Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Ladies and gentlemen, we'll get started uh as soon as we uh corral up the last members for the for the uh the beginning of the board. Good evening everyone and thank you for joining us for tonight's planning and zoning commission meeting. At this time we will have the roll call. Mr. Hul,

Chairman Washington, Vice Chairman Grout here. Commissioner Addison here. Commissioner Betts here. Commissioner Boyd. Commissioner Coleman. Commissioner Ellander here. Commissioner Fowler here and Commissioner Maxi here. We have a quorum.

Thank you, Mr. Director. Um, first item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes from March 16, 2026. Is there a motion to approve the minutes from March 16 meeting? We have a We have a motion from Commissioner Addison, second from Commissioner Coleman. Are there any objections to approving the meeting minutes? Seeing none, those have been approved. At this time, I will read in the rules for conducting public hearings. This is a public meeting. Any interesting me any interested member of the public who wishes to comment on any item in this agenda may comment in person at City Hall, 222 St. Louis Street, third floor, room 348. During the meeting, members of the public desiring to speak on a particular item should refer to a meeting agenda and complete the necessary information prior to the meeting by filling out a request to speak card indicating which item you wish to speak and place it in the designated location prior to the meeting. Applicant and applicants representatives for the proposal will speak first for a total or not to or combined period not to exceed 15 minutes. Proponents will speak and then the opponents, excuse me. Each speaker will not be allowed more than three minutes. Speakers are requested to limit their remarks by avoiding duplication in their presentations. Applicant will be allowed a total of five minutes for rebuttal. Opponents will not be allowed to rebut. Items placed on the consent agenda by the planning commission staff will not have time allocated for speaking unless there is a member of the public at the meeting who wishes to speak on the item. In such cases, the proposal will follow the standard procedure. We can we can now move on to the consent agenda. Mr. Baldwin, consent items for deferral. Item four, cup 226, Faith Tabernacle Zachary, 22838 Plank Road, proposed religious institution on property located on the

east side of Plank Road, south of Port Hudson Pride Road. Deferred by Council Member Null to June 15th. Item six, Cape Cup 426, Voices of Mercy Outreach Ministries, 5100 5200 and 5165 Monarch Avenue and 5190 Peerless Street. Proposed religious and educational institution on property located on the north side of Monarch Avenue east of Kissle Street. Deferred by the planning director to June 15th. Consent items for approval. Item three, case 1526, 5956, and 5986 Stumbberg Lane to reszone from Rural to Lake Commercial 3 LC3 on property located on the west side of Stberg Lane north of Jefferson Highway. Item five, cup 326, Open Door Fellowship Church, 8235 Greenill Street. Proposed religious institution on property located on the north side of Greenwell Street east of linear drive. Item seven CS 326 AJ Dross Dolowski's track 8868 Lemon Road proposed flag lot minor subdivision located on the south side of Lemon Road west of Plank Road. Item 8 CS 426 at Barice property 19190 Plank Road proposed Flagglot minor subdivision located on the east side of Plank Road north of Carlton's Road. Item nine CS526 Charles Ratcliffe property 6100 Zachary Slaughter Highway proposed Flag lot minor subdivision located on the east side of Zachary Slaughter Highway south of Hill Crest Drive. Item 10, SP 426, How Village commercial development, 7802 How Boulevard and 3700 to 3800 Harding Boulevard. Proposed commercial development on property located on the east side of How Boulevard, south of Harding Boulevard. Planning Commission staff certifies that all of these items are consistent with the comprehensive plan and the unified development code. Councilman Kenny, who I believe is here tonight, has provided

a letter of support for item number 10, site plan 426, and we have received an additional uh message of support for the same item for this project. I understand Councilman Kenny is here tonight and would like to say a few words on one of the items on the consent agenda. All right. Thank you, chairman. Uh, good afternoon, commission. I am Councilman Anthony B. Kenny. Uh, first off, thank you all for the work that you all do on a daily basis. Um, the item in pertaining to the How Place Boulevard development u will be a very catalytic project in district 2 in North Baton Rouge. Um, you all probably saw in the news around MLK weekend. Uh, we had a groundbreaker with the governor, elected officials, and so many other people who laid so much groundwork um to destroy the food insecurity desert in North Bonus. And so I'm very excited my office to support um this project. Um this is something right here that so many people in that area has been longing for for a very long time. And so um as Southern University continues to expand um as Scotlandville, North Bon Rouge and District 2 continues to expand um this shows the progress that's coming in the area. So um I'm here just in support as the council person and um thank you so much and as that project progresses as well u we'll definitely for you all to come see the progress that happens over the next year or two. So, thank you so much and once again, thank you all for the work that shall provide on this board.

Thank you. You have heard all the items that have been placed in the consent agenda and will be taken with one vote. Are there any members of the planning commission who have an item they would like pulled from the consent agenda to be heard as part of the regular agenda? Are there any members of the public present who would like to speak on an item with the consent agenda? Seeing none, is there a motion? Move. Motion from Commissioner Addison, second from Commissioner Coleman. Are there any objections to accepting the items who've been placed on the consent agenda? Seeing none, those items have been approved. We can now move on to the regular agenda.

Mr. Chairman, we can move on to item two, zoning case 1426, 2639 North Street, Sweet A. Case 1426, 2639 North Street, Sweet A. Property is located on the north side of North Street, west of North 27th Street, Council District 10 Co. The applicant is Denanishia Vil. Future BR land use designation is mixed use. The existing zoning is heavy commercial C2 with a requested zoning of commercial alcohol beverage bar and lounge CB2 case 1426 2639 North Street suite 8.

Staff certifies that the proposed request meets the criteria for a change of zoning being consistent with the comprehensive plan compatible with surrounding uses and conforming to unified development code requirements. At this time, I'll open the public hearing and invite the applicant up uh to speak for a period of not to exceed 15 minutes.

Good evening, council members and members of the community. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Can you can you give your name, please, ma'am? I was going to say Denanisha.

Thank you. Um, I'm here regarding my proposal to open a sports lounge. I want to begin by directly addressing the two biggest concerns I've heard, alcohol and security. I understand why those issues matter and I take them seriously. This establishment is not intended to be a disruptive or unsafe environment. It will be a controlled, professionally managed space with clear policies in place. That includes responsible alcohol services, strict ID checks, and zero tolerance for underage drinking or over serving. In terms, I am committed to having trained staff on site, clear operating procedures, and proactive measures to ensure the safety of both patrons and surrounding residents. My goal is to prevent issues before they happen, not react afterwards. I'm not just opening a business. I'm investing in this community. I want this to be a place that operates responsibly, respects its neighbors, and contributes positively to the area. I welcome your questions and the opportunity to address any concerns. Oh, and also over the Easter uh weekend, we did a giveaway. Um I have some pictures I can give.

You can you can hand those to u you can hand those to uh uh Commissioner Macy and they can be passed around.

Yeah, ma'am. We will need to keep those as part of record. That's fine. Okay. Thank you. We we'll we'll do questions in in a few moments, but if you're if you're you're done, we'll call the next one. Okay.

Thank you. Um in support uh we have uh Ronald Randall like to speak. Good afternoon. How y'all doing? Um, I came and spoke last time, but I really didn't know what to speak about because I didn't know what the problem was. And like she said, um, we heard instead of talking about liquor and security issues or not even really security issues, most things that I heard was about alcohol. And the thing is, we're not opening up a liquor store or a bar or a club. The main thing for us is it's a sports lounge place where we get off and layman turn. We can go chill and just watch the game instead of everybody piling up at one buddy house or another buddy's house. It don't matter if you want to get a CocaCola, Dr. Pepper, bottle water, or if somebody don't like to drink a cold beer while they watch the game, that's that's on them. But everybody has to drink responsibly. And like I said, we just lounge is the main thing. And we're only here because we putting lounge because we're not trying to be a liquor store. If we want to be a liquor store, we I mean, correct me if I'm wrong. We right by liquor store. So, I don't know if we really need to be reszoneed for a liquor store. That ain't what we trying to do. We just want to have a place where working men like myself can get off and watch the game if you want to talk with your buddies. That's all I have to say about it.

Thank you very much. We have two other cards in support for who do not wish to speak. Derek Robinson and I'm going to get this wrong. My apologies. Derell Selders. Is that correct? Okay. All right. They are uh in support but do not wish to speak. I'll now move I'll now move on to the opponents. First card is for Terry Smith. Terry here. Thank Thank you.

Good evening, sir. You have the floor for 3 minutes.

Yes, sir. Good evening. Hi. How y'all doing? I'm not used to speaking like this on a norm. Uh I moved to the neighborhood there uh when I was 10 years old. I'm 68 years old now and I bought the house in 2014 for my mother and I've lived there ever since. Okay. And I've seen what alcohol does our neighborhood over the years. Uh it hasn't been been good. My stepfather used to be an alcoholic. I ain't ashamed to tell y'all that. Used to suffer from that as a kid. Okay. One of the businesses he used to get his alcohol from was an corners on North Street. Okay. Mr. Simonson wants to open up next door. I wouldn't want other another kid have to go through what I did when I was a young kid. Okay. Or any other family member. All right. We have we got Annne Cers. Okay. Anne Cers uh on here 70805 North Street. We got a Eric's grocery store 3838 North Street. We got Plank Road Market daily number two at 355 Florida Boulevard. We got the Tip Off Bar and Lounge and Grill at 2972 Florida Boulevard. We got easy stop on the corner of of Eugene of Florida at 2712 Florida Boulevard. We have the corner deal right at the corner at 2427 Florida Boulevard that sells alcohol. We have the corner liquor store. I mean the corner convenience stores K at 3373 Florida Boulevard in the cadence way by the mid city hospital. We got the night cap on on uh at 116 North 25th Street. This is eight people places I can walk from my house

to get alcohol. We do not need any more alcohol. our street, our house. We are saturated with alcohol entire shops already. Okay? And I'm asking y'all please not resone this. Thank y'all. Thank you. Next card is for Dexter. Dexter P. Good evening. You have the floor for three minutes.

How y'all doing today? My name is um Dexter Paul. I lived in that area my whole life. I'm 24 now. Um I seen what alcohol do to a lot of people. It keeps them in a place where they cannot move. And um I feel as when the adult is drinking, you can't tell them nothing. And once they get intoxicated, it's no telling them what they can do. No one can stop them. No matter the security or the force. I I'm I'm a security guard and I see this happen all the time. So I it don't matter what you try to do. Once alcohol gets this in one system, they are not the same person. So I know they have corner stores open already that sell alcohol. And if I could, I would close them all. But it's not up to me. But I feel as more than one alcohol spot on the same spot, it's going to cause ruckus and and it's going to be out of control. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you. Next card is for Robert Sensley. I hope I got that right. You did. Great job. Thank you.

Um, good evening everyone. So, as far as what I would have to say today, I really want to reflect on u my neighbor. I recently had a neighbor that passed away uh suddenly uh of a massive heart attack. And I would say that from the the lifestyle that my my neighbor lived, alcohol played a part in that. Uh he was someone that really likes to party. I I would constantly have him come home and I and I know he'll be coming home because I can hear him coming home in his car because he liked to play his music loud as he all times of the night. But at the same time where he was a bad neighbor in that way, he was a good neighbor. He loved his mom. He loved his his his children. He loved he loved his family. uh he was outside of you know um playing his music loud he was a respectful respectful guy. The the thing about it is that those times he was coming home he was coming home from uh frequenting um businesses such as what's being proposed today. Uh and I would tell you from hearing him talking to his family when he's coming home, it wasn't the same person. He had a different demeanor about him as he's coming home from these clubs. And so the alcohol that he was was using during that time or whatever else he he was what was in his system when I spoke with him, he told me is just alcohol and and I and I take him for that. But he's not able to talk to us right now. His family is not able to to share life with him right now. You know, it's one thing to be the life of the party, but what happens when the party is over and you

still have to come home and you have to live with that person? You have to, you know, you have to involve yourself with that person, how that takes away from those family members. So, when we think about what we're adding to a community that's already full of of of locations that already has lounges, lounges like this, already have um places where you uh consume alcohol, uh purchase alcohol, why add something else to this? What the what the um they're not providing a need? And if they're not providing a need to the community and the community speaking saying that they're not, I will hope that you guys will listen to the community. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, next speaker card is for Toro Wicker.

Good afternoon, commission members. Um, thank you again for allowing us the opportunity to speak. And I I come from a different perspective, I guess, and I'm I'm I'm asking and I'm pleading and I'm begging for um your protection of our neighborhood, the economics of our community. Um the young man mentioned about safety. What's so unfortunate is our our community is so proliferated with with crime now and gunshots that it's been desensitized. I don't even think people still call to report because it's just become a matter of fact. Um, I do have hope in hearing Councilman Kennedy speak about the the great progress that's happening in the Scotlandville area and they're getting a grocery store. We still don't have a viable grocery store in our neighborhood. Um, we are a food desert. Um, we have Mrs. downtown, but the reality of it is I'm still over a mile from a grocery store in my community and um, we don't have Bible places to go and shop and buy bananas and fruit and things for our family. So, I'm asking that you please allow our community to survive and not just to survive, but to thrive. Because growing up being there, my mom and dad again moved there when I was 5 years old. This was a very different community. And I've had to watch 30 years of decline in this community and now still trying to raise my children and my grandchildren in a neighborhood that is saturated with used car dealers. Um, you heard Mr. Terry Smith talk about the um the um the alcohol outlets that are that are there. Um we have one that's on the corner on North Street and I don't know what's going on because they don't have the record of it but when we left we saw the sign and we were like oh my god here's another one which will put us at 10. U at one point I asked you when is enough enough? We know there's no there's no um other stats that we need other than you know that when you have negative economic development in a community that community follows that and everything starts to decline as a result of that. If there is an opportunity for us to

work to get better economic development in our community, I believe that this community is one that is deserving of it. It's in the heart of the community. It was where there is it was a heart of commerce and we simply don't have that anymore. So the only thing that we have available is to plead and to ask for your passion. If you drive across town to other communities, that quality of life is the exact same quality of life that this community would like. And it does not start with the proliferation of alcohol. I'm telling y'all, it is in your hands. It it is destroying our community and people are not living wanting to live there and not wanting to invest there. And if we continue down this path, you'll see our neighborhoods yet again on the news as a result of some violent crimes because we've made decisions that have caused it to move in a negative direction. So, I appreciate your time and I thank you and I plead and pray for your grace and your mercy. Thank you to help us protect our community.

Thank you, Tara. Next, uh card is for Michael Wicker.

Good evening, commissioners. Um, I'm just going to come on the perspective of that yes, we live in the community, but I own four properties total in this same little area. So, I'm heavily invested in the community. I'm I'm glad when I see someone that wants to invest on that side of uh Florida Boulevard. Um, but we need diversity in that investment. You know, again, the oversaturations in tire shops and the oversaturations in uh liquor stores and liquor outlets. I was happy been in the community long enough to see uh the drop-in center move from right across the street on Florida Boulevard down closer to Sacred Heartbeat, but it's still a highway that's going back and forth of people that are on drugs. If you can look at some of our superstars on Facebook and Instagram that's out there constantly begging and you know we the last thing we need on that side as we're trying to rebuild is uh anything that would be in that systems that would you know uh cause uh more interaction with law enforcement cause more action in a in the wrong way. Uh we encourage good business. We encourage, you know, positive things, but like I said, as a a property owner of four properties in the area, I um, you know, would like to see my values continue to stay up and not go further down because of all the negativity that comes from there. I wish that we would consider as we're planning and doing the zoning for all of these areas, some type of moratorum that stops certain type of businesses from even applying. So, we appreciate your help. Thank you. Uh, final card is for Taio Wicker. I don't know whether you uh whether you want to speak or did not want to speak.

Don't want don't want to. Okay. Thank you. All right. At this time, I'll ask the applicant to come back for we have one more. The applicant to come back for a fivem minute rebuttal. Okay, I understand why it may feel like adding another place that serves alcohol isn't necessary, but it isn't about increasing alcohol in the community. It's about creating a controlled, professionally managed environment where it's served responsibly. People are already consuming alcohol. What I'm proposing is a space with structure, oversight, and accountability which actually reduces the risk people are concerned about. I too have experienced alcoholics in my family, but it was always a choice. Everybody has a choice. And some people choose to be unresponsible, some people do. Like myself, I drink responsibly. I want to make it home to my kids and I make sure I do that. It's still a choice.

All right. Thank you. At this time, I will close the public hearing and open up the uh floor to questions or comments from the commission. I say good evening to all of you and it was said about listening to the community and that's what is of utmost importance to me and so what I did was my due diligence with uh securing information that documents that and that is the community support petition that was in support of the opening of this uh establishment. And so the petition that I was given, there are 71 persons that are around and about. And when I look at the addresses of these places, those that were put here on there, yes, they are near the proposed site there. And also uh rules and regulations got to govern any and everything and you talked about the professional management control and that is a musto. The other thing was all of those other establishment and Coner and the other businesses sent letters or of support. And so normally what everybody is doing is like um the hotels down here in B downtown, you know, when they heard about the Hilton and what it was going to be doing. But guess what? had to have a conversation with the other hotels down here to let them know they were going to benefit from that uh big

establishment that's coming. Sports Illustrated is going to be doing this because there will be less room. So, you're talking about, you know, folk being able to uh feed off each other and then that's what the other establishments did. Uh when you talk about the noise, there are noise ordinances that are definitely in place. Folk call me and we go out. I don't care what time of day or night it is. I go and then definitely deal with the noise. And then if that's an issue, then there are repercussions and consequences. You're talking about rules and regulations govern. And so when you're talking about alcohol, you know, being the culprit, you you can go over drink water and you're in trouble. And so, and security is of utmost importance. And I'm not talking about somebody just walking around with a shirt on saying security. We we got enough police officers, sheriff's, constables, and all of that. And these are the expectations. And so with all of that uh being said and then if you are in a community I know I find myself picking up cleaning up in my own redoing and pouring concrete and all of this because this is where I live and so that's what I do. And so with all of that being said and I've spoken to the folk and I've gone over there and I've done all of this, I will make a motion that this be approved. There's a motion on the floor for approval. Do we have a second?

Uh we have a second from Commissioner Addison. Do we have any discussion? comments. Do we have any opposition to the motion? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Commissioner uh Commissioner Boyd, I'm sorry, we're Commissioner Boyd, you you wanted to speak.

You wanted to voice your opposition. Okay. So, we have one in opposition. Any others? Seeing seeing no other opposition, uh the motion carries and uh it is approved with one with one vote of opposition. That correct? Okay. All right. We will now move on to director's comments. That's correct. A few things to bring to your attention. The 2026 Louisiana Brownfields conference will be held May 13th through 14th at the Queen Casino downtown. That's in District 10. And uh the next planning commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 18th.

Thank you, Mr. Director. Uh for commissioner's comments, I want to first congratulate Emanuel Xanders, a current planning manager on being named employee of the month. Emanuel oversees all land development and zoning applications which compromise the majority of planning commission agenda items. His responsibilities include collaborating with other departments and external agencies to review and develop planning commission materials such as staff reports and vicinity maps. Emanuel has also assisted on research and drafting of the unified development code changes and was instrumental in amending the planning commission fee schedule. Emanuel displays a positive attitude and works to ensure that tasks are completed on time. He is being recognized for his contribution to the team. Congratulations, Emanuel. Are there any other comments? Is there a motion to adjurnn? I'm I'm I'm going to I'm going to go with uh with Commissioner Macy since you've been motioning all night. Do we have a second? Okay. Commissioner Coleman is the second. No, you're the second. All right. We are adjourned.