for 20 years, the de facto coordinator

[24:20] of our Neighborhood Association.

[24:23] Everybody in our neighborhood knows that.

[24:26] And nobody contacted our Neighborhood Association.

[24:29] We got zero information.

[24:32] That's not right.

[24:33] We need to know what's going on.

[24:37] Then the other item is this that was printed from planning and zoning.

[24:42] All that yellow shading, that is all residential and beyond that.

[24:48] The red in the center is going to be a restaurant slash bar slash snowball stand slash hair

[24:58] cutting place.

[24:59] We don't know that.

[25:01] Why?

[25:02] Why when on the other side of Perkins, we can go and go to restaurants and go to bars

[25:08] and party, and you know when you're on that side, that's what you're there to do.

[25:13] When you're back on our side, the overpass, residential, why put something that serves

[25:19] alcohol right in the middle of it in a family, family restaurant?

[25:27] I oppose.

[25:28] I ask y'all to reconsider this very strongly.

[25:30] Thank you.

[25:34] John Wurt.

[25:38] Thanks for the opportunity to speak.

[25:40] I want to remind the council about the 10 years of conflict between homeowners and the open-air restaurant Boyle & Rue.

[25:49] On Cursey Boulevard, Boyle & Rue prompted repeated noise complaints, permitting issues, and problems with its liquor license.

[25:59] In addition to those problems, patrons of Boyle & Rue were disrespectful of neighbors, even at times threatening neighbors.

[26:06] And also Boyle & Rue was an outdoor facility.

[26:09] This proposed site is an outdoor patio, restaurant, tables and chairs outside, picnic tables outside.

[26:18] The developer of this project at 1808 Perkins Road has not contacted the neighbors to discuss noise, parking, congestion, light pollution or other matters.

[26:30] Because she has the approval process, she has rushed this approval process.

[26:38] So I asked you guys to delay a vote on this issue.

[26:42] And I'd like to mention that Section 74 of the United Development Code says, non-conforming

[26:49] uses involving the sale of alcohol shall not be re-established if the sale of alcohol

[26:54] at the business is discontinued for six months or more.

[26:57] The Planning Commission's report for this project also says the project does not meet minimum square footage requirements.

[27:06] This is called spot zoning.

[27:09] And spot zoning by definition is the process of singling out a small parcel of land for use classification totally different from that of the surrounding area.

[27:21] For the benefit of the owner of the property or the developer in this case.

[27:25] So to the detriment of the homeowners nearby in this case.

[27:33] So the request is not compatible with surrounding uses, which is single family homes.

[27:39] This project does not conform to the unified development code requirements.

[27:44] So I ask you to defer a vote at least.

[27:47] Thank you.

[27:52] We also have Mitch Evans showing as opposed but does not wish to speak.

[27:55] Anyone else here wishing to speak on this item?

[27:57] Good

[28:07] afternoon. Thank you. My name is Kimberly Karmish, live at 1825 Perkins Road.

[28:13] I want to start by saying that I support local businesses, not an attack on a local business.

[28:18] My friends and family and loved ones are small business owners and know the hardships

[28:21] and hard work that it takes to make it.

[28:24] What I've learned from small business owners in my life is the correct way to treat people

[28:28] in a community you're serving. I've not seen this done by the business developer.

[28:31] On the contrary, I've seen the community not be spoken to and yet post being made on social

[28:39] media that we're all supposed to be following the social media page in order to get updates

[28:43] about what's going on in our community.

[28:45] Things were posted and we were not able to see them.

[28:49] They were not posted in plain sight.

[28:51] The facts are this, the snowball stand that has been there has been tolerated

[28:55] up until this point, but it's not without its problems.

[28:59] Adding alcohol to the mix of this will only make the issues that we're already experiencing worse.

[29:04] We do not have the infrastructure on this side of Perkins to grow and develop a restaurant or bar.

[29:09] The remarks made by Gabriella at the last meeting about her plans to develop the whole area down the line are highly concerning as well.

[29:18] This is a residential area with growing families and small roads.

[29:21] We do not want this to happen.

[29:22] We cannot readily accommodate the rezoning.

[29:25] We are against the rezoning wholeheartedly and are asking at the very least for a postponement

[29:30] to see if she is even capable of making the necessary and appropriate changes needed with

[29:35] a snowball stand alone.

[29:36] This rezoning is put through against the will of the people of this community.

[29:40] We'll have no other choice but to come to the conclusion that our votes need to change

[29:44] come time for reelection.

[29:45] I'll not stop speaking vocally and consistently regardless of this goes through or not.

[29:51] But please hear your constituents and know that whether this goes through,

[29:54] this will start the construction of a precious community.

[29:57] We have been here longer and we will still be here at this community.

[30:00] The community does not want this, and we are pleased asking you to stop.

[30:07] Anyone else wish to speak on this side? Please.

[30:16] Good evening. Thank you all for hearing us. My name is Joe Keegan. I also live in Poets Corner.

[30:21] I don't want to add to your burden of listening to repeat, so let me just tell you two solid points.

[30:25] We had the meeting on Monday where the developer was addressed the issue of our concerns about parking,

[30:32] and I came home from work yesterday evening with a blue car parked in the sidewalk

[30:35] as I drove by coming home from work around 4.30.

[30:38] We need somebody who, we do not need somebody

[30:41] who is going to treat our community that way.

[30:43] The second piece I have is we have consistently

[30:46] as a neighborhood said please do not develop this area.

[30:50] We are a whole neighborhood that are telling the council

[30:52] with a single voice what we as a community want.

[30:55] This developer neither lives in nor is part

[30:58] of the poet's corner and yet plans to do things

[31:00] that make our subdivision or whatever we call

[31:02] that little cohort of ours, much worse and much less safe.

[31:06] I urge you to please emphatically vote no.

[31:09] We do not need this, nor do we want this, and we are the vast majority of our neighborhood.

[31:13] We are not the single developer.

[31:15] Thank you so much for listening to us.

[31:19] Anyone else wish to speak on this side?

[31:21] Go on up.

[31:27] Hello.

[31:27] My name is Judith Nash.

[31:29] I also live in Poets Corner at 2135 Pericles Street, and I just want to add that already,

[31:37] When there's any kind of events on the interstate, Perkins Road traffic increases significantly.

[31:44] With the upcoming construction they're planning on the interstate, that's going to seriously

[31:49] affect the cars and the traffic on Perkins Road to begin with, making it even that much

[31:54] more difficult to get in and out of our neighborhood.

[31:58] So I suggest you vote no on this.

[32:01] Thank you.

[32:13] Hi, I'm Nancy Keegan.

[32:14] I live at 2229 Ovid Street, and I just want to reiterate one of the things that's been said,

[32:23] which is that that little corner there on Virgil, I've already nearly had accidents

[32:30] over there. There's potholes in the road. It's in very poor shape. It is not in any way,

[32:36] shape, or form up to what this developer wants to do with it. So I very strongly urge you

[32:44] to vote no on this proposition. It adds nothing to our neighborhood, but it definitely does

[32:49] take away from our neighborhood. Thank you.

[32:56] Anyone else wish to speak on the side?

[33:04] You're welcome to a rebuttal to anything. That was

[33:08] stated.

[33:13] I guess,

[33:17] so going backwards a little bit further. Fifteen months ago I was granted

[33:25] the lease for 1808 Perkins Road. Mr. Jim Lackett has stated that I was 132nd proposed lease

[33:35] for this property. It was exciting. I observed that there are seven other properties owned

[33:46] by him that could use some help, some love and attention and care. I further would

[33:52] would like to put together a group that potentially purchases and or to renew those homes as homes.

[34:00] This is a seeing that there was a commercial property in the corner as a real estate agent.

[34:06] I was very excited about the opportunity to both learn and elevate a neighborhood.

[34:13] I had no idea what I had in store as far as sawing down the trees, cutting out the

[34:21] inside he obtained the lease as long as I did every single improvement and I was

[34:30] trying to do them myself so again 12 months later for about 15 months in so

[34:35] 13 months later I had two amazing God sent companies come in hill

[34:40] construction WHLC architecture saying hey you look like you need some help you

[34:45] know and neighbors would I was you wouldn't have shoveled in the limestone

[34:48] or when I'm repairing the roof board for board because I want to make sure it

[34:52] kept this historic self like the six-cent cook machine inside. There's not a

[34:56] place in Baton Rouge where you can take your your grandchild and say oh this

[35:00] where how I used to get Coca-Cola. I am it's as far as learning about blights

[35:06] that was very educational. I like court and whatnot on a building that isn't

[35:11] mine. However I did not do all of this and put my other entities money

[35:16] savings cryptocurrency retirement into a building I don't own to not own it one day, and that

[35:23] is my end goal. I'm homeschooled oldest of nine, Mississippi, and was raised with obviously

[35:30] just extreme core Christian family values. I am here to improve something not to take

[35:38] away, and there hasn't been much information about what I'm going to do because the last

[35:44] 15 months every month I couldn't imagine being able to sustain the efforts because it's just so much more would appear so I

[35:54] However, we're here and I want to I want to hear I want to hear even more from the community

[36:01] There isn't a definite plan because I don't have definite capital and when it is it'll be sandwiches and

[36:09] Little bites, maybe little pizzas kids can make themselves. It will be family-oriented and um, I

[36:17] Really appreciate you guys to consider that. Thank you

[36:23] Council members. You should have received six email comments one in support five in opposition

[36:32] Now we're going to go to council

[36:36] Councilor Morocco,

[36:39] sorry, Mr. Rex. I don't have any questions for you yet. Okay

[36:44] So I've received several emails as well, text messages, telephone calls.

[36:48] Thank you everyone who took the time to send me the emails.

[36:51] They did not go unread.

[36:53] In fact, as you came up here, I was matching your commentary and your photographs that you shared with us.

[36:59] We've put a lot of hours in trying to figure out exactly what this property looks like,

[37:05] how it has looked in the past and what it looks like moving forward.

[37:09] I'm going to ask Mr. Ryan Holcomb to come forward if he can, because I think he needs to clear up some questions.

[37:18] One of my main things that I like to always talk about on Wednesday nights, and I think some of my council members are going to roll their eyes real big and hard is misinformation.

[37:29] I think we have to stick to the facts and stick to the law.

[37:32] If we stick to those things, then we'll always be moving in the right direction.

[37:35] and I have to even say I got text messages from a fellow council member that said that this was going to be a bar.

[37:42] And I took a big offense to that in the emails and the comments and the text messages

[37:49] because one thing that I have stood firm on the entire time that I've been on this council,

[37:55] and we can get the South Down Civic Association to come into this chamber and say it is no new CAB2.

[38:02] And for what those of you out there that don't know what CAB2 is, is that is a bar.

[38:09] And that has been our policy all up and down Perkins Road.

[38:12] And I think Mr. Holcomb can attest to that.

[38:15] We had Ruzin that came in that desperately wants a wine bar, desperately wants to put

[38:22] it right there next to Sprouts.

[38:24] And our position has been no new CAB2.

[38:28] So, I need everyone to understand today, 1808 is not a new CAB2, it is not a new bar.

[38:37] Correct?

[38:38] That's correct, Councilwoman.

[38:39] And can you clear up for everyone what neighborhood commercial AB is, please?

[38:46] NCAB is neighborhood commercial with on-premise alcohol, sales and consumption.

[38:52] It's our most restrictive small neighborhood scale restaurant with alcohol

[38:58] Okay, and in the area in Perkins Road corridor area

[39:02] And I understand we have I bars and all those places that have been there for decades

[39:06] But let's let's look at we talked about non conforming somebody brought that up. I think that's very important. Can you tell me?

[39:15] they said the

[39:16] and nobody brought up Zealand Street.

[39:19] Can you tell me what Zealand Street is currently zoned as?

[39:22] Zealand Street is zoned CAB1 and the parking lot

[39:27] is zoned like commercial.

[39:29] OK, so tell me what CAB1 is.

[39:32] CAB1 is a larger scale zoning category similar to this.

[39:37] So larger than this.

[39:38] A larger footprint with no square footage requirement

[39:41] or restriction tied to it.

[39:43] So they can serve alcohol.

[39:44] That's correct.

[39:45] They have to operate as a restaurant, but they can serve and consume alcohol on the premises.

[39:50] And so also for public consumption, currently, as this is zoned, and like I said, I was doing

[39:56] my homework, and thank you for your help as well, and help from the parish attorney's

[40:01] office.

[40:02] Currently, if we get rid of 1808, she says, I'm not doing this anymore, I'm sorry,

[40:07] y'all, because we put this lady through the ringer for sure with getting permits

[40:12] and sending her to different places.

[40:15] There could be a liquor store there, correct?

[40:17] That's correct.

[40:18] There could be a vape shop there, correct?

[40:20] That's correct.

[40:21] There could be a tattoo parlor there, correct?

[40:23] That's correct.

[40:24] There could be apartments there, correct?

[40:25] That's correct.

[40:26] There could be a fraternity or sorority house there,

[40:29] correct?

[40:30] That's correct.

[40:30] And you and I had that issue on Highland Road

[40:32] when we had an off-campus fraternity move

[40:34] into a place right off Highland, correct?

[40:37] Yes, we did.

[40:38] So I just want to make sure all my council members,

[40:40] fellow council people understand what this currently is zoned at, and could we do anything

[40:46] to stop any of those other folks from coming in if they decided to move, because she's

[40:52] not the owner.

[40:52] There's a man that apparently leases this property and doesn't maintain his other properties

[40:58] well based upon the commentary that I'm hearing in some of my personal observations, so

[41:04] there's nothing we could do to stop any of those other folks from coming in because

[41:07] it's currently zoned properly in that way, right?

[41:09] That's correct. It's been zoned like commercial C1 for decades.

[41:13] Okay. And look, I didn't think this came off and I'm going to need my time.

[41:18] And if anybody wants to donate some, we have some issues that I'd love to vet out for everybody in this room.

[41:22] There were some concerns in an email about the environmental safety and the gas tanks.

[41:30] I think you did some research on that. Can you share that with everyone, please?

[41:33] Yeah, I shared that with the Planning Commission on Monday, but there are four underground storage tanks.

[41:40] This property used to operate as a gas station as late as in the 1970s.

[41:49] LDQ has gone out to the property and done several investigations.

[41:53] Bottom line is those tanks are capped.

[41:56] They have been drained and or filled with water and sand per the fire marshal in 1979.

[42:03] and they've been capped with concrete so they're inaccessible.

[42:07] LDQ has gone out there, investigated multiple times.

[42:10] They have no active violations and no additional concerns from their office.

[42:16] There is no requirement that they be removed, and we checked in with them on Monday.

[42:20] Thank you for that information.

[42:21] Okay, and the other concern which I too believe it's very concerning,

[42:25] and I do believe that there should be more respect shown to the neighbors in the area

[42:29] with regard to parking and illegal parking and stop signs and obstruction of view there.

[42:34] Can you tell me, typically in some of the other cases that we've had in the past, parking

[42:39] doesn't come until later, but can you tell me what parking looks like on this small piece

[42:43] of property?

[42:44] Because I've been out there, I've driven by it multiple times, I've pulled down

[42:48] Virgil and I drive a big SUV that carries a lot of groceries and children.

[42:53] So I understand how hard it is to get right back on parking.

[42:56] And so tell me, how is that resolved or can we resolve it?

[43:01] Tell me what that looks like, please.

[43:02] Certainly.

[43:03] Parking is a challenge.

[43:04] This site is certainly a constrained site.

[43:06] I'll be the first to admit that the architect here

[43:09] may be able to shed some more light on their plans

[43:11] regarding parking.

[43:13] But basically parking is looked at at the permitting,

[43:15] and I can see permit level.

[43:18] There is a section in the existing parking ordinance

[43:21] in the Unified Development Code, Chapter 17,

[43:24] section 17.2.2 that states older buildings prior to 1996 can get a credit for parking

[43:32] spots for the last permitted use. So what the building official is going to have to do

[43:38] if this parking is applied for is research and find the last legally permitted use and apply

[43:45] that parking standard for credits that could help close the gap.

[43:51] All right.

[43:56] Another concern in emails was that the owner of the property did not bring the

[44:02] request to make the change to this new zoning. So can you explain to us whether or not that's

[44:11] a valid concern or issue or hurdle that we face here today? So the owner is not required to be

[44:17] here, but the owner is required to sign off on the application that's submitted to our office.

[44:22] And we do have an application that was signed by the property owner.

[44:27] Thank you.

[44:30] Can you tell me a little bit about the contact with the HOA?

[44:35] So the contact with the HOA that's referenced on our staff report is a supplemental notice in addition to the legal requirement of every property owner within 300 feet.

[44:47] There is a vicinity map that should be attached to the document you'll have access to on the agenda center.

[44:54] The yellow areas show the notification for the surrounding property owners within 300 feet.

[45:00] And we do what we can to contact the neighborhood representative on record. What we do is we have

[45:06] a staff member that goes to the secretary of state in the point of contact that's tied

[45:11] to the secretary of state contact for that HOA or civic association. We send an additional

[45:16] notification to them. I can tell you that it appears our staff had done that. But it's

[45:22] not a legal requirement for that part. It's just supplemental above and beyond the

[45:26] legal.

[45:26] Okay.

[45:28] A very dear friend of mine's parents live in the area and she was extremely concerned

[45:32] about if she was supportive of the business but she was very concerned about if Gabrielle

[45:39] picks up and leaves, 1808 leaves, and someone else comes in with NCAV.

[45:46] Can you tell me what they're allowed to do as opposed to we've covered what they can

[45:51] currently do with the tattoo parlors and vape shops and et cetera?

[45:54] But can you tell me with the NCAB, what would somebody be able to comment and do in that area with the new zoning?

[46:02] So NCAB is more restrictive than the current C1 zoning, except in one regard.

[46:09] You do get that additional use of on-premise sale and alcohol consumption as long as you're operating primarily as a restaurant.

[46:15] and that's 51% of your sales. Documented sales has to be food or other than alcoholic beverages.

[46:25] Other uses that are allowed in NCAB or educational institution, a government facility, a park, philanthropic organization, a religious institution,

[46:36] a bank, a medical office, or small clinic, a professional office, an art gallery, art

[46:45] studio,

[46:48] daycare, child or adult, health club is allowed in both.

[46:53] Councilwoman, that's your time?

[46:55] That's primarily it.

[46:55] Y'all can close it up.

[46:57] So would it be fair to say that this is a lesser included?

[47:00] Is this a lesser, a down zoning, in a sense?

[47:04] It is except for the one additional use that there are many other uses that are taken off

[47:10] the table with this.

[47:11] And that would be the alcohol use.

[47:13] But if we were looking at caveats, she could operate currently as she stands and she could

[47:19] request special permits for alcohol anytime she wanted to serve alcohol, correct?

[47:23] There's a certain number of times a year through the ABC office.

[47:26] But she could request that, correct?

[47:28] That's correct.

[47:28] Councilman Hurth.

[47:31] Thank you so much, Councilman.

[47:36] I don't think I have any other questions.

[47:38] Thank you so much, Mr. Holcomb.

[47:41] I guess I could ask Ms. Gabrielle a couple of questions if you don't mind coming forward.

[47:48] Yes, ma'am.

[47:49] Can you speak to some of the parking issues and some of the things that you attempt

[47:52] to resolve with having cars?

[47:54] Because look, if this moves forward and my office gets those calls, my response

[48:00] is going to be much like it is anywhere in my district.

[48:02] call the police, put it in 311 and we're not going to put up with it. It's not

[48:07] going to happen. Well, I'll call the chief myself and have you reported until

[48:12] you're not there anymore. I understand. It's a problem and I don't want to be

[48:16] disrupted and I don't want these people to be disrupted. So do you have some

[48:20] things in place to make sure that the parking and the folks that are at your

[48:24] facility are abiding by the law? Yes ma'am. I've made a call to the

[48:29] permanent office as far as, am I allowed, I would like some formal no parking signs

[48:33] that you see that the city clearly makes as far as per our front bar area that's

[48:38] what covers up the pre-existing like where they would put gas in the car so I

[48:43] covered them up because it's a trip hazard but that's where I would like to

[48:46] put no parking three of them you know so to make it clear there's no parking

[48:49] on this sidewalk and I am guilty of that myself and so that is that's in

[48:54] and over and done with and if anybody is parking there and decides to

[48:58] stay there for more than two seconds they will be towed. The parking will be

[49:03] one more thing real quick so I because we run we're running out of time yes we've

[49:07] moved kind of slow and I'm sorry to interrupt you but the other issue is

[49:10] light pollution and noise pollution this is a neighborhood area you've

[49:15] recognized that in the conversations that I've had with you but loud noise

[49:19] and light pollution in people's homes if you can do anything to mitigate that

[49:23] that's not going to be allowed either we have noise ordinances in this

[49:26] city and in my district if it's if you're going to be bothering folks and I

[49:32] don't know how my colleagues are going to vote I have no idea but if this moves

[49:35] forward that's going to be another thing where we're sending officers out and

[49:39] shut your business down. They've maintained a quiet area a comfortable

[49:44] area there are people that are raising families there and people that

[49:48] have long past raising their families there so there would need to be a

[49:52] commitment from you that you're going to you're going to be a good

[49:55] I am going to be a good neighbor and I will have a group coming out this week

[50:00] electricians as far as to put dimmers on those lights that are outside the

[50:03] building. Definitely while my employees are there I want it to be lit front and

[50:07] back but I don't will the latest would ever be up and would be nine I would

[50:12] like to be close by eight and I was respect by times of young and old

[50:18] and I'm excited to get it right for this neighborhood.

[50:23] Thank you.

[50:30] Anyone else wishing to speak on this item?

[50:35] Do we have a motion?

[50:37] Do we have a motion by Councilwoman Rocca?

[50:40] Second by Councilman Moak.

[50:41] Any opposed?

[50:43] Motion carries.

[50:46] Councilwoman Amorosa.

Mar 19, 2025 Council Zoning

Agenda

Transcript