Regular Meeting
January 11, 2018 10:00 AM
City Council Chamber
Scheduled, 10 a.m., 3520 General DeGaulle Dr.
The City Council will convene its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, January 11, 2018, at 10 a.m. at the Orleans Parish School Board Main Office located at 3520 General DeGaulle Dr.
City Council Meeting News Summary January 11, 2018
At today's first off-site City Council meeting, the Council heard presentations from the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club and Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, streamlined processes for stormwater management, authorized an agreement relative to the transfer of the Governor Nicholls and Esplanade Avenue Wharves, and passed an ordinance to establish reporting requirements for the Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB). Additionally, the Council passed an ordinance on the issuing of juvenile warning notices and summonses, authorized funding for the Canal Street Ferry Terminal bridge, and approved funds for projects of the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB). As a special order of business, the Council received a performance from world-renowned artist and recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Cyril Neville, in celebration of the Third Annual Allen Toussaint Day in New Orleans.
Council Establishes Stormwater Management Processes
The Council adopted several measures pertaining to stormwater management processes and best practices to increase efficiency and clarity in addition to encouraging ecological sustainability and resiliency. Zoning Docket No. 86/17 will transfer stormwater management plan review from the City Planning Commission (CPC) to the Department of Safety and Permits in an effort to increase efficiency and clarity.
Members of the Landrieu Administration attended the meeting to present on the matter, recommending adoption. This legislation will amend the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) to establish administrative processes for stormwater management plan review, provide a process for utilizing a fee-in-lieu of compliance for stormwater management and landscape requirements, and make miscellaneous changes to the stormwater management requirements.
"This has been a collaborative effort, and I commend the CPC for their hard work, which spans more than two years, and for proposing a better option in regards to our stormwater management," said District "B" Councilmember Cantrell. "Managing stormwater is critical, and I hope as we begin to streamline and manage this process, we can work together to mitigate the impact of runoff on our system."
City of New Orleans Acquires Governor Nicholls and Esplanade Avenue Wharves
The Council authorized a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) for the transfer of all rights, title and interest the City and the Public Belt Railroad Commission have in properties and assets pertaining to the railroad to the Port of New Orleans in exchange for the Governor Nicholls and Esplanade Avenue Wharves. With this transfer, the Council hopes to enhance economic growth and the development of trade and commerce in the City.
The exchange of property has been described as a "win-win-win" for all involved parties, increasing New Orleans' competitive edge in international trade and providing residents and visitors contiguous public access to the riverfront along the 3-mile stretch. The majority of the estimated $15 million needed to convert the two wharves into a public park is expected to be provided by the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, which brings in nearly $60 million a year.
The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation (NPC) will work together with the City to maintain appropriate and safe pedestrian crossings of the rail tracks at various points to ensure continued public access to the riverfront.
Photo courtesy of NOLA.com
Reporting Requirements Established for Sewerage and Water Board
The Council approved an ordinance relative to reporting requirements of the Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB). Per Ordinance No. 32,125, the S&WB must make three sets of reports to the Council in the following manner:
- The report required by La. Rev. Stat. §33:4091(A) shall be submitted to the Clerk of Council such that the report shall be received on the City Council agenda for the Council meeting on or before the first of May.
- The report required by La. Rev. Stat. §33:4091(B) and (C) shall be submitted to the Clerk of Council such that the report will be received on the City Council agenda for the first meeting during the quarterly reporting period.
- The report shall be submitted in a form that follows revised statute 33:4091 such that the information is provided in sections titled the same as the subsections of the statute.
- The Council President may refer the report to a Committee.
This measure will help streamline the S&WB's process of reporting to ensure the Council and the public are regularly informed. By establishing a proactive set of policies and procedures, the Council hopes to avoid future issues such as the August 2017 flood event.
Council Provides Clarity Regarding Issuing of Notices and Summons for Juvenile Crimes
The Council approved an ordinance to amend the Code of the City of New Orleans relative to juvenile warning notices and summonses in an effort to clarify an officer's ability to address juvenile offenses. The ordinance further enhances the effectiveness of the Policing Alternatives for Youth Ordinance, authored by District "A" Councilmember Susan Guidry and unanimously passed by the Council in August 2017, to keep low-risk youth out of the justice system whenever safe and possible to do so.
The measure approved by the Council yesterday allows New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers to focus their time and resources on serious crimes, rather than on adolescent misbehavior. The ordinance specifies the written nature of a juvenile warning notice and removes minor traffic offenses from those delinquent offenses eligible for a juvenile warning notice. Additionally, it contains reporting requirements, stating the NOPD must prepare and submit quarterly reports to the City Council Criminal Justice Committee including data from the previous quarter.
Funding Approved for Canal Street Ferry Terminal Bridge
The Council authorized the Mayor to enter into a CEA between the City, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA), and the Audubon Commission relative to the funding, construction, and operation of the Canal Street Ferry Terminal bridge. The bridge will greatly support the public transportation and safety needs of both residents and visitors in New Orleans.
The Canal Street Ferry Terminal project, estimated to take between 12 and 14 months to complete, will replace the current 37-year-old concrete structure at the foot of Canal Street and leave the public with a much-improved facility and method of transit with increased access to the riverfront.
"This is a shining example of what we can accomplish when we work together to address a problem presented to us by our constituents," said District "C" Councilmember Nadine Ramsey. "I'm very excited to see this pass for the people of Algiers and the entire City of New Orleans."
Photo rendering courtesy of Manning Architects