Regular Meeting
March 22, 2018 10:00 AM
Council Chamber
Scheduled, 10 a.m., Council Chamber
The City Council will convene its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at 10 a.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall.
City Council Meeting News Summary March 22, 2018
NEW ORLEANS - At today's regular New Orleans City Council meeting, the Council approved a motion directing the City Planning Commission (CPC) to conduct a study on existing short-term rental regulations, adopted a resolution supporting the creation of the Pines Village Cultural District, and voted 4-3 against a motion to cap the number of Adult Live Performance Venues (ALPVs) in the Vieux Carré Entertainment District. Additionally, the Council withdrew the by-request alcoholic beverage outlet (ABO) ordinance listed on today's agenda (Cal. No. 32,107) and introduced an ordinance to transfer permitting responsibility for ABOs to the Department of Safety and Permits to streamline licensure for businesses. The Council also heard a presentation from the League of Women Voters of New Orleans (LWVNO) in celebration of their 75th anniversary, received updates on the Safe Routes to School Program, celebrated National Women in Construction Week, and took a moment of silence to remember New Orleans icon, Tom Benson.
City Planning Commission to Study Short-Term Rental Regulations
The Council passed a motion directing the CPC to conduct a study on existing short-term rental regulations to determine if any modifications are needed. The CPC will be required to hold a public hearing within 60 days and to complete the study within 120 days.
Since passing a series of ordinances to define, categorize, and enforce short-term rentals in New Orleans in April of 2017, the Council felt that this comprehensive follow-up study by the CPC was necessary to analyze the effectiveness of the current laws and guide any future regulation.
"There is a difference between locals sharing their properties & corporations buying up houses and apartment units and turning them into hotels," said Councilmember-At-Large Jason Williams. "These national and sometimes international corporations are artificially driving up the cost to buy a home or rent a home in our city. That is patently unfair to the people of New Orleans, and I have a serious problem with that. I have not in this first year seen effective enforcement from the administration nor have I seen voluntary compliance on the part of these companies and platforms. This study will look at all of this and more so that we can take next steps to protect our city."
Council Celebrates Women's History Month
The Council celebrated Women's History Month with two special orders of business recognizing the LWVNO and the New Orleans Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).
The Council heard a presentation from Rosalind Blanco Cook, Felicia Kahn and other members of the LWVNO in commemoration of the organization's 75th anniversary. Since its inception, the League has empowered millions of both women and men to become informed participants in government.
The Council also heard a presentation from NAWIC New Orleans highlighting National Women in Construction (WIC) Week, which took place March 4-10, 2018. Each year, WIC Week provides an opportunity for members to raise awareness for the opportunities available to women in construction and emphasize the growing role of women in the industry.
The Council with a representative of NAWIC New Orleans
Adult Live Performance Venues Motion Fails
The Council voted 4-3 against Motion M-18-80, which proposed a hard cap on the total number of ALPVs in the Vieux Carré Entertainment District to the current number of those existing (12).