[0:00] [Music]
[0:02] foreign
[8:58] thank you
[9:05] that's right
[9:08] I'd like to call the parish council
[9:09] meeting to order
[9:11] please stand for The Prayer by Peter
[9:13] Johnson from Trinity Anglican church and
[9:16] the Pledge of Allegiance by councilman
[9:17] Tabor
[9:24] let us pray
[9:27] Lord God and Father I give thanks for
[9:29] this day and offer honor and praise to
[9:32] your name
[9:33] send your spirit Upon Our parish and
[9:36] this Council
[9:37] together with your wisdom
[9:40] that we may live according to your truth
[9:43] and this Council May govern according to
[9:45] your truth through Jesus Christ Our Lord
[9:48] amen amen
[9:51] to the flag of the United States of
[9:54] America and to the Republic for which it
[9:56] stands one nation under God indivisible
[10:00] with liberty and justice for all
[10:03] thank you both
[10:08] I'd like to welcome you to the Lafayette
[10:10] Parish council meeting as presiding
[10:12] officer and chair I would like to make
[10:13] the following announcements
[10:15] this is a public hearing to address the
[10:18] Council on any item on this agenda
[10:20] please fill out the speaker form to
[10:22] submit your information to the clerk
[10:23] prior to the call of the agenda item or
[10:26] you will not be given the opportunity to
[10:28] speak
[10:29] staff assistance is available if needed
[10:32] items for submission to the council
[10:33] should be handed to council clerk Mrs
[10:35] Veronica L Arsenault seated to my left
[10:39] when addressing the council state your
[10:40] name and title for the official record
[10:42] the three-minute rule will be in effect
[10:45] no debating or confrontational
[10:47] statements will be allowed the front row
[10:49] to my left is for media only food and
[10:52] drinks are not allowed in the council
[10:54] Auditorium
[10:55] please silence all phones and electronic
[10:58] devices
[10:58] meeting procedures are by resolution and
[11:01] not by Robert's Rules of Order all
[11:03] documents with reference to meetings can
[11:05] be found on the lcg website and finally
[11:08] the council encourages your involvement
[11:10] in boards and commissions if interested
[11:12] please call 337-291-8800
[11:18] chair announcements due to the Mardi
[11:21] Gras holiday the council meeting for
[11:22] February February will be on the 1st and
[11:24] third Wednesday instead of the typical
[11:26] first and third Tuesdays meetings will
[11:29] return to the regular first and third
[11:31] Tuesdays in March
[11:34] item number 17 the appeal by Jerome
[11:37] Boudreau the appellant is requesting two
[11:39] weeks deferral to allow additional time
[11:41] to review alternatives to a drainage
[11:44] impact analysis
[11:45] I'd like to wish a happy birthday to
[11:48] Jeremy Sweeney Council senior
[11:50] Administrative Assistant who will
[11:52] celebrate his birthday on February 4th
[11:54] stand here
[11:56] I'd also like to wish a happy birthday
[11:58] to Cindy a bear Council Administrative
[12:00] Assistant who will celebrate her
[12:02] birthday on February 6th congratulations
[12:04] happy birthday
[12:09] any other Council announcements
[12:17] councilman knocking yes uh
[12:20] Administration I need some help or
[12:21] clarification so
[12:23] um one of the things I noticed I was
[12:25] talking to I think Jeremy
[12:28] um so there's a vacancy on the BVD and
[12:31] it's a local mayor's appointment and we
[12:33] kind of spoke about it and there's a few
[12:36] applicants that have submitted their
[12:37] resume and it's been sitting there for a
[12:39] year I did reach out to the mayor of
[12:40] Scott he
[12:41] said that he'll get something going but
[12:44] I mean it's been over a year there's
[12:45] some projects so there's a particular
[12:48] person that
[12:49] um reached out to me and uh just kind of
[12:52] wants to know why maybe we've taken that
[12:54] long to make that appointment if you can
[12:58] oh sorry I apologize
[13:01] that's right all right no I appreciate
[13:04] that um so the protocol now for mayors
[13:07] of pro um mayor's appointments area
[13:09] Mayors yeah just so they can facilitate
[13:12] communication is once a month we meet
[13:14] and these uh these these appointments do
[13:17] come up
[13:17] um that one was discussed last week and
[13:20] last month I didn't think that there
[13:22] were any applicants at the time and we
[13:23] may have missed that but it has been
[13:25] vacant for a while so I anticipate after
[13:28] the next mayor's meeting which I don't
[13:29] recall you might not have it pulled up
[13:31] but I don't know when our next one is um
[13:33] but we'll probably appoint one then yeah
[13:35] that would be great I think the uh
[13:38] had had put his resume I think twice
[13:41] even I think Mr Joseph had taken it
[13:43] twice so I just just to get back with
[13:46] him and let him know you know that
[13:48] there's nothing in particular why any
[13:50] reason maybe we dropped the ball or
[13:52] maybe we got a lot of things going on
[13:53] but I would I would like for
[13:56] the that gentleman who submitted his
[13:58] applications would be considered if all
[14:00] possible so that's all I have you got it
[14:03] thank you
[14:06] Mr Rubin uh thank you chairman
[14:09] today I would like to announce that
[14:12] we're starting this celebration of Black
[14:14] History Month
[14:15] and it's a very significant time of the
[14:18] year
[14:19] because it's an educational time
[14:23] we they put a resume out
[14:25] about black history every year
[14:28] and we talk about Martin Luther King and
[14:31] a few good things but the reason for
[14:34] black history month once again is I
[14:36] always try to make people understand is
[14:38] that's history that no one speaks of
[14:42] can you imagine having a baby today
[14:45] and then they take the baby away and
[14:47] sell it
[14:49] you come from Africa and they'll make
[14:51] you believe that
[14:53] we started as Slave people and when we
[14:56] was in Africa who was on the back
[14:57] because zebra with a bone in our nose
[15:00] and that's just not true they have great
[15:02] Scholars who came in from Africa they
[15:05] were kings and queens in their country
[15:09] so it's important that we look at this
[15:12] history and and understand that when
[15:15] these people got brought to the United
[15:17] States America
[15:20] they would take a man and his family and
[15:24] separate them and they would never see
[15:25] them again
[15:27] those are the things that's not spoke
[15:29] about
[15:30] so during black history
[15:33] go to your library that's why the
[15:35] information in the library is so
[15:36] important go to your library look it up
[15:39] don't just look up the mail commands the
[15:42] Martin Luther King the Harriet Tubman do
[15:45] some research understand
[15:48] every year I used to make my children
[15:50] give me two oral reports
[15:53] on something different from black
[15:56] history something that they think I
[15:58] might not know or something they don't
[16:00] know so I would encourage parents I'm
[16:03] not talking to just black people
[16:05] I'm talking to all Races right now
[16:08] go look it up and understand
[16:11] where we've been because if we don't
[16:14] understand where we come from
[16:16] we we likely to repeat
[16:19] so
[16:21] during black history
[16:23] do some research guys look it up thank
[16:26] you councilman Reuben
[16:30] excuse me Mr chair if I may
[16:33] um and I thank councilman
[16:35] um Lazar for printing this there is a
[16:38] listing of the um of activities
[16:40] month-long activities that are going on
[16:43] and that's through the um
[16:45] African-American Heritage Foundation so
[16:48] I'm gonna give you all a copy and these events are going on in celebration
[16:51] of Black History Month
[16:53] um here right here in Lafayette so I'll
[16:55] pass that out and also um as far as the
[16:59] African-American black history that the
[17:01] gala will be February 25th in the
[17:04] African-American Heritage parade will be
[17:07] the 26th and as a side note
[17:10] um there are some a few people five
[17:12] people who are being honored or
[17:14] recognized At The Gala one is Nicole
[17:16] Morrison for education and health they
[17:19] have two people forget guidro's Food
[17:21] Center we're all familiar with that for
[17:22] economics Michael Barber for putting our
[17:25] kids first and
[17:27] um locally here uh Glen lazor is going
[17:30] to be organized on the political front
[17:32] and one more be recognized for our
[17:35] community and culture and that's my
[17:37] husband Chris arsonel so just want to
[17:39] let you all know the parade Marshall is
[17:41] Ted James so we invite you to
[17:44] participate in all of these activities
[17:46] and attend these events I'll give you a
[17:48] copy thank you Miss Arsenal
[17:51] Mr Reuben question Miss Arsenal how can
[17:55] um someone in the community put their
[17:58] hands on such a calendar
[18:04] um if they need a copy of the calendar
[18:06] they can go to the Facebook page for the
[18:09] African-American Heritage Foundation I
[18:12] mean I have copies here Glenn Azure have
[18:14] copies so you can reach out to our
[18:16] office and since I have copies I'll be
[18:18] happy to provide anyone with a copy
[18:20] thank
[18:24] all right
[18:25] executive mayor president's report
[18:28] thank you Mr chair and also to Echo
[18:31] build on what councilman said I do
[18:33] appreciate everyone who took the time to
[18:35] be with us yesterday we did kick off
[18:37] Black History Month one day early in
[18:39] City Paris Hall saw some some folks that
[18:41] they were there yesterday so thank you
[18:43] for taking the time to be with us it was
[18:44] a very good celebration uh 104 Local
[18:47] Heroes here in Lafayette and I'm happy
[18:50] to hear that five more we will be
[18:52] recognized to include our colleague
[18:54] who's sitting in the back I have my
[18:55] contacts on so I see okay so I do
[18:58] appreciate your service and appreciate
[18:59] everyone that's um taking the time to to
[19:02] give such proper honor and Bishop Harvin
[19:05] did a really good job coordinating
[19:06] everything yesterday in the atrium we
[19:08] had a really good crowd so just thank
[19:09] you to everyone who who participated
[19:12] um all right we have budget to actual
[19:13] comparison of major Parish funds
[19:15] December 2022 preliminary thank you uh
[19:18] director tubes is behind me I'm holding
[19:21] on to her after the city council meeting
[19:23] she she doesn't know yet but no okay
[19:26] it's our last meeting and we're very sad
[19:27] but we do have so two Awards we'd like
[19:30] to highlight and our finance and
[19:32] Management Department goes above and
[19:34] beyond as we all know for our community
[19:35] and for our councils and for our
[19:37] Administration uh this year they have
[19:39] earned the prestigious Triple Crown
[19:41] award as it's dubbed they previously
[19:44] received and earned the distinguished
[19:46] budget presentation award this year it's
[19:49] the ninth consecutive year winning this
[19:52] award ninth consecutive year and tonight
[19:55] I'm honored to present them with two
[19:56] different Awards the certificate of
[19:59] achievement for excellence in financial
[20:00] reporting and this is the seventh
[20:03] consecutive year that our finance
[20:05] department has won this award and now
[20:08] also the award for outstanding
[20:10] achievement in popular annual financing
[20:12] reporting this is the Department's first
[20:14] year to win this award making them
[20:17] Triple Crown winner and this is the only
[20:19] correct me if I'm wrong only the second
[20:21] local government in the state of
[20:23] Louisiana to ever receive the Triple
[20:25] Crown award so I'm very honored and uh
[20:29] if we'd like we have our finance
[20:30] department or members of our finance
[20:31] department if you could come up with the
[20:33] council we'll take a few pictures
[20:36] foreign
[20:37] [Applause]
[20:41] ly missed this opportunity if y'all
[20:43] wouldn't have moved the meeting because
[20:45] of Mardi Gras I wouldn't have had this
[20:47] opportunity so
[20:49] um this Triple Crown award you may
[20:52] recall I have said it many times this
[20:54] will be the last time you ever hear this
[20:56] story right when I came here 12 years
[20:58] ago Lafayette consolidated government a
[21:02] large government in the state of
[21:03] Louisiana was only meeting the very
[21:06] minimum requirements required by state
[21:09] law for financial recording and when I
[21:13] came here I knew that wasn't good enough
[21:15] we had to set the standards higher and
[21:18] we did and uh while I will take all the
[21:21] credit from motivating the team and
[21:24] inspiring the team I could not do this
[21:26] by myself all these folks well they're
[21:29] not all here but these are a
[21:31] representation of all the folks in the
[21:33] finance department who have helped us
[21:35] achieve these goals covid helped us
[21:39] achieve the last goal so uh we had the
[21:42] popular annual financial report this is
[21:45] the first year we've received that and
[21:47] I'm really proud of that report because
[21:49] this is a report I didn't name the
[21:52] report okay I would have named it a
[21:54] citizen's Guide to the audit or
[21:56] something like that that is the formal
[21:58] name of it but it is a summarized
[22:02] Layman's version of the financial report
[22:04] because when anybody picks up an audit
[22:07] of this government it's overwhelming so
[22:10] you know with somebody who's interested
[22:12] in it would pick up this report it's
[22:15] really simple it's easy to understand
[22:17] and this hopefully would Inspire them to
[22:20] get more involved in government and then
[22:22] progress on to reading our financial
[22:24] report and our budget and during covid
[22:28] my staff was occasionally had to be
[22:31] quarantined for various reasons and so
[22:34] during that time we um I had given them
[22:38] the the choice to what projects to work
[22:40] on and what they could do while they
[22:43] were doing that that uh home
[22:46] that home
[22:50] I know I've forgotten what what what
[22:52] were you doing at home you were locked
[22:54] in at home she was quarantined and so
[22:57] Laura it Laura took this project up and
[23:00] I'm gonna say she did this project
[23:02] really completely by herself she had
[23:05] guidance from me but she took this
[23:07] project on and this was the last one
[23:09] that we needed in order to get the
[23:11] Triple Crown so I really want to thank
[23:14] Laura she was inspired she worked on it
[23:16] it's been a couple of years the first
[23:19] year we did it it came out too late you
[23:21] know we didn't meet all the deadlines
[23:22] and stuff but we thought it was good and
[23:25] we did put it on the internet and we
[23:27] were proud of it well this year it was
[23:29] all done on time and we sent it in and
[23:32] we're going to continuously they're
[23:34] going to continue and work on some
[23:36] improvements we're going to get the
[23:38] communications division involved to help
[23:41] make it more attractive and and give put
[23:44] some art to it because we're accountants
[23:45] we don't do that kind of stuff but she
[23:48] did a great job fantastic job job and it
[23:51] was awarded that that award this year so
[23:53] we are one when you look at all the
[23:55] governments in the state cities towns
[23:58] parishes school boards court systems we
[24:02] are the second local government in the
[24:05] state of Louisiana that has earned all
[24:07] three Awards so I really am proud of the
[24:10] team they deserve all the credit
[24:49] thank you Miss tubes and really
[25:01] congratulations to you and your entire
[25:03] team I think it's uh you know what a way
[25:05] to conclude your tenure here at uh at
[25:08] lcg with uh those Awards and uh I think
[25:11] it you know I don't think we can all
[25:12] sing your Praises enough so you know
[25:14] congratulations on those Awards and
[25:16] certainly congratulations on uh uh
[25:18] whatever Endeavors are next for you so
[25:20] sorry Mr Mayor president no that's okay
[25:23] Echo your sentiments Mr chair I want to
[25:25] congratulate Miss Laurie toups our
[25:27] amazing Chief Financial Officer you know
[25:30] thank you for your hard work dedication
[25:32] service to Lafayette for these past 12
[25:34] years over a span of three
[25:36] Administration multiple councils there
[25:39] are chapters chapters of awards and
[25:41] achievements Miss toups has earned over
[25:44] the years in Lafayette with Lafayette
[25:46] and achieved so much and I'll tell you
[25:48] Lafayette is a better place because of
[25:50] the service of miss toups her complete
[25:52] staff her finance department led by this
[25:54] wonderful wonderful public servant I'm
[25:57] just honored to serve with you we will
[25:59] have a party tomorrow a little
[26:00] celebration so we'll have a lot more to
[26:02] say then but I just want to take the
[26:04] time to recognize her in front of this
[26:06] wonderful Council and wonderful audience
[26:08] so thank you Mr chair that's all I have
[26:10] thank you
[26:13] Mr Gilbo thank you Mr chair Lori
[26:17] I'm not sure how one even begins to say
[26:20] congratulations and best wishes as you
[26:23] go
[26:24] into retirement
[26:26] um
[26:27] without a doubt your success
[26:29] your professionalism
[26:32] your hard work and dedication
[26:34] energy
[26:37] you've earned our greatest respect of
[26:39] all
[26:41] a lot of respect
[26:43] and because of your strong leadership
[26:46] and that strong step
[26:48] you certainly will well or the
[26:50] organization was well recognized for for
[26:53] those achievements so it's not only you
[26:55] Lori but it's that staff out there and
[26:58] we look forward to the continued success
[27:00] that you have brought to the table
[27:02] best wishes
[27:04] in your retirement
[27:06] you have made a real difference here at
[27:09] lcg and we appreciate it
[27:12] um
[27:14] I I I I you know it's so satisfying that
[27:18] you're able to retire with so many successes that we
[27:23] can all remember all that you can take
[27:26] with you congratulations thanks and best
[27:29] wishes Lord you always will have a home
[27:31] here thank you Mr gilba
[27:36] at this time we have one additional uh
[27:39] presentation
[27:40] um
[27:41] and I'll add this before we recognize
[27:43] everyone in a recent study it was
[27:45] reported that there are projected to be
[27:46] over 178
[27:49] 000 new technology jobs created just in
[27:52] 2023 with technology jobs growing at
[27:57] nearly two times the rate of other
[27:58] Industries
[28:00] in order to meet those needs that we've
[28:01] really seen for the last few years and
[28:04] 2013 members of the U.S House of
[28:06] Representatives began hosting
[28:08] district-wide Congressional app
[28:10] challenges for middle school and high
[28:12] school students encouraging them to
[28:13] learn to code and Inspire them to pursue
[28:16] careers in computer science Louisiana
[28:19] began the Congressional app challenge
[28:21] here in the third congressional district
[28:22] in 2016.
[28:25] this past year 15 students forming eight
[28:29] teams from the third congressional
[28:31] district participated in the
[28:33] Congressional app challenge with all
[28:35] eight of those teams coming from
[28:37] Lafayette Parish
[28:39] CGI one of the technology companies here
[28:41] in Lafayette partnered with New Vision
[28:43] leadership to coach and Mentor a number
[28:46] of those teams
[28:47] tonight we would like to recognize both
[28:50] the Congressional app challenge winner
[28:52] Mr Isaac Beverly from Lafayette High
[28:56] and go lions
[28:58] as well as all of the participating team
[29:00] members and teams mentors coaches and
[29:04] sponsors from New Vision leadership so
[29:06] if you guys are here from you
[29:09] participated in the Congressional app
[29:10] challenge if you were one of the coaches
[29:12] mentors team members sponsors we'd love
[29:16] to have you come up to the front now
[29:18] we'd love to recognize you and again we
[29:20] have another award we'd like to present
[29:22] to you guys tonight and maybe take
[29:24] another picture so at this time if you
[29:26] make your way to the front Mr Mayor
[29:28] president
[29:36] thank you guys can come up here
[29:41] okay don't be shy
[29:50] that's right
[30:01] and Kevin wasn't here when we changed
[30:03] the room
[31:19] again thank you to all of you who chose
[31:22] to come out tonight thank you to CGI uh
[31:24] for for sponsoring the teams thank you
[31:26] to all the mentors uh councilman Rubin
[31:29] councilman Lazard who helped with New
[31:30] Vision leadership uh this is crucial to
[31:33] developing a uh a Workforce for the the
[31:36] 21st century and a great part a great
[31:38] Testament to Lafayette Parish so thank
[31:40] you again for everything thank you to
[31:42] CGI for coordinating everything
[31:48] resolutions
[31:50] this is the public hearing and speaker
[31:52] sheets are available for anyone wishing
[31:54] to address the council the three-minute
[31:55] rule does apply Cindy please read Parish
[31:59] resolution 2 2023 a resolution of the
[32:02] Lafayette Parish Council acknowledging
[32:04] receipt of and approving the fiscal year
[32:06] 2023 budget submitted by the Lafayette
[32:09] convention and visitors Commission
[32:12] motion by councilman not cam
[32:14] a second by councilman Tabor
[32:16] any Council discussion
[32:19] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[32:20] comments no sir call for a vote Mr
[32:25] three yes District Four yes yes District
[32:28] Five
[32:29] the merchanted up is approved
[32:32] ordinances for final adoption
[32:36] this is a public hearing and speaker
[32:38] sheets are available for anyone wishing
[32:39] to address the council the three-minute
[32:41] rule does apply Cindy please read Parish
[32:44] ordinance 1 2023 in Orange of the
[32:46] Lafayette Parish Council amending the
[32:48] fiscal year 2223 capital budget of the
[32:51] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[32:53] Government by transferring two million
[32:55] five hundred thousand thousand dollars
[32:57] in American Rescue plan 21 Parish 651
[33:01] funds from the Q Road Extension project
[33:04] to the gal Road reconstruction project
[33:06] one million seven hundred thousand
[33:09] dollars and the Louisiana Avenue
[33:11] Extension project eight hundred thousand
[33:13] dollars and appropriating within the
[33:15] public works department
[33:17] need a motion in a second most of my
[33:19] councilman not care
[33:20] second by councilman Gilbo any Council
[33:22] discussion
[33:24] any public comments no sir let's call
[33:27] for a vote District Two yes District
[33:29] three yes District Four yes District
[33:31] Five
[33:33] one yes yes the motion to adopt is
[33:35] approved Parish harness II 2023 in order
[33:38] to Lafayette Parish Council I'm meaning
[33:41] the fiscal year 2223 capital budget of
[33:43] the Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[33:45] Government by transferring four hundred
[33:47] thousand dollars in American Rescue plan
[33:49] 21 parish is 651 funds from the value of
[33:53] Vermillion flood control project to the
[33:55] Gale Road drainage project and
[33:57] appropriating within the public works
[33:58] department
[34:00] motion I need a motion in a second
[34:03] motion by councilman Tabor second by
[34:05] councilman gilbell in the council
[34:07] discussion
[34:08] seeing none Miss Arts now we do have one
[34:11] speaker Mr chair signed and Wayne Colvin
[34:21] good evening Wayne Calvin Lafayette
[34:23] Parish Mr Wayne can you raise the mic up
[34:25] just a little bit so we can hear you
[34:26] thank you all right I'll just speak
[34:28] louder oops here we go uh a couple of
[34:32] weeks ago I addressed y'all my concerns
[34:34] they are just having enough funds left
[34:35] over when this project is done or
[34:38] whatever results from it there
[34:41] um and I just want to give y'all an
[34:42] update there
[34:43] Sunday on my way to church there drive
[34:46] up Homewood the ditches are full and get
[34:49] to the property line and the water is
[34:54] halfway over the road and it's the
[34:55] property line between the edge of the
[34:57] Homewood that runs towards the lateral
[34:59] and it's uh it's blocked up somewhere
[35:02] now this is Sunday morning eight o'clock
[35:04] we had three inches of rain that's
[35:06] according to my rain gauge at the house
[35:08] here
[35:09] um
[35:10] so what other erosion took place
[35:13] throughout that we know we've been
[35:15] getting a lot of rain in the since it's
[35:16] been miserable weather but that's the
[35:19] way the weather is so
[35:22] um that being said
[35:24] this this homework property is a lot
[35:27] different than all the other uh little
[35:29] detention ponds that we have it's much
[35:32] larger it's 372 Acres of which the left
[35:35] I heard it's only 130 Acres of being put
[35:37] into ponds that's like 35 plus it's made
[35:41] up of about four pounds two little small
[35:44] ones to take care of the laterals one
[35:46] big one that's a retention Pond that
[35:48] drains off the river we hadn't handled
[35:50] anything like that so that makes it a
[35:52] completely different obstacle and in all
[35:54] the maintenance that goes with that
[35:56] there so that's some challenges that we
[35:59] need to face there with with that and
[36:01] maybe that's part of the issues with all
[36:03] of this
[36:05] um our River Road subdivision which I'm
[36:07] on the board of directors are really
[36:09] concerned about the constant threats we
[36:12] have from flooding because of the
[36:14] erosion and yes they've cleaned out the
[36:18] little roadside ditches but as we see
[36:20] they constantly fill up because you can
[36:22] see all the water draining Under the
[36:23] Milky color so I draw the parallel
[36:27] between this and Vermilion River Project
[36:29] up by Saint Martin Parish great that we
[36:33] dredge the river years ago but what did
[36:35] we do with small Bank maybe on the wrong
[36:37] side of the roof some people said so
[36:39] that blocked the natural drainage you
[36:41] know this project here dealing with
[36:44] drainage but maybe it didn't complete
[36:46] maybe we have an erosion problem we back
[36:48] to the same thing how we're going to
[36:49] deal with it there my concern is when
[36:52] all this is settled with all this
[36:54] litigation or the project gets complete
[36:56] you know all the Riverwoods people are
[36:58] still going to be able to to live with
[37:00] that there when are we going to take
[37:01] care of the bogs is there going to be
[37:03] enough money left over in the budget
[37:06] separate from Opera that maybe we won't
[37:09] get and be able to apply to this or from
[37:11] the state are we prepared to save
[37:14] something and miss toups and the rest of
[37:17] the accounting team when she leaves
[37:18] we'll be able to say hey we've got
[37:20] enough reserves to take care of this in
[37:22] the future such that this thing will go
[37:24] back to where it was and we have cane
[37:26] Fields maybe or at least we won't have
[37:29] water flowing back threatening us thank
[37:31] you thank you Miss Wayne no other
[37:34] speakers Mr chair
[37:35] let's call for a vote
[37:38] yes District Four yes District five
[37:41] district one yes District Two
[37:45] yes the motion turned up is approved
[37:49] Harris 3 2023 in Orange of the Lafayette
[37:52] Parish Council amending the fiscal year
[37:54] 2223 capital budget of the Lafayette
[37:57] City Parish Consolidated Government by
[37:59] transferring one million five hundred
[38:01] thousand dollars in American Rescue plan
[38:03] 21 Parish 651 funds from the Bayou
[38:07] Vermilion flood control project to the
[38:09] Louisiana Avenue Extension drainage
[38:11] project and appropriating within the
[38:13] public works department need a motion in
[38:15] a second
[38:16] motion but councilman not can a second
[38:18] by councilman Tabor any Council
[38:20] discussion
[38:21] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[38:23] comments we have one speaker signed Dan
[38:25] Wayne Colvin
[38:29] you say same comments for as the other
[38:31] one
[38:32] any other comments let's call for a vote
[38:34] Mr four
[38:36] yes District Five yes district one yes
[38:40] District Two yes District three yes the
[38:44] merchant to adopt is approved
[38:46] Parish ordinance for 2023 in Orange of
[38:49] the Lafayette Parish Council amending
[38:51] the fiscal year 2223 operating in
[38:53] capital budgets of the Lafayette City
[38:55] Parish Consolidated Government by
[38:57] switching funding of a state Grant match
[38:59] and capital projects between the parish
[39:02] general fund and the parish arpa fund
[39:04] totaling two million dollars need a
[39:07] motion in a second motion by councilman
[39:09] Gilbo
[39:10] second by councilman Tabor any Council
[39:12] discussion
[39:14] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[39:15] comments no sir let's call for a vote
[39:17] this live yes district one yes District
[39:21] Two yes District three yes District Four
[39:25] yes the motion to adopt is approved
[39:28] Parish ordinance 5 20 23 and orange of
[39:32] the Lafayette Parish Council amending
[39:34] the fiscal year 2223 capital budget of
[39:36] the Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[39:38] Government by transferring twenty
[39:40] thousand one hundred thirty three
[39:41] dollars from fund 27622 line items
[39:44] utilities seventeen thousand nine
[39:47] hundred seventy two dollars and
[39:48] contractual Services two thousand one
[39:50] hundred sixty one dollars within the
[39:52] parks Arts Recreation and cultural
[39:55] Department need a motion in a second
[39:57] motion my councilman Tabor
[39:59] second by councilman Gilbo any Council
[40:01] discussion
[40:04] seeing none Mr snow any public comments
[40:06] no sir call for a vote district one yes
[40:09] District Two absolutely yes District
[40:11] three yes District Four yes District
[40:13] Five
[40:15] the motion to adopt is approved
[40:17] Parish ordinance 6 2023 in order to the
[40:20] Lafayette Parish Council amending the
[40:22] intergovernmental agreement between the
[40:24] Parish of Lafayette and the town of
[40:25] doosan to provide an additional payment
[40:27] to doosan in the amount of fifteen
[40:30] thousand dollars for Park improvements
[40:32] Motion in a second motion by councilman
[40:34] not care
[40:35] second by councilman Gilbo any Council
[40:38] discussion
[40:39] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[40:40] comments yes sir it's called for a vote
[40:43] District yes Mr yes just
[40:47] five
[40:50] is approved
[40:53] joint ordinances for final adoption this
[40:55] is a public hearing and speaker sheets
[40:57] are available for anyone wishing to
[40:59] address the council the three-minute
[41:00] rule does apply Cindy please read
[41:03] John Hornets won 2023 Angel honors of
[41:05] the Lafayette City Council in the
[41:06] Lafayette Parish Council amending the
[41:09] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[41:10] Government code of ordinances chapter 6
[41:12] article 3 restriction on retailers and
[41:15] Retail establishments specifically
[41:17] division two days and hours of sale to
[41:20] add a subsection C to section
[41:23] 6-94 need a motion in a second motion by
[41:27] councilman Gilbo second by the
[41:28] councilman Tabor any Council discussion
[41:32] seeing none Miss hard to know any public
[41:33] comments yes sir it's called for a vote
[41:35] District three yes District Four yes
[41:38] District Five no district one yes Mr
[41:42] District 2 yes the motion to adopt is
[41:45] approved
[41:46] join ordinance 2 2023 Angel honors of
[41:49] the Lafayette City Council in the
[41:51] Lafayette Parish Council and meeting the
[41:52] fiscal year 2223 operating budget of the
[41:55] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[41:57] Government by adjusting demanding tables
[41:59] and increasing the hourly pay rate of an
[42:02] accounting specialist within the office
[42:03] of finance and management accounting
[42:05] division
[42:07] need a motion in a second
[42:08] motion by councilman Gilbo second by
[42:11] councilman Tabor in the council
[42:13] discussion
[42:15] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[42:16] comments yes sir call for a vote
[42:18] District Four yes District Five yes
[42:21] district one yes District Two yes
[42:24] District three yes the motion to adopt
[42:27] is approved your Ordnance 3 2023 HR
[42:30] orders of the Lafayette city council and
[42:32] the Lafayette Parish Council providing
[42:34] for the abandonment of a 10 foot by a 15
[42:36] drainage 15 foot drainage servitude from
[42:39] Pearl service 4 dash
[42:42] parcels a-4-a and
[42:46] a-5-a of Country Lane Acres subdivision
[42:49] located at 6 000 and 6008 Landry Road
[42:52] need a motion in a second
[42:54] motion like councilman not can second by
[42:56] councilman Tabor
[42:58] Council discussion
[43:00] seeing nine Miss Arsenal any public
[43:01] comments no sir it's called for a vote
[43:03] Mr
[43:08] yes
[43:11] production to adopt is approved draw
[43:13] ordinance for 2023 HR oranges of the
[43:15] Lafayette City Council in the Lafayette
[43:17] Parish Council amending chapter 89 of
[43:19] the Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[43:21] Government code of ordinances also known
[43:23] as the Lafayette development code LDC
[43:27] need a motion in a second
[43:29] motion like councilman Tabor
[43:31] second by councilman Gilbo any Council
[43:33] discussions Mr knocking
[43:37] this
[43:38] Simon can you come explain what changes
[43:41] we can expect
[43:49] hold on get by with hiding in the back I
[43:52] saw you walking inside
[43:53] Mary Slyman director of Community
[43:56] Development and planning so what exactly
[43:59] changes are are things that we can
[44:02] expect of this
[44:05] so I'm gonna go through all them are you
[44:06] I'm going to touch on some big ones the
[44:08] big ones do you have a question about a
[44:10] specific one no okay
[44:12] so
[44:13] um probably the the most changes you'll
[44:16] see are relative to a convenience store
[44:18] with fuel sales and truck stops
[44:21] um we we have learned
[44:23] um recently about some new Concepts in
[44:26] terms of
[44:27] it's not really a truck stop as we know
[44:29] it today or as the book knows it today
[44:31] but it's also a little bit more intense
[44:33] in a convenience store with fuel sales
[44:34] so we we looked at both of our
[44:37] definitions and where convenience store
[44:41] fuel sales was allowed and where truck
[44:43] stops were allowed and we tweaked
[44:46] um
[44:46] the definitions where the uses were
[44:49] allowed as well as we had to remove some
[44:52] language about you know what is a truck
[44:55] stop as far as additional amenities in
[44:58] article 5. so were these like we were we
[45:01] running into cases where people were
[45:03] trying to get a permit and we denied
[45:05] them because maybe the definition wasn't
[45:07] right or are you seeing new applicants
[45:10] coming in or new development and we're
[45:12] not we don't have the right
[45:15] so there is this New Concept which was
[45:17] attempted but when we looked at
[45:20] historically for Lafayette Parish what a
[45:22] truck stop is and what was permitted as
[45:25] a convenience store with fuel sales I as
[45:27] the Director used 8921 to make a
[45:30] determination and so now that we are
[45:33] we're in front of you today to take my
[45:36] interpretation and and make it part of
[45:39] the actual LDC and part of the the
[45:41] regulations instead of just an
[45:43] interpretation now typically when you
[45:45] say truck stop you think of what like I think of loves I think of
[45:50] Bucky's and all these other places so
[45:53] it is to
[45:55] prevent deny or just clarify what the
[45:59] definition is in a sense of what's
[46:01] allowed not allowed or can they both
[46:03] coexist like when you say concept talk
[46:05] to me what what so the concept the
[46:07] newest concept is is less intense than a
[46:10] loves right in the your typical truck
[46:12] stop with restaurants and showers and
[46:14] scales and until they're along I-10 is
[46:16] this or are you saying like within the
[46:18] city of Lafayette the parish I mean so our current definition of convenience
[46:23] store fuel sales did not delineate about
[46:26] truck diesel and when I say truck diesel
[46:28] I'm talking 18 wheelers okay okay so
[46:32] um but in a but a truck stop obviously
[46:34] as we know it is basically in essence
[46:37] what that what the definition had and
[46:39] then what the additional regulations had
[46:40] in 89.93 the New Concept is less intense
[46:44] than the truck stop as we know it
[46:46] um and and has less parking for 18
[46:48] wheelers but it does have fueling for 18
[46:50] wheelers
[46:51] um it does not have a restaurant but may
[46:53] have an expanded convenience store so it
[46:55] it's considered somewhat like a travel
[46:57] center
[46:59] um but again you know because our
[47:01] definition for convenience store fuel
[47:02] sales wasn't clay wasn't clear on truck
[47:05] fueling and the truck stop definition
[47:07] was a little bit too intense we needed
[47:10] to mold the two to better fit this New
[47:13] Concept and so that's what we're doing
[47:14] because
[47:16] my office and I think you would probably
[47:18] agree feels that you know we don't want
[47:21] somebody driving all the way into the
[47:23] middle of town to to fuel their fuel up
[47:25] their 18-wheeler right it's not the it's
[47:27] not the intent and maybe not you know
[47:29] with the neighborhood and right next
[47:30] door or behind it or within a close
[47:32] vicinity of it correct no I I agree so
[47:35] we want to protect our Road's already
[47:36] bad so I wanted 18 wheelers going about
[47:40] subdivisions or neighborhoods to fill up
[47:42] and then leave so
[47:43] okay thank you and we recognize the
[47:45] intensity especially you know at
[47:47] University with the existing truck stops
[47:49] so absolutely and we got to make sure
[47:51] our bridges are higher and trucks Don't
[47:52] damage stuff right yeah thank you all
[47:54] right no comments councilman
[48:00] I'm sorry councilman Reuben
[48:02] forgive me
[48:05] you know what it is is the hair
[48:07] anyway uh how you doing man so this
[48:11] particular
[48:13] um change
[48:14] how would it affect you and I spoke
[48:17] about
[48:18] the trucks out there there I'm sorry
[48:20] they don't call it a truck stop what
[48:22] were they calling it uh we'll just call
[48:24] it a travel center yeah a travel center
[48:26] right there on the corner of um
[48:28] Louisiana Avenue and I-10
[48:31] would they protect that particular area
[48:34] with this ordinance or what would it do right there with this
[48:39] language that you're talking it does it
[48:41] does because that corner was CH and that
[48:43] you know they were that's where a lot of
[48:45] the discussions around it is do we want
[48:47] that intensive abuse in the CH zoning
[48:49] District
[48:51] um or in even in cm because it's part of
[48:53] the um the changes in front of you
[48:56] tonight is to make unconditional and see
[48:58] them so
[48:59] this will this clears up all the
[49:01] confusion we had at that location
[49:04] okay thank you
[49:06] what any other comments
[49:08] I think that's it thank you mayor okay
[49:12] do we get the motion in the second we
[49:15] did so we did any other public comments
[49:17] no sir all right let's call for a vote
[49:19] district one yes this
[49:22] yes District Four yes District Five yes
[49:26] the merchanted office approved
[49:30] appointments by the council as a whole
[49:32] to boards and commission Cindy please
[49:33] read apply me to the parish Planning and
[49:36] Zoning commission for a five-year term
[49:37] effect of January 7th 2023.
[49:41] Mr Tabor like to nominate uh Brad du
[49:45] Young
[49:45] we have Brad a nomination for Brad
[49:47] Daniel
[49:49] Mr knockcam I'd like to second that
[49:55] and just for the record I think it's
[49:57] noted on your agenda that the Council
[50:00] Office did officially receive resumes
[50:02] from Brad duyon Delaney Moe Larson and
[50:06] Jacob Weaver that's right and there is
[50:07] no incumbent thank you all right we've
[50:10] received a nomination for Mr Brad duyon
[50:13] in the council discussion
[50:15] public comment no sir let's call for a
[50:18] vote District 2. district three do y'all
[50:22] District Four District Five
[50:25] district one New York is appointed
[50:28] appointments in Lafayette Parish Water
[50:30] Works District South board for the
[50:32] remainder of an unexpired five-year term
[50:34] through October 31st 2026. Apple
[50:37] customers reside within the Water Works
[50:39] District South Boundary
[50:42] the resume received for consideration is
[50:44] from Maisha Drexler there is no
[50:46] incumbent
[50:48] I'd like a nomination
[50:51] any Council discussion
[50:54] Miss Arsenal any public comments yes sir
[50:56] call for a vote
[50:58] District Drexler District Four
[51:04] two
[51:06] make sure Drexler is appointed
[51:09] introductory ordinances I need a motion
[51:12] in a second to introduce items 20-22 in
[51:15] globo
[51:18] a motion by councilman Rubin second by
[51:20] councilman notkin Cindy please read
[51:28] E3 capital budget of the Lafayette City
[51:31] Parish Consolidated Government by
[51:32] reducing the parish offered by you
[51:34] Vermilion flood control project by 500
[51:37] 000 in appropriating a new project for
[51:40] the replacement of a of a water district
[51:42] North water well
[51:44] Parish ordinance 8 2023 in order to the
[51:48] Lafayette Parish Council amending the
[51:49] fiscal year 2223 operating capital
[51:51] budget of the Lafayette City Parish
[51:54] Consolidated Government by increasing
[51:56] the use of fund ballots in fund 273
[51:58] storm water management Fund in the
[52:01] amount of 250 000 in appropriating
[52:03] within the public works department
[52:05] Capital Improvements division for the
[52:07] comprehensive stormwater plan Parish
[52:09] ordinance 9 2023 in order to the
[52:12] Lafayette Parish Council and meeting the
[52:13] fiscal year 2223 capital budget of the
[52:16] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[52:18] Government by transferring seven hundred
[52:19] thousand dollars and fund 260 from the
[52:23] Tolson Road Ridge replace project to the
[52:25] replaced route Bridge Project and
[52:28] appropriating within the public works
[52:30] department
[52:31] all right any Council discussion
[52:35] seeing none Miss Arsenal any public
[52:36] comments
[52:38] no sir all right let's call for a vote
[52:40] to introduce items 222 in globo District
[52:43] 4 yes District Five yes district one yes
[52:47] District 2.
[52:49] 63 yes the motion to introduce item 20
[52:52] through 22 in global is approved joint
[52:56] introductory ordinances I need a motion
[52:58] and a second to introduce items 24 and
[53:00] 25 in globo motion by councilman not
[53:02] cancer by councilman Tabor Cindy please
[53:05] read draw on at 6 2023 HR on into the
[53:08] Lafayette City Council on the Lafayette
[53:09] Parish Council amending the fiscal year
[53:11] 2223 operating budget and demanding
[53:14] tables of the Lafayette City Parish
[53:15] Consolidated Government by increasing
[53:18] the hourly pay rate of the investment
[53:19] officer position within the office of
[53:21] finance and management accounting
[53:23] division
[53:24] draw on a 7 2023 a joints of the
[53:27] Lafayette City Council in the Lafayette
[53:29] Parish Council amending the fiscal year
[53:31] 2223 operating in capital budgets of the
[53:34] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[53:35] Government by recognizing revenues in
[53:38] the amount of one million six hundred
[53:40] thousand dollars received from the
[53:41] Federal Highway Administration approving
[53:44] the use of existing funds in the amount
[53:46] of four hundred thousand dollars for the
[53:48] FED for the required local match
[53:51] appropriating within the traffic roads
[53:52] and bridges Department traffic
[53:54] engineering division elderizing the
[53:56] Lafayette mayor president to execute a
[53:58] contract with the Louisiana Department
[54:01] of Transportation and development and
[54:03] the Acadiana Planning Commission
[54:05] Metropolitan planning Organization for
[54:08] the Lafayette Parish non-state pavement
[54:10] marking project h015018
[54:15] any Council discussions
[54:18] seeing nine Miss Arsenal any public
[54:20] comments no sir let's call for a vote
[54:22] just five
[54:25] one
[54:26] two yes District three yes District Four
[54:29] yeah
[54:30] the motion introduce items 24 and 25 in
[54:32] global is approved
[54:35] comments from the public
[54:37] this is the time to speak about topics
[54:39] that are not included as agenda items
[54:41] topics should be related to the Parish
[54:43] of Lafayette and are within the
[54:45] legislative power of the parish council
[54:47] no debating or confrontational
[54:49] statements will be allowed for
[54:51] efficiency and to allow other citizens
[54:53] the opportunity to speak the
[54:55] three-minute rule will be in effect once
[54:57] the three-minute timer starts you are
[54:59] asked to continue your comments to
[55:00] completion as the intent is not to have
[55:03] a question and answer session and should
[55:05] you have any questions please submit
[55:07] them in writing to the clerk of the
[55:08] council for a response by the
[55:10] administration and or the appropriate
[55:12] lcg official Miss Arsenault call for
[55:15] comments we do have two speakers signed
[55:18] in the first of which is Janice green
[55:20] and she will be followed by Mary Lee of
[55:22] garcio
[55:27] please state your name for the record
[55:28] good evening Janice green
[55:32] today is the start of black history
[55:34] month and I find it fitting for me to
[55:37] stand on this platform to paint homage
[55:39] to a great ancestor to kuna Melania El
[55:43] Shabazz who was a strong Warrior for the
[55:47] black community even though he is
[55:49] physically gone his Spirit of goodness
[55:52] and the love he had for the rise of his
[55:55] people
[55:56] will forever be a tremendous influence
[55:59] on the conscious black people who knows
[56:02] we are the original man and woman of the
[56:05] earth anything else is the kind of man
[56:08] and a kind of woman I want to read one
[56:11] of his writings that I find to be
[56:13] profound
[56:15] and resonate even in his absence
[56:18] brothers and sisters
[56:21] every time I speak publicly some say
[56:24] that I am a little touch in the head
[56:27] some say that I am boat
[56:30] some say I might be intelligent if I
[56:33] wasn't crazy but none has called me a
[56:36] liar
[56:37] I know that my words and the manner in
[56:41] which I deliver those words to you
[56:44] sometimes appear harsh
[56:46] but I know no matter how I say it to you
[56:51] if I speak the truth some will become
[56:54] offended regardless
[56:56] because the truth will challenge your
[56:59] value system that the white man give you
[57:02] I love you
[57:03] but I'm not in the making business
[57:06] I'm not in the Negro enhancement
[57:09] business but I will not permit your fear
[57:12] of Truth make me a conspirator
[57:16] and pimp for the white man spreading his
[57:18] lies among my black family I read the
[57:23] stand before you as a true teller only
[57:25] once and have you ostracized me for the
[57:29] remainder of my time on God's Earth than
[57:32] to be a popular liar in your face every
[57:36] day during the work of our oppressor
[57:39] brothers and sisters I will leave you
[57:42] with one more truth
[57:44] if you were black and African yesterday
[57:47] you are certainly black and African
[57:49] today and unless you do something
[57:51] unnatural to yourself you will be black
[57:54] and African tomorrow
[57:56] to anyone
[57:59] who truly wants to know what the needs
[58:02] of the community black communities are
[58:04] here's your blueprints black I am Cajun
[58:08] creel I am not thank you
[58:11] next speaker is Marilee Garcia
[58:23] good evening Mary lib Garcia Lafayette
[58:26] Parish City
[58:28] I'm here to inform you about a special
[58:31] program that we're working on
[58:34] together that went through the women of
[58:37] wisdom the wow group and the Louisiana
[58:41] Department of Health Region 4.
[58:44] it's come it came to my attention as
[58:47] I've watched the statistics and the
[58:49] horrible stories about drug over
[58:52] overdoses that we there's a real need
[58:56] for education but I didn't know how to
[58:59] pursue this as an as a member of the
[59:02] community I approached Phyllis Mouton
[59:04] the president of the women's group about
[59:08] the idea and she encouraged me and so I
[59:10] began working on it and what we have now
[59:13] is a is the first public
[59:17] program on Fentanyl and opioid drugs
[59:22] that has been held there have been many
[59:24] programs that have been conducted for
[59:26] targeted groups but there's been nothing
[59:28] that really that was offered to the
[59:31] general public so we have a program date
[59:34] time and place of March 22nd that's a
[59:39] Wednesday but I don't think it's one of
[59:41] your meeting dates from 5 30 to 7 30 at
[59:44] the downtown convention center
[59:47] the Stacy Conrad who many of you know
[59:49] with Region 4 and Keith Talamo with the
[59:54] Lafayette coroner's office will actually
[59:56] present a 60-minute program and then
[59:59] we'll open the floor up for questions
[1:00:02] from the audience we have a wonderful
[1:00:05] committee we've been meeting in your
[1:00:06] briefing room thank you very much for
[1:00:08] that opportunity
[1:00:10] we're getting our judges on board the
[1:00:13] committee is growing we're just you know
[1:00:15] I don't really have a final list because
[1:00:18] I get new members every every day
[1:00:21] there's so much interest in trying to
[1:00:23] help with this program
[1:00:24] it's going to be a template hopefully
[1:00:27] for other cities outlying cities both
[1:00:30] within the parish as well as within the
[1:00:32] seven Parish region of region four
[1:00:36] um the we do have a the second of our
[1:00:39] planning meetings next Friday Friday a
[1:00:42] week February the 10th from 9 to 11 in
[1:00:46] your briefing room and I invite all of
[1:00:50] you to attend so that you can see the
[1:00:53] quality and the sincerity and the
[1:00:55] expertise that is being brought to the
[1:00:57] planning of this program uh it's a it's
[1:01:00] a great group lots of representation
[1:01:02] from across the community Acadian
[1:01:04] companies UL
[1:01:06] churches you you have it but I will
[1:01:09] leave some information with Veronica so
[1:01:13] she can share it and then we'll have a
[1:01:15] more formal press release for you coming
[1:01:17] but I do invite you to attend and I
[1:01:20] thank you for your support because we
[1:01:22] all end this together thank you and Mr chair five citizens who
[1:01:29] called in in opposition to the jail
[1:01:31] proposal on Willow
[1:01:34] thank you
[1:01:35] with no additional comments I adjourn
[1:01:37] the parish council regular the Paris
[1:01:39] Council regular meeting
[1:01:41] [Applause]
[1:12:27] foreign
[1:16:24] oh he should stay on
[1:16:29] I just put those on here and leave the
[1:16:31] clerk
[1:16:32] staff
[1:16:33] okay good evening I'd like to call
[1:16:36] everyone uh welcome you to this
[1:16:38] evening's Lafayette city council meeting
[1:16:40] for February 1st 2023
[1:16:43] will have the invocation by uh
[1:16:46] councilman I can and the pledge by
[1:16:49] councilwoman a there
[1:17:02] and our friends and our family close
[1:17:04] together
[1:17:05] please guide us in your wisdom
[1:17:09] to Grace in our heart
[1:17:11] remember to treat each other for dignity
[1:17:13] and respect
[1:17:14] and to understand that we all have a
[1:17:17] meaning in this
[1:17:18] well I have a reason for this
[1:17:20] we all have a goal in our lives
[1:17:23] and divine and seek you in any way we
[1:17:27] can so that in the end we'll all reach
[1:17:29] that final goal which is our true
[1:17:30] destination we ask this in Jesus Christ
[1:17:33] Our Lord amen amen
[1:17:36] thank you sir
[1:17:38] to the flag of the United States of
[1:17:41] America and to the Republic for which it
[1:17:44] stands one nation under God indivisible
[1:17:47] with liberty and justice for all
[1:17:51] thank you Andy Liz
[1:17:58] we welcome you to Lafayette city council
[1:18:00] meeting as presiding officer and chair
[1:18:02] I'd like to announce the following this
[1:18:05] is a public hearing to address the
[1:18:06] Council on any items on this agenda
[1:18:09] please fill out the speaker form to
[1:18:11] submit for your information to the clerk
[1:18:13] prior to the call of the agenda item or
[1:18:16] you will not be given the opportunity to
[1:18:18] speak staff assistance is available if
[1:18:21] needed
[1:18:23] items for submission to the council
[1:18:25] should be added to the council clerk Mr
[1:18:27] Veronica Williams
[1:18:28] seated directly to my left
[1:18:32] when addressing the council please state
[1:18:34] your name and title for the official
[1:18:36] record
[1:18:38] the three-minute rule will be in effect
[1:18:41] no debating or confrontational
[1:18:42] statements will be allowed
[1:18:44] the front row to my left is for media
[1:18:47] only food and drinks are not allowed in
[1:18:50] the council Auditorium please silence
[1:18:53] all phones and electronic devices
[1:18:57] meeting procedures are by resolution and
[1:18:59] not by Robert's Rules of Order
[1:19:02] all documents with reference to meetings
[1:19:05] can be found on the lcg website
[1:19:08] and the council encourages your
[1:19:10] involvement in boards and commissions if
[1:19:12] interested please call 337-291
[1:19:16] 8800
[1:19:18] due to the Mardi Gras holidays Council
[1:19:21] meetings for February will be on the
[1:19:23] first and third Wednesdays instead of
[1:19:25] the typical first and third Tuesdays
[1:19:28] meetings will return to the regular
[1:19:31] first and third Tuesdays in March
[1:19:34] item number nine Council ordinance
[1:19:38] 003-2023
[1:19:40] Benoit falgoo Drive rezoning
[1:19:43] councilmember Pat Lewis is requesting an
[1:19:45] amendment to change the zoning
[1:19:47] designation from rm1 residential mix to
[1:19:52] cm1 commercial mix
[1:19:56] item number 12 console ordinance zero six twenty twenty three veteran cea
[1:20:04] Council chairs requesting that the
[1:20:06] ordinance be deferred for one month
[1:20:08] until March 7th to allow additional time
[1:20:11] to receive information
[1:20:15] on funding the purpose and uses
[1:20:17] associated with the Lafayette Veterans
[1:20:19] Center
[1:20:20] also as it relates to this ordinance
[1:20:22] legal is requesting an amendment to the
[1:20:24] ordinance and cea to correct the
[1:20:27] municipal address of the Lafayette
[1:20:28] Veterans Center from 525 to 527
[1:20:33] Evangeline Drive
[1:20:35] item number 14 Fire Department Training
[1:20:39] Center roof
[1:20:40] the administration
[1:20:43] is requesting an indefinite deferral to
[1:20:46] allow for the completion of the bid
[1:20:48] process
[1:20:50] for a more accurate project amount
[1:20:54] would like to wish a happy birthday to
[1:20:56] Jeremy Sweeney senior Council
[1:20:58] administrator
[1:21:00] Administrative Assistant who will
[1:21:02] celebrate his birthday
[1:21:04] on February 4th
[1:21:06] and would also like to wish a happy
[1:21:08] birthday to his sidekick with Cindy a
[1:21:12] bear
[1:21:13] present with us this evening Council
[1:21:15] Administrative Assistant who will
[1:21:16] celebrate her birthday on February 6th
[1:21:20] like to wish a happy birthday also to
[1:21:24] councilman Pat Lewis
[1:21:28] which he will also celebrate on February
[1:21:30] 6th
[1:21:31] and
[1:21:34] last but certainly not least
[1:21:37] I'd like to wish a happy birthday to
[1:21:40] councilwoman Liz a bear
[1:21:42] who will be celebrating her birthday on
[1:21:45] February 9th
[1:21:49] [Applause]
[1:21:52] console announcements
[1:22:01] any cons okay
[1:22:04] yes sir you're up I just want to make
[1:22:06] sure that the public was aware that
[1:22:09] their applications being accepted
[1:22:10] throughout Lafayette Parish for the
[1:22:13] Lafayette emergency assistance program a
[1:22:15] lead program which is available to
[1:22:17] assist qualified low and modern income
[1:22:19] households with paying rent
[1:22:21] and overdue rent as well as current and
[1:22:23] overdue utility payments those who need
[1:22:26] assists are encouraged to apply
[1:22:29] there's 21 million dollars in emergency
[1:22:31] rental assistance out there to be
[1:22:33] utilized and another 4.88 million that
[1:22:37] has been uh applied to that
[1:22:40] um you can apply through I'm sure the see how to apply smile Community
[1:22:45] Action Agency would be a place to go to
[1:22:48] either online or their location at 501
[1:22:51] St John Street but anyway I wish that
[1:22:54] anybody who was in need to please go
[1:22:55] apply it's out there please go get the
[1:22:57] money thank you
[1:23:01] any other Council announcements
[1:23:03] uh
[1:23:06] Mr chair you got something uh yes sir I
[1:23:09] think you're on okay
[1:23:11] um just wanted to let with this being
[1:23:13] black history month I just wanted to let
[1:23:14] everybody know that the African-American
[1:23:16] Heritage Foundation has released a
[1:23:19] month-long list of activities locally
[1:23:22] here in Lafayette uh in celebration of
[1:23:25] black history month I would provide each
[1:23:27] of you and I have some extra copies for
[1:23:29] anyone who would like a copy
[1:23:31] um I would have I would provide a copy
[1:23:34] to each a few
[1:23:36] um also the American Heritage Foundation
[1:23:38] gala will be held February 25th and the
[1:23:42] parade will be held on February 26th
[1:23:45] um just a side note included among the
[1:23:47] five honorees is your Council chair
[1:23:51] Glenn lazor who will be honored in the
[1:23:54] area of politics and for his work along
[1:23:57] with Janelle shagwa uh and Senior and
[1:24:00] the senior citizen program also being
[1:24:03] honored among the five is Chris
[1:24:05] Arsenault my husband under culture for
[1:24:08] his work in the community
[1:24:10] so and I'll be giving you know
[1:24:13] [Applause]
[1:24:16] thank you madam uh you say Madam chair
[1:24:18] thank you thank you man thank you
[1:24:20] [Laughter]
[1:24:31] very much
[1:24:38] thank you V
[1:24:39] ee uh I just wanted to uh recognize
[1:24:43] someone this is uh first day of black
[1:24:46] history month and the mayor is going to
[1:24:48] speak on uh the kickoff that was done at
[1:24:51] City Hall on yesterday uh I really just
[1:24:55] want to acknowledge
[1:24:57] uh the loss of a Trailblazer
[1:25:02] Mr Joseph Dennis
[1:25:05] Mr Dennis the native of Lafayette
[1:25:09] uh Mr Dennis was 94 years old
[1:25:14] haven't been born on December 20
[1:25:16] December 17 1928
[1:25:19] and uh
[1:25:21] passed away on January 22nd 2023.
[1:25:25] uh I'm going to be very brief because if
[1:25:28] I talked about everything that Mr Dennis
[1:25:31] did and all the contributions he made
[1:25:34] uh to this community
[1:25:37] State and Nation we would be here for a
[1:25:40] couple of hours in any event Mr Dennis
[1:25:44] was a native of Lafayette uh
[1:25:48] was a veteran of the Korean War and
[1:25:50] received the Purple Heart for sir for
[1:25:52] his service
[1:25:53] during the Korean War
[1:25:55] but as far as Lafayette is concerned
[1:25:59] when Mr Dennis return
[1:26:02] from his stent in the service
[1:26:05] he found conditions in Lafayette as they
[1:26:08] were at that time that weren't very pleasant
[1:26:14] for black citizens
[1:26:17] so Mr Dennis took it upon himself
[1:26:21] to make a change
[1:26:24] he was the plaintiff in various lawsuits
[1:26:29] that ultimately led to
[1:26:32] integration of public service and the
[1:26:35] right to run for political office as
[1:26:37] well as to register to vote
[1:26:39] uh in in Lafayette City and Parish
[1:26:44] uh
[1:26:46] as a result of his well let me just be
[1:26:48] brief
[1:26:51] Mr Dennis became a plane to be a
[1:26:53] successful legal action to reapportion
[1:26:55] the school board
[1:26:56] which ultimately voted to have one seat
[1:27:00] on the board for a black board member as
[1:27:01] a result Mr AJ Tony shaston became the
[1:27:05] first black elected official in the
[1:27:07] history of Lafayette Parish since
[1:27:09] reconstruction his actions also led to
[1:27:13] black officials being elected to the
[1:27:15] Lafayette City Council
[1:27:18] and also the police jury
[1:27:22] as a result of his actions
[1:27:25] uh individuals like myself councilman
[1:27:30] Lewis and councilman Rubin have the
[1:27:33] right to run for
[1:27:35] and sit on this esteemed body
[1:27:38] so I just wanted to give that
[1:27:39] recognition to uh to Mr Dennis thank you
[1:27:50] okay appreciate that uh moving on
[1:27:55] mayor Guillory
[1:27:56] your report
[1:27:58] thank you Mr chair and and thank you for
[1:28:01] taking the time to to recognize and like
[1:28:04] you said a Trailblazer in our community
[1:28:07] um yesterday we had the distinct honor
[1:28:09] and purposefully did a day early to kick
[1:28:12] off our recognition of Black History
[1:28:15] Month here in Lafayette Parish a
[1:28:16] month-long celebration and educational
[1:28:19] period and I thank you to the chair and
[1:28:21] councilman McCook and other council
[1:28:23] members that took the time to be with
[1:28:24] this side there I believe I saw a few
[1:28:26] members of the community that are here
[1:28:28] tonight that were also with this
[1:28:30] yesterday in attendance and we also
[1:28:32] recognized for
[1:28:34] um Warriors you know for leaders in in
[1:28:36] our community we had a lady Miss
[1:28:38] Northeast 100 years old she just
[1:28:40] celebrated her birthday 65 years of
[1:28:43] service to our wonderful University we
[1:28:45] had a member of my youth advisory
[1:28:47] Council and I'm referencing both for a
[1:28:50] reason who's uh 17 year old 16 or 17
[1:28:52] years old and to see
[1:28:54] their accomplishments in our community right here in Lafayette is
[1:28:59] it's just remarkable just four examples
[1:29:01] of of the greatness of our community and
[1:29:03] we're certainly better today than we
[1:29:06] were 100 years ago but doesn't mean that
[1:29:07] we need to be complacent in our strive
[1:29:09] for greatness and equality and making
[1:29:12] sure that everybody has a seat at the
[1:29:14] table and an equal opportunity no matter
[1:29:16] where you're from or where you live or
[1:29:17] what you look like in this wonderful
[1:29:18] Parish so thank you to everybody that
[1:29:21] participated and certainly I've never
[1:29:24] been more proud to be a member of
[1:29:26] Lafayette Community and I hope everybody
[1:29:28] here can say the same so thank you
[1:29:31] though and thank you Mr chair again we
[1:29:33] have budget to actual comparison of
[1:29:35] major city funds December 2022
[1:29:37] preliminary director toups is behind me
[1:29:39] if you have any questions and on that
[1:29:40] note we have several several
[1:29:42] announcements in our finance department
[1:29:44] our finance and Management Department
[1:29:46] goes above and beyond for our great
[1:29:49] community and in Lafayette consolidated
[1:29:51] government this year they have earned
[1:29:52] the prestigious Triple Crown award they
[1:29:56] previously received and earned the
[1:29:58] distinguished budget presentation award
[1:30:00] uh this is their ninth year ninth year
[1:30:03] in a row that this department has won
[1:30:05] this award it's a very a very hard War
[1:30:07] to achieve so nine years in a row
[1:30:08] congratulations and tonight I'm honored
[1:30:11] to present them with two different
[1:30:12] Awards the certificate of achievement
[1:30:15] for excellence and financial reporting
[1:30:17] this is their seventh year in a row to
[1:30:19] receive this award and the award for the
[1:30:22] first time for outstanding achievement
[1:30:24] in popular annual Finance report uh
[1:30:27] reporting against the first year that
[1:30:29] this department has won this award but
[1:30:31] having all three makes them the Triple
[1:30:33] Crown winners and we are the only the
[1:30:36] second government in the state of
[1:30:38] Louisiana and Ms toups can highlight
[1:30:40] what that means but that's more than
[1:30:42] just City governments Paris governments
[1:30:44] police juries it includes school boards
[1:30:47] and other political subdivisions only
[1:30:49] the second one in the history of
[1:30:51] Louisiana that is a huge accomplishment
[1:30:53] and that that being said call up
[1:30:56] director tubes
[1:30:57] [Applause]
[1:31:15] moved and so I'm here and able to tell
[1:31:18] you about our Triple Crown I mentioned
[1:31:21] it to you a couple of years ago that I
[1:31:23] hope to be coming here with that triple
[1:31:25] crown award and I'm proud to say that
[1:31:28] we've done it I'm looking around we have
[1:31:31] uh we had a few of our accounting and
[1:31:33] finance Folks at the earlier meeting
[1:31:35] they all have families and children's
[1:31:37] and some have lots of volunteer
[1:31:40] activities so I'm not sure that they
[1:31:42] were able to stay for the city council
[1:31:44] meeting but I'm really proud to say that
[1:31:46] we've earned these Awards and this will
[1:31:49] be my last time you hear this story so
[1:31:52] um but when I came to Lafayette 12 years
[1:31:55] ago Lafayette was meeting only the very
[1:31:58] minimum basic requirements of
[1:32:01] governmental financial reporting we
[1:32:04] didn't go beyond the minimum that was
[1:32:05] required and I wasn't raised that way
[1:32:09] and so when when I when I came here that
[1:32:13] wasn't good enough we had to work it
[1:32:15] worked for to follow best practices and
[1:32:18] it really has paid off for the city so
[1:32:21] we've worked and earned these Awards
[1:32:22] it's a government Finance officers set
[1:32:25] some best practices for your budget for
[1:32:28] your for your audit report and this
[1:32:30] third report that we just recently won
[1:32:32] called the popular annual financial
[1:32:34] report I didn't name it I didn't choose
[1:32:36] that name that's the formal name of it
[1:32:38] but I'm really proud of that one that
[1:32:41] report is a simple easy to read report
[1:32:45] it is designed to get the layperson
[1:32:48] involved in their government finance and
[1:32:52] layperson is going to pick up an audit
[1:32:54] report and they're going to get
[1:32:55] overwhelmed with it and and I understand
[1:32:57] that but we have rules and and lots of
[1:33:00] information we have to put in that
[1:33:02] annual comprehensive financial report so
[1:33:05] this third report is a summary
[1:33:08] layperson's version it's a lot easier to
[1:33:10] understand and while I'm very proud to
[1:33:14] say that we've earned all of these
[1:33:17] Awards under my guidance and I have
[1:33:21] empowered my staff I've LED them and
[1:33:25] motivated them the staff has earned
[1:33:28] these Awards in particular this final
[1:33:30] award Laura gretner worked on this award
[1:33:34] all by herself
[1:33:36] when when covet first hit and we had
[1:33:40] various instances where employees had to
[1:33:42] be quarantined a lot of my employees
[1:33:45] chose to do special projects while they
[1:33:47] were at home instead of using sick time
[1:33:50] or or are not getting paid so Laura
[1:33:53] worked on this project a couple of years
[1:33:55] ago and she did a great job she did a
[1:33:58] fabulous job the first year we knew that
[1:34:01] we weren't qualified to earn this award
[1:34:03] uh if we issued it late but the second
[1:34:06] year we we did Issue at one time and she did a fantastic job with it we hope
[1:34:13] to see some improvements in the future
[1:34:15] we're going to send it to the
[1:34:16] Communications Department let them put
[1:34:19] some nice graphics and make it a little
[1:34:21] bit more attractive which is designed to
[1:34:23] get more people involved to read the
[1:34:25] document but following earning all these
[1:34:28] Awards and following these best
[1:34:29] practices I started to say this earlier
[1:34:32] has really benefited the city of
[1:34:35] Lafayette also when I came 12 years ago
[1:34:38] the city of Lafayette had eight million
[1:34:42] dollars in their general fund they used
[1:34:44] 50 percent of their fund ballots and
[1:34:48] they only had 15 days worth of operating
[1:34:52] money in that general fund following
[1:34:55] these best practices including all this
[1:34:58] additional information in our financial
[1:35:00] statements and in our budgets bring this to your attention each year
[1:35:05] several times a year and with the help
[1:35:08] of the councils we were able to increase
[1:35:10] that fund balance to almost 70 million
[1:35:14] dollars where it is today and it's a
[1:35:16] nice good strong healthy fund balance so
[1:35:18] the city really did pay off by us
[1:35:21] working and earning these Awards because
[1:35:23] it provides more transparency and more
[1:35:25] information so I'm really proud to have
[1:35:28] led the team to do this it's not my work
[1:35:31] it's the team's work the employees are
[1:35:33] proud of it just just as I am and I know
[1:35:36] that they're going to continue to work
[1:35:38] for these Awards so I'm just happy that
[1:35:40] I was here to get to tell you that we
[1:35:43] finally earned the Triple Crown so
[1:35:47] thank you
[1:35:54] sister
[1:35:55] just us let's go down and take a picture
[1:35:58] we're going to come down
[1:36:38] foreign
[1:37:15] it should be
[1:37:20] I didn't turn them off
[1:37:22] I think we're good thank you for that I
[1:37:25] think the ca have turned my mic off
[1:37:28] I should have let in with this I want to
[1:37:30] thank everybody for taking the time to
[1:37:32] be with us it's always rewarding when we
[1:37:34] have such a big crowd at council meeting
[1:37:35] so thank you for making the time to be
[1:37:37] with us I know the council appreciates
[1:37:39] and values your input I know I certainly
[1:37:41] do the administration to us so thank you
[1:37:42] for that I know everyone's busy second
[1:37:44] thing and the last but certainly not
[1:37:46] least it is um
[1:37:49] it's a sad night because the lady behind
[1:37:52] us the lady that you just saw our CFO
[1:37:54] our Chief Financial Officer is retiring
[1:37:57] from Lafayette consolidated government
[1:37:59] Miss Laurie toups and she has served our
[1:38:02] community for 12 years she's also had
[1:38:04] some experience in other other
[1:38:06] government bodies and she's eligible to
[1:38:08] retire and she's going to spend some
[1:38:09] time with her family and I'm the third
[1:38:12] mayor president that she's served with
[1:38:14] three administrations multiple councils
[1:38:16] and you know I'll tell you I've learned
[1:38:19] so much from all our directors learned
[1:38:21] so much from our employees more than 2
[1:38:22] 000 employees I really do not think that
[1:38:25] there is a director or a teammate that I
[1:38:28] have that I've learned more from than
[1:38:30] Lori tubes and and I mean that and on
[1:38:33] the first day of office January 6 2020 I
[1:38:36] sat down newly elected mayor president
[1:38:39] never been in office before sat around
[1:38:40] these very learned and experienced
[1:38:43] directors and I'm going to each one
[1:38:45] saying okay now look we're going to
[1:38:46] change the culture we're going to find a
[1:38:47] way to say yes we're going to find
[1:38:48] sometimes you you got to say no I get it
[1:38:50] but we're going to have good customer
[1:38:52] service things like that and I went
[1:38:53] around and I stopped at Lori I said
[1:38:56] except you you say no if you say no
[1:39:00] we're shutting it down and she has done
[1:39:02] an excellent job of protecting the
[1:39:05] finances of our wonderful City in Parish
[1:39:07] I mean you saw the example the fund
[1:39:09] balance couldn't do it with our
[1:39:10] teammates here and look both councils
[1:39:12] and um just Lori you're going to be
[1:39:14] missed she's a very modest person she
[1:39:17] probably doesn't even like she's
[1:39:18] probably cringing back there with me
[1:39:20] saying all this but our government is in
[1:39:23] such such a better position now than um and it wasn't bad when she took
[1:39:28] over but it's it's much better now than
[1:39:29] it was when you when you did take the
[1:39:32] position of CFO we love you we
[1:39:34] appreciate you and we'll have a lot more
[1:39:35] to say tomorrow at your retirement
[1:39:36] ceremony so thank you and if you could
[1:39:38] please join me around Applause to send
[1:39:40] off our CFO
[1:39:41] [Applause]
[1:39:48] thank you Mr chair I appreciate the time
[1:39:54] certainly hey moving on uh executive
[1:39:58] session Cindy please read
[1:40:01] wow Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[1:40:03] Government versus Eugene and Beverly
[1:40:05] leday 15th Judicial District Court
[1:40:08] docket number 2021 2502 division F state
[1:40:12] of Louisiana Parish of Lafayette hey
[1:40:14] Paul could you please give us uh the
[1:40:16] reasoning for going into executive
[1:40:18] session yes sir Mr chairman this matter
[1:40:20] involves pending litigation in which lcg
[1:40:22] is a party and because of the nature of
[1:40:25] the claims and defenses asserted it's my
[1:40:28] opinion that discussion of litigation
[1:40:30] and Open Session will have a detrimental
[1:40:31] effect on the litigation or bargaining
[1:40:33] position of lcg for that reason it's my
[1:40:36] opinion that an executive session is
[1:40:38] permissible and appropriate for
[1:40:39] discussion of the litigation and I
[1:40:42] recommend that the council go into
[1:40:43] executive session for that purpose
[1:40:46] I have a motion by councilman Narcan a
[1:40:49] second by councilwoman a bear uh Miss
[1:40:51] arson only public comments yes sir call
[1:40:54] for the vote to go in the executive
[1:40:56] session Mr
[1:40:57] yes District yes District 3
[1:41:10] . we will be back shortly
[1:41:15] hopefully
[1:43:39] foreign
[1:44:14] you know
[1:44:59] foreign
[1:46:49] at this point I'll entertain a motion to
[1:46:51] return from executive session
[1:46:54] moved by councilwoman Cooks second by
[1:46:56] councilwoman a bear
[1:46:58] there's Austin only public comments no
[1:47:01] sir call for the vote to return from
[1:47:03] executive session District Two
[1:47:09] oh District three yes District Four yes
[1:47:12] District Five yes District One
[1:47:15] yeah
[1:47:25] the motion to return from executive
[1:47:27] session is approved
[1:47:32] okay at this point entertain a motion
[1:47:34] and a second to accept legal's
[1:47:36] recommendation
[1:47:38] in this matter moved by councilwoman a
[1:47:40] bear second by councilwoman cook Miss
[1:47:43] Arkansas Public comments no sir call for
[1:47:46] the vote Mr three yes Bishop floor yes
[1:47:49] District Five
[1:47:50] yes district one yeah Mr
[1:47:54] District to accept legal recommendation
[1:47:56] is approved
[1:47:58] this is a public hearing and speaker
[1:48:00] sheets are available for anyone wishing
[1:48:02] to address the council the three-minute
[1:48:04] rule will apply Cindy please read City
[1:48:06] resolution 12023 a resolution of the
[1:48:09] Lafayette city council authorizing a
[1:48:11] submission of an application with
[1:48:13] Louisiana Highway Safety commission for
[1:48:15] a fiscal year 2024 overtime Traffic
[1:48:18] Safety enforcement grant for the
[1:48:20] Lafayette Police Department
[1:48:23] move by councilwoman Cooks second by
[1:48:25] councilman Lewis
[1:48:29] any Council discussion
[1:48:31] any public comments no sir call for the
[1:48:34] vote District Four yes District Five
[1:48:37] yes district one yes District Two yes
[1:48:41] District three yeah promotion to adopt
[1:48:44] is approved joint resolution 2 2023 a
[1:48:47] resolution of the Lafayette city council
[1:48:48] granting a waiver of an exemption from
[1:48:51] the requirements of section
[1:48:54] 6-36a1 on the Lafayette City Parish
[1:48:57] Consolidated Government code of
[1:48:58] ordinances relative to the holding of an
[1:49:00] alcohol beverage license at the premises
[1:49:02] of La Debs La Debs LLC establishment to
[1:49:07] be operated at 2201 Moss Street in the
[1:49:09] city of Lafayette Louisiana
[1:49:14] motion by councilwoman a bear second by
[1:49:17] councilman nikan
[1:49:19] any Council discussion
[1:49:22] Ms Arsen only public comment no sir
[1:49:25] oh
[1:49:26] uh let me
[1:49:30] know I understand that this um
[1:49:39] all right this Lounge is basically
[1:49:42] directed across the street from an early
[1:49:45] school or Early Childhood school is that
[1:49:47] correct
[1:49:48] is Mayor still here
[1:49:51] but but there's no opposition
[1:49:54] okay all right
[1:49:56] that's correct and dollars operation
[1:49:59] don't conflict so no no no no actually
[1:50:03] I'm sorry but there's no opposition at
[1:50:05] all just an ownership change and there's
[1:50:08] no conflict of ours or anything that's
[1:50:10] one of the good things about it
[1:50:11] everything as I appreciate is saying in
[1:50:13] order it's literally just an ownership
[1:50:14] change which triggers a new permit
[1:50:16] that's correct thank you so much yes I'm
[1:50:19] done
[1:50:20] you still want a pet
[1:50:23] you want to cancel out
[1:50:26] okay uh we have a motion in a second
[1:50:32] uh any public comments yes Sirens call
[1:50:35] for the vote District Five
[1:50:37] yes District One
[1:50:40] District team yes District three
[1:50:42] District Four yes the motion to adopt is
[1:50:45] approved
[1:50:46] ordinances for final adoption this is a
[1:50:49] public hearing and speaker sheets are
[1:50:50] available for anyone wishing to address
[1:50:52] the council a three-minute rule will
[1:50:54] apply Cindy please read City Ordinance
[1:50:57] one 2023 in order to Lafayette city
[1:50:59] council authorizing the Lafayette City
[1:51:01] Parish Consolidated Government to sell
[1:51:03] 33 Glock 22 Gen 4 handguns with
[1:51:06] magazines and four o'clock 35 Gen 4
[1:51:08] handguns with magazines which are no
[1:51:10] longer needed for public purposes to
[1:51:12] practical Tactical clothing and gear
[1:51:14] Incorporated LLC for a total bid price
[1:51:17] of nine thousand ninety nine dollars as
[1:51:19] for the attach the list guns
[1:51:23] promotion by councilwoman Cooks second
[1:51:25] by councilman I can any Council
[1:51:27] discussion
[1:51:29] any public comments no sir call for the
[1:51:32] vote District One
[1:51:33] yes District Two yes District three yes
[1:51:36] District Four yes five
[1:51:39] yes the motion to adopt is approved city
[1:51:42] ordinance 3 2023
[1:51:45] in order to the Lafayette city council
[1:51:47] and meaning the Lafayette development
[1:51:48] code so as to reclassify their property
[1:51:50] of case number01
[1:51:53] 2022.0037 811 Benoit falgoo Drive
[1:51:56] rezoning located generally north of
[1:51:59] Martin Luther King Jr Drive West of
[1:52:01] North San Antoine Street and south of
[1:52:03] Interstate 10 being rezoned from
[1:52:06] residential mix to mixed-use
[1:52:07] Neighborhood
[1:52:10] motion my councilwoman a bear second by
[1:52:13] councilman Lewis
[1:52:14] uh Council discussion councilman lures
[1:52:17] you up yes this is the uh item right
[1:52:20] there that um I want to make Amendment
[1:52:24] okay from makes neighborhood to CMM
[1:52:27] commercial mix uh the gentleman that
[1:52:30] he's here now he has a few the residents
[1:52:32] live around that at all
[1:52:34] supporting his uh rezoning I mean you
[1:52:37] know for the amendment uh right there we
[1:52:40] talked you just mentioning where it is
[1:52:41] it's on San Antonio
[1:52:43] it's a major road in fact North San
[1:52:46] Antoine will be passing right on the sun
[1:52:47] right on the side of there it'll be a
[1:52:50] good investment for him he's interested
[1:52:51] in putting a restaurant there a short
[1:52:53] order areas laundromat would have you
[1:52:55] and the way it is right now with the
[1:52:57] Zone they have he cannot do that so I'm
[1:52:59] asking the you got to support my
[1:53:01] constituent you have people there how
[1:53:03] many is here now to uh and support what
[1:53:05] you want to do so all these people live
[1:53:07] in that neighborhood is would like to
[1:53:08] support so
[1:53:10] unless y'all would like to speak to him
[1:53:11] I would ask your God to support this
[1:53:13] reason uh this rezone
[1:53:19] okay did we get a motion on the
[1:53:21] amendment or I think we got emotional
[1:53:23] got a motion in a second
[1:53:32] we're erroneously put on your chair
[1:53:35] agenda just to be clear and further
[1:53:37] official record in the viewing audience
[1:53:39] is to change the zoning designation from
[1:53:41] m in mixed-use neighborhood to
[1:53:44] commercial mixed so it's it's from
[1:53:48] mixed-use neighborhood
[1:53:50] okay but that was an error on the
[1:53:52] staff's part okay thank you at this
[1:53:55] point I'll entertain a motion on the
[1:53:58] amendment am I correct
[1:54:03] second by councilwoman cook
[1:54:07] any discounts or discussion on the
[1:54:09] amendment
[1:54:12] Miss arson I need public comments on the
[1:54:14] amendment
[1:54:15] we do have people sign in speaker signed
[1:54:18] in to speak and I'm not sure you'll get
[1:54:21] an opportunity to speak on the ordinance
[1:54:23] in a few minutes but the question the
[1:54:26] chair is asking are there any public
[1:54:28] comments with reference to the amendment
[1:54:30] changing it from mixed-use neighborhood
[1:54:33] to commercial uh
[1:54:35] commercial mixed to commercial mix if
[1:54:38] you would like to speak to the amendment
[1:54:40] only that Amendment you may speak to
[1:54:44] that Amendment you could come forward
[1:54:46] I'm gonna give you an opportunity though
[1:54:48] if you signed in in a few minutes to
[1:54:49] speak to the actual ordinance in its
[1:54:51] entirety
[1:54:53] no speakers Mr chair no speakers okay
[1:54:55] call uh call for the vote uh to amend
[1:54:59] District Two yes District three
[1:55:02] District Court yes District Five
[1:55:06] yes district one yes the motion
[1:55:09] tournament is approved
[1:55:16] so at this point uh I don't understand a
[1:55:19] motion on the Ordnance as amended
[1:55:22] um is that you will get you could start
[1:55:25] comments from the Council on the
[1:55:27] ordinance as amended and then you would
[1:55:29] get public comment on the ordinance as
[1:55:30] amended okay
[1:55:32] Council discussion
[1:55:34] only ordinance as amended
[1:55:36] any public comments yes sir we do have
[1:55:39] speakers signed in as amended yes sir we
[1:55:42] do have two speakers who did not wish to
[1:55:45] speak in support of the ordinance we do
[1:55:48] have uh three speakers signed in to
[1:55:50] speak tonight the first of which is
[1:55:52] Claude Alexander III
[1:55:55] you could come forward sir and he will
[1:55:57] be followed by Anthony reddix
[1:56:03] good evening board members my name is
[1:56:07] Claude Alexander III
[1:56:09] alone my wife Yvonne Alexander we've
[1:56:12] been married for over 20 years and we've
[1:56:15] been staying at the residence of 241
[1:56:17] townhome Loop for over 15 years
[1:56:20] I would like to thank y'all council
[1:56:23] members once again
[1:56:24] for allowing me to speak about my
[1:56:27] concern about my property at 811 been
[1:56:29] where I fell got ruled that I purchased
[1:56:31] last year
[1:56:33] and resorting it to become a business
[1:56:36] area
[1:56:38] I intend to have a small business such
[1:56:41] as a store
[1:56:43] Washateria shot all the restaurant
[1:56:45] selling food and also planning on having
[1:56:49] a summer program for the kids
[1:56:52] but in order for me to do that
[1:56:54] I come to my board members for help
[1:56:58] and asking y'all to change it from in
[1:57:01] one to cm1
[1:57:04] by starting a business
[1:57:07] here
[1:57:08] will also show younger entrepreneurs
[1:57:12] that dig can be successful legally
[1:57:15] I would serve as an example of a
[1:57:18] law-abody citizen
[1:57:20] by doing good things in my neighborhood
[1:57:24] and Community the right way
[1:57:28] this will show my children and others
[1:57:32] that our community and perishing wants
[1:57:36] everybody
[1:57:37] to have an equal chance to succeed
[1:57:40] regardless of your race
[1:57:43] in religion
[1:57:45] and I want to thank y'all once again for
[1:57:47] your time
[1:57:49] and wishing that y'all can hear me out
[1:57:52] to try to make a change and to start
[1:57:55] something new thank you sir
[1:58:02] next speakers Anthony redicks followed
[1:58:05] by tonito B Cole the final speaker
[1:58:17] good evening Council thank you and
[1:58:20] uh audience I like to say I'm in support
[1:58:24] of uh just rezoning it could be better
[1:58:27] for the neighborhood as well as for all
[1:58:30] those who are coming by to see that
[1:58:32] because the passing Road and I believe
[1:58:34] that it will help the residents because
[1:58:36] I've been here for about two and a half
[1:58:38] years now and uh my family members have
[1:58:41] been in that house for quite some time
[1:58:43] and we believe that it will help the
[1:58:45] neighborhood you know raise up you know
[1:58:47] from where it's always been it's time to
[1:58:49] try to improve things and I believe this
[1:58:51] gentleman here can do that with what
[1:58:53] he's trying to do I want to thank you
[1:58:55] all for giving him the opportunity to
[1:58:57] try to revitalize this neighborhood
[1:58:58] because this neighborhood sometimes can
[1:59:00] be a little touchy but I believe it's
[1:59:02] going in the right direction so I want
[1:59:04] to thank you all Council and uh those
[1:59:07] who are in support of this uh rezoning
[1:59:09] thank you have a pleasant day
[1:59:15] a tornado be cold
[1:59:17] and if I pronounce your first name
[1:59:19] incorrectly I apologize
[1:59:22] and as he comes up I I just found a
[1:59:25] whole stack of course there there were
[1:59:27] nine citizens who did not wish to speak
[1:59:29] who's in attendance who signed in and
[1:59:31] supported the ordinance
[1:59:33] good evening Council my name is tanito
[1:59:35] Arco Raphael and I also like to thank
[1:59:38] you and thank the community for
[1:59:40] supporting Mr Alexander I myself also
[1:59:43] think it's a great idea that he has came
[1:59:45] up with to do this and like the
[1:59:47] gentleman said earlier and the mayor
[1:59:50] said earlier it'll show the younger
[1:59:52] generation of children and newer
[1:59:55] entrepreneurs that we may develop that's
[1:59:57] going to look at him and see there is
[1:59:59] opportunity there because a lot of
[2:00:01] people pass through and pass by and they
[2:00:04] never see opportunity they only look up
[2:00:06] to the opportunity that is illegally
[2:00:08] gained he's doing it on a legal system
[2:00:11] and it's so wonderful to see that you
[2:00:14] all are giving him that chance because a
[2:00:17] lot of times we are denied and we are
[2:00:20] happy to see that that change is here
[2:00:22] and being that it is Black History Month
[2:00:25] this young man has come and stepped up
[2:00:28] and we really appreciate that
[2:00:30] opportunity that you have given them and
[2:00:32] he and his wife have been there and they
[2:00:35] are such a great support to the
[2:00:37] community and I just feel myself since
[2:00:40] I've known him I've been here since 1993
[2:00:42] I'm from Oakdale Louisiana so I'm an
[2:00:44] implant but I love the community I fell
[2:00:46] in love with Lafayette fell in love with
[2:00:48] my wife here with the USL here then they
[2:00:51] changed it to UL yeah so it's just
[2:00:54] wonderful being in this community and it
[2:00:57] also feels great to see everyone here in
[2:01:00] support of him and I just would like to
[2:01:02] continue to have people come up and come
[2:01:06] up with new ideas and keep our community
[2:01:09] thriving and that's the whole point of
[2:01:11] this neighborly love Community love
[2:01:14] Lafayette love so thank you again for
[2:01:16] his opportunity and have a wonderful
[2:01:18] night thanks for the letting this be
[2:01:19] thank you
[2:01:21] [Applause]
[2:01:24] no other speakers Mr chair yeah
[2:01:28] oh no thank you Mr chair uh I just want
[2:01:31] to say I know everybody up here I'm sure
[2:01:34] supports it but I want to thank Mr
[2:01:37] Claude
[2:01:38] for bringing this forward and doing
[2:01:40] something in this neighborhood
[2:01:43] his residence backs up to this property
[2:01:46] and the change he's already made and
[2:01:49] hasn't even broke ground yet is
[2:01:51] tremendous he has done so much just to
[2:01:53] clean up the property that's there if
[2:01:55] you look next door to where it was it's
[2:01:57] a mess it's it's a trash collection but
[2:02:01] where his property is what he has done
[2:02:03] to clean that up it's like night and day
[2:02:05] it literally look at what he's done
[2:02:07] versus right next door of the lot it's
[2:02:09] just like night and day so Claude I want
[2:02:11] to thank you for taking the chance and
[2:02:13] moving forward with this and showing
[2:02:16] people there's opportunity out there I
[2:02:18] used to work with Carter I had to
[2:02:20] confess and I've been knowing him for
[2:02:21] quite a few years and he's always been a
[2:02:23] man of integrity and uh and I know this
[2:02:26] will be a successful business down the
[2:02:28] road and thank you for bringing that to
[2:02:30] our community and to your neighborhood
[2:02:32] quote take care and I wish you luck with
[2:02:34] him thank you
[2:02:40] I just like to add that when when this
[2:02:43] road was originally built there have
[2:02:46] been talk for years about building
[2:02:48] Service Roads along the interstate uh in
[2:02:51] Lafayette and opening up these
[2:02:54] undeveloped tracks of land for
[2:02:56] development and and and this road
[2:02:58] basically serves as the service road for
[2:03:03] I-10
[2:03:04] that's that that's why it was built in
[2:03:08] the first place
[2:03:09] so Claude I certainly uh want to thank
[2:03:12] you for for and I know you live there so we know it's going to be a wonderful
[2:03:17] project because you're not going to
[2:03:18] build something that's going to have a
[2:03:20] detrimental effect on your personal
[2:03:21] property
[2:03:23] and it's going to have a negative impact
[2:03:24] on your family in your neighborhood so I
[2:03:26] certainly want to Echo uh the
[2:03:29] compliments and and thank you and wish
[2:03:31] you the best and success moving forward
[2:03:34] all right that being said we'll call for
[2:03:36] a vote from the Council on the to adopt
[2:03:39] the ordinance as amended District three
[2:03:42] yes
[2:03:46] the fun District Two yes the motion to
[2:03:49] adopt as amended is approved
[2:03:52] the ordinance
[2:03:54] [Applause]
[2:04:01] city ordinance for 2023 in Orange of the
[2:04:03] Lafayette city council and meaning to
[2:04:05] Lafayette development code so I asked to
[2:04:06] reclassify the property of case number
[2:04:08] zero in
[2:04:10] 2022.0047 224 North College Road
[2:04:13] rezoning located generally north of Mill
[2:04:16] Boulevard East of North College Road and
[2:04:19] south of West Clement Street being
[2:04:21] resumed from residential single family
[2:04:22] to mcsuse Neighborhood
[2:04:25] most of my councilwoman ain't there
[2:04:26] second by councilman Lewis any Council
[2:04:28] discussion
[2:04:30] any public comments no sir call for the
[2:04:32] vote District three you
[2:04:34] yes
[2:04:36] district one yeah District Two yes the
[2:04:39] motion to adopt is approved City
[2:04:41] Ordnance 5 2023 in order to Lafayette
[2:04:44] city council amending the Lafayette
[2:04:46] development code so as a reclassified
[2:04:48] case number 01
[2:04:50] 2022-0048 569 North Pierce Street and
[2:04:53] 125 Gulf Street administrative rezoning
[2:04:56] located generally north of Madeline
[2:04:58] Avenue West of North Pier Street and
[2:05:01] South of West Gilman Road mean resume
[2:05:04] from industrial Light to residential
[2:05:06] single family
[2:05:07] uh moved by councilman I can't second by
[2:05:11] councilwoman cook any Council discussion
[2:05:13] any public comments yes sir call for the
[2:05:16] vote District Four yes District Five yes
[2:05:18] district one yes District Two yes
[2:05:21] District three yes
[2:05:23] the motion turned off is approved City
[2:05:25] oriented 6 2023 in order to the
[2:05:28] Lafayette city council authorizing the
[2:05:29] Lafayette mayor president to enter into
[2:05:31] a Cooperative Endeavor agreement between
[2:05:33] the city of Lafayette American Legion
[2:05:36] Post Number 241 and its auxiliary
[2:05:39] members buy and through the Louisiana
[2:05:41] Department of the American Legion and
[2:05:44] Amvets Louisiana 2007 relative to the
[2:05:47] operation of a Lafayette Veterans Center
[2:05:51] moved by councilwoman a bear second by
[2:05:54] councilman knocking
[2:05:57] there's a proposed amendment to correct
[2:05:59] the municipal address for the Lafayette
[2:06:01] Veterans Center from 5 25 to 527
[2:06:05] Evangeline drive as well as a requests
[2:06:09] to defer
[2:06:13] at this point I'll entertain a motion
[2:06:17] and a second to amend
[2:06:19] and we'll have a brief conversation on the uh proposed deferral
[2:06:36] most of my accounts a woman a bear
[2:06:39] second by councilwoman cook
[2:06:43] any Council discussion on the amendment
[2:06:46] say bear Europe
[2:06:49] we can go to the vote go to vote sorry
[2:06:50] go oh yeah go to the vote yeah okay
[2:06:59] yes we did have one speaker signed in
[2:07:03] um so we want to see if uh Rudy if you
[2:07:06] would like to speak to that Amendment
[2:07:07] which only corrects the address from 525
[2:07:10] to 527 but you will get the opportunity
[2:07:13] yeah
[2:07:15] okay okay
[2:07:18] so no speakers Mr chair
[2:07:22] man
[2:07:23] okay
[2:07:25] so we call for a vote on the amendment
[2:07:28] yes sir
[2:07:29] pick five
[2:07:31] yes district one yes District Two yeah
[2:07:34] District three yes yes District Four yes the motion sermon the address from
[2:07:39] 525 to 527 Evangeline Drive is approved
[2:07:46] be where I go through
[2:07:51] okay we are back to the ordinance as
[2:07:54] amended ordinance as amended Council
[2:07:56] discussion Council discussion
[2:08:00] you
[2:08:01] uh mayor president peaches at a bunch
[2:08:05] okay
[2:08:11] thank you Mr chair I just want to say we
[2:08:15] have several gentlemen in the audience
[2:08:16] that worked very hard on this uh even
[2:08:18] before this Administration this Council
[2:08:20] so I just want to tell these gentlemen
[2:08:22] thank you for all your efforts thank you
[2:08:24] for what you do I know the intent behind
[2:08:26] the Lafayette Veterans building
[2:08:28] essentially is what it would um would be
[2:08:30] referred to as is to impart Bridge a gap
[2:08:34] you know as a veteran I can tell you and
[2:08:35] especially someone that's gone overseas
[2:08:37] we appreciate the VA appreciate the VA
[2:08:39] system but there there is a gap and if
[2:08:42] it wasn't for local leaders such as this
[2:08:45] particular post and the other American
[2:08:46] Legion posts and the other veteran
[2:08:48] associations a lot of our veterans
[2:08:50] community would be lacking needs and
[2:08:52] sometimes it's it's as easy as just
[2:08:54] walking a veteran through the process
[2:08:56] other times it's it's going to advocate
[2:08:58] for them so we have we're very fortunate
[2:09:01] to have a vacant building in our city
[2:09:03] the city owns it it's just sitting there
[2:09:05] so very thankful for this particular
[2:09:07] organization to step up and and and take
[2:09:09] the lead and carry the Battle Flag for
[2:09:11] us
[2:09:12] um I can understand the council would
[2:09:14] have questions uh our Deputy Chief of
[2:09:16] Staff Jamie on Joe is in the audience uh
[2:09:18] he's actually taken point from the
[2:09:20] administration's standpoint I know he's
[2:09:22] spoken to several council members so I
[2:09:24] would I would ask that we not delay uh
[2:09:26] this is a very vital service to our
[2:09:28] community especially our veterans
[2:09:29] community and um Jamie possibly could
[2:09:31] answer any questions that the council
[2:09:33] may have of course I always respect your will if you do decide to defer we
[2:09:37] will do our best to answer questions in
[2:09:38] that time period and I thank you for
[2:09:40] your consideration
[2:09:42] thank you
[2:09:45] no I mean that I obviously support this
[2:09:48] project Rudy reached out and whenever we
[2:09:50] first got into office on this term and
[2:09:52] he's informed me he's worked with a
[2:09:54] couple of administrations trying to get
[2:09:55] this off the ground so thank you for
[2:09:57] that Rudy for all your work in the
[2:09:58] administration for taking and running it
[2:10:00] within Jamie I know you worked
[2:10:02] tirelessly on this
[2:10:04] um I did have a couple of uh veterans
[2:10:06] groups reach out to me wishing that they
[2:10:09] could have brought in been brought in or
[2:10:10] on the early days of the conversation
[2:10:12] but once we sort of explained uh the
[2:10:15] intent and what this is meant to be for
[2:10:17] they were completely on board they just
[2:10:19] asked moving forward let's bring every
[2:10:21] all the different groups of the table
[2:10:22] which I I will get with I'll share their
[2:10:25] numbers with you Rudy and with Jamie to
[2:10:27] make sure that they're involved and then
[2:10:29] we're also having discussions about the
[2:10:31] Veterans Day Parade that we had never
[2:10:34] realized we didn't have an official
[2:10:35] Veterans Day Parade in Lafayette so
[2:10:37] we're working on that this year as well
[2:10:38] so I look forward to a lot of
[2:10:40] collaborations between all the groups
[2:10:42] and I asked everyone to support this
[2:10:46] thank you and thank you again to the
[2:10:47] administration
[2:10:51] anyone else
[2:10:52] okay so when when I well first of all uh
[2:10:57] I am certainly in support of any
[2:11:00] services that are provided to Veterans
[2:11:02] being one myself okay so let's get that
[2:11:06] out front Okay and uh when I originally
[2:11:10] uh made the request to defer
[2:11:14] it was actually at the request of some
[2:11:18] of the other veterans group that
[2:11:20] councilwoman a bear uh references uh
[2:11:26] because a they had no knowledge of it
[2:11:29] and and B didn't have a voice
[2:11:32] in the conversation and the services
[2:11:34] that that would be offered at this
[2:11:38] facility so had nothing to do with being
[2:11:41] opposed to you all gentlemen or to or to
[2:11:46] this facility
[2:11:48] I'm a strong advocate for services for
[2:11:51] veterans and in fact I'm a part of
[2:11:55] the organization
[2:11:57] uh volunteer veterans serving others
[2:12:01] that's proposing to do
[2:12:04] the uh the upcoming parade
[2:12:07] and have a meeting scheduled with the
[2:12:09] mayor president on tomorrow I understand
[2:12:11] at one o'clock tomorrow
[2:12:13] so let's get that straight up front
[2:12:17] um
[2:12:19] so that that was the that that was the
[2:12:23] reason
[2:12:25] for my requests
[2:12:27] for the deferral so I was you know
[2:12:30] acting on behalf of
[2:12:32] actually some other veterans groups so I
[2:12:35] do have a couple of questions though
[2:12:38] uh but but I'll defer to
[2:12:42] no go ahead no you go
[2:12:47] okay uh
[2:12:52] Rudy I don't mean to put you on the spot
[2:12:53] but can you come up please
[2:12:55] okay
[2:13:03] either one they're both hot
[2:13:09] if if if you need both uh can you please
[2:13:12] introduce yourself and yes sir which
[2:13:14] wouldn't happen too
[2:13:16] um Rudolph Anthony Rudy Borg senior uh
[2:13:19] sir 21 and a half years in the Army I
[2:13:21] was put out the service due to an
[2:13:22] accident that compounded injuries
[2:13:24] received in Vietnam on my second tour
[2:13:26] and uh after coming home I found out
[2:13:29] that
[2:13:30] I was shortchanged thirty percent of my
[2:13:33] service connected disability for about
[2:13:34] three and a half years
[2:13:36] and thanks to an elderly gentleman who
[2:13:38] was same thing happened to him many
[2:13:41] years before
[2:13:42] he found out about it and he helped me
[2:13:45] and after that we started working
[2:13:46] helping other veterans who were
[2:13:48] shortchanged on their benefits and since
[2:13:50] then I know I've been doing that since
[2:13:51] 1983.
[2:13:54] okay I retired from uh local government
[2:13:56] actually City Parish government with 18
[2:14:00] years in Paris and City Paris government
[2:14:02] in 2002 and uh I helped for me actually
[2:14:07] I wrote a grant for Saint Michael's
[2:14:10] homeless veteran shelter where the St
[2:14:12] John men's shelter is sure and we have a
[2:14:15] 12 bed facility there and getting ready
[2:14:17] to add to it yes sir and we had a 24 bed
[2:14:21] approval then right but the diocese did
[2:14:24] not want that much responsibility at the
[2:14:26] time
[2:14:27] so I thought that if they didn't want to
[2:14:30] care for enough of the homeless vets I
[2:14:32] go elsewhere and try to help veterans
[2:14:33] and that's what I did
[2:14:35] so I'm here and about 10 to 12 years ago
[2:14:40] I got with Mr Joey Darrell their
[2:14:43] president then and he in his second term
[2:14:46] he said Rudy you're right we need a
[2:14:48] veteran facility where we can help
[2:14:50] veterans file for their claims not not
[2:14:52] to take over from the Louisiana
[2:14:53] Department of Veterans Affairs
[2:14:55] but to help them formulate get the
[2:14:58] information they they needed to be able
[2:15:01] to process their claim and get their
[2:15:03] compensation that's that's rightfully
[2:15:04] theirs
[2:15:06] because having served for 14 years on
[2:15:09] the Louisiana Department of Veterans
[2:15:10] Affairs and six of those years as
[2:15:12] chairman for the state I found out that
[2:15:15] our vax in all the 64 parishes they do a
[2:15:18] good job
[2:15:20] but they don't take the patience to work
[2:15:23] with that veteran that serves some 10 20
[2:15:26] 30 years earlier
[2:15:28] where I do I'm 80 years old and I'm
[2:15:31] still going strong
[2:15:32] okay and so
[2:15:35] having worked on this for the last 10 or
[2:15:37] 12 years having worked on this for three
[2:15:39] administrations uh I'm here to answer
[2:15:41] any questions you may have
[2:15:43] we formed on the
[2:15:45] 12 years ago we formed a veterans
[2:15:48] advisory committee to Merit Darrell
[2:15:52] and that that included all six veteran
[2:15:56] organizations that does not have a
[2:15:58] building or a home to meet at
[2:16:00] and we started looking
[2:16:02] two years later when uh someone and
[2:16:05] administration wrote a letter to the VA
[2:16:07] Hospital sentiment said they could not
[2:16:09] get any additional space at the War
[2:16:13] Memorial building which I was involved
[2:16:15] in that as well
[2:16:17] we asked mayor Darrell if we could have
[2:16:20] the the VA side of it just that VA
[2:16:22] portion to do a veteran Center and a
[2:16:25] homeless and not a homeless but a
[2:16:28] veteran service center and a veteran
[2:16:30] meeting place at the same time for these
[2:16:32] five six organizations that did not own
[2:16:34] a home
[2:16:35] and we've been looking ever since okay
[2:16:38] and you know I'll gladly tell you the
[2:16:41] all the organization that was part of
[2:16:43] this committee and advisory to Mayor
[2:16:45] Darrell's committee and D Stanley who
[2:16:47] was the CAO at the time
[2:16:49] uh but when we came down to this
[2:16:52] situation here when I spoke to the mayor
[2:16:55] president uh Josh
[2:16:58] he asked with veteran organizations
[2:17:00] you're looking at that would have you
[2:17:01] know meeting place what are you going to
[2:17:03] do as far as helping veterans get how
[2:17:05] many hours a week you're going to do to
[2:17:07] help veterans get their service
[2:17:08] connection disability and their comp I
[2:17:11] told him as much as necessary if it's
[2:17:13] five days a week we would help them five
[2:17:15] days a week
[2:17:16] there's three of us that have been
[2:17:17] processing claims anywhere from 10 to 32
[2:17:21] years
[2:17:22] and we will be there to help these
[2:17:24] veterans get their claims done as much
[2:17:25] as possible we will not lie for them
[2:17:28] we'll write the service that they did
[2:17:30] accordingly to their records
[2:17:34] and and I just feel that every veteran
[2:17:37] organization was asked if they wanted to
[2:17:38] participate
[2:17:39] the six veteran organizations were
[2:17:42] personally told by me they're commanders
[2:17:44] or or their secretary adjective as we
[2:17:46] call them and I said look we're going to
[2:17:48] have to have an insurance policy on this
[2:17:50] building
[2:17:51] first and foremost and probably other
[2:17:53] expenses it will be shared by every
[2:17:56] organization that's going to participate
[2:17:58] in that building
[2:18:00] two of the organizations rejected
[2:18:03] they said well why it's a city building
[2:18:05] well you know what we need to take care
[2:18:07] of our own as well okay and we get no
[2:18:09] compensation not one penny for what we
[2:18:12] do to help veterans
[2:18:14] and I'm proud to say that a veteran
[2:18:18] thanks the week of Thanksgiving in
[2:18:20] November
[2:18:21] received the check in Baton Rouge for
[2:18:23] 286 thousand dollars
[2:18:26] 14 years I've been helping that man
[2:18:30] and yes he did buy me a breakfast and a
[2:18:32] cup of coffee
[2:18:35] so I I would I would hope Mr chair that
[2:18:38] you and the council see fit not to defer
[2:18:41] because every every veteran organization
[2:18:44] knew what we were doing
[2:18:46] they decided yes or no if they wanted to
[2:18:48] participate with that you know their
[2:18:51] fair share of the responsibilities of
[2:18:53] cleaning the painting The paying of the
[2:18:55] bills that we needed to do
[2:18:59] so certainly uh certainly I'm very
[2:19:01] familiar with you
[2:19:03] and all the work that you have done uh
[2:19:06] in our community and in this area and I
[2:19:09] want to applaud you and everyone else
[2:19:11] affiliated with that so I want to thank
[2:19:14] you for that and applaud you for your
[2:19:16] services uh in that regard what are some
[2:19:20] of the services that will be provided at
[2:19:22] the uh at the center the main service
[2:19:24] center is going to be that when a
[2:19:25] veteran thinks that he has a disability
[2:19:27] compensation coming to him that he will
[2:19:29] come over there and talk to us matter of
[2:19:31] fact I met with a gentleman this morning
[2:19:33] uh at a diner I do that most of the time
[2:19:36] at restaurants or in cafes or at my
[2:19:38] house
[2:19:39] and it's just that I'm not as needed as
[2:19:42] my wife used to be and she passed away a
[2:19:44] year and a half ago so my house is not
[2:19:46] that clean as it should be when my wife
[2:19:49] took care of that part for us okay
[2:19:51] so that would be three days a week for
[2:19:54] sure we would have it listed post it
[2:19:57] talked about on AOC talk about here and
[2:20:00] say look we'll take a claim we'll review
[2:20:03] a claim for appeal or reconsideration
[2:20:05] whatever have you
[2:20:07] we have the three of us have knowledge
[2:20:10] that we do these these hearings we have
[2:20:12] knowledge on what agent orange covers
[2:20:15] what you know the pact act as they call
[2:20:17] the burn pit act does now I'm proud to
[2:20:21] say I'm wearing a red hat tonight for
[2:20:23] the American Legion but I've also
[2:20:24] belonged to the
[2:20:26] Disabled American Veterans special force
[2:20:29] Association Veterans of Foreign Wars and
[2:20:32] Amvets as well so it's going to be a
[2:20:35] Consolidated effort in many of those
[2:20:36] organizations that have an organization
[2:20:38] here but no home but you're going to get
[2:20:41] at least 24 to 30 hours a week out of
[2:20:43] the three of us voluntarily
[2:20:46] what we're going to do is we're going to
[2:20:47] take whatever the veteran comes to us
[2:20:50] and tells us that he needs we're going
[2:20:52] to look at his father we'll tell him
[2:20:53] what he has to go get how he has to get
[2:20:55] it and in many cases we're going to go
[2:20:58] ahead and do it for him if we can
[2:21:01] but that takes you know we got to put
[2:21:03] internet into the building as well uh
[2:21:05] you know telephone system in there so we
[2:21:08] have a number to go by so they're not
[2:21:09] going to call me 24 7.
[2:21:12] a lot of people are doing that now
[2:21:15] okay councilwoman cookie we're up oh
[2:21:17] thank you I just Rudy I I want to say
[2:21:20] thank you I mean I know you I've known
[2:21:21] you for some time now I know your heart
[2:21:23] and you are doing this you know like you
[2:21:25] said no compensation but you're doing
[2:21:27] this just out of the kindness of your
[2:21:29] heart because you're so dedicated to to
[2:21:31] these these group of individuals and and
[2:21:33] I think the concern was that it wasn't
[2:21:35] we weren't it wasn't inclusive of
[2:21:37] everyone but you have you have cleared
[2:21:40] that up I mean basically you have
[2:21:41] included all the veterans in the
[2:21:43] community oh six veterans and they have
[2:21:44] an opportunity to use the use the
[2:21:46] facility if they need to use the
[2:21:47] facility
[2:21:48] um and hopefully we'll contribute buy-in
[2:21:51] and contribute as well that's I know
[2:21:53] that's what you're looking for as well
[2:21:54] but well we did our fair share I got you
[2:21:56] in the military we covered each other's
[2:21:59] back
[2:22:00] but we also got paid by Uncle Sam right
[2:22:02] okay right here and we have to reach in
[2:22:04] our pocket
[2:22:06] and I think it's only fair and
[2:22:07] appropriate that every veteran
[2:22:09] organization pay the Spain same fair
[2:22:11] share amount
[2:22:13] you know I I guess it's not it's not
[2:22:15] rude it's building it's not Rudy's
[2:22:16] organization please understand that
[2:22:18] I've known Pat for 40 years okay uh how
[2:22:22] to think will tell him tell you the same
[2:22:24] thing I believe that we need to be
[2:22:27] equal and equally be fair to all
[2:22:30] veterans I think it's I think it's a
[2:22:33] good project and I think it's a good I
[2:22:34] like the idea that you will now have a
[2:22:36] space that you have a place to do what
[2:22:38] you've been doing for the last 30 years
[2:22:39] here and there you have a place to do it
[2:22:41] now so yeah I would ask I would I am in
[2:22:44] support of this I just uh thank you I
[2:22:46] want to thank you for doing it
[2:22:48] thank you councilman Lewis
[2:22:50] hello there Rudy how you been man it's
[2:22:52] been Obama been kicking not too high not
[2:22:55] too hard yeah so I want to feel a while
[2:22:57] so I just want to make sure I'm clear
[2:22:58] you see it reach out to all six six
[2:23:01] veteran organizations that do not have a
[2:23:03] home now even those veteran
[2:23:05] organizations that have a home those
[2:23:07] veterans and those posts as we call them
[2:23:10] were chapters they can come talk to us
[2:23:12] about their disability it's not a
[2:23:14] veteran function it's an individual
[2:23:16] function and that is the three days a
[2:23:19] week we do individual veterans who need
[2:23:21] assistance in a claim
[2:23:24] thank you that's it
[2:23:27] anything else any other Council
[2:23:29] discussion
[2:23:32] Mr chair before y'all make me sit down
[2:23:35] and shut up I want to say thank y'all
[2:23:37] because you know no it's just true uh
[2:23:40] you know but I I do have to have give
[2:23:42] kudos because having worked for a parish
[2:23:45] president for quite a few years and I
[2:23:48] couldn't I did not feel it would be
[2:23:49] appropriate to ask for a building then
[2:23:51] and although I was doing the same thing
[2:23:53] I'm doing now then but not as often uh
[2:23:56] working for the you for the
[2:23:59] administration I could not ask for a
[2:24:00] place so when I retired I asked Joey
[2:24:03] Darrell he was the next male President
[2:24:06] we had after I retired and have been
[2:24:08] doing it ever since but the thing is
[2:24:11] the last three Administrations
[2:24:14] the only one that stood up and said
[2:24:16] let's find you a building
[2:24:20] and he is a fellow veteran maybe he
[2:24:22] understood it better but you know what
[2:24:24] Walter Cuomo was a master guardsman uh
[2:24:28] Douglas straps was an Air Force member
[2:24:31] okay so we had mayor presidents and
[2:24:34] mayors that were veterans but we never
[2:24:36] got the help we needed okay
[2:24:38] this gentleman over here I don't know if
[2:24:41] he's a good mayor president you're going
[2:24:42] to have to tell me that okay but I'm
[2:24:44] going to tell you in my eyes he's the
[2:24:46] best that I've seen in the last 20 years
[2:24:49] and and that says a lot to him so thank
[2:24:51] you Mr Mayor president we're going to
[2:24:54] have that conversation on the side okay
[2:24:57] thank you Mr chair I'll go sit down and
[2:25:02] I do thank y'all for allowing me to
[2:25:03] speak and tell you what we're doing and
[2:25:05] that used to be my girlfriend when I
[2:25:08] worked like this
[2:25:12] thank you
[2:25:16] sit down I'd like to ask for every
[2:25:19] veteran in this audience would you
[2:25:21] please stand up
[2:25:23] every bedroom would you please stand
[2:25:26] [Applause]
[2:25:34] no we we're good okay thank you sir
[2:25:36] thank you Ms Williams at this point do
[2:25:39] we entertain public comments uh we did
[2:25:41] have one speaker but he said he was
[2:25:42] going sit down Rudy board
[2:25:45] we did have five minutes
[2:25:48] we did have five citizens who did not
[2:25:51] wish to speak sign in in support of the
[2:25:53] ordinance uh Rudy actually we gave you
[2:25:56] 15 so you know
[2:26:00] yeah
[2:26:01] okay uh look like I said I had some some
[2:26:07] concerns uh
[2:26:09] and you know I mean it was never my
[2:26:12] intent to
[2:26:14] hold up this project uh by any means
[2:26:18] um
[2:26:20] but at this point I will I you know my
[2:26:24] questions have been answered and uh
[2:26:27] I do have some more but I can follow up later with with you and
[2:26:32] the crew it's not a problem so at this
[2:26:34] point I will withdraw my motion to defer
[2:26:38] and we are back on the ordinance as
[2:26:40] amended back on the ordinance as amended
[2:26:43] any Council discussion
[2:26:46] any public no sir we do public comments
[2:26:49] on the audience as amended okay so we'll
[2:26:51] call for a vote on the ordinance as
[2:26:53] amended district one yes District Two
[2:26:56] yes District three yes District Four yes
[2:26:59] to five yes the merchant showed up as
[2:27:02] amended is approved city ordinance 7
[2:27:05] 2023 in honors of the Lafayette city
[2:27:07] council I mean in the fiscal year 22-23
[2:27:09] operating budget and Manning tables at
[2:27:12] the Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[2:27:13] Government by increasing revenues in the
[2:27:16] amount of 625 thousand dollars received
[2:27:19] from the United States Department of
[2:27:20] Justice for the 2022 cops hiring program
[2:27:23] to hire five new police officers and
[2:27:26] authorizing the transfer of matching
[2:27:28] funds in the amount of 360 386
[2:27:32] 091.50 from City general fund 101 and a
[2:27:36] preparation within the Lafayette Police
[2:27:37] Department
[2:27:39] most of my accounts a woman a bear
[2:27:41] second by councilman Lewis
[2:27:43] any Council discussion
[2:27:46] any public comments yes sir
[2:27:49] call for vote to adopt the ordinance
[2:27:51] District 2 yes this District three yes
[2:27:54] the four yes District Five
[2:27:57] yes district one yes the motion turned
[2:28:00] off is approved city ordinance 9 2023 in
[2:28:04] order to the Lafayette city councilman
[2:28:06] in the fiscal year 2223 operating budget
[2:28:08] and adjusting demanding tables of the
[2:28:10] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[2:28:12] Government by using prior year fund
[2:28:14] balance in the amount of 11 517 for
[2:28:18] salary adjustments within the utilities
[2:28:20] department
[2:28:24] moved by councilwoman Cooks second by
[2:28:26] councilwoman a bear any Council
[2:28:28] discussion any public comments no sir
[2:28:31] call for the vote District three yes
[2:28:33] District Four yes District Five yes
[2:28:35] district one District Two yes the motion
[2:28:38] to adopt is approved city ordinance 10
[2:28:41] 2023 in ordinance of the Lafayette city
[2:28:43] council I mean in the fiscal year 22-23
[2:28:46] capital budget of the Lafayette City
[2:28:48] Parish Consolidated Government by
[2:28:50] increasing the use of retained earnings
[2:28:52] Reserve in the amount of seven hundred
[2:28:54] thousand dollars and the use of bonds in
[2:28:57] the amount of seven million nine hundred
[2:28:59] thousand dollars and appropriating
[2:29:00] within the utilities department
[2:29:03] moved by councilman I can second by
[2:29:05] councilwoman cook
[2:29:07] any Council discussion
[2:29:09] any public comments no sir call for the
[2:29:12] vote District Four yes District Five
[2:29:15] yes District One
[2:29:19] uh just move on yes yes District three
[2:29:24] yes the motion to adopt is approved uh
[2:29:28] this is a public hearing and speaker
[2:29:29] forms are available for anyone wishing
[2:29:31] to address the council the three-minute
[2:29:33] rule will apply Cindy please read draw
[2:29:35] Ordinance one 2023 ornaments of the
[2:29:37] Lafayette City Council in the Lafayette
[2:29:39] Parish Council amending the Lafayette
[2:29:41] City Parish Consolidated Government code
[2:29:43] of ordinances chapter 6 article 3
[2:29:45] restriction on retailers and Retail
[2:29:48] establishments specifically division two
[2:29:51] days and hours of sale to add accept
[2:29:53] Section C to section 6-94
[2:29:57] motion by councilwoman a bear second by
[2:30:00] councilman Lewis any Council discussion
[2:30:03] Resorts and only public comments yes sir
[2:30:06] call for the vote District Five yes
[2:30:09] district one yes District
[2:30:14] the motion to adopt is approved draw
[2:30:17] ordinance 2 2023 HR ordinance of the
[2:30:19] Lafayette City Council on the Lafayette
[2:30:20] Parish Council amending the fiscal year
[2:30:23] 2223 operating budget of the Lafayette
[2:30:25] City Parish Consolidated Government by
[2:30:28] adjusting the Manning tables and
[2:30:29] increasing the hourly pay rate of an
[2:30:31] accounting specialist within the office
[2:30:33] and finance and management accounting
[2:30:35] division second moved by councilwoman
[2:30:38] Cooks second by councilman I can any
[2:30:41] Council discussion no sir any public
[2:30:43] comments
[2:30:46] district one yes District Two yes
[2:30:49] District three yes this strip for yes
[2:30:52] District Five yes the merchant to adopt
[2:30:55] is approved draw ordinance 3 2023 HR
[2:30:58] honors of the Lafayette City Council in
[2:31:00] the Lafayette Parish Council providing
[2:31:02] for the abandonment of their 10 foot and
[2:31:04] a 15 15 foot drainage servitude on
[2:31:07] parcels
[2:31:09] 4a-4-a and
[2:31:11] a-5-a of Country Lane Acres subdivision
[2:31:14] located at 6 000 and 6008 Landry Road
[2:31:18] motion by councilwoman a bear second by
[2:31:21] councilman Lewis any Council discussion
[2:31:24] any public comments no sir call for the
[2:31:26] vote District Two
[2:31:29] District Four yes District Five yes
[2:31:32] District One
[2:31:33] the motion to adopt is approved John
[2:31:36] Hornets score 2023 age all earnings of
[2:31:38] the Lafayette City Council in the
[2:31:40] Lafayette Parish Council amending
[2:31:42] chapter 89 of the Lafayette City Parish
[2:31:44] Consolidated Government code of
[2:31:45] ordinances also known as the Lafayette
[2:31:47] development code LDC
[2:31:53] most of my councilwoman Avera second by
[2:31:56] councilman I can't any Council
[2:31:58] discussion
[2:31:59] any public comments yes sir call for the
[2:32:01] vote District three yes District Four
[2:32:04] yes District Five yes district one yes
[2:32:07] District Two yes the motion to adopt is
[2:32:10] approved
[2:32:11] this is a public hearing and speaker
[2:32:13] sheets are available for anyone wishing
[2:32:15] to address the council the three-minute
[2:32:17] rule does apply Cindy please read
[2:32:21] a bill of City Planning Commission
[2:32:22] action West in Heights lot 22A Block 14
[2:32:25] case number 2022 103 he
[2:32:30] at this point I'd like to call Mary
[2:32:35] and Neil yeah okay
[2:32:39] either one or both
[2:32:47] president
[2:32:49] yeah it's up there
[2:33:27] so I thought I thought they thought yeah
[2:33:37] sorry yeah
[2:33:40] I thought they turned it on
[2:33:43] all right Neil Europe
[2:33:45] all right well good evening council
[2:33:46] members we're here for the appeal of
[2:33:49] case number
[2:33:51] 2022-38- PC which is West End Heights
[2:33:54] lot 22A block 14. this is a property
[2:33:58] that fronts West University at 1927. it
[2:34:03] also has
[2:34:05] access to Jean Street on its northern
[2:34:08] portion and also duclow on on the rear
[2:34:12] edge of the lot right now that lot
[2:34:15] consists of several small 25-foot lots
[2:34:18] that are all looking to be combined into
[2:34:20] one lot for commercial purposes
[2:34:27] how many separate lots are there Leo
[2:34:31] well I'd bring it up the next slide we
[2:34:33] can count them uh one two three four
[2:34:35] five six seven eight nine 10 11 12 13 14
[2:34:38] 15 16 about 16 or 17 individual 25 foot
[2:34:42] Lots
[2:34:45] okay go go ahead see so it comprises
[2:34:48] 1.14 Acres again it's a commercial
[2:34:51] plating that was proposed
[2:34:55] um the zoning here is commercial mixed
[2:34:57] one
[2:34:58] um so any of those uses are currently
[2:35:00] allowed in this particular area
[2:35:11] here's a closer look into the uh into
[2:35:15] the platting itself you can see kind of
[2:35:18] a little bit of a layout of the site
[2:35:19] plan for what it may be planned there
[2:35:22] that was part of the application
[2:35:27] and just a kind of a general overview
[2:35:28] here that this preliminary plot was
[2:35:32] heard in front of the City Planning
[2:35:34] Commission and was denied preliminary
[2:35:37] plant approval by that commission the
[2:35:40] owner developer is the one that is
[2:35:42] lodging this appeal of that denial
[2:35:45] um again it's a proposed commercial
[2:35:46] development on one lot
[2:35:48] the developer did request a waiver at
[2:35:51] the Planning Commission meeting and that
[2:35:52] was Prohibition of a double fronted lot
[2:35:55] again this lot is uh fronts or front
[2:35:58] University but has access to Jean and
[2:36:00] duclow and I'm imagining whatever
[2:36:03] they're going to build there may want
[2:36:06] more than one access uh maybe on jaw
[2:36:10] possibly on Duke Club but certainly it's
[2:36:12] Frontage is University
[2:36:14] um
[2:36:15] overall a lot of the public comment uh
[2:36:17] and it was considerable amount of public
[2:36:19] comment quite a few speakers
[2:36:21] there was a lot of concerns about
[2:36:23] additional traffic that a development
[2:36:25] could bring into the neighborhood itself
[2:36:27] into the West End and into Oak Lawn
[2:36:29] there were some mentions about possibly
[2:36:32] uh depending on what would build there
[2:36:34] some unwanted activity
[2:36:37] and also the proximity of a gas station
[2:36:40] which is you know what we believe may be
[2:36:43] developed there to residential areas and
[2:36:46] that was on multiple fronts both
[2:36:48] environmental and just general concern
[2:36:51] overall
[2:36:53] and so with that said I'll take any
[2:36:55] questions you said that all the Lots
[2:36:58] currently have the same rezoning zoning
[2:37:01] designation
[2:37:03] that is that is correct all of those
[2:37:05] lots are commercial mixed one but uh
[2:37:08] before we get a little too deep into the zoning discussion I I do want to let
[2:37:12] you know that whenever you come to
[2:37:14] planning property zoning is not a
[2:37:15] consideration for plotting a property it
[2:37:18] is strictly just the conditions of
[2:37:20] development that are put on that
[2:37:22] particular plot since zoning is already
[2:37:25] fixed for that particular plot it is
[2:37:27] known that that is the zoning and its
[2:37:30] Associated uses for that particular uh
[2:37:32] piece of property so for the Planning
[2:37:36] Commission side of things and and the
[2:37:37] staff you know for us use is already
[2:37:39] established it's now just getting a
[2:37:42] legal lot of record for you to be able
[2:37:43] to come and pull a building permit
[2:37:45] okay and and just give me just a second
[2:37:48] okay and what was the uh we we know what
[2:37:51] the plan and what the commission's
[2:37:53] decision was but what was the staff's
[2:37:57] recommendation
[2:37:58] so the staff recommended approval of
[2:38:00] preliminary plat subject to all of the
[2:38:02] conditions that were provided in the
[2:38:04] staff report the only
[2:38:07] condition uh or which the waiver was
[2:38:09] requested again was that a Prohibition
[2:38:12] on double fronted Lots
[2:38:15] but staff recommendation was to approve
[2:38:17] preliminary plant approval
[2:38:22] director of Community Development
[2:38:23] planning
[2:38:24] recommendations for Planning Commission
[2:38:26] are a little bit different than zoning
[2:38:27] Commission because we we make
[2:38:30] recommendations based on the the
[2:38:33] developer agreeing to follow the
[2:38:34] regulations set forth in the Lafayette
[2:38:36] development code so it you know that's
[2:38:39] where the recommendation in terms of
[2:38:40] zoning we look at a lot of different
[2:38:42] things and whether or not it's good for
[2:38:44] the neighborhood and all those things
[2:38:45] that happen when we talk about use right
[2:38:47] but for Planning Commission it's
[2:38:49] everything is recommended so long as
[2:38:51] they follow all of the conditions before
[2:38:53] them right and those conditions come
[2:38:55] from all of the Departments of lcg as
[2:38:57] well as some external agencies as well
[2:39:00] and so at you know part of the packet
[2:39:02] for the appeal here includes the staff
[2:39:04] report uh you know those things are
[2:39:06] usually seven or eight pages long with
[2:39:08] all the rules and and uh and regulations
[2:39:11] to follow along with any things that
[2:39:13] need to be fixed on the plats when we
[2:39:14] review them and comments that may come
[2:39:17] also
[2:39:19] it's okay councilman I can
[2:39:21] I was just uh excuse me curious Mr
[2:39:25] labaugh form Miss Simon the residential
[2:39:29] lots basically along due close okay
[2:39:32] they're all been rezone commercial one
[2:39:35] all those lots is which I was saying
[2:39:37] correct correct they were part of the um
[2:39:39] when it was Chase Bank so that's been
[2:39:42] since then Bank existed that those lots
[2:39:44] have been Zone commercial one
[2:39:47] that's correct all of those properties
[2:39:49] between duclow and University which is
[2:39:51] the majority of what this development is
[2:39:53] looking to Plat
[2:39:55] um are all cm1 oh cm1 but yeah so that's
[2:39:59] been 30 40 years probably at least it's
[2:40:02] been a considerable amount of time yeah
[2:40:06] exactly how long though
[2:40:09] like that time I'm sure that bank's been
[2:40:12] there as long as I can remember why did
[2:40:15] the bank not ever put all that in one
[2:40:17] line
[2:40:18] do you have any idea it it built before
[2:40:21] there were there were um requirements
[2:40:23] and so what it was is considered
[2:40:25] grandfathered uh because it was
[2:40:27] established it was there for an extended
[2:40:29] period of time uh and and certainly
[2:40:31] predates the LDC predates to UDC
[2:40:34] um and probably fits somewhere in the
[2:40:36] middle of our original subdivision
[2:40:37] regulations uh way way back when so that
[2:40:41] bank got 17 tax bills every year well no
[2:40:46] offer yeah the tax assessor considers it
[2:40:48] one person yeah he considers it one
[2:40:49] parcel in taxes as such yes but that is
[2:40:52] different from our offices consideration
[2:40:54] of a legal out of record right it's the
[2:40:56] same concept and we see this throughout
[2:40:58] the urban core of the city right that
[2:41:01] some of your houses are probably mine
[2:41:03] included or probably built across 20
[2:41:06] multiple 25 foot Lots it's not uncommon
[2:41:08] for us to see that in the urban core so
[2:41:11] the owner of this property have has
[2:41:14] every right to develop it within the
[2:41:17] parameters of the CM Zone cm1 Zone and
[2:41:20] restrictions correct and he's bought this and his
[2:41:24] whole request today is just to make
[2:41:27] these 17 Lots one lot as it should have
[2:41:31] been done years and years ago would that
[2:41:33] be correct assessment
[2:41:35] that is what is before you in the
[2:41:37] Planning Commission that was what was
[2:41:38] before the plan as far as when it should
[2:41:40] have been done that's a matter of
[2:41:41] whatever but it needs to be done today
[2:41:44] apparently whether it was this developer
[2:41:47] or another the requirement would have
[2:41:48] been to them to consolidate all these
[2:41:50] Lots into one lot now to be able to pull
[2:41:52] a permit this plotting is important to
[2:41:56] him into one lot for what reason I mean
[2:41:58] it's been existing so long with 17 Lots
[2:42:01] why does he have to platter this one lot
[2:42:04] now what's the importance of that to
[2:42:06] Neil's comment just a second ago we
[2:42:09] won't issue a building permit unless it
[2:42:11] is considered a legal lot of record so
[2:42:14] if they're making any alterations to the
[2:42:15] building outside of interior Renovations
[2:42:18] they will need a building permit and we
[2:42:20] will look at cladding to ensure that the
[2:42:22] property is plotted correctly so it's a matter of our regulations that he
[2:42:26] has to have it as one lot so that we can
[2:42:29] regulate him into Construction
[2:42:32] does that make sense through permitting
[2:42:34] yes yes that's correct so that gives us
[2:42:37] the opportunity to say no you can not
[2:42:40] have a dual front to this building if it
[2:42:43] gives us opportunity to say those things
[2:42:45] that we need to say to control what he
[2:42:47] does on that building that would be an
[2:42:49] assessment correct assessment
[2:42:52] in other words she wanted egress and and
[2:42:55] Ingress and egress on two fronts
[2:42:58] basically wanted to create two fronts
[2:43:00] that that lot is that correct right
[2:43:02] that's what the waiver's for yeah and
[2:43:04] the way that was part of what the waiver
[2:43:06] was but that gives us the opportunity as
[2:43:08] one plaid to say no we found these
[2:43:11] restrictions and these guidances
[2:43:13] according to our cm1 zoning
[2:43:16] now
[2:43:17] when he purchased this lot
[2:43:20] he's been given letters of approval
[2:43:22] saying that what he wanted to do moving
[2:43:25] forward his planning was going to be
[2:43:27] approved it was within the zoning
[2:43:29] regulations that's correct so zoning
[2:43:32] verification letters are only are I mean
[2:43:34] they're good for that period of time
[2:43:36] right and so so long as you know it's I
[2:43:40] think the letter even says you know it's
[2:43:42] a cm1 zoning District so correct when
[2:43:44] they come in to permit the the and apply
[2:43:47] for the building permit the regulations
[2:43:49] for CM at the time will apply to that
[2:43:53] building permit and that's what we will
[2:43:54] review as part of the commercial plan
[2:43:56] review correct that's that is outside of
[2:43:59] what the Planning Commission is tasked
[2:44:02] with doing which is to to combine the 17
[2:44:04] Lots into one I'm right but given that
[2:44:07] information that the zoning was the same
[2:44:09] for everything the plighting was his
[2:44:11] responsibility to get that done
[2:44:14] and it gave him the idea that all this
[2:44:18] can move forward just as long as he can
[2:44:19] get the plotting done
[2:44:21] basically he can move forward with this
[2:44:22] project once the platin is complete he
[2:44:25] can pull the permits and get everything
[2:44:26] rolling
[2:44:27] sure but I mean if you know if they take
[2:44:30] two years to develop something and they
[2:44:32] have a two-year-old zoning verification
[2:44:33] letter they're still going to be held to
[2:44:35] the standard you know at the time that
[2:44:37] the permit I'll ever run across a
[2:44:40] situation where a a property owner in a
[2:44:44] situation like this or a case like this
[2:44:46] has been denied replied in to make it
[2:44:48] one lot have you ever seen that is is
[2:44:50] that common we've had denials before
[2:44:53] um
[2:44:55] they run for various reasons but um they
[2:44:58] do happen
[2:44:59] and uh you know whether they're two lots
[2:45:02] three lots or four Lots being combined
[2:45:04] into one I mean they do happen on
[2:45:05] occasion you've seen most of them yeah
[2:45:07] most of them do but you know right I
[2:45:11] think this is I think this is the the
[2:45:13] first one that's had so many Lots at one
[2:45:15] time uh looking to be combined uh you
[2:45:17] know into one
[2:45:18] in front of you guys so if there was a
[2:45:22] denial of this re-platting
[2:45:25] is there any liabilities for the lcg in
[2:45:29] this case I mean I'm not going to answer
[2:45:30] that question no I'll defer you too
[2:45:33] legal for that then we have Paul we have
[2:45:36] Greg here
[2:45:39] someone
[2:45:43] uh you're not uh
[2:45:47] come on yeah you are
[2:45:50] can you repeat the question yes sir I'd
[2:45:53] be happy to
[2:45:55] um being as he's taken all the steps
[2:45:57] moving forward to do what he needs to do
[2:46:00] to
[2:46:01] go forward with his investment and his
[2:46:03] development
[2:46:04] the only thing that's holding him back
[2:46:06] at this point from pulling the permit is
[2:46:08] the plotting replied in the lots and the
[2:46:11] one
[2:46:12] is there any liability that the city
[2:46:14] would have to not
[2:46:16] allow this reply to take forward I mean
[2:46:19] it would definitely kill the project it
[2:46:21] sounds like
[2:46:22] because he wouldn't be able to build a
[2:46:24] new building
[2:46:25] he would have to remodel the existing
[2:46:28] and his whole premise of the investment
[2:46:30] is to be able to reply and tear down and
[2:46:33] rebuild
[2:46:35] that would the city have any liability
[2:46:37] if this replied him was denied
[2:46:39] well
[2:46:41] a bifurcated answer to that question
[2:46:44] okay the first part is that question is
[2:46:46] too broad and general for me to answer
[2:46:48] specifically but the second part I think
[2:46:51] will answer your question better and
[2:46:54] that is what I can tell you is what the
[2:46:56] standards for approval on pulmonary
[2:46:58] planning are that translate over to you
[2:47:01] in the appeal and that is yes one of the
[2:47:05] requirements in
[2:47:08] getting pulmonary plot is you check all
[2:47:11] the boxes that the Lafayette development
[2:47:13] code requires of you in the development
[2:47:16] right and in the platting process
[2:47:19] however there's also a second factor and
[2:47:23] it's not one or the other it's both and
[2:47:26] that is you also have to be satisfied as
[2:47:29] the approving agency you the council or
[2:47:32] the Planning Commission in their role
[2:47:35] that the plot is consistent with the
[2:47:37] comprehensive plan
[2:47:38] now we all know the comprehensive plan
[2:47:41] is about that thick right and it talks
[2:47:44] about
[2:47:45] goals objectives development policies
[2:47:47] whatever and so you apply those in an
[2:47:52] analysis to the facts of this particular
[2:47:54] development or plot and if you find one
[2:47:58] or more reasons that say it's not
[2:48:01] consistent with the comprehensive plan
[2:48:03] then you have a justifiable reason to
[2:48:06] deny that pulmonary plot
[2:48:09] if you find it consistent and you find
[2:48:11] they've checked all the boxes then it's
[2:48:14] more reasonable that you would grant
[2:48:16] that
[2:48:17] I'm not sure if that answers your
[2:48:19] question well that that's definitely a
[2:48:21] good legal answer thank you
[2:48:25] does anybody else have any questions
[2:48:33] Barry I wanted to I know that the
[2:48:34] Planning Commission denied the plot and
[2:48:37] I know it's can you just refresh my
[2:48:39] memory as to their reasoning why they
[2:48:41] denied the plot
[2:48:43] it's in the minutes yeah I know I just
[2:48:45] want to hear it again okay I'm sorry
[2:48:47] yeah so they would like it to be yeah
[2:48:50] for the the three that voted to deny uh
[2:48:54] the the reasons were misuse of the
[2:48:56] property
[2:48:57] uh it's negative impact uh to the
[2:49:00] neighboring community and University
[2:49:02] corridor plan
[2:49:03] and the final one was the concerns of
[2:49:05] residents those were the reasons for
[2:49:07] denial which must be given uh at
[2:49:09] Planning Commission meetings okay
[2:49:11] and I guess the concern I I do have
[2:49:14] about this development is is my
[2:49:16] understanding that the if we it's going
[2:49:18] to be a gas station as well in a
[2:49:19] convenience store potentially but the
[2:49:22] pumps are going to be on on the back
[2:49:25] side of my understanding from did I read
[2:49:27] that wrong
[2:49:27] do we have any is this just I mean is
[2:49:30] this
[2:49:31] speculation or is this something that I
[2:49:33] guess it's at this point of speculation
[2:49:35] because we haven't approved the plot yet
[2:49:36] but
[2:49:37] so
[2:49:39] what was presented to the Planning
[2:49:40] Commission is what we saw you want to
[2:49:42] put the screen prior yeah let me see
[2:49:43] that again so that this is the you know
[2:49:46] for tonight this is the most
[2:49:50] um descriptive of what you have so far
[2:49:52] and I'll remind you that the applicant
[2:49:54] is the developer and may be able to
[2:49:55] answer some of your questions okay
[2:49:58] is is can you redline me because I can't
[2:50:01] read that from here yeah so it looks
[2:50:04] like uh they're keeping most components
[2:50:06] of the existing building and appears
[2:50:08] maybe the the gas canopy uh would be a
[2:50:11] little bit towards the rear of the
[2:50:12] property
[2:50:13] um again University will be at the top
[2:50:15] right of the screen with duclow uh at
[2:50:18] the bottom with the residents at the
[2:50:19] bottom yeah with the residents uh all
[2:50:21] here across the street and so yeah so
[2:50:24] this is looks like this is where the
[2:50:25] fueling Bays may be located
[2:50:28] again these you know these kinds of
[2:50:30] things are subject to change
[2:50:32] when actual permitting comes in but uh I
[2:50:35] mean generally this is the idea that
[2:50:37] they have okay and to be clear on that
[2:50:39] too because
[2:50:41] the site plan for consideration during
[2:50:43] our plotting process in-house you know
[2:50:46] to make our comments that go on the on
[2:50:48] the action letter
[2:50:50] um but once those comments are made in
[2:50:51] the preliminary plot is granted this
[2:50:55] will will likely change based on what
[2:50:57] they have to do to meet the drainage
[2:50:58] requirements open space requirements
[2:51:00] that type of thing Landscaping setbacks
[2:51:03] you know that's why I will say you know
[2:51:04] it's probably best to get that answer
[2:51:06] from the developer because this is all
[2:51:07] subject to change okay
[2:51:10] all right thank you
[2:51:11] so a couple questions and and the first
[2:51:14] one's real simple uh Paul you you
[2:51:17] brought up the uh comprehensive plan
[2:51:20] simple question
[2:51:23] is this consistent with the
[2:51:24] comprehensive plan
[2:51:31] so the comprehensive a portion of the
[2:51:34] comprehensive plan is the zoning right
[2:51:36] and we know that it is owned
[2:51:38] appropriately I'm sure that if one reads
[2:51:40] the book from front to back someone
[2:51:42] could find ways that it may not be so in
[2:51:46] that matter I'm going to potentially
[2:51:47] defer to maybe the people you hear from
[2:51:49] tonight
[2:51:51] um because in all Candor and honestly I
[2:51:54] have not read the book from front to
[2:51:55] back and I don't know it verbatim to be
[2:51:57] able to tell you nobody has it's not or
[2:51:59] it is and this is why right
[2:52:01] so I will let you make that
[2:52:04] determination once you hear public
[2:52:05] comment
[2:52:06] so it it I don't know about the other
[2:52:09] council members but but for me when
[2:52:12] these things arrive before us
[2:52:15] you know there's a lot of speculation on
[2:52:17] you know it may be done this way it may
[2:52:19] be done that way
[2:52:21] we really don't know
[2:52:23] right correct so it's almost like we're
[2:52:26] shooting darts in the dark if you will
[2:52:29] and and and we're being asked to to make
[2:52:32] these very important decisions without
[2:52:35] having enough
[2:52:36] concrete information before us in my
[2:52:38] opinion because to me
[2:52:41] that could make a difference
[2:52:44] in terms of
[2:52:46] where the potential location of the gas
[2:52:48] pumps are going to be
[2:52:51] so I will remind you that as as part of
[2:52:53] plotting we generally don't
[2:52:56] allow let use be a driving Factor
[2:52:59] because planning is establishing the
[2:53:01] boundaries of a piece of property okay
[2:53:03] and the zoning District
[2:53:06] is what determines what uses could
[2:53:08] potentially go there so
[2:53:11] I understand and uh certainly
[2:53:14] um can sympathize but
[2:53:16] we're talking about plotting which is
[2:53:18] establishing boundaries which doesn't
[2:53:20] generally take into account use
[2:53:25] generally okay okay
[2:53:28] not really but anyway
[2:53:30] okay uh I know we got a lot of public
[2:53:33] comments so we're going to move on to
[2:53:35] public comment and then if we I'll
[2:53:37] certainly give council members an
[2:53:38] opportunity to wrap up if they'd like
[2:53:40] after public comments uh Miss Williams
[2:53:47] are you all finished Neil Mary that's
[2:53:50] our presentation we were just here for
[2:53:51] questions yep okay
[2:53:54] still stick around well you might want
[2:53:55] to just
[2:53:56] camp out right there maybe I don't know
[2:53:58] so you want them
[2:54:00] all right Miss Williams uh Miss Arsenal
[2:54:02] I'm sorry public comments yes sir um and
[2:54:05] I don't know usually when we have
[2:54:07] disappeal we have the appellant well
[2:54:10] would you like to come up well and and
[2:54:12] yeah and uh it certainly didn't mean to
[2:54:16] uh you know to disregard you but yes if
[2:54:19] you were like Andre matinee yes yes sir
[2:54:26] I'm Andre martini and now I represent
[2:54:29] the applicant
[2:54:31] um
[2:54:33] what I would like to say is the
[2:54:35] applicant has been working
[2:54:37] with the staff
[2:54:39] for about 10 months on this project like
[2:54:43] y'all mentioned previously he um had a
[2:54:46] zoning verification letter prepared
[2:54:48] which approved everything for it
[2:54:51] and then they did have a pre-development
[2:54:53] meeting with the lcg staff
[2:54:57] interning this project
[2:54:59] and then after that they did get the
[2:55:02] site plan approved by the lcg staff
[2:55:06] so you know the applicant's been working
[2:55:09] diligently with the city
[2:55:11] and the staff to you know follow all the
[2:55:15] requirements the guidelines and
[2:55:16] everything and you know do everything
[2:55:20] that he should do
[2:55:23] um
[2:55:26] we you know he
[2:55:29] got to the point where y'all mentioned
[2:55:32] earlier where he's got to plant the
[2:55:34] boundaries of the property and take the
[2:55:36] 12 lives and make them into one lot
[2:55:40] one thing I would like to mention is
[2:55:44] if he denied approval
[2:55:48] on the lot
[2:55:50] the way the regulations are written is
[2:55:53] he can't he can't go back to the
[2:55:54] Planning Commission
[2:55:56] you know he only the the property
[2:55:58] becomes uh a blighted cropping and can't
[2:56:02] be developed
[2:56:03] as far as the regulations are concern
[2:56:07] um
[2:56:16] okay
[2:56:17] um tonight
[2:56:19] we are requesting approval of the survey
[2:56:22] in the plot it's not an approval of the
[2:56:25] type of construction for this property
[2:56:28] but we are asking that you please grain
[2:56:31] or wave of the double Frontage condition
[2:56:34] that limits access to the property if
[2:56:37] this property was planted in two lots
[2:56:41] they would each have a driveway and then
[2:56:44] traffic would require across access
[2:56:46] between the properties
[2:56:48] so as Neil mentioned they were looking
[2:56:51] at having a driveway on University and
[2:56:53] driving on Jean Street
[2:56:56] so which would allow for better traffic
[2:56:59] flow and it would you know if the
[2:57:02] property it would be used as a
[2:57:05] medical office building or professional
[2:57:08] offices the city would be requiring two
[2:57:11] driveways and they'd be requiring cross
[2:57:13] access
[2:57:16] um
[2:57:19] okay but generally the city's traffic
[2:57:22] department and the dotd prefer that
[2:57:25] access to be to the minor streets
[2:57:27] instead of traffic coming out on
[2:57:29] University they would prefer the traffic
[2:57:32] to come and go along John's stream so
[2:57:37] but um you know we we don't want to see
[2:57:41] this properly condemned you know if the
[2:57:44] plaque denied
[2:57:45] and so
[2:57:47] um
[2:57:48] you know the applicant working with the
[2:57:51] staff and
[2:57:53] he wants to do the right thing and um
[2:57:57] you know he put money a lot of money
[2:58:00] into the project and we hate to see you
[2:58:02] know everything
[2:58:04] you know just not happen so
[2:58:08] thank you
[2:58:10] certainly Andy I'm sorry
[2:58:13] um thank you sir
[2:58:17] so basically
[2:58:18] all this is about is is making it from
[2:58:22] 12 or 17 Lots whatever it is into one
[2:58:24] line and salt Zone commercial correct
[2:58:27] that's right yeah and I understand that
[2:58:30] basically if this isn't done
[2:58:33] that property will never change it will
[2:58:35] always be what it is or run down Bank
[2:58:38] falling apart it'd be a vacated property
[2:58:41] yeah
[2:58:43] um now if it is replied into one lot at
[2:58:49] that point what happens next where do we
[2:58:51] what's the next step would be to apply for a
[2:58:56] building permit and go through the
[2:58:58] commercial plan review
[2:59:00] and work with the staff with meeting all
[2:59:03] the requirements for a building permit
[2:59:06] so he would still be subject to all the
[2:59:09] zone and regulations of the cm1 next up
[2:59:12] to a residential single family yeah
[2:59:17] whether it be buffer zone privacy fence
[2:59:20] Ingress egress everything else that goes
[2:59:22] with it in landscaping you know yeah
[2:59:25] okay
[2:59:27] um
[2:59:27] and if he had just boggles my mind if he
[2:59:31] doesn't get this plaid approval
[2:59:33] that property just sits there
[2:59:36] that way hold on everyone people behind
[2:59:39] you you'll get your chance to speak
[2:59:42] people behind you think that is not the
[2:59:44] case could you explain that please
[2:59:49] I'm trying to explain yeah if it's not
[2:59:51] granted replaying yeah yeah
[2:59:57] regulations thing uh section 89 57 G1
[3:00:03] states that it denied the applicant
[3:00:05] cannot commit you know for another
[3:00:08] application you know the um
[3:00:11] I mean Bobby is 10 years 15 download
[3:00:16] even if he wants to sell those 12 lots
[3:00:19] to another perspective developer
[3:00:23] and we still have to be redone as one
[3:00:26] lot and could that new developer owner
[3:00:28] possibly apply
[3:00:30] oh Mary can you uh
[3:00:33] yeah I'm I'm not sure about that it says
[3:00:37] um yeah you can't you can't do anything
[3:00:41] with him he can't do anything with it as the owner of that property today he
[3:00:45] can't do a thing with it right except to
[3:00:47] possibly put whatever you know so
[3:00:51] but Mr chairman I think I can clear up some things please so on
[3:00:58] the question of reapplication
[3:01:00] um
[3:01:01] Mr montenier is is somewhat correct that
[3:01:05] 8957 G1 does say
[3:01:08] uh when the commission is denied a
[3:01:10] subdivision proposal no reconsideration
[3:01:13] of an application will be granted and
[3:01:16] then it says unless and there's
[3:01:20] four or three circumstances under which
[3:01:22] an application a re-application for
[3:01:25] subdivision of a property that's been
[3:01:27] denied once or twice or whatever can be
[3:01:30] considered or reconsidered and those
[3:01:34] conditions are the applicant certifies
[3:01:36] that circumstances and or conditions
[3:01:39] have changed or altered which is pretty
[3:01:42] Broad
[3:01:43] or the applicant certifies the data used
[3:01:46] and provide are provided an analysis of
[3:01:48] the subdivision was it accurate or that
[3:01:51] could not have been aware of the
[3:01:52] inaccuracy and number three additional
[3:01:54] information has become available which
[3:01:56] was not available when the public
[3:01:58] hearing occurred so there are a number
[3:02:01] of
[3:02:02] situations within which even though this
[3:02:05] particular subdivision and look I'm not
[3:02:07] advocating for one way or the other but
[3:02:10] it's not an absolute truth that that
[3:02:12] property can never be reapplied for for
[3:02:15] subdivision right it's if it meets one
[3:02:18] or two or three of those three
[3:02:20] conditions I just read then certainly it
[3:02:23] would be reconsidered for application of
[3:02:26] subdivision
[3:02:28] when you see the possibility of those
[3:02:30] one of those conditions being met but um
[3:02:34] I have the conditions here but uh
[3:02:38] I can't I mean we're not doing anything
[3:02:40] inaccurate so I can't you know certify
[3:02:42] that it's inaccurate and
[3:02:45] um
[3:02:47] you know circumstances or conditions
[3:02:49] have changed I mean I can see the
[3:02:51] weather's changed but I can't say
[3:02:53] you know condition change if you want to
[3:02:57] work with the property I mean this is
[3:02:59] supposed to be about planning it's not
[3:03:01] supposed to be about building used to
[3:03:03] the property and so um
[3:03:06] you know I think the applicant has
[3:03:08] worked you know he
[3:03:11] he's trying to do the right thing and
[3:03:13] follow all the rules and regulations and
[3:03:15] then you know after you put a
[3:03:18] considerable amount of money into the
[3:03:20] project you know
[3:03:22] we end up in this situation
[3:03:26] okay thank you thank you
[3:03:29] uh so so Paul I just want to follow up
[3:03:31] on on the uh comment you just made as as
[3:03:34] far as it pertains to uh exceptions if
[3:03:37] you will
[3:03:38] uh and and Mary can you uh chime in here
[3:03:42] please
[3:03:55] so I'm reading directly from the uh
[3:03:59] I guess is the staff notes the reason
[3:04:01] for appeal
[3:04:02] uh and at the end it says lastly 89 57 G
[3:04:07] prohibits the applicant from reapplying
[3:04:09] for Planning Commission approval of the
[3:04:12] 1.14 acre lot in the future to sell the
[3:04:15] property or to develop the property for
[3:04:17] a commercial use other than a
[3:04:19] convenience store with gasoline sales
[3:04:21] this present prevents future development
[3:04:24] by the owner can you kind of
[3:04:28] explain that for us or
[3:04:32] um
[3:04:33] maybe
[3:04:35] um so so consider circumstances and or
[3:04:38] conditions could potentially be if the
[3:04:41] use changes and he's now going to put a
[3:04:43] restaurant there right we would still
[3:04:44] require the plotting but the site plan
[3:04:47] is likely to change
[3:04:50] um there could be it could become an
[3:04:51] office building could
[3:04:53] probably won't go back to being a bank
[3:04:55] because he wouldn't need a building
[3:04:56] permit for that but there could be some
[3:04:59] other use where he would do something
[3:05:01] similar take the building and adopt it
[3:05:03] to a new use which would change the site
[3:05:05] plan which I could potentially see there
[3:05:08] arguing that the circumstances and or
[3:05:10] conditions have been changed or altered
[3:05:13] right and that um and that we would
[3:05:16] allow it to be replotted I would
[3:05:19] probably not make a decision until I see
[3:05:21] something and confer with legal just to
[3:05:24] make sure that we all are in agreements
[3:05:25] agreement that the it does meet a but
[3:05:31] there could be some potential changes
[3:05:34] you know that the case looks different
[3:05:36] than it does today it could be he
[3:05:39] doesn't use the back portion along do
[3:05:40] Club maybe they sell it and they'll use
[3:05:42] the front portion I mean there's you
[3:05:44] know a myriad of different
[3:05:47] opportunities there that could be could
[3:05:50] be looked into
[3:05:57] doesn't totally but I I I know you I
[3:06:00] know you're giving your best explanation
[3:06:02] without having the next idea in front of
[3:06:05] me it's the best I can give you yeah
[3:06:08] I'm just concerned about that really and
[3:06:13] you know just just the clear language I
[3:06:16] mean you know the statement Andre
[3:06:18] statement is correct right that we are
[3:06:20] going to reply require plotting for a
[3:06:22] building permit to be obtained for that
[3:06:25] property right as it sits today with the
[3:06:28] boundaries and all of the lots that you
[3:06:30] see right so we we don't disagree that
[3:06:33] this property is going to need to be
[3:06:35] plotted in the future unless it remains
[3:06:37] a bank or something that can go into the
[3:06:39] bank building as is right so you know
[3:06:43] Andre is correct in that what what the
[3:06:46] application looks like could potentially
[3:06:47] be different or it could be the same but
[3:06:49] today what's before you is
[3:06:52] the application you see in this with the
[3:06:54] attach site plan
[3:06:56] you bring up a really interesting point
[3:06:58] is that let's say this this project gets
[3:07:00] denied and we don't they don't move
[3:07:03] forward with the gas station is this
[3:07:04] something that lcg can replant because
[3:07:07] as we talked about the tax assessor
[3:07:08] recognizes this is one property it
[3:07:11] appears by visual to be one property is
[3:07:16] to avoid this from coming up again is
[3:07:18] there a way that we lcg could re-plot
[3:07:20] this as it as its intention or does the
[3:07:22] lot owner have to plot it the property
[3:07:26] owner has to okay we don't do any
[3:07:28] administrative plotting like we do
[3:07:30] administrative rezonings okay
[3:07:40] absolutely thank you Andrea my question
[3:07:45] would be all my concerns how long have
[3:07:47] the applicant been dealing with you guys
[3:07:49] for this planning process
[3:07:51] his timeline is correct he had the
[3:07:53] pre-development meeting and obtained the
[3:07:55] zoning verification
[3:07:57] um
[3:07:58] you know but when someone comes into a
[3:08:00] pre-development meeting you know we talk
[3:08:01] we look at the zoning District we look
[3:08:03] at the regulations we advise them on
[3:08:05] things they may want to be aware of I.E
[3:08:08] the plotting in this case potentially
[3:08:10] maybe drainage requirements or you know
[3:08:12] other things that they need parking
[3:08:14] things that they need to take into
[3:08:15] consideration before making any formal
[3:08:18] type of application with us whether that
[3:08:19] be a plotting application a a building
[3:08:22] permit application and that's the
[3:08:24] purpose of the pre-development meeting
[3:08:25] is to to let them know you know this is
[3:08:28] what you need to do to start checking
[3:08:29] the boxes to get through our processes
[3:08:31] so they have a timeline don't have a
[3:08:33] timeline no there's no time we'll do a
[3:08:35] pre-development meeting at any point in
[3:08:37] time and then it may take you a year two
[3:08:39] years three years or never right to
[3:08:41] actually come to us and start the actual
[3:08:45] process moving forward
[3:08:46] so the pre-development meeting is just
[3:08:48] that it's just to come and learn what's
[3:08:50] ahead for you to make a decision if you
[3:08:52] want to move forward or not it was not
[3:08:53] necessarily a guarantee
[3:08:55] no and the regulations could always
[3:08:57] change right so
[3:08:59] that somebody could come in and sit with
[3:09:01] us today and we tell you one thing and
[3:09:03] then something drastic happens and we
[3:09:05] make some drainage regulation changes
[3:09:07] again as I mentioned earlier you're
[3:09:09] bound by the regulations at the time of
[3:09:11] application not at the time that you
[3:09:13] talk to us whenever that was right so
[3:09:17] it's just a process going through you
[3:09:18] guys pre a pre-preminary uh plan so
[3:09:23] that's what they did not plan this all
[3:09:26] right the pre-development meeting is to
[3:09:28] say this is the spot I'm looking at this
[3:09:29] is the use I'm considering this is a
[3:09:32] general site plan that I think I'm going
[3:09:34] to do here and we bring everybody to the
[3:09:37] table lus traffic drain Public Works my
[3:09:41] staff and we we kind of talk about you
[3:09:43] know you're going to need x amount of
[3:09:45] parking spots you're going to need to
[3:09:46] think about these things from maybe the
[3:09:48] building code perspective
[3:09:50] um drainage so it's just it's just an
[3:09:52] information gathering tool for the
[3:09:55] developer to to know what they're
[3:09:56] getting into what they'll need to do to
[3:09:58] meet our regulations
[3:10:02] you're up
[3:10:03] I'd like to hear from I know we all have
[3:10:06] a lot of questions as I'd like to hear
[3:10:07] from the we have 15 speakers let's go
[3:10:10] ahead and get started with them next yes
[3:10:13] so we can hear from them and then we can
[3:10:15] always come revisit I'll just let Mary
[3:10:17] finish her comments
[3:10:21] we'll call for the speakers Mr Arsenal
[3:10:25] yes sir
[3:10:26] um we had 120 citizens call or email the
[3:10:30] Council Office in opposition to the
[3:10:33] appeal we had 27 citizens who did not
[3:10:36] wish to speak sign in in opposition to
[3:10:39] the appeal we had two citizens sign in support of the appeal we did have 15
[3:10:44] speakers but with Mr montane speaking
[3:10:46] already we have 14 remaining speakers
[3:10:48] the first of which is Anna Anna Laura
[3:10:52] Edmonston and she will be followed by
[3:10:55] Francis tropinier
[3:10:59] and you can come to either Mike but both
[3:11:03] mics are available
[3:11:07] good evening Council
[3:11:10] man speaking on the half
[3:11:12] behalf is the vote Pond neighborhood in
[3:11:13] Myrtle Place Elementary nearby
[3:11:15] Elementary School
[3:11:17] that couldn't be here tonight because
[3:11:19] for obvious reasons they have small
[3:11:21] children
[3:11:23] my name is Anna Laura edmiston I'm a
[3:11:26] resident of Oakland neighborhood and I
[3:11:29] have two children that attend Myrtle
[3:11:30] Place Elementary we regularly walk with
[3:11:33] our kids to and from school as do many
[3:11:35] Myrtle Place families
[3:11:38] to tell you a bit about myself I was
[3:11:40] born and raised in Lafayette I'm third
[3:11:42] generation graduate of the University of
[3:11:43] Louisiana Lafayette
[3:11:45] I'm a local Grammy nominated musician
[3:11:47] artist educator and I'm passionate about
[3:11:51] the efforts that I see taking place to
[3:11:53] improve the beauty and quality of life
[3:11:54] in my hometown
[3:11:57] so passionate that I convinced my
[3:11:58] Canadian husband to move here to
[3:12:01] um to leave his family to raise our
[3:12:03] family
[3:12:05] I'd be lying if I said that I don't
[3:12:07] contemplate this decision on a regular
[3:12:09] basis can Lafayette compete with
[3:12:11] breathtaking Four Seasons in Eastern
[3:12:13] Canada better Public Schools overall
[3:12:16] better and safer infrastructure
[3:12:18] continuous sidewalks connecting bypass
[3:12:21] but my answer is yes Lafayette can compete
[3:12:26] but will it choose to will our leaders
[3:12:28] make a conscious Choice day in and day
[3:12:30] out to dedicate themselves in every
[3:12:32] single decision that they make to
[3:12:34] creating a more beautiful and vibrant
[3:12:35] Lafayette
[3:12:36] plans like the University Avenue
[3:12:38] Corridor study provide me with hope it
[3:12:41] means that time and money are being
[3:12:42] spent planning to improve the quality of
[3:12:45] life and overall charm and beauty of our
[3:12:47] city
[3:12:48] but planning isn't enough
[3:12:51] plans must be respected this is why I
[3:12:53] reject this appeal and I stand by the
[3:12:55] decision of the Planning and Zoning
[3:12:57] commission to deny the plotting of the
[3:12:59] properties in the corner of Sean and
[3:13:00] University
[3:13:02] as an active member of my community I've
[3:13:04] been witness to many conversations about
[3:13:06] Talent retention in Lafayette
[3:13:08] if we want to retain young talent and
[3:13:10] continue to attract companies that
[3:13:12] create jobs and generate more wealth in
[3:13:13] our community then we must invest
[3:13:15] strategically in our city
[3:13:19] in every decision that you make please
[3:13:22] ask yourselves will this decision
[3:13:24] support Local Economic Development
[3:13:25] efforts will this increase mobility and
[3:13:28] safety for our citizens our children for
[3:13:30] people with disabilities
[3:13:32] will this development help in reducing
[3:13:34] pedestrian and bicycle injuries and
[3:13:36] fatality rates well this decision make
[3:13:38] Lafayette a place where people want to
[3:13:41] live where people want to stay where
[3:13:44] people want to raise their family or
[3:13:46] will it drive out the very people who
[3:13:49] hold the future of our city in their
[3:13:51] hands
[3:13:52] thank you
[3:13:54] next next speaker
[3:13:57] is Francis trapinet followed by Margaret
[3:14:00] vories
[3:14:04] I have a petition with over 75 people
[3:14:08] from the neighborhood
[3:14:10] my name is Francis
[3:14:14] Street and I'm a retired teacher from
[3:14:17] Myrtle Place Elementary that I was there
[3:14:19] for 16 years
[3:14:21] my concern about this
[3:14:24] possibility this developer as many
[3:14:28] businesses with gas station liquor store
[3:14:31] and tobacco place I sure don't want that
[3:14:35] in my neighborhood
[3:14:37] the traffic safety for the children is
[3:14:41] one of my main concerns because the kids
[3:14:44] ride their bikes on duclow they walk on
[3:14:47] the clothes because the parking plays
[3:14:50] for the bicycle on the campus is the
[3:14:53] entrance on duclow
[3:14:55] so that business whatever they decide to
[3:14:58] do duclow was a neighborhood they
[3:15:02] changed that to a parking lot the the
[3:15:06] cars will be different this time the
[3:15:09] traffic
[3:15:10] the pollution the pollution of the sound
[3:15:13] and the noise that will be happening
[3:15:16] with a business that is 24 7.
[3:15:19] the air because of the gas pollution
[3:15:23] uh losing the big oak trees the
[3:15:26] historical oak trees and the pine trees
[3:15:29] and too much blacked up parking lot
[3:15:33] do close its part and this is a postcard
[3:15:36] from Lafayette
[3:15:39] Consolidated Government we're part of
[3:15:42] the historical Cultural District
[3:15:45] having something like that is not going
[3:15:48] to improve
[3:15:50] the university Corridor that's supposed
[3:15:53] to be
[3:15:55] improving the arrival in our city
[3:16:00] that's why I'm so against it
[3:16:03] if we could consider different type of
[3:16:06] business
[3:16:08] Urgent Care a fitness center since
[3:16:11] Lourdes is shutting down
[3:16:15] um Legal Office for lawyers or a daycare
[3:16:20] something that will help improve the
[3:16:24] neighborhood we sure don't need that
[3:16:26] type of business
[3:16:29] especially if the traffic increase on
[3:16:32] duclow
[3:16:34] please keep the zoning residential mixed
[3:16:38] residential on that part
[3:16:41] and I will give you the petition thank
[3:16:44] you
[3:16:45] next speaker is Margaret Voorhees
[3:16:47] followed by Jill La Rossini
[3:16:51] hello my name is Margaret fories and I
[3:16:55] live in my dream Cottage at 228 duclow
[3:16:58] Street
[3:16:59] I'm here today to ask that you uphold
[3:17:02] the decision to deny the replatting and
[3:17:05] more importantly the waiver request
[3:17:08] I can understand wanting to combine all
[3:17:10] of these Lots together that makes sense
[3:17:12] but once my understanding is that once
[3:17:16] those lots are combined they would only
[3:17:18] be allowed to have egress and Ingress so
[3:17:22] much of them correctly off of University
[3:17:24] which is a major thoroughfare that makes
[3:17:28] sense
[3:17:29] they're asking that once it's replotted
[3:17:32] that they be allowed to have it on Jean
[3:17:35] and du close
[3:17:36] I have some photographs here of what
[3:17:39] Duplo looks like it's an 18 foot wide
[3:17:42] Street
[3:17:43] there's not room for cars to be parked
[3:17:46] and and 18-wheelers the tankers that
[3:17:50] will be filling the tanks will they also
[3:17:52] be coming down my street
[3:17:55] um the oak canopy is amazing people from
[3:17:59] all over the world come and visit and
[3:18:02] they were here for the film festival
[3:18:04] this week and commented on how beautiful
[3:18:06] our neighborhood is when they walked
[3:18:08] through it those oak trees will be
[3:18:10] destroyed
[3:18:12] um and I understand that I choose to
[3:18:14] live in town and expect to hear city
[3:18:17] noise I actually love sitting in my
[3:18:20] backyard and watching the birds and the
[3:18:22] squirrels and hearing the sirens that's
[3:18:25] all part of the fabric of where I chose
[3:18:27] to live
[3:18:29] um
[3:18:29] and I understand that that the business
[3:18:31] person who the glomax has a right to
[3:18:34] open a business as long as they're
[3:18:36] following the codes we're not taking
[3:18:38] anything away if you don't grant them
[3:18:42] the waiver if they expected the waiver
[3:18:44] that's on them
[3:18:46] but if they bought this property knowing
[3:18:49] that if they re-plotted they would only
[3:18:51] have access through University then that
[3:18:54] is all their owed
[3:18:56] in all those conversations that had to
[3:18:59] have come up
[3:19:00] they're not owed the waiver
[3:19:03] our property rights can be protected at
[3:19:06] this time
[3:19:07] the residents rights need to be
[3:19:09] protected at this time
[3:19:11] the investment we made in our homes can
[3:19:14] be protected at this time
[3:19:16] by not allowing them the waiver
[3:19:19] replatting to me I I'm gonna admit that
[3:19:22] makes sense it's a bunch of little
[3:19:23] pieces but they don't have to have the
[3:19:26] waiver as well I would appreciate your thoughtful
[3:19:31] consideration of all of these things
[3:19:32] thank you
[3:19:34] next speaker next speaker
[3:19:37] followed by Gisele Menard
[3:19:40] my name is Jill laroscini I live on Jean
[3:19:42] Street I've been there for 26 years my
[3:19:45] children are grown and when we moved in
[3:19:47] it wasn't a lot of growing families but
[3:19:50] delightfully that neighborhood has
[3:19:52] returned to many many growing families
[3:19:55] I taught for 17 years at the University
[3:19:58] of Louisiana at Lafayette in the College
[3:20:00] of Nursing in a community health nursing
[3:20:02] course my students had to do community
[3:20:05] as client assessments where they looked
[3:20:08] into a neighborhood a city a region and
[3:20:11] they looked at all the strengths and
[3:20:12] then they looked at what would improve
[3:20:14] what are the challenges never in that
[3:20:17] time was a convenience store added as an
[3:20:21] improvement
[3:20:22] in fact convenience stores are the
[3:20:26] fourth fourth most common
[3:20:29] location for violent crime
[3:20:32] I'm very concerned for the growing
[3:20:34] families in this neighborhood this
[3:20:36] corner is two tenths of a mile from
[3:20:38] Myrtle Place Elementary School
[3:20:41] and we do have a lot of Runners walkers
[3:20:45] pedestrians that corner is a scary scary
[3:20:49] Corner if you're a pedestrian I go
[3:20:52] another route I rarely go on Jean and
[3:20:54] University because of all the
[3:20:56] pedestrians I work the emergency rooms a
[3:20:58] long time I do not want to be that
[3:21:00] driver that inadvertently hits somebody
[3:21:04] and in this next part I'll talk about
[3:21:05] it's not easy to talk about I don't talk
[3:21:08] about it publicly a lot but I'm a
[3:21:10] forensic nurse now
[3:21:12] uh more specifically I'm a sexual
[3:21:15] assault nurse examiner these books this
[3:21:18] notebook package that I hold each page
[3:21:21] represents a woman an adolescent a child
[3:21:25] or a man who was sexually assaulted that
[3:21:29] I took care of in the emergency room I
[3:21:31] take call for a three Parish area nine
[3:21:34] different emergency rooms
[3:21:36] and the histories that I have to
[3:21:39] document about what happened to the
[3:21:40] person as I do that forensic medical
[3:21:43] exam
[3:21:45] all too frequently a convenience store
[3:21:48] is mentioned I cannot give details I am
[3:21:51] abide to confidentiality agreements but
[3:21:56] there are convenience stores near my
[3:21:59] home that I do not go to anymore based
[3:22:01] on
[3:22:02] what I know happened there
[3:22:05] I'm really
[3:22:08] I really think that we can look at
[3:22:09] prevention this is a old residential
[3:22:13] neighborhood
[3:22:14] long-standing residential neighborhood
[3:22:16] and I do want to say I I've been to that
[3:22:19] bank my parents moved here after Katrina
[3:22:21] and I would go with them regularly to
[3:22:23] that bank I don't see it as a
[3:22:25] dilapidated
[3:22:27] building in fact to have a medical
[3:22:30] conference a medical whatever there
[3:22:32] would be great or PT or child care I do
[3:22:36] have a front page of some social science
[3:22:39] research that I emailed to all of you
[3:22:41] and I will give her the copy to
[3:22:44] distribute thank you thank you
[3:22:47] next speaker next speaker
[3:22:49] [Applause]
[3:22:51] next speakers Gisele Menor followed by
[3:22:53] Hermann mirror
[3:22:54] thank you for hearing me tonight
[3:22:57] um
[3:22:58] the the comprehensive plan was mentioned
[3:23:01] just a little while ago I brought a copy
[3:23:03] of plan Lafayette which I have been
[3:23:05] going through I'm a community activist
[3:23:08] many of you know me I've been around for
[3:23:10] a long time
[3:23:11] fighting to save some blighted
[3:23:14] neighborhoods near downtown
[3:23:17] um Oaklawn is not one of those blighted
[3:23:19] neighborhoods and if if you guys make
[3:23:22] the wrong decision on I shouldn't say
[3:23:25] wrong decision if you vote in favor of
[3:23:27] allowing something like a gas station
[3:23:30] with convenience store to happen here I
[3:23:33] believe that puts us in the wrong
[3:23:35] trajectory to have yet another
[3:23:38] neighborhood that struggles with blight
[3:23:40] because the first thing that happens
[3:23:42] when blight happens when there's a bad
[3:23:45] investment
[3:23:46] and we all agree that it's in this
[3:23:49] document that many of the things the
[3:23:51] problems we've had over the years have
[3:23:53] happened because of bad decisions we
[3:23:55] made for you know allowing certain types
[3:23:58] of businesses in our main corridors
[3:24:00] we're not thinking of the families that
[3:24:03] live there sometimes we're just thinking
[3:24:04] of okay well it's zoned correctly so
[3:24:07] let's go you know and those this
[3:24:10] document as well as all the other
[3:24:13] documents that are supposed to govern
[3:24:15] our development and Redevelopment I
[3:24:18] think are often overlooked and I know
[3:24:21] I'm the emotional one in the bunch I
[3:24:24] always am you know Mr Glenn knows me and
[3:24:26] Mr Patton knows me pretty well too I I
[3:24:29] can get very emotional when I'm talking
[3:24:31] about the passion of the people and our
[3:24:34] people don't deserve to be overlooked
[3:24:36] here
[3:24:37] um
[3:24:38] if we allow this you know to to become a
[3:24:42] gas station or convenience store what
[3:24:45] we're doing is you know saying well we
[3:24:47] don't really care about the canopy of
[3:24:49] trees the uh the blight and all of that
[3:24:52] and you know what happens next Duke
[3:24:54] turns into rental only not owner
[3:24:57] occupied because there's too much
[3:24:59] trouble living there so you know then it
[3:25:03] transfers to the next Street Adrian
[3:25:06] another beautiful street with canopies
[3:25:09] of Oaks and so it just that's how blight
[3:25:11] happens I've gone to a lot of meetings
[3:25:13] in my 14 years of advocacy and I've seen
[3:25:16] how it happens but I've also seen about
[3:25:19] smart growth and comprehensive planning
[3:25:22] and caring decisions and that's what
[3:25:24] we're asking you for tonight A caring
[3:25:26] decision
[3:25:28] in favor of us who live in Oak Lawn and
[3:25:30] want to see something better we've we've
[3:25:33] relish the fact that we could have
[3:25:35] something new there that would enhance
[3:25:38] the neighborhood such as what other
[3:25:40] people have mentioned a grocery store
[3:25:42] you know we're in a place of
[3:25:44] um a food desert we would love to have a
[3:25:47] true grocery store if that would be a
[3:25:49] possibility not just a convenience store
[3:25:52] but with vegetables and really good
[3:25:54] products that are local thank you is
[3:25:58] Herman mear here
[3:25:59] yes okay Herman mirror followed by
[3:26:03] Ronald Frank Kinsel II
[3:26:07] good evening
[3:26:10] as I've listened to local agency
[3:26:13] Representatives talk about discussions
[3:26:15] and meetings that have gone on for quite
[3:26:17] some time and all the different
[3:26:19] authorities that were consulted
[3:26:21] something was missing and that was these
[3:26:24] people no one talked to any of these
[3:26:27] residents about what the impact of this
[3:26:30] development would have on real people
[3:26:33] who have invested their lives and their
[3:26:37] economic investment in their properties
[3:26:40] on in Oak Lawn subdivision
[3:26:43] now my concern right now is about the
[3:26:46] health hazards that uh gas station would
[3:26:50] represent the request by glomax to
[3:26:54] consolidate these Lots into one plat in
[3:26:57] order to operate what I understand would
[3:26:59] be a gas station uh causes me great
[3:27:02] concern because of the environmental
[3:27:04] hazards represented by gas stations they
[3:27:07] pose health risks to people who live in
[3:27:09] nearby homes businesses and schools you
[3:27:12] know when gas is pumped
[3:27:15] into an automobile
[3:27:17] uh there are vapors that are discharged
[3:27:21] the the most hazardous ones a carcinogen
[3:27:24] called Benzene uh is released into the
[3:27:27] air
[3:27:28] it is also released from underground
[3:27:30] fuel storage tanks
[3:27:32] the the filters that in place have been
[3:27:34] proven not to be effective 100 of the
[3:27:36] time so 24 hours a day these Vapors are
[3:27:39] released in the neighborhood and
[3:27:41] research shows that the presence of
[3:27:43] benzene can be detected as far as 500
[3:27:47] feet away from a gas station and for
[3:27:49] this reason cities across the country
[3:27:53] mandate now for the construction of new
[3:27:57] gas stations 500 foot buffer zones
[3:28:01] to protect the people that live in areas
[3:28:05] adjacent to the gas station
[3:28:08] Benzene is associated with higher risks
[3:28:11] of Leukemia and immune system depression
[3:28:13] it can increase the risk of certain
[3:28:16] cancers by up to 40 percent when you
[3:28:20] inhale the vapors of the Benzene will then attack the liver
[3:28:26] kidneys lungs heart and brain
[3:28:30] building a gas station on the corner of
[3:28:33] University Avenue and Jean Street would
[3:28:35] pose a serious risk to the health of
[3:28:39] residents who live in adjacent
[3:28:41] neighborhoods for this reason it is
[3:28:44] important that you support
[3:28:47] the health of Lafayette residents and
[3:28:50] reject this appeal to overturn the
[3:28:52] Planning and Zoning commission's
[3:28:54] decision thank you
[3:28:56] next speaker is Ronald Frank Kinsel II
[3:29:01] followed by Liam sharami
[3:29:04] good evening ladies and gentlemen my
[3:29:07] name is Frank Kinsel I go by Frank my
[3:29:10] first name is Ronald I know Mr Pat Lewis
[3:29:12] we've been dealing each with each other
[3:29:15] for several years now through the
[3:29:17] neighborhoods
[3:29:19] um my I know this is not about whether
[3:29:23] or not the applicant has a right to have
[3:29:26] a convenience store on the property I
[3:29:28] know it's Zone CM Mr leboeuf
[3:29:31] um may be able to correct me on this but
[3:29:34] the unified development code was adopted
[3:29:37] in 2010
[3:29:39] um
[3:29:40] see him that's when the commercial mixed
[3:29:44] designation
[3:29:46] became a viable
[3:29:49] tag for the property prior to that and I
[3:29:53] wish I had a copy of it I didn't know
[3:29:55] this was going to come up but it was the
[3:29:57] municipal code
[3:29:58] and that was a different designation of
[3:30:01] zoning prior to 2010. the only reason I
[3:30:05] really know this is I was a property
[3:30:08] investor
[3:30:09] and I bought some property with a zoning
[3:30:13] designation
[3:30:15] and in 2017
[3:30:17] after the unified development code was
[3:30:20] established the city came through and
[3:30:22] proceeded to rezone
[3:30:25] properties
[3:30:26] therefore
[3:30:28] a pretty significant piece of property
[3:30:31] that my partner and I invested in
[3:30:34] was up for a declassification from an
[3:30:38] industrial Light industrial zoning to a
[3:30:41] mixed Neighborhood use and we owned 25
[3:30:45] 000 square feet of Warehouse under roof
[3:30:48] and 1.6 acres of property near downtown
[3:30:51] Lafayette luckily there was a Brownfield
[3:30:55] next door that the city agreed to let us
[3:30:58] keep our industrial designation
[3:31:01] um
[3:31:01] also with another piece of property
[3:31:04] which is my shop
[3:31:06] I bought that under the GB designation
[3:31:09] which is General business and when the
[3:31:12] city came through and rezoned Freetown
[3:31:16] my classification of property use was
[3:31:19] brought down to mixed neighborhood it it
[3:31:22] transferred to commercial heavy in the
[3:31:24] unified development code but
[3:31:28] I was told it was for the best interest
[3:31:30] of the neighborhood well that's not how
[3:31:32] I bought the property I bought it as a
[3:31:33] GB it had a lot more uses than I can
[3:31:36] actually use it for now
[3:31:38] so I guess what I'm trying to say is
[3:31:40] sometimes this should have been looked
[3:31:43] at when the city moved over to unified
[3:31:45] development code
[3:31:47] that this it should have been a step
[3:31:50] down into the neighborhood in a lighter
[3:31:53] use
[3:31:54] um that's that's kind of the gist of it
[3:31:57] if that makes sense that's all I have to
[3:32:00] say thank you very much thank you uh
[3:32:02] Leon sheremy
[3:32:04] [Applause]
[3:32:08] good evening respected City Council
[3:32:11] Members my name is Leanne sheremy I live
[3:32:13] at 400 Adrian my home is actually at the
[3:32:16] corner of Adrian and Jean I'm here this
[3:32:20] evening to voice my concerns for the
[3:32:21] property at University and John in the
[3:32:24] fall of 2022 I received the standard
[3:32:26] letter from the city as a resident who
[3:32:28] lives by the property now owned by
[3:32:31] glomax but the letter did not state a
[3:32:34] business name or what the business would
[3:32:35] be at the time of the zoning and
[3:32:38] commission meeting on December 19th the
[3:32:40] representatives for the proprietor of
[3:32:42] this property stated a few times that
[3:32:44] the proprietor still had not decided
[3:32:46] what to do with this property however as
[3:32:49] I learned this evening
[3:32:51] um that the reporting would lead to a
[3:32:54] gas station convenience store it seems
[3:32:57] to be the plan
[3:32:59] so as a resident of this neighborhood
[3:33:01] around this property we already have a
[3:33:03] convenience store in the form of a
[3:33:05] Family Dollar I conveniently can go over
[3:33:08] and get milk sugar beer cigarettes as
[3:33:11] well as school supplies Home Goods
[3:33:13] I live behind this store I receive a lot
[3:33:16] of car traffic coming out of the
[3:33:18] shopping center as well as foot traffic
[3:33:20] going and coming from this store my yard
[3:33:23] also receives a lot of the garbage
[3:33:25] dropped on the ground from the snacks or
[3:33:27] cigarettes purchased it's not ideal but
[3:33:30] the way it is now it's manageable
[3:33:33] I do not want to live near a business
[3:33:35] that would make this worse for me or my
[3:33:37] neighbors we do not need another
[3:33:39] convenience store
[3:33:40] another argument presented at the zoning
[3:33:43] and planning commission was that the gas
[3:33:45] station convenience store at the corner
[3:33:46] of University in St Landry that it's
[3:33:48] near a neighborhood and no one from that
[3:33:50] neighborhood complains about that
[3:33:51] business well I actually used to live
[3:33:54] near that business as well and because
[3:33:56] of the issues it presented traffic being
[3:33:58] one of them I avoided it at all cost I
[3:34:02] know where I currently live now on
[3:34:03] Adrian is a convenient cut through to
[3:34:06] University eras Landry and Cameron I
[3:34:10] experienced through traffic at varying
[3:34:12] speeds now as a resident there as I said
[3:34:15] before it's not ideal but it's
[3:34:18] manageable as it is now we do not need
[3:34:22] another gas station
[3:34:24] this proprietor is not invested in our
[3:34:27] city he doesn't know about our thriving
[3:34:28] neighborhood in the heart of Lafayette
[3:34:30] but I do that's why I chose to live
[3:34:34] there and why I'm here tonight on a
[3:34:36] school night
[3:34:37] respective City Council Members I asked
[3:34:40] today that you reject the appeal and
[3:34:42] support the existed ruling of the
[3:34:43] Planning and Zoning commission thank you
[3:34:45] so much for your time
[3:34:47] Timothy Michael followed by Renee Sonya
[3:34:52] Timothy Michael
[3:34:54] or Michael
[3:34:56] okay thank you followed by Renee sonje
[3:35:06] good evening Council my name is uh Tim
[3:35:09] Michael I've lived on duclow street for
[3:35:11] 32 years two different houses but the
[3:35:14] one I'm in now been there for 30 years
[3:35:18] I've got two two things that I want to
[3:35:22] talk about and the first is we're going
[3:35:23] to go back to I think was the second
[3:35:25] speaker or the forensic nurse and she
[3:35:28] was talking about crime
[3:35:30] I haven't been able to do as much
[3:35:32] research as I wanted but from Arizona
[3:35:34] State University uh it's the department
[3:35:37] of public policy
[3:35:39] did a report on robbery of convenience
[3:35:44] stores and I I wanted to put one tidbit
[3:35:48] out of that
[3:35:51] and and the reason I'm doing this
[3:35:52] because it shows the crime that's going
[3:35:54] to come in with a convenience store employees suffer from
[3:35:59] a high rate of workplace homicide we
[3:36:02] don't need that
[3:36:04] second only to taxi cab drivers this is
[3:36:08] National now doesn't reflect Lafayette
[3:36:10] but it's the general thing
[3:36:13] the second is
[3:36:16] from uh like a journal for convenience
[3:36:19] store and petroleum retailers
[3:36:22] and
[3:36:24] the title of their article in their own
[3:36:27] journal convenience stores are the
[3:36:28] fourth most common location for violent
[3:36:32] crime
[3:36:33] and gas station
[3:36:35] gas stations are in their separate
[3:36:38] section in their seventh
[3:36:40] a long time ago the four corners area
[3:36:43] was the Bastion of the city everybody
[3:36:45] went to Toby's and went to Jacobs and
[3:36:48] which was before my time and then it
[3:36:51] turned to
[3:36:53] crime prostitution they would drop them
[3:36:55] off in front of my house uh drug dealing
[3:36:58] all that that kind of got cleaned up and
[3:37:01] we finally starting to see some movement
[3:37:03] we got two auto stores on one corner and
[3:37:06] we got the new Coca-Cola Housing
[3:37:09] Development
[3:37:10] they're all nice well-kept
[3:37:12] establishments we don't need to revert
[3:37:15] back we don't need to that crime to come
[3:37:19] back into Lafayette and talking about
[3:37:21] Circle K across the street I've got a
[3:37:23] very good friend that has a business
[3:37:24] very close
[3:37:26] just in the cold spell
[3:37:29] he had problems with the homeless that
[3:37:31] hang out sleeping in his Stoops of his
[3:37:34] business defecating lighting fires
[3:37:39] I don't need anybody coming to my house
[3:37:41] I've had it one time and it very came
[3:37:44] very close came to a bad situation uh
[3:37:47] fortunately the police showed up quick
[3:37:49] enough before he got into my house I
[3:37:51] don't want that by my house anymore
[3:37:53] that's all this is going to attract
[3:37:56] my second thing
[3:37:58] um and this is the one I really uh
[3:38:00] embalmed at myself because I didn't get
[3:38:02] to to research it more
[3:38:05] all of those small Lots we're talking
[3:38:07] about are residential lots
[3:38:09] I'm done sorry
[3:38:12] Nick speakers Renee sonier followed by
[3:38:15] Stephanie Courtney Dugan
[3:38:22] good evening I'm Renee sonier and I'm a
[3:38:25] resident of Oak Lawn neighborhood I live
[3:38:27] on Myrtle place across the street from
[3:38:29] school and my seven-year-old attends
[3:38:31] Myrtle Place Elementary and I have a
[3:38:33] two-year-old who will also attend Myrtle
[3:38:36] Place Elementary when he's ready for
[3:38:37] preschool we often join our friends
[3:38:40] after school
[3:38:41] we walk from school to Oaklawn Park
[3:38:43] which is a hub for the families who live
[3:38:47] in our neighborhood we have to Traverse
[3:38:49] John Street which has no stop signs it
[3:38:52] can be a little bit dangerous we have to
[3:38:55] be careful with our young ones and
[3:38:57] strollers and on bicycles
[3:38:59] rollerblades skates and all that
[3:39:02] um
[3:39:03] the through traffic in our neighborhood
[3:39:06] you know it's there but it's limited and
[3:39:09] my concern mainly is that this
[3:39:11] development with an entrance on John
[3:39:14] Street and University would increase
[3:39:17] through traffic increase foot traffic
[3:39:19] obviously a convenience store that sells
[3:39:21] liquor tobacco gas is not an ideal
[3:39:25] situation for any of the neighbors who
[3:39:27] live adjacent to that property it's also
[3:39:30] not ideal for any of the people who are
[3:39:33] pedestrians in our neighborhood we have
[3:39:35] lots of dog walkers joggers who are
[3:39:37] there for health and fitness
[3:39:39] and then of course the families who are
[3:39:41] coming from all different parts of the
[3:39:43] neighborhood to get to school to get to
[3:39:45] the park it's just not going to be as
[3:39:48] safe as it once was
[3:39:51] um
[3:39:52] of course we would love to see something
[3:39:54] new developed in that area that would
[3:39:58] benefit the neighbors benefit the
[3:40:00] families people have mentioned grocery
[3:40:03] stores daycares Medical Offices anything
[3:40:07] that's a nine to five Monday through
[3:40:09] Friday sort of thing
[3:40:11] could really
[3:40:14] improve that property which you know as
[3:40:17] it and be a similar use as it was as a
[3:40:20] bank
[3:40:21] and so for all those reasons for the
[3:40:24] families of Oaklawn neighborhood and
[3:40:25] just for
[3:40:27] um the continued reinvestment and
[3:40:30] Redevelopment and Improvement of the
[3:40:32] University Corridor I ask that you
[3:40:34] uphold the planning and zonings
[3:40:36] commissions
[3:40:39] rejection of this request thank you
[3:40:43] Stephanie carne Dugan followed by Harry
[3:40:46] Staub
[3:40:47] good evening my name is Stephanie Corney
[3:40:49] Dugan most of you know who I am and
[3:40:52] where I live
[3:40:54] but just to refresh your memory right
[3:40:56] there on murder place and
[3:41:00] the city council is the final Arbiters
[3:41:03] of the legislation that comes to guide
[3:41:08] us citizens in Lafayette you have an
[3:41:11] obligation to take care of this as the
[3:41:15] health safety and Welfare of the
[3:41:16] citizens should be your utmost
[3:41:18] importance and I'm sure it always is
[3:41:22] I would venture to Guess that since you
[3:41:27] just passed a few minutes ago an
[3:41:30] ordinance which changed the ordinances
[3:41:33] of Lafayette and the uses and the
[3:41:36] planning of the city of Lafayette that
[3:41:39] you understand the importance that it is
[3:41:41] that when we look at a piece of property
[3:41:44] and we see the issues that may come up
[3:41:49] and we discuss I'm positive sure
[3:41:52] all of those issues with Planning and
[3:41:55] Zoning because we wouldn't be here if
[3:41:58] somebody hadn't said to them oh by the
[3:42:01] way you can't go forward unless this
[3:42:04] property is re-platted
[3:42:06] and as a business person I understand
[3:42:09] that my business when it was rezoned
[3:42:13] under the UDC was zoned as a light
[3:42:16] Industrial
[3:42:17] that did not suit my neighborhood it did
[3:42:21] not suit what was going on around me I
[3:42:24] went through great pains to make sure
[3:42:27] that the four corners area would change
[3:42:30] and it would change
[3:42:33] just fantastically for the better we had
[3:42:37] the university Corridor that is coming
[3:42:39] shortly I'm sure where'd the mayor go
[3:42:42] okay
[3:42:44] oh he's talking he's talking to the
[3:42:46] right people they're probably talking
[3:42:48] about the university Corridor as we
[3:42:50] speak
[3:42:52] but I was there when playing Lafayette
[3:42:54] was developed I sat on that committee I
[3:42:58] read every word I read every page
[3:43:02] I also have read most of the pages in
[3:43:06] The LDC right now and I can pretty much
[3:43:09] talk to you about that the whole idea is
[3:43:12] for Lafayette to become a bigger better
[3:43:15] more wonderful place for the citizens of
[3:43:19] Lafayette to live and enjoy their life
[3:43:23] I don't believe that this is going to
[3:43:26] make the the turn that we were hoping
[3:43:28] for that we worked so hard for at Four
[3:43:31] Corners
[3:43:33] this cannot be the answer and it should
[3:43:36] not be the answer there are plenty of
[3:43:39] other answers and there are plenty of
[3:43:40] other people out there ready to help to
[3:43:44] develop in the right way in the right
[3:43:46] way
[3:43:47] thank you very much
[3:43:52] Perry stop followed by Ramin Altov
[3:43:58] good evening
[3:43:59] representatives of the council
[3:44:02] um I am Perry Staub I am legal counsel
[3:44:05] for glomax
[3:44:07] um glomax is a family operated business
[3:44:09] it develops convenience stores it's
[3:44:13] still very small it's just family
[3:44:15] operated
[3:44:18] um
[3:44:19] it came into purchase the property
[3:44:23] formally occupied by the Chase Bank when
[3:44:26] nobody else was interested in doing
[3:44:28] anything with it
[3:44:29] in invested significant amounts of time
[3:44:33] and money
[3:44:34] you as business owners and being
[3:44:37] familiar with the operations of business
[3:44:39] certainly know that one of the things
[3:44:42] you rely upon is our laws in terms of
[3:44:47] what are permitted uses of property we
[3:44:51] make our decisions all those meetings
[3:44:53] that were described with the Planning
[3:44:55] Commission and the different elements of
[3:44:58] their office all of those were conducted
[3:45:01] long before glomax ever even made the
[3:45:04] decision to go forward with the purchase
[3:45:06] of the property and it was because it
[3:45:08] had these verifications that it decided
[3:45:11] to proceed now
[3:45:13] I want to emphasize for you the
[3:45:16] narrowness really of the question that
[3:45:18] is presented to you today it's just the
[3:45:21] replanting the the Chase Bank it should
[3:45:25] have already been written been replied
[3:45:27] it you talked about it this was a good
[3:45:29] government measure it just recognizes
[3:45:32] that
[3:45:33] we have a lot for each place of business
[3:45:36] or residence that is in existence and
[3:45:40] that's that's all that is before you is
[3:45:42] the appeal of the denial of the
[3:45:45] replatting not anything concerning use
[3:45:48] everything that you've heard is about
[3:45:51] use
[3:45:53] all of that use is going to be subject
[3:45:56] to review traffic drainage Landscaping
[3:46:01] exactly how the building looks we
[3:46:04] certainly will welcome and invite
[3:46:06] neighborhood comment and we'll attempt
[3:46:09] to address concerns by neighbors then if
[3:46:13] it's appropriate and somebody wants to
[3:46:16] bring a challenge to the nature of the
[3:46:18] development perhaps we'll see you again
[3:46:21] but it's presumptuous to think that we
[3:46:24] won't be able to satisfy
[3:46:27] the concerns of the Planning Commission
[3:46:29] the concerns of zoning and the concerns
[3:46:32] of the neighbors
[3:46:33] my neighborhood has one of these there
[3:46:36] are churches there are schools there are
[3:46:39] all of the things that were mentioned
[3:46:41] it's a wonderful beautiful development
[3:46:44] the neighborhood uses it extensively
[3:46:47] don't presume that it's going to be
[3:46:50] something that's misused and remember
[3:46:53] that tonight as we said is only about
[3:46:56] replatting we'll discuss use later thank
[3:46:59] you very much
[3:47:00] next speaker
[3:47:04] Emily Emily Doom
[3:47:09] good evening Council
[3:47:11] Raymond altaf I'm with Lomax LLC
[3:47:15] I just want to restate some of the
[3:47:18] things that Mr Staub said
[3:47:20] we started looking into this property
[3:47:23] about a year ago we went through all the
[3:47:26] process that LTD recommended we had many
[3:47:29] meetings with them we discussed the use
[3:47:32] we uh you know we were given a knot
[3:47:36] basically to move forward with the
[3:47:38] project and only then we went and we
[3:47:40] purchased the property and we made the
[3:47:43] investment into the property we turned
[3:47:45] in the plans and after that you know
[3:47:48] it's uh basically we were told uh
[3:47:52] replatting was just a procedural thing
[3:47:54] the youth was already there so a lot of
[3:47:57] the opposition with all due respect
[3:48:00] they are disputing the use but we are
[3:48:04] not here to discuss use today we are
[3:48:06] here to discuss re-platting and we were
[3:48:08] told
[3:48:09] replatting would not have anything to do
[3:48:12] with the use so with that understanding
[3:48:15] you know we had made the purchase we you
[3:48:19] know made the investment towards this
[3:48:21] property and the other thing is for the
[3:48:24] uh
[3:48:26] condition the waiver that we are asking
[3:48:28] for the Dual Finance lot no matter what
[3:48:31] is done at this location
[3:48:32] if that restriction is there that will
[3:48:36] basically push all the traffic to your
[3:48:38] diversity it will close John Street
[3:48:40] entrances do close street addresses and
[3:48:43] it would basically bottleneck the
[3:48:46] traffic into that property and it
[3:48:48] wouldn't be good for it uh whether it's
[3:48:50] another type of business there or a gas
[3:48:53] station whatever it may be that would
[3:48:56] not be good for the property
[3:48:58] that's pretty much all I have to say
[3:49:01] final speaker Mr chair is Emily Dion
[3:49:05] good evening
[3:49:07] um
[3:49:07] and thank you for listening
[3:49:10] I believe I'm the only business owner
[3:49:13] that's speaking tonight
[3:49:15] my business is literally next door to
[3:49:19] Chase Bank
[3:49:21] um we take care of its Magnolia's home
[3:49:25] care for the last 18 years I've been
[3:49:27] doing this we take care of the elderly
[3:49:30] and the disabled in their homes we're
[3:49:32] like a sitting service
[3:49:35] my employees are mostly single months
[3:49:39] they come by they have to do some things
[3:49:43] at the office they have to drop off
[3:49:45] their time sheets sometimes this is done
[3:49:47] in the middle of the night they want to
[3:49:49] get paid
[3:49:50] um it's done at any time of the day
[3:49:54] um sometimes I work late at night my
[3:49:57] staff Works late I do not want to come
[3:50:00] out at 5 30 or 6 o'clock in the
[3:50:02] afternoon
[3:50:04] and have someone either sleeping sitting
[3:50:07] or standing there watching our traffic
[3:50:11] our coming goals in the office the only
[3:50:14] thing that will do is entice them
[3:50:18] to to have crimes I've heard the report
[3:50:21] of crime at Convenience Stores
[3:50:24] um
[3:50:25] and I don't believe that
[3:50:28] the Four Corners is just beginning
[3:50:32] to be reborn
[3:50:34] it's just beginning to be clean I grew
[3:50:37] up at the Four Corners I remember
[3:50:40] the national I remember the Chase Bank I
[3:50:43] remember the First National Bank this is
[3:50:45] where we grocery shop and
[3:50:49] lived I mean you know that was the Hub
[3:50:52] of the city and so I believe with this
[3:50:55] grocery store with this convenience
[3:50:57] store
[3:50:58] um it would bring Crime it would bring
[3:51:01] dysfunction
[3:51:03] to the area it would it would not help
[3:51:07] what we're trying to do at this point
[3:51:10] um we finally got rid of the hotel it's
[3:51:13] a beautiful complex apartment complex
[3:51:15] there why would we want to bring more
[3:51:20] disaster or more trash because my office
[3:51:25] is like I said the only thing that
[3:51:27] separates us right now is a
[3:51:29] um
[3:51:30] chain link fence I get all the trash I
[3:51:34] get every piece every piece of paper
[3:51:37] that flies out from either the garbage
[3:51:39] truck or people passing and throwing I
[3:51:43] get the garbage I'm the Yard Man at the
[3:51:45] office I pick up the garbage
[3:51:48] um I would appreciate if you all would
[3:51:51] just consider denying this
[3:51:53] yes we can use something else something
[3:51:56] productive something more feasible for
[3:52:00] that area that the community can use and it'd be vital
[3:52:04] but at this at this time I do wish that
[3:52:07] you would consider not
[3:52:10] um granting this petition
[3:52:12] thank you no other speakers Mr chair
[3:52:21] have a
[3:52:23] go ahead Andy yeah good
[3:52:27] this is a uh a lot on our plate here and
[3:52:31] you guys have a lot on your plate also
[3:52:34] what's so tough about this though is
[3:52:36] we're here to decide one thing
[3:52:39] a plotting replatting of the lot that's
[3:52:42] it
[3:52:43] the use of the land the use of the the
[3:52:46] intent of what the owner has for it
[3:52:50] is not even on the table right now we
[3:52:53] just have to replant that's the whole
[3:52:55] point why we're here is to replant this
[3:52:57] land
[3:52:58] now I understand
[3:52:59] a permit has been requested a building
[3:53:02] permit
[3:53:04] I'm not as familiar as I should be with
[3:53:06] these building permits I've never
[3:53:07] applied for one well for years I haven't
[3:53:09] applied for when I did a small remodel
[3:53:10] my house years ago
[3:53:12] but this permit if if I could get the
[3:53:15] owner or the attorney up here what was
[3:53:17] our Andre the engineer what what exactly
[3:53:21] is the pill permit addressing is it is
[3:53:24] it a type of building is it is it Sam
[3:53:27] what they're going to use it for is
[3:53:28] what's the department say it's going to
[3:53:30] be used for
[3:53:32] okay
[3:53:33] well
[3:53:35] yeah
[3:53:41] convenient convenience store and gas
[3:53:44] station okay all right
[3:53:46] so this new
[3:53:49] code that we're passing
[3:53:52] would not allow a convenience store and
[3:53:54] gas station so this permit
[3:53:57] that we have in place now
[3:53:59] basically is grandfathered in to allow
[3:54:02] that
[3:54:03] and I understand the biggest objection
[3:54:05] the residents here have is the gas
[3:54:08] station
[3:54:09] that's probably the biggest part of it I
[3:54:11] understand a lot of y'all don't like the
[3:54:12] convenience store there are convenience
[3:54:15] stores in the area there are convenience
[3:54:16] stores that can operate well
[3:54:18] uh
[3:54:20] but in order to facilitate the needs in
[3:54:24] the neighborhood I personally would have
[3:54:27] to vote against the replatting because
[3:54:30] we have 120 people sitting here and
[3:54:33] saying no we don't want a gas station
[3:54:35] and I can understand why and our new
[3:54:38] code moving forward will not allow a gas
[3:54:41] station there uh so I personally had to
[3:54:44] vote against this replying for that
[3:54:45] reason
[3:54:53] oh please
[3:55:03] I just want to make sure that that we're
[3:55:06] clear on this issue
[3:55:08] we keep saying that that we're here for
[3:55:10] a replatting and and we're not here to
[3:55:13] discuss
[3:55:14] use
[3:55:16] we keep saying that over and over again
[3:55:17] right
[3:55:19] yet it appears clear what the intended
[3:55:24] use is
[3:55:26] so my question is
[3:55:28] will the replatting
[3:55:32] automatically allow
[3:55:35] for the developer to construct on this
[3:55:37] property where they are proposing to
[3:55:39] construct
[3:55:40] yes because they've applied for a
[3:55:42] building permit
[3:55:44] so it would
[3:55:46] we already have the building under
[3:55:48] review
[3:55:50] the building and the adjacent science
[3:55:53] site
[3:55:54] okay
[3:55:56] and it is his
[3:55:58] okay
[3:55:59] thank you
[3:56:00] anyone else
[3:56:02] council members
[3:56:06] everybody's good
[3:56:07] okay call for the vote
[3:56:11] there is no motion on the floor at this
[3:56:13] time so we will defer to legal to give
[3:56:17] you guidance on the motion and what your
[3:56:20] yes or no vote means okay we didn't I
[3:56:22] thought we made it okay at this point uh
[3:56:27] quit Paul well it it depends on the
[3:56:30] motion okay at at this point I will
[3:56:33] entertain uh what what motion am I for
[3:56:37] uh
[3:56:40] at this point I'll entertain a motion
[3:56:44] to Grant the developers appeal
[3:56:48] of the planning commission's decision
[3:56:57] is that correct
[3:56:59] right
[3:57:03] there yes right
[3:57:07] okay but you need a motion can I get a
[3:57:09] motion in a second now Mr chair I need
[3:57:12] to I need to make sure we're clear on
[3:57:15] this okay because you have a couple of
[3:57:17] components involved in
[3:57:20] the motion to Grant the appeal
[3:57:23] you need to be specific if that motion
[3:57:26] includes
[3:57:27] whether or not you are approving the
[3:57:31] request for a waiver
[3:57:33] of the double Frontage
[3:57:36] and if you're not if the granting of the
[3:57:39] appeal that would result in the granting
[3:57:42] of the preliminary plot is going to be
[3:57:44] subject to all conditions of the
[3:57:48] previous staff report of December 19
[3:57:51] 2022 including any plot revisions and
[3:57:54] other comments and suggestions
[3:57:57] so I want us to be really careful on
[3:58:00] this yes we do
[3:58:02] uh
[3:58:03] now the alternative motion
[3:58:06] and totally up to how the council wants
[3:58:09] to deal with this if the council is
[3:58:12] inclined to entertain a motion to deny
[3:58:14] the appeal
[3:58:16] and uphold the planning commission's
[3:58:19] decision you do not need to address the
[3:58:22] waiver request or any of the other
[3:58:25] conditions
[3:58:27] so totally up to you yeah we'll take the ladder Paul
[3:58:34] we'll take the ladders
[3:58:36] make a motion to uphold the planning
[3:58:38] commissions
[3:58:46] okay uh we have a motion by councilman
[3:58:50] not Khan
[3:58:51] and a second by councilwoman cook
[3:58:55] to deny the appeal
[3:59:00] all right from the decision so the net
[3:59:03] result of your vote would be if you vote
[3:59:05] Yes to the motion to deny the appeal
[3:59:09] that upholds the planning commission's
[3:59:12] decision
[3:59:13] takes care of everything
[3:59:15] okay
[3:59:16] that's
[3:59:18] if you vote Yes to the current motion on
[3:59:21] the floor which is a motion to deny the
[3:59:23] appeal if you vote yes to that that
[3:59:26] upholds the planning commission's
[3:59:29] decision of denying preliminary plot
[3:59:35] are we clear
[3:59:37] let me see what it means is everyone
[3:59:39] clear
[3:59:42] okay
[3:59:45] um okay Andy
[3:59:49] oh Pat and Dad wanted to make comments
[3:59:52] that what's happening here tonight in
[3:59:57] many ways is the travesty for this man
[3:59:59] that owns this property
[4:00:00] because he was led to believe that he
[4:00:03] could move forward with his plan
[4:00:06] that's why he purchased the property I
[4:00:08] don't know how many
[4:00:09] hundreds of thousands of dollars he has
[4:00:11] invested I'm sure substantial it's more
[4:00:13] than any of us could afford
[4:00:15] but it's a travesty what's happening to
[4:00:17] him Tim tonight
[4:00:19] because of a lack of communication and I
[4:00:22] realize you guys have a lot invested in
[4:00:23] your property too there's no doubt about
[4:00:25] it not to mention the tax dollars we
[4:00:27] spend the property taxes you paid over
[4:00:30] the years many out 30 40 years
[4:00:32] it's not like you don't have skin in the
[4:00:34] game
[4:00:35] so basically
[4:00:37] we're hurting somebody and we're helping
[4:00:40] somebody no matter which way we go
[4:00:42] but you guys have a lot vested here I
[4:00:44] just think it's a shame what he's been
[4:00:46] through
[4:00:47] and what he's been encountered along the
[4:00:49] way to be led to believe
[4:00:51] that he's got something going forward
[4:00:53] now he doesn't thank you
[4:00:58] councilman Lewis yes I'm just going to
[4:01:00] just my concern is that um we receive a
[4:01:03] lot of calls a lot of emails asking us
[4:01:06] to to vote no to help you guys out you
[4:01:10] know to I'm not see you guys but to help
[4:01:12] you know to make sure that the
[4:01:14] neighborhood gets what they want but now
[4:01:15] the way the motion is is saying that uh
[4:01:18] yes
[4:01:19] but
[4:01:21] he would buy the appeal would deny the
[4:01:23] appeal so that's why I want you all to
[4:01:24] understand that a yes would be the right
[4:01:27] which y'all asking for and I don't know
[4:01:29] I just want y'all to understand okay all
[4:01:32] right thank you all right
[4:01:43] okay uh
[4:01:45] I I I certainly want to want one of
[4:01:48] echo's uh Echo and Andy's comments
[4:01:52] um you know
[4:01:55] and and uh Andy I'm not sure how we
[4:01:58] present this how we prevent this from
[4:02:00] happening in the future that's a good
[4:02:02] question uh but but we certainly have to
[4:02:05] find a way and I'm not sure what that is
[4:02:09] uh but that's certainly a discussion
[4:02:11] that needs to be held
[4:02:14] um
[4:02:15] University is a
[4:02:21] commercial
[4:02:23] Corridor if you will
[4:02:26] um
[4:02:28] and if these type of facilities aren't
[4:02:30] allowed on University then
[4:02:34] I don't know
[4:02:36] I really don't know but but we need to
[4:02:42] find a way
[4:02:44] uh
[4:02:46] Administration legal
[4:02:49] Community Development and planning
[4:02:52] whomever we need we need to find a way
[4:02:54] to make sure that these kind of
[4:02:56] situations don't continue to occur
[4:03:02] that's it
[4:03:07] call for the vote to call for the vote
[4:03:09] to deny the appeal District Four yes
[4:03:14] District Five
[4:03:16] uh yes district one yes District Two yes
[4:03:20] District three yes the motion to deny
[4:03:23] the FPL is approved
[4:03:24] [Applause]
[4:03:35] consider appointments to by the council
[4:03:37] as a whole to boards and commission
[4:03:39] Cindy please read appointment to the
[4:03:41] downtown management committee for the
[4:03:43] remainder of an unexpired four-year term
[4:03:45] through July 31st 2026. Apple customer's
[4:03:48] own property or work in downtown
[4:03:50] Lafayette
[4:03:52] uh the resume received for consideration
[4:03:56] is Anjali grob and there's no incumbent
[4:04:04] any other nominations there are no other
[4:04:06] nominations call for the vote District
[4:04:08] Five
[4:04:09] uh Rob District One
[4:04:12] District Two yes District three District
[4:04:16] Four
[4:04:17] Angelique Rob is appointed appointment
[4:04:20] by the apartment by council members
[4:04:22] mayor president and or other direct
[4:04:24] appointing authority Cindy please read
[4:04:27] Pat Lewis District one appointed Raymond
[4:04:30] Mallory to the recreation advisory
[4:04:32] commission for a four-year term
[4:04:33] effective December 1st 2022
[4:04:37] motion uh
[4:04:41] [Laughter]
[4:04:44] no
[4:04:46] we we we're moving on councilwoman cook
[4:04:49] I'll entertain a motion in a second to
[4:04:51] introduce items 24 and 25 in global
[4:04:54] Cindy please read well we need a motion
[4:04:57] uh with motion by councilwoman a bear
[4:04:59] second by councilman I can't send it
[4:05:02] please read
[4:05:03] 11 20 22 23 operating budget of the
[4:05:09] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[4:05:11] Government by increasing revenues in the
[4:05:13] amount of twelve thousand one hundred
[4:05:15] one dollars received from the United
[4:05:17] States Marshal Service and appropriating
[4:05:19] within the Lafayette Police Department
[4:05:22] city ordinance 12 2023 in Orange of the
[4:05:25] Lafayette city council meaning the
[4:05:26] fiscal year 2223 capital budget of the
[4:05:29] Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[4:05:30] Government by switching funding of 360
[4:05:33] thousand dollars of Park capital
[4:05:35] projects between the American Rescue
[4:05:38] plan 21 City 650 fund and the sales tax
[4:05:42] Capital Improvement City fund 401. any
[4:05:46] Council discussion it's also any public
[4:05:49] comment no sir call for both attention
[4:05:51] this items 24 and 25 in global district
[4:05:54] one yes District Two yes District three
[4:05:57] yes District Four yes District Five
[4:06:01] yes the motion to reduce items 24 and 25
[4:06:04] in global is approved this part will
[4:06:07] entertain a motion to introduce
[4:06:10] a motion and second to introduce items
[4:06:12] 27 and 28 in global
[4:06:15] most of my councilwoman Cooks second by
[4:06:17] councilman I can't Cindy please read
[4:06:19] John 1.6
[4:06:21] 2023 and draw earnings of the Lafayette
[4:06:23] City Council in the Lafayette Parish
[4:06:25] Council amending the fiscal year 22-23
[4:06:27] operating budget and demanding tables of
[4:06:30] the Lafayette City Parish Consolidated
[4:06:31] Government by increasing the honorary
[4:06:33] pay rate of an investment officer
[4:06:36] position within the office of finance
[4:06:38] and management accounting Division I
[4:06:40] draw on at 7 2023 HR honors of the
[4:06:43] Lafayette City Council on the Lafayette
[4:06:44] Parish Council amending the fiscal year
[4:06:47] 2223 operating in capital budgets
[4:06:50] of the Lafayette City Parish
[4:06:51] Consolidated Government by recognizing
[4:06:53] revenues in the amount of one million
[4:06:55] six hundred thousand dollars received
[4:06:57] from the Federal Highway Administration
[4:06:59] approving the use of existing funds in
[4:07:02] the amount of four hundred thousand
[4:07:03] dollars for the required local match
[4:07:05] appropriating within the traffic roads
[4:07:07] and bridges Department traffic
[4:07:08] engineering Division and authorizing the
[4:07:10] Lafayette mayor president to execute a
[4:07:12] contract with the Louisiana Department
[4:07:14] of Transportation and development and
[4:07:16] the Acadian and Planning Commission
[4:07:18] Metropolitan planning Organization for
[4:07:21] the Lafayette Parish non-state pavement
[4:07:22] marking project 8015018
[4:07:27] the council discussion
[4:07:28] Ms Arsenal Republic comment no sir call
[4:07:32] for both to introduce items 27 and 28 in
[4:07:35] global District Two
[4:07:37] yes District three yeah Mr five yes Mr Quinn yes
[4:07:43] items 27 and 28 and Global is approved
[4:07:47] for the business I joined the Lafayette
[4:08:07] [Music]