[StBernard] meraux land

[Westley Annis]

Keep the comments and issues coming regarding the advantages and
disadvantages to the people of St. Bernard Parish who live here now and
those of the future regarding the zoning request to change the Meraux tract
from commercial to industrial. Planning decisions have such long lasting
impacts. Stupid growth and no new master plan in decades has put us where we
are,and Katrina didn't help. With such precious little land to develop in
St. Bernard, we cannot financially or morally afford to make bad decisions
regarding land use that forever impacts our community. This is true no
matter who the owner is.
 
When considering a rezoning, I do not judge the heart and soul and motives
of the person or entity making the request. The reason is that Mother Teresa
could have asked for the zoning change, and then she dies, and the nuns sell
it to Donald Trump. So owners change and developers' finances change, and
the decision to rezone is a done deal until the next owner requests a
change. For that reason I have turned down rezoning that would have created
a day care center in a neighborhood because the laws at that time would have
allowed the owner to later decide to turn it into a bar. At that time
commercial included everything from daycare to bar rooms. (Glad that was
fixed.) Likewise, industrial property could mean one oil exploration well
one day and a petrochemical company the next. Industrial use is very broad.
 
Here are some things to consider-
Economics-what brings the most income in property, sales, and other taxes to
St. Bernard Parish and its school board, levee district, etc. that depend on
taxes for income?  
Environmental-what type of developments are environmentally advantageous,
neutral,or detrimental to our air and water quality, just to name two
aspects? What distance is sufficient to buffer existing residential
neighborhoods on the east and west?
Traffic-what types of traffic does an industrial zone create compared to a
commercial zone with regards to time of day traffic peaks, trucks counts and
car counts, types of cargo (haz mat or not), railroad service to an
industrial facility and all that comes with that?
Lost opportunity-once land is rezoned and the new development is created,
the virgin property is no longer attractive. What other developments that
may have created a higher and better use, if any, are lost in this zoning
change? For example, with the proximity to the Port of St. Bernard, what
port development opportunity is lost, if any, with this zoning change-a
business park, commercial maritime development, etc. ?
Worst case-what is the nastiest thing that the property owner could decide
to lease the property for under an industrial zoning classification, in
which case the parish could do nothing to stop it?
 
As you can see, until this parish has a new, comprehensive, forward thinking
master plan regarding all aspects of land use planning, we will be shooting
from the hip trying to piecemeal every parcel of land and how it is best
used. Funding for such a master plan was requested by resolution from the
planning commission to the CRC and Council and was included in the parish's
request for funding from the LRA. Hopefully, we'll have some land left to
plan by the time such a master plan receives the funds and is done.
 
Please keep in mind that if the Planning Commission denies the change to
industrial, the parish charter says the applicant has the legal right to
appeal (due process of the law) to the Council who can over rule the
Planning Commission. Over ruling the planning commission occurs more than
you would think. But again, these are your elected officials and they are
there by your vote. We planning commissioners do what we believe is best and
are not elected representatives of the people. We serve at the parish
president's will and have to reapply for our positions every four years.
 
Deborah Keller, Planning Commissioner At Large for East St. Bernard Parish