[StBernard] Council Public Hearing Tuesday May 20th 7pm

[Westley Annis]

TUESDAY MAY 20th  7pm COUNCIL MEETING

ITEM # 8       PUBLIC HEARING FOR MURPHY ZONING CHANGE
Summary #2106 An ordinance to approve Docket 7-08, petition of Murphy Oil USA for a zoning change. 
 IF YOU HAVENT DONE SO ALREADY PLEASE CONTACT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS  AND IMPLORE THEM TO VOTE NO TO ANY ZONING CHANGES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. (contact information below)

ALSO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ACTION TO PRESERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLEASE  FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT SJRKneale at aol.com  

ITEM # 52. Motion to discuss the creation of a Murphy Oil Citizen Buffer Zone Committee. (Ginart)


We donot know what Item #52 Citizen Buffer Committee is, but we would hope that yet another committee would be congruent not only with our long range vision for our neighborhoods in District C, our settlement agreement that creates a green zone buffer, our parish master landuse plan that calls for a non-utilized greenspace buffer  but also that it would support any of our goals and requests to preserve the integrity of our residential neighborhoods and improve the quality of our lives.  We donot want to ever imply that we would compromise for anything from the refinery that is inconsistent with these.   Anything other than a true protective greenspace buffer use of the buyup property(s) is inconsistent with these existing  goals and plans .

The refinery has had their own privileges and special forums with the council which donot seem to be afforded to the residents.  We have asked for a direct meeting to have our perspective heard and understood and echoed in the vote of the council.  We dont want a meeting with our own council as mediator nor facilitator or even realtor; we want our council to represent us, to echo the voice and the will of the people. We have for over a year now had numerous meetings and ongoing dialogues with refinery officials and we continue our communications.  Several residents are on the refinery CAP citizens advisory panel while other are meeting with industry and regulatory agencies in the EPA CARE Grant Meetings.  Lets make sure that yet another committee is congruent and consistent with what the residents and homeowners have already presented since the crude oil spill.

 
We have for over a year now requested the council and administration to make a commitment to us, our neighborhoods and our children. We have requested among other issues:


§ preserve the integrity of our residential neighborhoods and residential streets
  ++open access to all four residential streets & street repairs
  ++enforcement of NO TRUCK ROUTES and speed limits
  ++replacement of our sidewalks 
§ amend the firestation ordinance to designate greenspace, 
§ commit to our residential district with no zoning changes, 
  ++commit to the existing refinery fenceline with no unbridled industrial expansions
§ enforce performance standards, & local codes and ordinances

  ++enforce local codes, ordinances and performance standards for noise, vibrations, night lights, parking lots, dust, sediment runoff, storm drainage protection, minimum footage between noncompatible landuses, landscaping of buffer between noncompatible landuse 
§ preserve the historic tree line and historic brick structure of the Villere Plantation 
§ Louisiana Land Trust/LRA equal opportunity for residential redevelopment
  ++that LRA properties be offered not only for the lot next door but also that some would be offered together for neighborhood community greenspace so that our children (who have no sidewalks) would have a place to play other than the street
  ++LRA properties not offered for residential redevelopment must be designated greenspace to create and preserve a true green zone buffer
§ adhere to the master land-use plan of a greenspace non-utilized buffer and 
§ take this opportunity to create and to preserve the balance we need to protect our children from the most hazardous side of this refinery. 

We have requested of the refinery to develop a trustworthy relationship with our community.  We will measure trust by how this refinery adheres to the letter and the spirit of the settlement, the law ,our local codes and ordinances and all the environmental regulations.  We have further requested:
++to install a functional noise abatement wall with piping mufflers and other technology
++plant additional trees to help further the decontamination and purify the air
++plant a mature tree line as a visual buffer
++to comply with local codes and ordinances and performance standards
++ to further comply with environmental regulations and state statues and constitution
++repair our streets and replace our sidewalks so our children have a place to play other than the street
++ensure their transient workers respect our families and our community by not trespassing and not parking on our residential streets
++reveal the total refinery expansion plans which go out several years
++make a commitment to our residential neighborhood, our heritage and natural resources to preserve  now and for future generations

  
Council Members 

Mr Auderer    fauderer at yahoo.com                756-8563   

Ms Boudreaux   pboudreaux5 at yahoo.com          417-3756

Mr Lauga        districta at cox.net                  650-0406

Mr Cavignac   gcavignac at yahoo.com   650-1285

Mr Henderson     kwh3804 at yahoo.com   417-3752 

Mr Ginart  ginart at cox.net,    650-0939

Mr Everhardt   fredeverhardt at yahoo.com  650-0720