[StBernard] truck stop casino denied

[Westley Annis]

The truck stop casino was denied at the Dec 18th Council meeting as it was
at the Planning Commission meeting held earlier this month. With regards to
previous postings as to why the council has to introduce and vote to allow
an applicant due process in the first place, well it's democracy. Would you
want a few people deciding if a property owner can apply for a zoning
change, a re-subdivision, or other land use change?  Worse yet, would you
want those requests approved without due process?  Without a process, a land
owner loses rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. The process, if done
correctly, allows for public notice in the paper and a sign on the property,
allows for a public hearing and discussion, allows for a commission of
non-elected citizens to hear the application and review the parish's dept of
community development's technical advice and research, and creates an
opportunity for those citizen commissioners to render a recommendation to
your elected officials as to whether or not an application is in the best
interest of the community's health, safety, and welfare. Democracy is great
when it works, isn't it? Deborah Keller, Planning Commissioner