Metropolitan Planning Commission

MINUTES Metropolitan Planning Commission Meeting 2:00 PM - Monday, February 14, 2022 City Council Chambers, Bossier City Hall 620 Benton Road, Bossier City, Louisiana MEMBERS PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT: H B Brual Carlotta Askew-Brown Julianna Parks James Fine Daniel Besinaiz Ryan Estess Dave Hadden Jayme Gilmour Neil Erwin Mark Montgomery Tammy Johnson Dusty Williams Donnie McDaniel Jeff Raley Bryan Gibson Travis Beaty William Weatherall Jodie Weatherall Johnston MEMBERS ABSENT: Todd Littleton Art Schuldt Christian Mudd A. CALL TO ORDER H B Brual, Vice Chairman, called the meeting to order at 2:00pm. Donnie McDaniel gave the invocation. James Fine led the pledge of allegiance. B. ROLL CALL Jayme Gilmour called roll and stated a quorum was present. C. APPROVE AGENDA McDaniel made a motion to approve the agenda. Beaty seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. D. PUBLIC HEARING/ACTION 2. P-63-21 – The application of Tammy Johnson, for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 1.921 acres, more or less, from R-A (Residential Agriculture) to R-LD (Residential Low Density) located in Section 9, Township 18 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish, Louisiana. (Police Jury District 2) Tammy Johnson was present. Johnson: I am here for the second half of rezoning my property so I might be able to move out there. Brual: Any questions from the board? This is a public forum if there is anyone who would like to make a comment with regard to this application. Hearing none, I will accept a motion.  Hadden made a motion to approve P-63-21. Beaty seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 3. P-50-21- The application of Jeff Raley, Raley & Associates, for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification from R-A (Residential Agriculture) to B-2 (Limited Business) on a certain tract of land being 15.47 acres, more or less, located in Section 5, Township 16 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish, Louisiana for commercial marketing purposes. (Police Jury District 12) Jeff Raley was present. Raley: Nothing has changed since last month. We are wanting to get this area re-zoned so we can start marketing it for commercial purposes. Hadden: Is this the Bodcau Road? Raley: No. McDaniel: We have a note on this plat. Has that been taken care of? Askew-Brown: They are going to come back later. Raley: For actual platting, we will come back for that. Brual: This is a public hearing. Is there anybody who'd like to make a comment on this application? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Hadden made a motion to approve P-50-21. Montgomery seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 4. C-3-22 – The application of William Weatherall, Christ Fit Gym, for an Amended Plat, Chinaberry Square Unit No. 8, 5.067 acres, more or less, located in Section 5, Township 18 North, Range 13 West, Bossier City, Louisiana. (City Council District 5) (Police Jury District 6) William Weatherall, Jodie Weatherall Johnston and Todd Littleton were present. Littleton: We are combining two lots into one lot. The goal is to add another 5000 square foot building on the back side of the existing thrift shop on Chinaberry? Hadden: Is the thrift shop business going that well for you that we need to expand? Weatherall: What we are trying to do is.... We have the one on Barksdale but it is so much easier when we have everything together. We can do our Bible devotions together. It is so much easier to manage. We will be able to hire more people. If you have been on Chinaberry lately, we have really worked  hard on keeping it clean. I want to keep it clean and just keep that nice Christian, family environment we have there. Hadden: This doesn't pertain to this application but your status on Barksdale... will that stay open? Johnston: It won't. We rent there. We have problems there with theft. We are trying to bring it all back to the Chinaberry location. Brual: Any other questions? This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here who would like to make a comment on this application? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Montgomery made a motion to approve C-3-22. Beaty seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 5. P-2-22 – The application of Christian Mudd, Mudd Sibley Enterprises, LLC for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being .899 acres, more or less located at 3501 Swan Lake Road from B-2 (Limited Business) to B-3 (General Business) Bossier Parish, Louisiana. (northwest corner of Swan Lake Rd. and Duckwater) (Police Jury District 5) Travis Beaty stated that he would recuse himself from voting on the application. Christian Mudd was present. Mudd: You have seen this before. We went from B-1 to B-2. Not much has changed. A few changes as far as engineering goes. We got rid of a curb cut on Swan Lake after we went back and forth with Eric at the parish so now it is just a curb cut on Duckwater. Hadden: This one is just the zoning amendment. Mudd: That is correct. Brual: This is a public hearing for P-2-22. If there is anyone here who wants to make a comment, please come forward. Julianna Parks was present. Parks: I am the Police Juror for this district. We have approved before the zoning changes across the street with the exception that it would close at 10:00 o'clock. I think when this comes before us, this will be something that I ask for in order to approve it. There are a lot of houses there and people who have lived in the country for a long time. The Procell's live right across the street. They have asked if we could put some different requirements like closing early at 10 p.m. so it doesn't become an all-night thing. They would appreciate it. Hadden: Carlotta, is what she is asking for apply to P-2-22 or P-3-22?  Askew-Brown: You can place the condition on P-3-22. Do you agree with that? Mudd: Yes. I agree that it would apply to the second one, not the first. McDaniel: Let's do this zoning file and then we can talk about the closing time on the next file. Brual: Board members, any more questions? Once again, any more public comments? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. McDaniel made a motion to approve P-2-22. Hadden seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 6. P-3-22 - The application of Christian Mudd, Mudd Sibley Enterprises, LLC, for a Conditional Use Approval for the sale of high and low content alcohol for off- premise consumption at a proposed liquor store with daiquiri sales located at 3501 Swan Lake Road, Suite C, Bossier City, Louisiana. (Police Jury District 5) Travis Beaty stated that he would recuse himself from voting on the application. Christian Mudd was present. Hadden: Christian, would you be willing to close at 10 pm? Mudd: Yes sir. I think that is something that we would be agreeable to. At our current location in Haughton, we are open from 11am to 11pm during Friday and Saturday but during the week, we close at 9pm. I don't think it would be a problem for us to look at the possibility of us closing at 10pm on Friday and Saturday and then closing at 9pm Monday through Thursday. Hadden: Mrs. Parks? Is this what you are looking for? Parks: Yes. I know that Lakewood is right there. They don't want anything there. As far as the residents that I am talking about, they are the ones who are actually right across the street and not further down the road. Mudd: I don't know if you have seen or not but we have another store out there in Haughton. This is not a Thrifty Liquor. It's not going to be right in the middle of town. We keep it very nice. We spend a lot of time and money out there making sure that it looks clean on the outside and the inside there. Fine: I've been in there. It is very nice facility. The whole set up that you have there is very well done. Hadden: Do we need to include the 10 o'clock stipulation on the motion? Brual: Are there any more comments or questions? This is a public hearing.  Are there any other comments on P-3-22 before we make a motion? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Hadden made a motion to approve P-3-22 with the condition that the liquor store close at 10:00pm. Fine seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 7. C-53-21 - (rehearing) The application of Peter Hays, Cross Keys Bank, for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 1.079 acres more or less, from R-A (Residential Agriculture) to B-2 (Limited Business) being a portion of Lot 3, Miciotto Park Unit No.2, Bossier City, Louisiana. (generally located at Swan Lake Rd. and Innovation Dr.) (City Council District 5) (Police Jury District 5) Ryan Estess was present. Estess: I am here on behalf of Cross Keys Bank to answer any questions you may have. Brual: This is a public hearing. Is there anyone here who would like to make a comment on this application? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Beaty made a motion to approve C-53-21. Fine seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 8. C-46-21 - (rehearing) The application of Ryan Estess, Raley & Associates, for an Amended Plat, Innovation Park, Unit 2, 9.943 acres more or less, being a resubdivision of Lot 3 of Miciotto Park Unit 2, Bossier City, Louisiana. (generally located at Swan Lake Rd. and Innovation Dr.) (City Council District 5) (Police Jury District 5) Ryan Estess was present. Estess: I am here to answer any questions you may have. Brual: We see a disconnect with regard to the amended plat that is presented versus the master plan that has also been presented. We are not sure we are able to approve this as presented given the inconsistencies. Estess: Ok. Brual: Would you be interested in delaying this so you can work with the Planning Commission to resolve the discrepancies? Estess: I don't know what issues... McDaniel: Would you like to discuss the issues? Estess: Sure. McDaniel: Ryan, you have a thoroughfare or cut-through on this plat and it shows it going from Swan Lake Road all the way to Innovation Drive. Estess: We are good with removing that. This plat was submitted prior to the conceptual master plan in front of you, the one that we are trying to do like the Shoppes at Bellemead. That can be removed. No issues. Hadden: Can we look at the next page? McDaniel: Ryan, on the master plan, you have main thoroughfare going back towards the back. It does hit the landscaping and all but it still ties in all of the existing or future properties to that main boulevard at that stage. Do you understand where I am going? The whole development doesn't have a thoroughfare that cuts all the way through but yet all of the development does tie in to that boulevard hitting Swan Lake Road. It has speed bumps but ... Estess: Yes sir, it speed bumps. There are multiple speed bumps, multiple means of traffic control. It will be similar to what the Shoppes at Bellemead did. Keep in mind that this is only Phase 1 and they are only going to be building up to the bank. There is still a process that they would like to work through. This is our conceptual master plan. I know that we would have to come back to you with some sort of PUD agreement so you would get to take a look at that. What we are asking for today is the rezoning and the plat and I am ok with removing that cross-access agreement. That will all be done by deed restrictions anyway or maybe a homeowner's association with the commercial. McDaniel: So where we are today, to go down this trail that we are on... I'm not throwing the Parish Engineer under the bus but we have had the discussion. The traffic for the bank with that entering and coming on and off of Swan Lake Road is fine. The problem that they foresee which goes to what you are saying, further studies may need to be done in order to add more properties draining into that main boulevard and may require some more traffic work or paving work on Swan Lake Road or it may not. We are ok where we are right now except these aren't matching. Estess: We are planning on full access, of course, for just the bank. Whenever Phase 2 goes in, we will have to come back before you and we are planning on limiting the left turn out which would be the north bound turn out and only allowing a left in, a right in and a right out. We had a traffic study showing such. McDaniel: That is what I am eluding to. Even the traffic study said as things change, they change. Estess: We made the best assumptions that we could in that traffic study of what they are planning, retail and hopefully some sort of drug store at the corner there with the future expansion at Innovation Park. We planned for that and we planned for retail and we planned for maybe some restaurants to the south. I think the traffic study is pretty encompassing. Ryan: I believe that the staff had asked that the plat and the master plan match each other. We may be able to agree to it today but is there a reason why we weren't able to get that done? Estess: As of last month, we didn't know exactly what you wanted to see. We are able to take that off and just remove that cross-access thoroughfare because that will not be there. The developers don't want this to be a thoroughfare. We don't think it would be. If you look at the distance, it is only 300 more feet to get to the same point. Nobody is going to take Innovation Drive, meander through the development and then take a prohibited left turn. The only people that we are talking about are the people that are going to try and bypass the right turn at Innovation Drive. Hadden: You come off of Swan Lake Road going north, you take a left. You are on the access road, the boulevard, then boulevard ends. See where it stops? There are dotted lines that continue all the way to Innovation Drive. What are those dotted lines for? Estess: I have no idea. I did not prepare this Cross Keys Bank master plan. I can tell you that the master plan that we are working with, you are going to have to go... I can tell you exactly what it is... I sent him my CAD file so that he could prepare his master plan. You can see the two dashed line. That is still a thoroughfare. He just never took it off the plat. That is going to be removed. There will be no cross access. There will be a cross access agreement but there will be no thoroughfare going through to Innovation Drive. That is just a hold over from his CAD file. Fine: The question I have is if we approve what you have here today then you could go ahead and do what is on this plat if you wanted to. Would you be in agreement to get the plat done the way that it is actually going to happen? Estess: I am willing to work with you any way you want. If you want us to remove that cross access... say we approve the plat with the removal of the cross access... like I said, there is not going to be access there. First off, there is not going to be a driveway. We are not constructing that and they are wanting to a make sure things are done right. We will still have to come back to you for any future development because we are only rezoning the Cross Keys Bank site. They will have to come back for rezoning, master plan approval, some sort of PUD approval. Fine: We have the zoning taken care of. The concern is approving this the way that it is presented having the thoroughfare in it. What I would like to see is to have it done the way that you are going to do it and then bring it back to us for approval. That is what I think. Estess: The only suggestion I've heard from you is to remove the cross access, right? McDaniel: Basically, yes. Right now, this boulevard is going to stop at where the bank entrance is. You are just going right past that bank entrance and then that dead ends for now. It may always be a dead end depending on what else  leads to that. It may or may not. We don't know what else is going on that property and I know you are working through all of that also. But as of now, we are good with the access for the bank and the boulevard to the bank. Estess: My main question was if we are all in agreement to take the cross access lines off, is that not something that we could agree to and Carlotta can approve that administratively based on your approval subject to removing those lines? McDaniel: We had that discussion prior to this and we were trying to take that route but I think there is a timeline issue. Askew-Brown: When could you get me the amended plat with the servitude removed? Estess: In about an hour and a half. Just as soon as I get back to the office. Keep in mind, none of the ones you have are going to have signatures. You won't have signed plats. Askew-Brown: If he agrees to get me the amended plat today, then I am ok with that. Neil Erwin was present. Erwin: How close are we getting to the 45 days? Askew-Brown: It would actually start after this point. If he could get it to me today... Estess: I can make a phone call and probably have it in 5 minutes. Erwin: That would be even better. McDaniel: Could we table this for now and put you at the end of the meeting? Estess: Sure. I'll make a call and have it delivered or I will call and have it sent to me and then I will forward it to Carlotta. McDaniel made a motion to delay C-46-21 until the end of the meeting. Hadden seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 9. C-73-21/P-54-21 – (rehearing) The application of the Bossier City – Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission to revise the Unified Development Code, Subdivision Land Development Design – Drainage Easements, Article 11.4.C.2 in reference to eaves, overhangs and projections over servitudes and easements. Carlotta Askew-Brown was present. Askew-Brown: We have met with the city and the parish about revising our  drainage easements language with regards to obstructions. We have revised the language to say that it shall be unobstructed from the ground to the sky. This means that there shall be no overhangs or eaves that will cross over into the drainage easements. As far as the city is concerned, everything approved previous to this amendment will be grandfathered in. With the parish, they would like to review every case on a case by case basis. Hadden: Review future or past cases? Askew-Brown: Both. Brual: Board members, do you have any questions for Carlotta? This is a public hearing. If anybody would like to make a comment on C-73-21/P-54-32 now would be a good time. Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Hadden made a motion to approve C-73-21/ P-54-21. Montgomery seconded the motion. carried 5-1 (opposed: Beaty). E. MISCELLANEOUS F. PRELIMINARY HEARINGS 10. C-2-22 – The application of Michael Williams, Mirage Apartments, for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land being 2.29 acres, more or less, from R-LD (Residential Low Density) and B-3 (General Business) to R-HD (Residential High Density) located at 1702 East Texas Street, Bossier City, Louisiana, for a proposed apartment complex expansion. (located east of the existing Mirage apartments) (City Council District 5) (Police Jury District 9) Dusty Williams was present. Brual: If you could just give us a quick description of what you are trying to do. Williams: I am partners in the complex next door, The Mirage Apartments, and we are actually going to be building something identical to it on that tract of land. It will be approximately 74 units. That is what we've proposed to put in there. It's just going to be a fully furnished, all bills paid. We are going to run it from the office next door. McDaniel: I know you are asking for a little bit on the parking lot and I understand from working with you in the past that a lot of your residents don't have automobiles anyway. Williams: We have been allowing one parking spot per bedroom. One spot for the one bedroom and two spots for the two bedrooms. We have more than adequate parking. McDaniel: We do have a note on a compatibility buffer or a fence.  Williams: There is an existing fence on the property. It's a chain linked fence with barbed wire on top. It is on the property next door at The Mirage. We also have it at our Flamingo property and works wonders. Masonry is too expensive. With wood pickets, the neighborhood back behind it would just knock it down or tear it down. We have had that at another property and it just does not work. The cyclone fence keeps all of our traffic coming and going out of the front where we have security and surveillance. If we put a wood fence around the back, it will not last. McDaniel: We also had a note about some landscaping. You may want to get with the staff on that. I am just looking at some of our notes and we have some evergreen plants, minimum of 10-12 feet. Williams: All of our properties we try to go above and beyond. Landscaping will not be a problem. Hadden: I know where your property is on East Texas Street. Do you have it on the Old Shed Road too? Williams: Yes sir. Brual: I know this is a preliminary hearing but if anyone would like to make a comment on this application, now would be a good time. Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Hadden made a motion to approve C-2-22 for public hearing. Montgomery seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 11. P-1-22 – The application of Bryan Scott Gibson for a Zoning Amendment to change the zoning classification of a certain tract of land, being 1.691 acres, more or less, located at 117 Bodcau Station Road, from R-A (Residential Agriculture) to B-2 (Limited Business) Haughton, Louisiana for commercial marketing purposes. (Police Jury District 2) Bryan Gibson was present. Gibson: I am trying to change this zoning to business for marketing so we can list it for sale. Beaty: What is on the property right now? Gibson: A 1600 square foot brick home. Beaty: Anyone living in it? McDaniel: Have you had any interest for a commercial business there? Gibson: Walgreens approached me about three years ago but the could not work it out with the strip mall in front there on Highway 80. I think I could get more money for it with a commercial zoning.  Fine: What are you planning on doing with the house there? Gibson: We will tear it down eventually. Or maybe the new owner will. Fine: My concern is you are trying to get a commercial zoning with a residential house on it. Hadden: Does it have to be B-2? Would you consider B-1? Gibson: Well B anything would be better that B nothing. Respectfully. McDaniel: Well, we are having trouble with it being in the middle of a neighborhood and you are turning that into commercial property. If you told me today that you had a contract with Walgreens, we could proceed. As of now, we would be changing this from Residential to higher B zoning. B-1 could be a State Farm office or a dentist office which would be a low traffic impact on the neighborhood. The higher we go, the more impact we have on the neighborhood. There's a lot of residential homes there. Gibson: Right behind the property it backs up to the daiquiri shop. McDaniel: He fronted Highway 80 though. I would feel much better with a B-1 rather than a B-2. Beaty: With no use in mind, speculative zoning would be tough. McDaniel: If you had a tenant there, it would be a lot easier to approve. B-1 is about is high as I would like to go where that is located without knowing what is going there. Hadden: Carlotta, can you give this gentleman the definition of B-1 zoning? Askew-Brown: B-1 is office use only. If you think about how Chinaberry is, they have insurance offices, real estate offices and things of that nature. Hadden: If you have someone that is interested in buying it, you can come back to us. Gibson: I understand that. It sounds good. Can we do that? Brual: Any other comments or questions? Although this is a preliminary hearing, if anyone would like to make a comment on P-1-22 you are more than welcome to. Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. McDaniel made a motion to approve P-1-22 for public hearing for a B-1 zoning. Beaty seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 12. Repeat Item #8  C-46-21 - (rehearing) The application of Ryan Estess, Raley & Associates, for an Amended Plat, Innovation Park, Unit 2, 9.943 acres more or less, being a resubdivision of Lot 3 of Miciotto Park Unit 2, Bossier City, Louisiana. (generally located at Swan Lake Rd. and Innovation Dr.) (City Council District 5) (Police Jury District 5) Ryan Estess was present. Estess: Thank you for working with me on this. I've sent the plat to Carlotta and Daniel. The only thing I've done is remove the cross access to Innovation Drive. Brual: Is that good Carlotta? Askew-Brown: Yes. I have it. Brual: Any other comments or questions? McDaniel: Until that plat is signed it is not a legal plat anyway, correct? We will still have to review it somewhat but this keeps it moving. Brual: Any other comments on C-46-21? Hearing none, I will entertain a motion. Beaty made a motion to approve C-46-21 with the condition that the cross access connection is removed. Fine seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. G. APPROVE MINUTES Hadden made a motion to approve the minutes from January 10, 2022. Fine seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Hadden made a motion to approve January 24, 2022 Special Call Meeting minutes. Beaty seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. H. OLD/NEW BUSINESS I. PUBLIC COMMENTS - NON AGENDA ITEMS J. ADJOURN Meeting adjourned at 2:46 pm. Dave Hadden, Chairman