News

September 5, 2019

Kristin Gisleson Palmer

District "C" Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer to Move Forward with Outdoor Dining Recommendations from City Planning Commission

District "C" Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer to Move Forward with Outdoor Dining Recommendations from City Planning Commission

Holds Off on Any Changes to Outdoor Entertainment

NEW ORLEANS - Councilmember Palmer is considering adopting the City Planning Commission's (CPC's) recommendations on outdoor dining (Zoning Docket 80/19) to include a buffer area - 15 feet and 3 feet - for commercial properties abutting a residential zoning district. With these updates, the City's Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) would continue to allow outdoor dining in HMC-1, HMC-2, and HM-MU zoning districts, except for within a moderate "buffer area" between dining and adjacent residential properties. The Zoning Docket, which brings the Marigny and Bywater in line with other neighborhoods, received substantial praise at the CPC's meeting several weeks ago.  Councilmember Palmer supports the buffer area policy and intends to move for its passage at the October 3rd Council meeting.

The proposed changes are a result of the CPC's staff report, requested by the Council to recommend policies that appropriately balance residential and commercial uses in several historic neighborhoods, similar to those that exist elsewhere in the city. While the Council also asked the CPC to study possible limits on outdoor entertainment occurring next to residences in District "C," the staff report raised broader citywide questions that deserve further discussion. Councilmember Palmer is opposed to adopting any CZO changes on outdoor entertainment until CPC conducts a deeper study with public input.

"The proposed changes will not affect businesses currently operating that have outdoor live entertainment and dining. I expect those that move into a neighborhood to do their due diligence and understand what type of activity is happening in the neighborhood around you. Some of the best aspects of District 'C' neighborhoods are our areas where businesses and residents exist in close proximity. Walking down any street, you might encounter a bar or restaurant that has been serving the community for decades as the foundation of the music, fun, and food-loving character of this great city," said Councilmember Palmer.

Councilmember Palmer continued, "These businesses have woven themselves into the fabric of the neighborhoods over a long period of time, and I will not take any sort of action that will adversely impact that.  I was brought up in this culture, and I put myself through college working in local establishments. I enjoy an evening meal on a restaurant's patio or a drink outside of Old Point Bar, just like as many of you.  More importantly, the positives our businesses bring to the local economy cannot be undervalued. Local musicians rely on these venues for gigs, and smaller restaurants have given chefs an opportunity to make their own mark on the New Orleans culinary scene.  Understanding this, in my last term, I worked closely with Bacchanal Wine, Candlelight Lounge, Faubourg Wines, Mother-in-Law Lounge, Second Vine Wine, and Siberia to make sure they could operate legally, meaning they would not be subject to complaints from new residents.  As a lifelong New Orleanian, I recognize the importance many of these places have to our neighborhoods and will remain a consistent supporter.

However, I also think it is important to recognize the change that has happened in these neighborhoods over time.  The Tremé, Marigny, and Bywater have all seen more economic development than many long-time residents could have envisioned.  I've watched this change firsthand, as I've worked building affordable housing in these very neighborhoods for the past 25 years, and it is part of the reason I ran for office in the first place.  While I want to see this growth continue, we also have to be mindful that residents' quality of life must be a part of the conversation. I believe the CPC recommended policies strikes a balance of protecting the residential fabric of our neighborhoods, valuing the longstanding cultural institutions, while giving an opportunity for new businesses to thrive."

 

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Media Contact:

Tiffaney Bradley

Communications Director

Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer, District "C"

Tiffaney.bradley@nola.gov

(504) 658-1034

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