[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Council expected to override parish president veto of Chalmette microbrewery

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Council expected to override parish president veto of
Chalmette microbrewery

Published: Tuesday, May 01, 2012, 9:15 AM     Updated: Tuesday, May 01,
2012, 9:54 AM

 By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune 

The St. Bernard Parish Council this evening is expected to override Parish
President Dave Peralta's veto of the zoning change for a proposed
microbrewery in Chalmette. By doing so, the Parish Council would reaffirm
its unanimous April 3 decisions for that change.

Residents nearby the proposed brewery have expressed concerns about
potential noise and pollution and some have been encouraging people to
attend the council meeting to vote their support of Peralta's veto. Sterling
J. Cardon Jr.'s property, which he bought in April 2011 for $350,000, fronts
St. Bernard Highway, between Gallo and Volpe drives.

Discussing his decisions, Peralta largerly reiterated his staff's previous
assessment. The parish Office of Community Development had recommended
denying the zoning change, stating that parish zoning laws restrict the
depth of commercial lots fronting highways to 250 feet. The Cardon property
is 600 feet deep.

While clarifying that he is not against commercial development in the parish
and wants more business and to expand the parish tax base, he also added
that the close proximity of so many residents also was a factor in his
decision..

Last month, the council altered Cardon's requested somewhat, changing the
property zoning to C-1, neighborhood commercial. Cardon had asked that the
property, previously part C-1 and part R-1, single-family residential, be
rezoned to C-2, general commercial.

The council tonight also is expected to approve an ordinance that call for
special election on Nov. 6 to vote on establishing a parish ethics board.

That board would consist of five members selected from nominations by the
presidents or chancellors of the University of New Orleans, Loyola
University, Tulane University, Xavier University and Holy Cross College. The
board members would serve four-year terms.