Ascension Parish, Louisiana Zoning Commission, 8 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: Zoning Commission - February 8, 2023

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Zoning Commission - February 8, 2023

A

We'll call to order the zoning Commission meeting February 8 2023 6 o'clock, well, 7 30, here at the Ascension Parish Courthouse uh roll call, the members all members are present and uh moving on to uh number three, the election of a chairman and vice chairman for 2023..

A

uh The rules are going to be gentlemen, we're going to open up chairman first open up nominations where we'll have a roll call vote and then afterward, we'll open up uh nominations for vice chairman, where we'll have another roll call vote and then we'll move on so uh part. Three I'll accept nominations for chairman for the zoning commission uh right now. Please.

B

Let me check nominated.

A

uh Commissioner, kluat nominates Mr Wade chexnyder. Are there any other nominations?

A

Okay, uh we'll take a roll call vote on. That seems to be unanimous but uh Mr Knoll. Is that a approval with you, okay, Mr Villa?

A

Well, no, we it's a roll call vote, so we just got to say: okay, uh Mr Miller, yeah,.

C

Myself, yes, no.

A

B

Yes, yes, okay,.

A

Chairman has been appointed. Thank you, gentlemen. um We'll open up nominations for vice chair.

D

Mark Miller.

A

Okay, we have a nomination for Mark Villa for vice chair. Do we have any other nominations, our nominate, Max Nas? We have a nomination from Max Nasser, any others. Okay, uh we'll do a roll call vote. uh Your vote will be who you want to have as Vice chair, starting with Mr. No, please uh say the person you want for vice chair um max Mr, Villa, I,.

E

Guess I got a vote for myself: okay,.

A

Mr Miller uh Martin uh I vote for Max and.

C

I'm going to follow Mr Villa's lead vote for myself, Max master.

A

Max, okay, that role, that call is five to two for Max Nasser to be reappointed as Vice chairman. Congratulations! Thank you. Okay, um at this time, we'll have um we'll have an um ask for an approval of the meetings minutes for uh November 9th 2022 Mr no uh has an approval seconded by Mr Villa, all in favor aye that passes number five Chairman's comments. uh We have no I, don't really have any specific comments other than um those people who are here tonight to speak.

A

Please fill out your form with Miss uh Miss Jamaica and uh we'll call on you whenever that time is so number six public hearing to amend the Ascension Parish development code for recommendation for the approval or denial to the Ascension Parish Council item, a zoning review idpz3051.23 lot: a formerly a portion of the Chester Cinema property for ravendager uh S Bar. It's located on the north side of La Highway 42, approximately 150 feet, east of Billy Boulevard to amend the Ascension power stoning map from mixed use to mu2 to Crossroads commercial CC, Miss Baker.

A

Do we have anybody here to speak on this? Okay, come forward, sir?.

A

And please state your name uh in in address, sir.

F

My name is and good evening to all of you. Thank you. I bought this property. It was an old Bank building it used to be, but the Bank closed. I think many years ago it's about 2400 square foot, building on the corner of Highway 42 and Billy Road. The building is in good shape.

F

We are remodeling it and but it's only approved for certain things and we are trying to get it zoned for something more like if we were to open like a restaurant or something like that or so that's why I applied for this zoning thing.

F

I mean it's in a commercial Zone, there's a Walmart across the street and there is a lake Urgent Care on the other side. So it is basically a commercial lot. So that's why we applied for the zoning change.

A

Gotcha. Okay, thank you.

A

Thank you, Miss! Thank you. Okay. uh We can open up the public hearing. Is anybody here to speak on this? Okay? Please come up all.

G

Right well, I have Mr Timothy Maxwell he's not in support, but he does not wish just. He does not wish to speak. I have William Roca, he is not in support and he wishes not to speak and Brett cook he's not in support and which is not to speak. I have Adam Rhodes, he is not in support and he would like to speak.

A

Mr Rhodes, please come up.

E

Good afternoon I'm Adam Rhodes, my wife and I, reside at 41032 Highway 42, which is the adjacent property to this proposal. I, don't know how to work this fancy thing but uh threw together some pictures once I realized. It was an option. um My wife and I have lived here. Our entire marriage we've been married 11 years we have three small kids, they catch and they get on and off the bus at the end of our driveway, which is dangerous enough in itself.

E

Just that it's a highway road, we're against it becoming commercial, obviously for everything it opens it up to be this corner shed on the property line is about 97 feet from my house. This is my front door. My six-year-old daughter is holding the tape from me. Any commercial development there would be able to build up and do right there with noise, any type of initiative, increasing people there.

E

The proposal that uh I don't want to mispronounce his name told me was that he wants to make it a reception hall I've been in law enforcement for 11 years. Another with reception halls comes drinking, but drinking comes crime. Noise, police, Ascension, Parish, Sheriff's, Office I, requested that I wasn't able to get in time. How many calls for service they get at reception, halls and other venues of that nature, not to mention what they already get just with the Walmart and with the lake Urgent Care, both of which close early other than obviously the Walmart.

E

But the lake Urgent Care is closed at five six pm, whereas a reception hall in the commercial building would be able to be much later than that noise, music people there's very limited parking for such a venue. I feel that overflow parking would end up on my property or down Billy Boulevard, which is a dead end street. That I grew up on with a lot of small kids, so, like I said my biggest concern.

E

Obviously, is my children's safety and any potential increase of crime and violence or anything else that would occur red anything that would a commercial property could bring.

E

Thank you for your time.

A

Is there anyone.

G

Else, yes, Belinda cook she's, not in support, and she would like to speak.

H

I'm a little bit High challenge here we go hi I'm, Belinda cook, I live at 18161 Billy Boulevard, along with my husband, I've lived out there for about 30. Something years uh grew up: big family Town back there. I do um wish that you do not approve this from for many reasons, but for for the top reasons is we're unsure what he wants to do. Even in his proposal, He's listed three possible businesses.

H

If it's zoned to the crossword commercials, we don't know what will come there the over there. It is landlocked uh the two houses, the two residents that border it have small kids. We are on a dead end street.

H

We have one way in one way out: there's no shoulder on our road, so we're looking at individuals turning around in our yards or in our driveways or the Overflow poker, and would end up on our streets, which would then impede us getting in and out not to mention emergency vehicles would have a difficult time getting to the elderly residents that live down there in a timely manner. So I do ask that you uh do deny the the request to rezone.

H

G

No one else has signed up: okay.

A

We'll go and close the public hearing. um Oh yes, sir. Please come up.

F

I understand the concerns: I have a family I have a 14 year old at home. The thing is a few things: when you buy a property you want to use it. That's the whole idea of buying a property.

F

We will build a fence all along the back on the sides. It will be a like a six foot, regular fence that will side the property if we ever open anything like a reception hall or a restaurant that should mitigate some of the noise. The second thing is about the traffic.

F

There is already a four lane road and there is a special entrance just to enter Billy Boulevard I, think that was made on the request of the Billy Boulevard restaurant residence because of the emergency vehicles that would get into there, so they could get in and out.

F

We are three entrances to the building two on Highway 42 and one unbelievable award.

F

When we applied for remodeling, they told us that we cannot have two on Highway 42., The Dodd said that it's too close to the light, so we are closing one. So we have one Inlet and one Outlet on Billy Boulevard. That is basically like a I have a like the drawing that the architect we will have 50 registered parkings if and I know that the city won't approve anything like that.

F

Anyways, because if you want to collect 7 500 people, you have to have 50 car parking I, don't expect them to go park at Walmart or lake, urgent care or in somebody's yard.

F

This is a commercial business is contained. I have done this before and I'm not there to disturb the people I'm, not for anybody's safety issues. We will take care of business, so I request that it be approved. Please I spent a lot of money on it. We it's an investment.

A

Thank you. Thank you hold on for a second we're going to close the public hearing and um open up a first thing. Mr Brock. Can you shed some light in on this one of the questions? uh I think a lot of us are going to have is why go from mixed use, two to Crossroad commercial? That's that's! Actually, a downgrade in commercial use am.

I

I am I, no, basically you're talking about mixed juice and Crossroad commercial. Mixed use, two in Crossroad commercial mixed use. Two is that designation between residential and Commercial is that transition between the two. So there are a lot of uses that aren't allowed in the mix and the mixed use are in The Crossroads, that's not allowed in mixed juice, too so offices, those type of things crossword commercials allows bars, allows lounges. It allows apartments and allows multi-family it allows all those things mixed use to does not allow any of those types of uses.

I

So that's why the recommendation from staff was to deny the crossroad commercial as requested based on the permitted uses that could be allowed under the crossword. Commercial and staff also believes that mixed juice, too, is the correct zoning district for this area that is North of Highway 42.

A

Okay, we're going to open up to the uh questions from the commission. uh Do we have any Commissioners who want to ask questions? It's.

C

A brock answer your mind: yeah.

A

Mr barnado, my question is:.

B

um If I'm wrong uh on your submission statement, you say uh full service, restaurant, quick service, restaurant, but just taking a quick look at uh permitted tables.

B

um Does it it? It allows.

I

Me it allows it allows so.

B

That's two of the uses you're asking for right.

I

It's the outdoor venue and the venue that he's asking for- and that was the question that I received at the time of uh application. Okay, gotcha.

A

And the thing to keep in mind is you know our our goal is to decide what is the best use of this just because of what he wants um or ultimately that is decided later so uh does anybody else have any other questions?

A

D

Miller, the uh the crosswords commercial is the only way he would be able to have the outdoor venue.

I

Correct and the reception area that he's asking for yes, sir.

D

He would still be able to serve alcohol, though yeah.

H

His license and.

D

That would fall under the mixed use too. Yes, so, basically all I can do. Is you know if.

H

D

Dance floor inside or whatever, then he, you know it's a restaurant. You know like a catering or a venue option he's still basically inside that it's just. He can't take the party outside correct.

A

C

uh Yeah, despite what the applicant's intended uses are, should we change the zoning, then the ability to implement any of the permitted uses becomes available. Despite of what is despite what his stated intentions are I'm going to be opposed to this.

A

Is anybody else want to speak or can I would entertain a motion.

B

C

A

C

I have a motion to deny based.

B

On the current recommendation from staff and the correct.

A

Zoning of the district make sure you make your motion if it is a recommended to denial to the council recommendation.

B

A

Okay, we got a motion to recommend denial by uh commissioner kluwat second by commissioner Max Nasser. Let's open up the voting machines, please.

F

So what can I do there now, with what I have.

A

um At the moment, due to the order we're going, we need to move forward with the order. Let the vote happen. I'll, give you some some information in a second. So if you don't mind, uh give give us a moment, um we have the voting machines open.

A

This is the motion. You are voting on the motion to recommend denial.

A

um That's not what I voted.

A

um Oh there never mind it. Swapped you got a remote.

C

No, that no I'm supposed to uh uh okay I misspelled it well.

A

We can we can re-vote, but we just the names, have not changed. Okay, well, that that's fine, um but let the record reflect um commissioned answer. It still passed a six to one so that motion um to recommend denial uh does pass. um What I do want to. Let you know, though, is this- is a recommended to denial to the council. The council is going to take this up in at uh soon issue. You can plead your case to the council.

A

The council can agree with us or they can overrule us, but that's that's what you would be able to do. Sir.

I

Mr Brown I'll send you a permitted use, table and email tomorrow: okay, Commissioners, can we just uh do a roll call vote just to make the record clear? Okay. Thank you.

A

Commissioner, no commissioner Villa. Yes, commissioner Miller. Yes, commissioner schexnider. Yes, commissioner Nasser. Yes, commissioner glueat, commissioner Varnado okay, it was a unanimous vote. 7-0. Thank you, uh need a motion to adjourn so moved. Thank you.