Lutcher Zoning Board Learns Process To Change Town’s Zoning Map To Allow For More Trailers
Public Hearing Allows Residents To State Positions On Zoning Changes
Last Wednesday, Patrick Gordon, the Chief Planning Officer for the South Central Planning & Development Commission (SCPDC), met with Lutcher Planning & Zoning Board officials to educate the Board, and in turn the public, on the process and procedures in place to amend/change the Town’s zoning map to allow trailers to be placed in considerable more areas of the Town.
Gordon attended last Wednesday’s special Planning Commission meeting and was supposed to come back to Lutcher on Tuesday evening for a previously called Planning & Zoning Public Hearing to detail the process that must be followed in order to change or amend the Town’s zoning map to the public.
However, when the Public Hearing wrapped up Tuesday evening, the Zoning Board adjourned before Gordon was allowed to speak to the members of the public in attendance.
Last week, Gordon told those present that his purpose for being at the special meeting was to make it clear to the Board what is needed to amend the Town’s zoning map.
“You must stay consistent and follow the regulations to avoid serious problems moving forward,” said Gordon. For the last few weeks, the Lutcher Board of Aldermen have discussed changing zoning to allow for mobile home/trailers to be placed in signficantly more areas of the Town than currently allowed; and until recently, it was unclear what steps must be followed to make such changes because no major zoning changes have ocurred since 2002.
In 2002, the Lutcher Aldermen voted to enact the current Town zoning regulations, subdivision regulations and zoning map. At the time, SCPDC was hired to review and update the Town’s zoning laws and they took several years completing a comprehensive review before presenting a final proposal to the Board of Aldermen, who voted to enact the zoning laws in 2002.
Also, and in 2017, the Town adopted the current mobile home ordinance, which in part, sets the rules governing mobile homes and limits the legal placement of mobile homes to areas designated as Residential-2 on the Town’s zoning map.
To date, the Lutcher Aldermen Rowdy Scott, Jr., Shanrick Burns and Donald Batiste have proposed changing the following from Residential-1 (most restrictive and does not allow mobile homes) to Residential-2 (allows mobile homes if the Town’s mobile home rules and regulations are followed): *Entire Lionel Washington Street; entire Alexander Street; entire Courseault Street; entire Levy Gaudet Street; entire West Lebray Street; entire East Lebray Street; entire Exchange Alley; South King Avenue and South Central Street.
So, what is the actual process required to change the Town’s zoning map?
Gordon told the Zoning Board members on June 12th that the very first requirement is for someone (perhaps a property owner or a group of property owners) to submit and sign an application for a zoning map change.
Now, Gordon said there are numerous other requirements that must be met and included with the application before the application reaches the Planning & Zoning Board.
Included with the application, the applicant( s) must: *Provide his/her name, mailing address, telephone number, name of property owner(s), mailing address of property owner(s), owner(s) telephone number, address of property to be rezoned, current zoning designation (ex. R-1, R-2, C-1, industrial), proposed zoning designation, provide what is the proposed use if the zoning change is approved, the number of acres in question, dimensions, and the names of streets fronting the property to be rezoned. The applicant, before submitting the application to the Planning and Zoning Board, must also include: *Provide a current photograph of the property/ properties in question.
*A survey of the property/ properties in question.
*Property title and legal description of all property sought to be changed.
*The names and current mailing addresses for
*Name and current mailing addresses for all adjacent property owners (property touching and across a dividing street that is presented for rezoning).
*Letter signed by all of the owners of the property to be rezoned indicating that they are aware of and agree to the rezoning request.
*All applicable fees.
During Gordon’s attempt to explain the process, he also touched on several other requirements set by the Town’s zoning and mobile home ordinances.
Gordon told the Board that ‘Spot Zoning’ is illegal and not allowed.
Spot Zoning would be attempting to change one lot on one street from R-1 to R-2 to allow a trailer to be located on that one particular
lot.
According to Gordon, the Town’s zoning ordinance requires a minimum two acres of property in order to rezone an area R2. He said an industrial zone requires five acres of land and R-3, Commercial-1 and Commercial-2 require three acres of property in order to rezone. Gordon also briefly discussed the Town’s mobile home ordinance, which among many other things, requires certain setbacks (20-foot rear setback and 10-feet front setback) and this can prevent a trailer from being located on a piece of property depending on the property’s and the trailer’s dimensions.
It should also be noted that the applicant(s) are responsible for all expenses associated with the application (surveys, legal descriptions, fees, cost of obtaining signed letters from all property owners directly affected by proposed zoning change, cost of photographing property,
etc.)
Also during last Tuesday’s Planning & Zoning meeting, Lutcher Town Attorney Wilbur Reynaud, who. was in the audience, told the Planning & Zoning Board members that they are completely independent from the Board of Aldermen. Reynaud said at no time should any Alderman attempt to influence or try to sway the Planning & Zoning Board.
During Tuesday’s Planning & Zoning Public Hearing, twelve members of the Public signed up to speak and all but three
10 spoke in favor of amending the Town’s zoning to allow trailers to be placed in more areas of the Town.
Roxie Batiste, who is the wife of Alderman Donald Batiste, told the Zoning Board they should expand the area to be changed to include Albert Street to Lionel Washington Street.
She asked why only certain streets were proposed?
“If you set ground rules for trailers then I do not see a problem,” said Batiste. “We want Albert to Lionel. It’s not fair to pick some streets.”
Another resident who spoke in favor was April Washington, who said she has property in Lutcher, pays property taxes on the property, but can’t put anything on it.
“You are denying people affordable housing,” Washington said. “There is no rental property, no Section-8 housing. What options are there? You should not limit anyone. People pay taxes and who are we to tell people what to do with their property.”
Janet Starks also spoke and said she already owns a manufactured home but has to pay rent because she can’t put her home on property she already owns.
Speaking against changing zoning was Lowell Roussel, who resides on Alexander Street and the River Road.
Roussel said he has been there 10-years and has watched mobile homes near his residence deteriorate.
“Mobile homes depreciate. A house appreciates,” said Roussel. Kim Marse shared she has seen several proposed maps and they keep changing, which is confusing.
Marse reiterated what Roussel had said about mobile homes losing value and said the Board has a responsibility to keep the Town nice but is unsure they are doing that.
Others who spoke during the Public Hearing argued there are a lot of people who cannot afford to build a home, but can afford to purchase a mobile home. Some also shared that the Town should focus on removing blight, cleaning up the Town, and putting forth an effort to bring back business to the Town.