[StBernard] St. Bernard residents wary of proposed microbrewery

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard residents wary of proposed microbrewery

Published: Monday, March 12, 2012, 10:11 PM     Updated: Monday, March 12,
2012, 10:15 PM

 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

St. Bernard Parish residents on Monday night weighed the merits of a
proposed microbrewery in their neighborhood. Mainly they were critical,
saying they feared potential noise and pollution.

"We don't want to be on the map for a beer company in our neighborhood,"
said Jimmy Besson who lives two blocks from the proposed brewery in
Chalmette. "We have church nearby and a school nearby, what sort of message
are we giving by putting a microbrewery right nearby?"

Sterling J. Cardon Jr., through Cardon Real Estate Holdings No. 4 LLC of
Metairie, purchased the property in April for $350,000. It sits between
Gallo and Volpe drives, behind Chalona Apartments in the Ohio Street
Neighborhood near Chalmette High School and First Pentecostal Church.

Cardon would rent it to Michael Naquin, who would own and operate the
microbrewery that he's anticipated labeling "40 Arpent," after the 40 Arpent
Canal.

There are two apartment complexes in the front of the property and a large
warehouse-type structure behind the apartment complex. Cardon is asking to
go from C-1, neighborhood commercial and R-1, single family residential, to
all C-2, general commercial. The rear apartment sits on both zoning
classifications.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the request on March 27 at
its 4 p.m. meeting, and send its recommendation to the Parish Council, which
could hold a public hearing on the matter as early as late April.

District C Councilman Richie Lewis hosted the town hall meeting on Monday
evening, and encouraged residents to keep an open mind. He, council
President Guy McInnis and District D Councilman Casey Hunnicutt visited the
Heiner Brau brewery in Covington last weekend and said that it appeared
quiet and clean, and none of the residents they spoke to had any complaints.

Lewis and residents at the meeting also said that Cardon had threatened that
if he can't get the zoning needed for the microbrewery, he'd likely rezone
it for multifamily housing. Immediately upon hearing that, residents at the
meeting said, "That's a no brainer," quickly determining they'd prefer the
business.

The previous owner of the property, Marcus Chalona, told the crowd that the
property has been used for commercial or industrial purposes since at least
the 1940s.

Lewis made clear that if the zoning change goes into effect, the council
still must craft a microbrewery ordinance which could be very restrictive,
specifying exactly how many barrels are allowed and preventing the
possibility of expansion.

.......

Benjamin Alexander-Bloch can be reached at bbloch at timespicayune.com or
504.826.3321.

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