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[I. Brief Introductions]
MY NAME IS DINO BONANO.I'M THE COUNCIL FOR JEFFERSON PARISH DISTRICT TWO.
IT IS JUNE 20TH, TUESDAY, JUNE 20TH AT 1700 HOURS.
WE'RE AT THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN GRETTON, LOUISIANA, AND WE'RE HERE TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON OUR PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ZONING REGULATIONS.
THE FORMAT TONIGHT IS, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME UP AND PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS FOR OR AGAINST CAN DO.
AT ANY TIME, I'D ASK YOU TO STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO THREE MINUTES.
THIS IS NOT A DEBATE, IS A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE INTERPRETED OR CAL CAL CLARIFIED, PLEASE ASK THAT QUESTION AND ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR PLANNING STAFF OR OUR CONSULTANT WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
OUR PLANNING STAFF, WE HAVE ELENA AS ALL THE WAY TO THE, TO THE FAR FROM MY FAR LEFT.
AMANDA BROOK, THIS IS OUR CONSULTANT WITH CAM ROSATA.
SHE WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TONIGHT IN ANSWERING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
AND TO MY RIGHT IS OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR.
UM, JUST A LITTLE QUICK HOUSE, CLEAR MEASURE.
IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE RESTROOMS, GO OUT THE DOOR AND YOU'RE IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR LEFT.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER FOR A SHORT LITTLE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION BY, UH, ARISTA.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I SCREWED THAT UP,
[II. Presentation ]
FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.UM, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT DRAFT TWO OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ZONING REGULATIONS.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE FOR SOME OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU WERE HERE LAST TIME TO LOOK AT DRAFT ONE, UH, THIS POWERPOINT'S GONNA LOOK PRETTY FAMILIAR TO YOU.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS GO OVER SOME OF THE MAJOR REVISIONS, UM, THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE DRAFT ONE BACK IN NOVEMBER.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEEN JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE INDUSTRIAL REGULATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WITHIN CHAPTER 40 OF THE PARISH CODES.
UM, THESE ZONING DISTRICTS STATE BACK OVER 50 YEARS.
UM, THEY DON'T REALLY RELATE TO WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW.
THEY DON'T ADDRESS NEW MODERN TYPES OF USES.
UM, THEY DON'T REALLY GET TO THE COMPATIBILITY ISSUES THAT OCCUR BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL, THE FULL RANGE, EVERYTHING FROM LIGHT TO HEAVY.
UM, AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MODERNIZED THESE, MADE THEM MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
UH, THIS STARTED BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2021.
UH, WE DID A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS WITH, UH, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS TO TALK ABOUT THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
UM, WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, AND THAT RESULTED IN THE FRAMEWORK REPORT THAT YOU SAW BACK WHEN, BACK IN THE, IN 2021.
PHASE TWO OF THIS WAS TO DRAFT THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS, AND THAT'S THE DRAFT ONE THAT YOU SEE.
IT'S STILL AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, AND SO WE RELEASED THAT AND THEN WE WERE TAKING COMMENTS FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, THE SECOND DRAFT IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT.
THESE ARE REVISIONS TO THAT FIRST DRAFT THAT YOU SAW, AND YOU'LL SEE IT WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE DOCUMENT.
WE'VE MADE THOSE IN RED LINES.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S BEEN ADDED, WHAT'S BEEN DELETED, UM, AS WELL AS END NOTES THAT INDICATE KIND OF WHAT THE REASON OR THE PURPOSE BEHIND THAT CHANGE WAS.
UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PROJECT OUTREACH.
WE MA MET WITH THE WEST BANK, WEST BANK PORT DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE.
UM, AGAIN, THOSE STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS.
UM, WE HAD A NUMBER OF ALMOST 80 STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH INCLUDED EVERYBODY FROM INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES TO THOSE THAT JUST HAVE INTEREST IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING THAT GOES ON HERE IN THE PARISH.
UM, THERE WERE TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THAT FRAMEWORK STUDY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, I JUST TALKED ABOUT BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2022.
AND THEN WE HOSTED MEETINGS ON THE DRAFT REGULATIONS IN NOVEMBER OF 2022.
UM, FROM THAT TIME UNTIL NOW, FROM NOVEMBER UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED ON THE WEBSITE TO INFORM US OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE IN THIS SECOND DRAFT.
SO, QUICK FAMILIARITY, UH, HERE.
THIS IS THE CURRENT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT STRUCTURE THAT'S IN PLACE.
UM, THIS IS WITHIN CHAPTER 40 AGAIN, OF THE PARISH CODES.
UM, CURRENTLY THERE IS THE OOW OFFICE, WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UM, THE M ONE, THE M TWO, THE M THREE DISTRICTS.
THOSE ARE BASICALLY GRADATIONS OF INDUSTRIAL USES GOING FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO THE HEAVIEST, UM, THE M FOUR, WHICH IS PARTICULAR TO THE LANDFILL DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS THE AVONDALE OVERLAY, UH, WHICH WAS NOT ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE STUDY.
IT'S BEING LOOKED AT SEPARATELY.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE REPLACED, UM, THOSE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICTS FOR INDUSTRIAL WITH THESE NEW DISTRICTS, AND THE STRUCTURE REMAINS THE SAME.
IF YOU'VE BEEN WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, UM, WE HAVE PROPOSED AN INDUSTRIAL MIXED USE, WHICH KIND OF DEALS WITH THOSE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL AREAS THAT HAPPEN WHERE, YOU KNOW, LIGHTER INDUSTRY STARTS TO FADE, NEW COMMERCIAL CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE AREA.
SO ALLOWING THAT IN THOSE PLACES.
UM, THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, THE IL, A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, WHICH IS THE IH, UM, THERE IS STILL AN HMO OVERLAY THAT IS THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OVERLAY.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE AIM DISTRICT, WHICH IS AS IS AT THIS POINT.
WE LOOKED AT THIS, WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE LAND USES YOU SAW IN EACH OF THOSE DISTRICTS.
SO WE RESTRUCTURED AND UPDATED THOSE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S THE TABLE THAT'S COMING OUT OF CHAPTER 33, WHICH IS YOUR
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UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.BASICALLY ALIGNING THE USES WITH WHAT'S THERE.
UM, A NUMBER OF NEW USES WERE ADDED, AND WE SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT ADDRESSING THE BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE, AS YOU SAW BEFORE, THERE'S STANDARD, THERE'S DIFFERENT DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS FOR EACH OF THE DISTRICTS, LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND DIFFERENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
UM, AS PART OF THIS, WE DID LOOK AT THE SPECIAL PERMITTED USE PROCESS AS WELL TO INCREASE SOME FLEXIBILITIES THERE.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND WITH THE SBU, THIS APPLIES TO SBUS THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, SO NOT JUST WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN INDUSTRIAL, OTHER SBUS LOCATED IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS OF THE PARISH.
SO OUR BASED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, IS THE IMU THAT REALLY IS KIND OF LOOKING AT INCORPORATING PARTS OF THE OOW ONE, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OF LIGHT INDUSTRIAL THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF JUST BEING PURELY INDUSTRIAL AND ACCOMMODATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMERCIAL USES.
UM, THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL RELATES MOST CLOSELY TO THE M ONE.
THE HEAVY INDUSTRY RELATES MOST CLOSELY TO THE M THREE AND THE LANDFILL DISTRICT.
THE I L F, UM, REALLY RELATES TO THE M FOUR DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE, THE LANDFILL.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE M TWO IS MISSING.
THAT'S BECAUSE IN ANALYSIS, THAT CAN FALL ANYWHERE BETWEEN LIGHT AND HEAVY INDUSTRIAL BASED ON IT, BECAUSE IT REALLY COULD HAVE ALLOWED EVERYTHING TO HAPPEN IN THERE.
SO WHAT DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A CLEAR PURPOSE.
UM, AND THEN THE TWO OVERLAY DISTRICTS, AGAIN, AVONDALE, WHICH IS NOT PART OF THIS STUDY, AND THE HMO DISTRICT, WHICH WE CREATED THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OVERLAY.
SO YOU SEE, WE ADDED A NUMBER OF NEW USES, UM, NOT JUST THINGS RELATED TO BULK STORAGE, BUT WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, UH, BREWERIES, YOU KNOW, FOOD PRODUCTION IN PARTICULAR THAT BECAME, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD A HIGH DEMAND IN TERMS OF BEING ALLOWED WITHIN THE PARISH.
AND REALLY, WE BROUGHT ALL OF THESE IN.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT TABLE, YOU CAN SEE THEM ALL IN THERE.
THERE'S DEFINITIONS FOR THE NEW USES.
YOU CAN SEE THE PERMISSIONS OF THE DISTRICTS WHERE THEY'RE ALLOWED.
AND THEN WE WORKED WITH BULK STORAGE, UM, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT QUALIFIES WHAT ARE THOSE THRESHOLDS FOR BULK STORAGE.
UH, WE LOOKED TO CHAPTER 13, WHICH DEFINED BULK STORAGE.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WE'VE, WE'VE ALIGNED THESE TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES TOGETHER SO THAT THE THRESHOLDS ARE THE SAME.
THESE ARE THE THRESHOLDS YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS DRAFT AS WELL.
AND THEN CREATED THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF BULK STORAGE.
UM, THE FIRST IS BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
THIS WOULD BE BY SPECIAL PERMIT USE IN THE HMO DISTRICT.
UM, THE BULK STORAGE OF CULINARY AND MEDICINAL MATERIALS.
SO WE REALLY MADE SURE THAT WE DEFINED THAT ONE.
UM, AND THEN BULK STORAGE OF NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE'S DIFFERENT PERMISSIONS FOR WHERE THEY MAY LOCATE.
SO YOU SEE THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IS IN THE HMO, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
UM, BULK STORAGE OF OTHER THINGS IN THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL CAUSE.
IT IS A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN ALLOWANCE OF THE BULK STORAGE OF NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN ALL THE DIFFERENT, UM, INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO A COUPLE OF UPDATES ON EACH OF THESE.
UM, PROBABLY THE ONE THAT'S CHANGED THE LEAST WOULD BE THE IMU.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS THAT KIND OF MIX OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL THAT KIND OF COME TOGETHER NATURALLY ALLOWING FOR THAT KIND OF TRANSITION OF USE.
UM, WHAT YOU'LL SEE THERE IS THAT WE'VE JUST REALLY DONE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE TYPES OF VARIANCES THAT ARE ALLOWED BY PUTTING IN REVIEW CRITERIA.
SO ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN SEE THE STANDARDS THAT A VARIANCE IN THE IMMU WOULD BE JUDGED AGAINST IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IT COME UP ALSO IN THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL AS WELL.
WE DID SOME CLARIFICATIONS ON HOW YOU MEASURE BUILDING HEIGHT.
PRETTY MINOR, BUT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF THE LIGHTER INDUSTRIAL USES THAT ARE ALLOWED HERE.
UM, WE'VE, AGAIN, KEPT THOSE DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL USES BECAUSE BASED ON LOOKING AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE I IN THE IL DISTRICT, UM, WE SAW THAT SOME USES WERE IN THERE THAT WEREN'T IN OUR TABLE.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THOSE AND YOU GO THROUGH THAT TABLE AND YOU SEE THESE ADDITIONS IN THE I L DISTRICT, IT'S REALLY MEANT TO ALIGN WITH WHAT'S ON THE GROUND.
UM, THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, AGAIN, THAT BUILDING, UH, THE BUILDING HEIGHT MEASUREMENT THAT WAS CLARIFIED.
WE ADDED SOME REVIEW CRITERIA FOR VARIANCES, UM, AND AS WELL INCLUDED ADDITIONAL USES THAT WE FOUND IN THE I I H DISTRICT AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS DISTRICT SO THAT THEY DON'T BECOME NONCONFORMING.
UM, FINALLY THERE'S THE LANDFILL DISTRICT.
UH, REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE MADE HERE, AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TIED TO THE STATE AND WHAT'S TIED TO, UM, HOW THESE THINGS FUNCTION.
UM, AGAIN, JUST THE CRITERIA FOR VARIANCES WERE ADDED IN AS WELL.
UM, AND JUST AS I MENTIONED IN THE IIL AND THE IH, WE, AND I THINK IN THE I M U AS WELL, WE HAD SOME CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING HOW BUILDING HEIGHT IS MEASURED.
AND SO THE INTENT THERE IS REALLY JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY IT'S NEXT DOOR TO A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S JUST A CLARIFICATION OF THE STANDARD.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE IN RED AS WELL AS IN THE DOCUMENT.
UM, THE PROPERTY BUFFERS ARE STILL, UM, THEY STILL APPLY.
WE'VE GOT THEM FOR ALL FOUR OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE HEAVIEST HAS SOME OF THE MUCH LARGER TYPES OF BUFFERS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS HOW, THIS WAS IN THE PREVIOUS DRAFT, ACTUALLY IN THE LANDSCAPE CHAPTER.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T MADE ANY CHANGES TO WHAT WAS REQUIRED IN TERMS OF
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BUFFERING OR STREETSCAPE, UM, OR PARKING LOT LANDSCAPE.SO IT'S THE SAME STANDARDS THAT WERE IN PLACE BEFORE.
SO WE DID DO UPDATING OF USES.
UM, IT'S AGAIN, MOVING FROM CHAPTER 40 INTO CHAPTER 33.
UH, YOU HAVE THE LAND-BASED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.
UH, THAT SYSTEM WAS USED IN THE UDC, SO WE BROUGHT IT OVER FOR THE INDUSTRIAL, AND YOU CAN SEE IT THERE IN THERE.
IT'S A VERY LARGE TABLE WITH A LOT OF USES IN THERE.
SO BASICALLY WE UPDATED THE USE PERMISSIONS TO FIT INTO THAT USE TABLE.
UM, AGAIN, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, A NUMBER OF NEW USES WERE ADDED TO THE CODE.
MANY OF THESE RELATING TO KIND OF CULINARY INDUSTRIES.
UH, THINGS LIKE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND CRAFT MANUFACTURING, ALL KINDS OF USES THAT WEREN'T REALLY ALLOWED WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS TO DATE, AS IT IS THAT THE USE STRUCTURES HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESTRICTIVE.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY AS WE TALKED ABOUT, AGAIN, THE BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, UM, WE DISTINGUISH AND CREATED LIMITS ON THOSE.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THOSE, UM, IN A SECOND.
UM, WE DID ACTUALLY SEE THAT IN, UM, SOME OF THE EXISTING INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THERE ARE SOME RESIDENTIAL, SO WE WANTED TO PUT IN SOME PROTECTIONS FROM THOSE.
THIS IS A NEW STANDARD THAT YOU'LL SEE.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT DOES, IT'S DEEMING THOSE, UH, RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS THAT ARE IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS, CONFORMING.
SO THEY'RE NOT A NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURE, NOT A NON-CONFORMING USE.
UM, AND THEY CAN CONTINUE, UM, SO LONG AS THEY'RE, UH, NOT THEY CAN, UM, IF THEY ARE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BEYOND 75%, THEY CAN REBUILD.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT'S TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTIAL THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE IN THESE AREAS.
UM, THE REBUILDING WOULD BE OF THE SAME TYPE OF DWELLING.
SO IF IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY THAT CAME DOWN, SINGLE FAMILY NEEDS TO GO BACK UP.
AND IT FOLLOWS THE R THREE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT STANDARDS.
SO BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
A LOT OF THIS WILL BE FAMILIAR IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS, AGAIN, WORKING WITH WHAT CHAPTER 13 HAS TOLD US ABOUT WHAT THE QUANTITIES WOULD BE.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THOSE GASES WITH A LIQUID CAPACITY EQUAL OR GREATER THAN 5,000 GALLONS, LIQUIDS OR SLURRIES AS 10,000 GALLONS OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS SOLIDS EQUAL OR GREATER THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
SO BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE DEFINITIONS IN PLACE IN CHAPTER 13, UM, INCLUDING KIND OF WHERE THESE THINGS COME IN, WHETHER IT'S WAREHOUSES OR TERMINALS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT DEFINITION LINED UP WITH CHAPTER 13.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THIS.
UM, NUMBER ONE, IT'S KIND OF, IF YOU ARE DOING RETAIL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULD BE AT TIMES EXCEEDING THESE, THESE DIMENSIONS.
SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE STILL ALLOWED, UM, IF IT'S STORAGE ACCESSORY TO A PRINCIPLE USE.
UM, AND THEN FOOD GRADE AND EDIBLE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT OF THIS AS WELL, AS WELL AS MEDICINAL CHEMICALS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS TABLE, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THE CODE, THESE ARE THE USE CATEGORIES, AGAIN, RELATED TO THAT NEW USE STRUCTURE, UM, THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERED BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS WHEN THAT STORAGE IS ACCESSORY AND ESSENTIAL TO THE OPERATIONS.
SO ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU'VE GOT THINGS IN THESE QUANTITIES, BUT THEY'RE RELATED TO ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AS A PRINCIPLE USE.
IT'S PART OF THE FUNCTION OF THIS LARGER USE.
UM, WE ALSO CREATED THE, AS I SAID, THE BULK STORAGE OF CULINARY AND MEDICINAL MATERIALS.
YOU CAN SEE A PRETTY LONG LIST THAT'S WITHIN THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.
UM, WE ADDED ANIMAL, VEGETABLE AND PLANT OILS THAT ARE NOT YET READY FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THIS POINT.
UM, AND THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED WITH AN S P U IN THE IH DISTRICT.
THEN FINALLY, THERE'S A BULK STORAGE OF NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
AGAIN, THINGS THAT EXCEED THESE QUALITY QUANTITIES ALLOWED IN ALL THREE OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST REVISION THAT'S HAPPENED BETWEEN DRAFT ONE AND TWO, UM, IS THE APPROACH TO THE HMO DISTRICT, THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OVERLAY DISTRICT.
UM, INITIALLY IN THE FIRST DRAFT, IT WAS LIMITED TO EXISTING SITES.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE'VE KIND OF REMOVED THAT RESTRICTION AND KIND OF MOVED FORWARD TO ALLOW FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
SO IT MAINTAINS THE SAME PURPOSE.
IT'S TO TRY TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY CONCERNS, BALANCE THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
UM, MAKE THE RULES VERY CLEAR FOR THE EXISTING FACILITIES AND TO ALLOW FOR JUST LIMITED EXPANSION OF THESE AREAS.
SO MAPPING WISE, WHAT IT'S LOOKED AT, IT'S KIND OF GOING OVER THE AREAS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE AN SPU IN PLACE FOR THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES, IT HAS TO BE AN OVERLAY THAT GOES ON TOP OF THE IH DISTRICT, THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, AND IT CAN ONLY BE APPLIED OVER THAT DISTRICT.
SO YOU CAN MODIFY THE STANDARDS OF THE IH DISTRICT THROUGH A VARIANCE.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN STANDARDS WITHIN THE H M O DISTRICT, UM, THAT CANNOT BE VARIED.
SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE, WE'VE CLEARLY SPELLED THOSE OUT THIS TIME.
SO IT'S VERY CLEAR HOW THESE TWO FUNCTION TOGETHER.
UM, SO THERE WERE SOME USE STANDARDS THAT WERE ADDED TO THIS CATEGORY.
UM, WE ADDED AN ODOR CONTROL PLAN, AND THERE'S DETAIL ADDED THERE REGARDING THE FIVE COMPONENTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING BASED ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING WITHIN THE PARISH WHEN THESE USES LOCATE HERE.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY JUST LOOKING AT HOW IS IT GONNA TRY TO CONTROL THE ODOR.
UM, AGAIN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE
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BROAD, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A CASE BY CASE BASIS TO DETERMINE THIS TYPE OF PLAN, UH, WE DID TALK ABOUT A HOTLINE.WE CLARIFIED THAT IT'S A 24 HOUR MANNED HOTLINE.
UM, THE NUMBER OF THE STATE REQUIRED EMERGENCY CONTACT.
SO REALLY JUST CLARIFIED, WE WANT THAT NUMBER, BUT WE CLARIFIED WHO THAT NUMBER IS FOR.
UM, THERE ARE SOME NEW REQUIRED SIGHTING STANDARDS.
UM, WE LOOKED AT SEPARATION OF THESE STORAGE TANKS.
SO WHAT YOU SEE IS IT'S 1500 FEET FROM THE LOT LINE OF ANY ADJOINING OR ABUTTING DISTRICT THAT ISN'T A LIGHT OR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL.
SO THERE'S A SEPARATION WITH THE TANKS.
UM, THERE ARE NEW AIR MONITORING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'VE ADDED INTO THIS DRAFT TO LOOK AT FOR NEW FACILITIES THAT WOULD COME ON BOARD AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS, UH, ORDINANCE.
MANY OF THAT WAS BASED ON WHAT THE STATE WAS LOOKING TO DO AT CERTAIN POINTS.
UM, AND THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER CONTINUES TO BE REQUIRED, AND THE BUFFER MAY BE LOCATED IN THE SEPARATION AREA.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, UM, WE DO HAVE THIS LARGE 500 FOOT BUFFER, TWO LEVELS OF PLANTING REQUIREMENTS.
AND THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, UM, IN THAT SEPARATION AREA.
THAT 1500, UH, FOOT IS SEPARATION, UM, CONTINUED TO ALLOW REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING TANKS, UM, FOR MAINTENANCE SAFETY OR WHERE NEW TECHNOLOGIES MAKES THINGS SAFER, MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, YOU CANNOT, IN THIS ABILITY TO REPLACE THE TANKS, YOU CANNOT INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF WHAT'S BEING STORED THERE.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, CLARIFICATION OF VARIANCES AND AGAIN, ADDED THOSE REVIEW CRITERIA THAT WE DID IN THE OTHER SECTIONS.
UM, YOU CAN GET VARIANCES TO THE IH DISTRICT, SO THAT'S THE UNDERLYING BASE DISTRICT.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR VARIANCES TO THOSE.
BUT IN THE HMO DISTRICT, WHAT WE SAID IS COUNSEL SHALL NOT GRANT VARIANCES TO, UM, ANY OF THE SPECIFIC USE STANDARDS, THE SEPARATION REQUIREMENT AND THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER.
SO WE'RE VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T ASK FOR.
UM, THERE IS, AS WE'VE SAID, UM, KIND OF CURRENTLY GOING ON AREAS WHERE THESE ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE, BUT IF THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT GOING FORWARD TO ADD ADDITIONAL AREA, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF STANDARDS THAT ARE TIED TO THAT NOW TOO.
UM, IT MUST BE APPLIED OVER THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
UM, WE'VE GOT MAILED NOTICE GOING TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET FOR THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WOULD BE REQUIRED.
THIS IS CONDUCTED BY THE APPLICANT PRIOR TO THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION, AGAIN, NOTICE TO A THOUSAND FEET, UM, SHOWING THE CONCEPT PLAN, DOCUMENTING ALL THE COMMENTS, DOCUMENTING THE ATTENDANCE, UM, AND THEN BRINGING THAT FORWARD AS PART OF THE APPLICATION.
UM, THERE'S ADDITIONAL STANDARDS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THIS HMO DISTRICT FOR REZONINGS TO IT.
UM, SO YOU SEE HERE THEY'RE KIND OF BROAD, BUT THEY WORK WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN A COUPLE OTHER PLACES, PUT TOGETHER, UM, AIR POLLUTION, MINIMIZING ODOR, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT THESE ADDITIONAL STANDARDS THAT WOULD BE COMING INTO PLACE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE'S UH, THE SPECIAL PERMITTED USES.
UM, AGAIN, THIS WAS WHERE WE BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER, UH, BECAUSE UH, WE HAVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS AND SPECIAL USE PERMITS.
ONE'S FROM CHAPTER 40, ONE'S FROM CHAPTER 33.
MUCH EASIER TO CREATE ONE PROCESS.
SO THIS APPLIES NOT JUST WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS, BUT THROUGHOUT THE PARISH, WHEREVER THERE IS AN SBU OR, OR AT THIS TIME, A C U P AS WELL, CUZ THEY'LL BE COMING TOGETHER.
UM, SOME OF THE CHANGES WE MADE HERE, UM, AGAIN, WE HAD ADDED A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT FIRST DRAFT.
SO THIS IS REALLY JUST GOING OVER THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THAT SINCE.
UM, DUE TO ISSUES OF KIND OF TRYING TO MANAGE THESE, IT HAS BEEN KIND OF REVERTED BACK TO THE CURRENT STANDARD OF ONE S P U PER TRACT LOT PROPERTY, UM, DEVELOPMENT SITE CLARIFIED THAT YOU CAN, THE S B U, THE PROPERTY WITHIN AN S B U CAN BE SOLD, LEASED OR TRANSFERRED.
UM, AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE THAT S B AS IT IS.
UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'VE UPPED THE SPU APPROVAL FROM TWO YEARS TO THREE YEARS.
SO GIVING IT A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY IN TERMS OF, OF HOW LONG IT COULD GO.
UM, ALSO LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, THE FLEXIBILITY, UM, WHEN YOU'RE SUBMITTING SOMETHING AND YOU HAVE TO GET PERMITS FROM OTHER AGENCIES THAT YOU CAN GET AN EXTENSION OF ONE TO TWO YEARS BASED UPON KIND OF PROVIDING EVIDENCE THAT YOU ARE IN PROCESS AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING FORWARD ON THIS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, WE DID ADD SOMETHING HERE, UM, THAT THERE'S AN EMERGENCY EXCEPTION TO THE S P U TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT AND STRUCTURES WOULD BE ALLOWED ON SITE WHEN THERE IS A NA LIKE A NATURAL DISASTER.
IF YOU WANTED TO CONTINUE TO, UH, HAVE THAT LONGER THAN 90 DAYS, IT WOULD REQUIRE A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE SPU.
SPEAKING OF, UM, SO THE MINOR AMENDMENTS, UH, WE'VE ADDED A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO THEM.
GENERALLY WHAT WE'VE SAID, IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY IF IT'S PARKING, IT'S LANDSCAPING, IT'S ACCESSORY STRUCTURES, EVEN IF IT'S A NEW BUILDING GOING IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FOR AN SBU RENEWAL FOR SOME VERY BASIC THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT THE SBU HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR.
UM, SO WE'VE ADDED IN A NUMBER OF MINOR AMENDMENTS, UH, THINGS LIKE THE DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES.
UM, WE'VE CLARIFIED SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE.
THERE'S SOME REORGANIZATION TO SHOW CERTAIN THINGS
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WERE RELATED TO, UM, KIND OF THE EXISTING WATER STORAGE TANKS OR SIGNIFICANT REPAIR REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE TANK.UM, LOOKED AT KIND OF AT A LITTLE BIT MORE PERMISSION.
UM, SO THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE LOCATION OF A BUILDING OR A STRUCTURE.
SOME GROSS FLOOR AREA INCREASES.
WE'VE CHANGED THAT TO BE A MINOR AMENDMENT AT 10% RATHER THAN THAT FIVE WHERE WE WERE EARLIER.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THE AFFIDAVIT, IF THE OWNERSHIP CHANGES, WE'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR IN THE STANDARDS THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
IF IT CHANGES THOUGH, WE DO NEED AN AFFIDAVIT THAT STATES, UH, THAT OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED.
SO PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS HERE IS NOW, UM, WE HAVE DONE THE MAPPING AND IF YOU CAN VISIT THAT SITE AND WE, WE CAN LINK IT IS LINKED ON THE, THE PROJECT WEBSITE, UM, TO SEE KIND OF HOW THIS WORKS AND HOW THE, IT'S A STORYBOARD PROCESS THAT'S THERE.
I THINK I'M TURNING IT OVER TO SOMEONE ELSE.
YEAH, I HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY CAUSE UH, EVERYBODY'S GOT IT.
SO THE JEFFERSON PARISH PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE MAPPING COMPONENT OF THIS STUDY.
THE MAPPING IS LIMITED TO THE STUDY OF THE ZONING AND FUTURE LAND USE OF PROPERTIES CURRENTLY ZONED O W ONE OFFICE WAREHOUSE, M ONE, M TWO, M THREE, AND M FOUR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THE INTENT IS REZONING THE PROPERTIES TO THE MOST APPROPRIATE ZONING DISTRICT IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED AS A RESULT OF THIS STUDY.
UH, THE ARCGIS STORY MAP THAT'S SHOWN HERE ILLUSTRATES THE PROPOSED DISTRICT'S LOCATIONS AND BOUNDARIES WHILE SUMMARIZING WHY EACH NEW DISTRICT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT AREA.
THESE PROPOSALS ARE INTENDED TO SPARK PUBLIC COMMENT AND CONVERSATION.
SO PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS WITH ANY OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN REACH US THROUGH THE JEFFERSON PARISH INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS PAGE OR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT PAGE.
UH, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SURVEYED INDUSTRIAL ZONE PROPERTIES DURING THE SUMMER OF 2021.
AND AGAIN, THROUGH THIS PAST WINTER, WE EVALUATED THE CURRENT ZONING LAND USES BY DEVELOPMENT SITE, UH, WHICH WE BASED OFF OF THE LAND-BASED CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS.
UH, WE LOOKED AT THE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORIES SURROUNDING ZONING AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS.
UH, THIS WEBSITE IS BROKEN INTO FOCUS AREAS BETWEEN BOTH BANKS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED REVIEW.
SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO GO THROUGH THESE SITES AND SEE OUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IN GENERAL, THE EAST BANK IS MET MOSTLY WITH THE IMU AND IIL DUE TO THE NATURE OF ITS DENSER SMALLER SITES AND ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO NON-INDUSTRIAL ZONE PROPERTY.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT ELMWOOD ELMWOOD IS MAPPED WITH, UH, THE IL IN ITS CORE AND THE IMU AND C2 COMMERCIAL AROUND THE PERIPHERY.
UM, THE IH IS MAPPED ON BATCHER PROPERTY NEAR THE HUEY P LONG BRIDGE.
UM, THE IL IS MAPPED ON OTHER SITES THROUGH AT THE EAST BANKS, SUCH AS ALONG AIRHART AND PARTS OF JEFFERSON HIGHWAY.
UM, AND IN GENERAL, THE IMU IS MAPPED ON SITES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE THE CP Z COMMERCIAL PARKWAY OVERLAY ZONE MAPPED ON THEM CURRENTLY, UM, SUCH AS LASALLE PARK, UM, AND SITES NEAR JEFFERSON HIGHWAY IN THE ORLEANS PARISH LINE.
UH, THE WEST BANK HAS THE I L F ON THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT OF THE LANDFILL.
UM, IH IS MOSTLY ALONG THE HARVEY CANAL AND THE RIVER, UH, THE IIL AND THE IMU, UH, BUFFERS BETWEEN HEAVY INDUSTRIAL SITES AND NON-INDUSTRIAL SITES.
UM, AND LASTLY, ILS MAPPED ON LARGER UNDEVELOPED SITES AS A WAY TO PRESERVE INDUSTRIAL LAND.
UM, AND THE HMO, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, IS MAPPED ON EXISTING APPROVED SITE PLANS FOR THE BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
SO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BEFORE THEY PRESENTED AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FORMAL STAFF REPORT TO THE PAB AND TO THE PARISH COUNCIL.
UH, SO PLEASE REVIEW AND SUBMIT COMMENTS TO US THROUGH THE JEFFERSON PARISH INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT PAGE OR THROUGH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT PAGE.
UM, AND JUST AS YOU'RE EXPLORING, AND WE DID LINK THE SITE ON THE, ON THE PROJECT PAGE AS WELL.
UM, JUST ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS HERE, THIS REALLY USING STORYBOARDS TOO, IT'S FULL EFFECT.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE PROPOSED ZONING IS, AND JUST WITH THE SLIDER YOU CAN SEE, UH, WHAT THE CURRENT ZONING IS.
IT'S REALLY A NICE WAY TO KINDA HEAR HAPPENING THERE AS WELL.
SO, UM, SO YOU'LL SEE BOTH, THEY'RE BOTH THE WEST BANK AND THE EAST BANK ARE BOTH AT THE SAME SITE.
UM, AND SO JUST A A QUICK KIND OF UPDATE ON THE TIMELINE.
UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE SECOND REVIEW DRAFT.
WE ARE TAKING COMMENTS ON THIS, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE MAP AS WELL, THAT IS A KEY PART OF THIS COMPONENT, UH, IN THIS PHASE.
AND THEN MOVING TO PHASE THREE, WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF THE FINALIZED VERSION THAT WOULD BE HEADING TOWARDS ADOPTION AND REALLY KIND OF ANTICIPATING SOMETHING IN WINTER 20 23, 20 24.
[00:25:03]
UM, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE WEBSITE, JP INDUSTRIAL ZONING.COM.UH, WILL BE TAKING COMMENTS TO UNTIL JULY 21ST, 2023.
SO THERE IS A COMMENT FORM THAT YOU CAN SUBMIT ON THERE.
UM, THIS HAS ALL THIS MATERIAL, THIS WILL HAVE THIS POWERPOINT AFTER THIS WEEK.
UM, SO WE'LL PUT THIS UP THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND JUST EVERYTHING IS AVAILABLE THE FORM, THE EARLIER DRAFTS ARE THERE AS WELL.
ALL THE MATERIALS ARE UP THERE.
THERE'S A LINK TO THE ZONING MAP AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I BELIEVE WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYONE CARE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? OH, YEAH, HE DID SOMETHING.
REMEMBER, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
PLEASE TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCESS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, INDUSTRY MAKES HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN THE, WHEN THE MAPS WERE ORIGINALLY AND THE PROPOSAL WAS ORIGINALLY SET OUT, UM, THROUGH THE COMMENTS OF THIS, UH, LADY RIGHT HERE.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT INDUSTRIES, UM, INDUSTRIES COMMENT HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE SECOND DRAFT.
INDUSTRY MAKES IS A 5 0 1 C FOUR, UH, FORMERLY ESTABLISHED IN, UH, MID 2022 FORMALLY, UH, TO BE A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INDUSTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS WHILE ADVOCATING FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.
UM, THAT IS THE BACKBONE OF LOUISIANA INDUSTRY MAKES, IS MADE UP OF LOUISIANA MANUFACTURERS, THE LARGE AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT LOUISIANA'S MANUFACTURING BASE, AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME THAT SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE JOBS THAT THEY HOLD BECAUSE OF INDUSTRY.
THE JEFFERSON PARISH PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, HIRED, UH, THE CHICAGO BASED, UH, CONSULTING GROUP TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY AND TO SUGGEST REVISIONS TO JEFFERSON PARISH'S CURRENT LAND USE ZONING.
WHILE WE WELCOME THE STUDY AND AGREE THAT SOME CHANGES ARE DEFINITELY WARRANTED, INDUSTRY MAKES OBJECTS TO THE SUGGESTION.
THE SUGGESTED REVISIONS THAT INCLUDE A NEW HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OVERLAY OR HMO THAT WILL, IF PASSED BY THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUNCIL, NEGATIVELY IMPACT BOTH EXISTING AND FUTURE INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS THAT RELY ON BULK STORAGE OF CHEMICAL FEEDS FOR THEIR PROCESSES AND WILL SEVERELY RESTRICT INDUSTRY'S ABILITY TO EXPAND OR MODIFY OPERATIONS TO ADJUST TO CHANGING MARKET CONDITIONS AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.
THE PROPOSED REZONING LIMITS INDUSTRY GROWTH BY PLACING DRASTIC RESTRICTIONS ON THE LOCATION OF BULK STORAGE WITHIN BOTH EXISTING AND FUTURE FACILITIES.
INDUSTRY MAKES BELIEVES THAT THIS IS DESIGNED TO DISCOURAGE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BY MAKING IT PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
IN JEFFERSON PARISH, THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ZONING REGULATIONS ARE IN COMPLETE CONFLICT WITH THE MISSION OF INDUSTRY MAKES, INDUSTRY MAKES STANDS IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL REGULATIONS ON THE BASIS THAT, THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE OVERLY BURDENSOME, OVERLY COMPLICATED, REDUNDANT, EXPENSIVE, AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, WITH, AND THEY HAVE SPECIFIC DESIGNS ON ONE CLASS OF BUSINESS IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
THANK YOU AND I WILL UPLOAD THESE TO THE WEBSITE AS WELL.
I LIVE AT 300 ORPHEUM AVENUE IN METTERY FOR 28 YEARS.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF CORNERSTONE CHEMICAL COMPANY.
I'VE BEEN AT THE PLANT FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THIS GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND THIS WONDERFUL PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY.
MY WIFE AND I, ELIZABETH AND I HAVE ONE SON.
HE JUST FINISHED HIS FIRST YEAR AT LSU AND HE'S OVER AT DOACS RIGHT NOW.
HE'S, UH, IN HIS THIRD SUMMER WORKING OVER AT THAT GROCERY STORE.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF HIM AND WE'RE JUST SO HAPPY THAT WE COULD RAISE OUR SON IN SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE.
I'M SECOND GENERATION IN THIS PLANT.
MY DAD WORKED FOR THIS COMPANY HIS ENTIRE CAREER OVER 40 YEARS.
UM, HE WAS AT THE PLANT WHEN IT STARTED IN 1954.
[00:30:01]
HIM AND MY MOM TO RAISE NINE CHILDREN.I'M NUMBER SEVEN OUTTA NINE, AND MY MOM IS 91 YEARS OLD AND SHE'S OVER ON BONDABLE AND, UH, SHE'S DOING VERY WELL.
SO THIS PLANT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR FAMILY FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.
EXACTLY, UH, 69 YEARS TO ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY PARENTS, MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY, MY SON.
AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE CONSIDERATION OF HOW IMPORTANT THE PLAN IS.
REALLY ALL BUSINESSES ARE TO SO MANY FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY SO MANY YOUNG FAMILIES.
YOU KNOW, I'M ALMOST SIX YEARS OLD, RIGHT? BUT I HAVE, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH, UH, GRATITUDE FOR THE, THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS COMING UP AND, UM, I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THIS PARISH.
AND, AND ALL THE BUSINESSES IN THIS PARISH SHOULD, SHOULD BE SUPPORTED FOR GROWTH CUZ GROWTH IS SO IMPORTANT AND THE ABILITY TO GROW IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE GROWTH OF OUR PLANT AND ALL THE BUSINESSES IN THE PARISH.
I LIVE AT 1 0 4 VA STREET IN, UH, MANDEVILLE.
UM, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT, OBVIOUSLY OF CORNERSTONE AND IN OPPOSITION OF THIS PROPOSED, UH, REZONING FOR MUCH OF THE REASONS THAT THE, THE LADY, UH, WHO SPOKE FIRST MENTIONED, BECAUSE THIS PROPOSED ZONING IS GONNA BLOCK, UM, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S GONNA LIMIT JOB GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA DIRECTLY IMPACT THE JOB SECURITY OF ALL THE FOLKS THAT YOU SEE LI UH, SITTING HERE.
UM, WELL, I'M FAIRLY NEW TO CORNERSTONE, BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS.
I'M THE, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGER.
I HAVE ALMOST 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN REFINING AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING.
UH, FORMERLY WORKED FOR EXXONMOBIL AND PBF ENERGY FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY LIFE.
I'VE LIVED AROUND IN NEAR PLANTS.
BERNARD PARISH WAS, UH, GREW UP NEAR, UM, TWO REFINERIES, KAISER ALUMINUM WHEN I WAS LITTLE.
UM, AND ALSO THERE'S A SUGAR REFINERY DOWN THERE, AND THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER, UH, INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES CLOSE BY.
SO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO LIVE CLOSE BY TO THESE PLANTS AND WHAT THEY DO.
UM, JUST TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE COMPANIES AND THE, THESE, THESE, UH, INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES, THEY, THEY GO A LONG WAY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY, THEY, UH, THEY GO A LONG WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITIES.
I CAN TELL YOU, UM, FROM THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF IT, WHEN ONE OF THESE PLANTS SHUT DOWN, WHAT CAN HAPPEN? GROWING UP IN ST.
BERNARD PARISH, MY DAD WORKED FOR KAISER ALUMINUM.
WHEN THAT PLANT SHUT DOWN, IT NEGA NEGATIVELY IMPACTED ST.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE AFFECTED BECAUSE ALL THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, THESE LITTLE RESTAURANTS, THINGS THAT ARE ALL AROUND THESE PLANTS, WHEN THEY'RE AFFECTED, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE AFFECTED AS WELL.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY THAT WHEN THAT PLANT SHUT DOWN, MY DAD DIDN'T HAVE A JOB.
WE COULDN'T PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
WE LIVED PRETTY COMFORTABLY BEFORE THAT, UM, LED TO MY PARENTS' DIVORCE.
SO WHEN, WHEN YOU AFFECT THESE COMPANIES, THE WAY THIS REZONING WAY COULD HAVE A LOT OF NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE FAMILIES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, AS I MENTIONED, I'VE WORKED IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY, UM, PROVIDE FOR THEM.
I STARTED OUT, UH, AS AN OPERATOR IN A PLANT.
I KNOW WHAT THE DANGERS ARE IN A PLANT, AND I ALSO KNOW ALL THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS THAT ARE TAKEN WITHIN THESE PLANTS TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY THE EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE, BUT I ALSO, THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THEM ARE SAFE.
THE REASON I SWITCHED TO CORNERSTONE WAS BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING TO GO TO AN ANOTHER COMPANY AND CORNERSTONE BEING A SMALLER COMPANY THAN I WORKED FOR BEFORE, THEY, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THEY OPERATE AND WHAT THEY DO.
AND THAT'S THE REASON I CAME OVER AND LEAVING A LARGER COMPANY LIKE AN EXXON MOBILE COMING OVER TO A SMALLER COMPANY LIKE, UH, A CORNERSTONE, THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN WITHIN THAT PLANT, TAKEN FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND TAKEN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, UM, JUST WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE CONSIDERATION IN THIS REZO IN THIS REZONING PROPOSAL.
UM, AND JUST REALLY AGAINST FOR WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE, UH, LAID OUT HERE.
[00:35:13]
YES.I LIVE AT 1 0 6 DOGWOOD DRIVE IN LULING, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT CORNERSTONE.
I STARTED OUT AS IN, IN THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO, AND NOW I'M IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS GROUP.
UH, I HAD, UH, MY AUNT WORKED THERE FROM THE START OF WHEN THE, UH, WHEN THE PLANT WAS FIRST BUILT.
SHE WORKED THERE FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS.
AND AS, AS SHE WAS RETIRING, I WAS JUST STARTING.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT BEING WORKING AT CORNERSTONE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH THE ABILITY TO CARE FOR MY FAMILY.
UH, MY WIFE AND I HAVE RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS AND ENABLED US TO SEND THEM TO COLLEGE.
THEY BOTH HAVE GRADUATED FROM, UH, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE.
SO IT GAVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THEM AND, AND SUPPORT MY FAMILY.
ALSO, UH, IN MY YEARS AT CORNERSTONE, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE UNITED WAY, UH, PROGRAM THAT AT THE PLANT, AND WE VISITED MANY SITES, UH, OVER THE YEARS IN JEFFERSON PARISH, ALSO IN ST.
IT GAVE US THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS. SO WITHOUT THE CONTINUATION OF THE PLANT AS IT STANDS NOW, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE AT RISK, I FEEL.
SO I, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER AND, UH, NOT, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT, THE NEW PROPOSAL.
I LIVE AT 24 26 CHIPPEWA STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.
I'M NOT BEING PAID FOR MY TESTIMONY HERE TODAY.
UM, I THINK IT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE NEAR A CHEMICAL PLANT, BUT WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE NEAR A CHEMICAL PLANT THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING.
I'M A RESIDENT OF ORLEANS PARISH, BUT I LIVE LESS THAN A MILE FROM BWC HARVEY, AND I'VE FILED PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED ODOR COMPLAINTS WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UM, BECAUSE OF THIS FACILITY.
I BOUGHT MY HOME IN 2013 AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RENOVATED IT OURSELVES.
AT THE SAME TIME, BWC HARVEY BOUGHT A PIECE OF LAND RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER FROM US, AND THEY BUILT TANKS THAT PREVENT US FROM ENJOYING OUR PROPERTY AND USING OUR PROPERTY.
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF JOBS IN STORING HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS.
YOU DON'T, BWC HARVEY BRAGS TO PEOPLE ABOUT HOW AUTOMATED THE PROCESS IS OF TRANSFERRING PRODUCTS.
IF YOU DRIVE BY THEIR PARKING LOT, YOU MIGHT SEE 15 CARS IN THE PARKING LOT, EVEN DINO NOBEL, WHICH ADVERTISED THAT THEY WERE GONNA CREATE 65 NEW JOBS BECAUSE OF THAT PROJECT.
THEY EMPLOY HALF THE PEOPLE THAT COMMANDERS' PALACE EMPLOYS CHEMICALS AND, AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY TO CREATE JOBS.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF HEALTHY ECONOMIC PROJECTS UP AND DOWN THE RIVER THAT ARE NOT POLLUTING PEOPLE AND NOT DIMINISHING PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE DONE TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE ZONING REGULATIONS AND UPDATE THEM.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A THANKLESS JOB AND THAT YOU'RE GETTING HEAT FROM BOTH SIDES, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT INFORMING PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A NEW PROJECT IS INCREDIBLY INADEQUATE.
A THOUSAND FEET IS LESS THAN TWO-TENTHS OF A MILE.
SO SOMEBODY COULD LIVE WITHIN THE BLAST ZONE OF A FACILITY AND STILL NOT BE CONSULTED WHEN THAT FACILITY IS BUILT.
AND WE KNOW THAT INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS HAPPEN, RIGHT? THERE ARE EXPLOSIONS, THERE ARE FIRES, THERE ARE EMERGENCY SCENARIOS, AND THAT IS INEVITABLE.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF, BUT WHEN.
I WAS ALSO VERY DISCOURAGED TO SEE THAT HARVEY HAS BECOME ESSENTIALLY A SACRIFICE ZONE.
ALL OF THE BULK STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IS BEING CONCENTRATED ON THE WEST BANK IN AREAS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE LESS WEALTH AND LESS EDUCATION.
UM, AND IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY A PLANNING, UM, PROJECT WOULD ALLOW THOSE MATERIALS TO BE STORED WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIVING FOR DECADES, WHERE THOSE HOMES WERE BEFORE THOSE BULK STORAGE FACILITIES WERE BUILT.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE INSTEAD OF PLANNING LEADING THE WAY, PLANNING IS TRYING TO JUST CATCH UP TO HOW THE LAND IS ALREADY BEING USED.
UM, AND I WOULD REALLY ADVOCATE THAT IT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT IS HEALTHY INVESTMENT, WHAT IS HEALTHY ECONOMY FOR THIS AREA? AND REMEMBER THAT WE AFFECT EVERYTHING IN JEFFERSON PARISH AFFECTS WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE
[00:40:01]
RIVER.AND I'LL BE HONEST, I'VE STARTED AVOIDING COMING ACROSS THE BRIDGE WHEN I WANNA GET GROCERIES OR GO TO HOME DEPOT OR DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I'M SO FRUSTRATED ABOUT HOW JEFFERSON PARISH IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING MY QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA JUST CLOSE BY POINTING OUT THAT YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MONITORING IN THE WORLD, BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER WHEN THERE ARE NOT LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS THAT ARE SAFE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS A COMMON INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANT.
THE EPA SAYS THAT A MAXIMUM LEVEL OF TWO MICROGRAMS PER CUBIC METER IS SAFE.
THE LOUISIANA AMBIENT AIR STANDARD IS 330, SO IT'S MORE THAN 150 TIMES HIGHER.
MONITORING JUST CHARACTERIZES THE PROBLEM AND GIVES PEOPLE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY.
WE NEED ZONING REGULATIONS THAT RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO BE EMPLOYED AND MAKE MONEY WITHOUT RUINING OTHER PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
I LIVE AT 2351 MAGAZINE STREET.
I'M HERE, UH, BECAUSE I'M A FATHER.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO KEEP MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER FROM GETTING CANCER.
I LIVE IN UNDER A MILE FROM BWC HARVEY'S DOCK, WHERE WE HAVE ON A REGULAR BASIS NOX NOXIOUS TOXIC FUMES INUNDATING OUR HOME.
THIS WAS MY FEEDBACK TO Y'ALL BEFORE THE FIRST DRAFT.
I SEE THAT THERE'S LOTS OF VERY PROMISING THINGS HERE GOING ON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE SPECIFICALLY HOW THE NEARLY 2000 COMPLAINTS APPROACHING 2000, OVER 1,600 COMPLAINTS CONNECTED TO BWC HARVEY'S TRANSFER OF HOT ASPHALT WITHOUT CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES.
HOW THAT IS BEING INCORPORATED INTO THIS DRAFT CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
THIS SHOULD ROLL FORWARD WITH THE IDEA, NOT THAT WE ARE GOING TO CATER TO AN INDUSTRY THAT WILL BOUNCE BACK NO MATTER WHAT YOU THROW AT IT.
AS PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY WHEN WE HAVE CANCER, WE CAN'T BOUNCE BACK FROM THAT.
SO WITH EVERYBODY WHO HAS COME TO DEPEND ON THIS INDUSTRY FOR THEIR, THEIR JOB SECURITY, FOR THEIR MONEY, THIS INDUSTRY WILL NOT GO AWAY.
IT WILL ALWAYS BE HERE AND IT WILL FIND A WAY NO MATTER WHAT Y'ALL THROW AT IT, BECAUSE WE NEED TO PUT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFITS, EVERYONE WHO IS WORKING FOR THESE COMPANIES.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED JOB SECURITY AND YOU NEED MONEY, BUT WHAT DOES MONEY AND WHAT DOES JOB SECURITY MEAN TO YOU IF YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES ARE DYING OF CANCER? THANK YOU.
DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? I'VE GOTTEN EVERYBODY'S NAME WRONG SO FAR.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AINSLEY BLANK.
I LIVE AT 49 12 TOWNSEND STREET, MEADOW, LOUISIANA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US SPEAK TODAY.
UM, THIS EVENING, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HEAR SUPPORTERS OF REZONING SITE DATA PROVIDED BY THE EPA VIA UNIVERSITY STUDIES CLAIMING RISK HAZARD HYPOTHESIS AND CONJECTURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH FACTS BASED IN SCIENCE AND HISTORICAL DATA PROVIDED BY THE LOUISIANA TUMOR REGISTRY, WHOSE DATA SERVES AS THE OFFICIAL FOUNDATION FOR LOUISIANA'S COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CONTROL PROGRAM.
THE TUMOR REGISTRY IS MANAGED BY THE LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH OVERSIGHT EXERCISED BY THE LOUISIANA CANCER AND LUNG TRUST FUND BOARD.
MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD REPRESENT VARIOUS HEALTH INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THE LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHED THE TUMOR REGISTRY SPECIFIES THAT ANY HEALTHCARE FACILITY OR PROVIDER DIAGNOSING OR TREATING CANCER PATIENTS SHALL REPORT EACH CASE OF CANCER TO THE REGISTRY.
THE TUMOR REGISTRY COLLECTS INFORMATION FROM THE ENTIRE STATE ON THE INCIDENCES OF CANCER.
THIS INFORMATION INCLUDES THE TYPES OF CANCER, INCLUDING MORPHOLOGY, GRADE AND BEHAVIOR, ANATOMIC LOCATION EXTENT, CANCER AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS.
UH, DIAGNOSIS MEANING THE STAGE, TREATMENT AND OUTCOMES, INCLUDING SURVIVAL AND MORTALITY.
THE TUMOR REGISTRY PROVIDES AN INTERACTIVE
[00:45:01]
WEBSITE ALLOWING USERS TO RESEARCH ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING ABOUT CANCER IN LOUISIANA WITHIN HIPAA REGULATIONS, THE WEBSITE ALLOWS FOR VIEWING GRANULAR CANCER DATA IN LOUISIANA AT THE CLICK OF A BUTTON.I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO INFORM YOURSELF BY USING THIS WEBSITE.
THE FOLLOWING DATA POINTS WERE OBTAINED FROM THE LOUISIANA TUMOR REGISTRY.
AND THIS CONCERNS, UM, THIS IS REPORTING FOR, UH, JEFFERSON PARISH BETWEEN THE YEARS 2015 AND 2019.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS IN THE LOWEST RANKING PERCENTILE OF CANCER INCIDENCES IN THE STATE AT A RATE OF UNDER 25%.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS IN THE LOWEST RANKING PERCENTILE IN THE STATE, UM, WITH CANCER, I'M SORRY, WITH AN UNDER 25% OF CANCER MORTALITY.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS NOT ONLY IN THE TOP 25% HIGHEST RANKING SURVIVAL RATE IN ALL CASES OF CANCER, IT IS THE TOP RANKING PARISH IN CANCER SURVIVAL RATE.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS IN THE LOWEST RANKING PERCENTILE IN THE STATE WITH UNDER 25% RATE OF LUNG CANCER INCIDENCES.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS IN THE LOWEST RANKING PERCENTILE IN THE STATE WITH UNDER 25% RATE OF LUNG CANCER MORTALITY.
THE RATE OF LUNG CANCER IN THE STATE OF LOUIS, LOUISIANA IS DECREASING AT THE SAME RATE OF DECREASE AS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE MORTALITY OF ALL CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES IS DECREASING IN THE SAME RATE AS IN THE UNITED STATES.
UM, SIDEBAR, LUNG CANCER IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER OF DEATH IN LOUISIANA WITH 80% BEING ATTRIBUTED TO, UM, SMOKING, UNFORTUNATELY FOR ENVIRONMENTALIST ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS.
BUT PARAMOUNT FOR RESIDENTS OF JEFFERSON PARISH SCIENCE AND HISTORY HAVE PROVEN THAT INDUSTRY HAS NOT INFESTED JEFFERSON PARISH WITH A RASH OF CANCER.
IN FACT, JEFFERSON PARISH IS ONE OF THE SAFEST PARISHES TO LIVE IN LOUISIANA, ACCORDING TO THE 2023 PUBLICATION OF JEFFERSON.
NOW, A SURVEY REPORT SPONSORED BY THE JEFFERSON BUSINESS COUNCIL.
JUDD CO, THE JEFFERSON CHAMBER, AND THE JEFFERSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INDUSTRY IN JEFFERSON PARISH SAVES LIVES, NOT ENDANGERS THEM.
THE NAME'S GARY SCHICK, UH, BELL CHASE.
UH, I'M NEW HERE AT CORNERSTONE LAST YEAR, BUT, UH, BEEN IN THE PLANTS MY WHOLE LIFE.
THIRD GENERATION BETWEEN MY GRANDPA, MY DAD, AND MYSELF.
WE HAVE A HUNDRED, 101 YEARS INSIDE OF PLANTS WITH NO KIND OF HEALTH ISSUES.
IF YOU HAD MY WIFE IN THERE, THAT'LL BE 116 YEARS.
ME AND MY WIFE BOTH WORK IN PLANTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I STRONGLY CONSIDER, UH, FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER WHEN Y'ALL MAKE Y'ALL DECISION ON THIS, ON HOW Y'ALL WILL AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS.
AND MY WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN SUPPORTED THROUGH THESE PLANTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO WORK THERE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP EVERYTHING SAFE INSIDE THE PIPES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF THAT PLACE WERE TO SHUT DOWN, IT'S, UH, BIG NEGATIVE IMPACT.
I COME FROM PHILLIPS 66 DOWN IN BELL CHASE.
AND WHEN THEY SHUT THAT PLACE DOWN, IT SHUT THAT WHOLE END INTO THE COMMUNITY DOWN.
THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT STORES.
PEOPLE MOVED AWAY, A LOT OF HOUSES WENT UP.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FROM THIS, UH, CLOSING THE PLANT.
SO, UH, I ASKED Y'ALL TO STRONGLY CONSIDER Y'ALL DECISIONS WHEN Y'ALL MAKE THE FINAL CHOICE.
I LIVE AT 10 55 SOUTH KENNER AVENUE IN WAGMAN.
I'M, UH, LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE PLANT.
I'VE HAD THE FOR GREAT FORTUNE OF WORKING FOR AMERICANS, ANIMATE SIDE TECH INDUSTRIES NOW CORNERSTONE.
AS I SAID, I LIVE LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE PLANT.
I, I PERSONALLY DON'T EVER RECALL SPELLING ANYTHING FROM THE PLANT.
MOST THINGS I'VE EVER SMELLED FROM THE PLANT ODORS COMES FROM THE LANDFILL.
I'VE BEEN AWARDED A GREAT LIVING, RAISED MY FAMILY.
UH, I HOPE THE RESIDENTS OF JACKSON PARISH GET TO CONTINUE WORKING AT THESE FACILITIES.
THEY'RE VERY GOOD PAYING AND, UH, JUST CONSIDERED THIS BEFORE Y'ALL MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISIONS.
THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME, SETH.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING CORNERSTONE.
UM, I LIVE AT, UM, 64 11 FOUNTAIN BLUE DRIVE IN NEW ORLEANS.
[00:50:01]
THIS JOB.MY ENTIRE CAREER, 15 YEARS HAS BEEN WITH SITE TECH INDUSTRIES IN CORNERSTONE CHEMICAL.
IN FACT, I'M MISSING MY, UH, ONE YEAR OLD'S BIRTHDAY TONIGHT CELEBRATION TO BE HERE.
UM, THAT CORNERSTONE HAS PROVIDED, UM, IN, IN THE INDUSTRY.
THE ONLY THING I REALLY WANTED TO SAY, UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SAID A LOT OF MY THOUGHTS ALREADY.
UM, I HAD CHILDHOOD CANCER WAS GOING BACK 38 YEARS WHEN I WAS 18 MONTHS OLD.
I HAVE NEVER ONCE THAT THOUGHT, HAS NEVER ONCE CAME INTO MY MIND GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY IN THIS INDUSTRY IN MY ENTIRE CAREER.
I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF ANYTHING FOR MY CHILDREN GROWING UP, UM, WITH ANY KIND OF FEAR OF ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT CHEMICAL PLANT THAT WOULD AFFECT THEM PHYSICALLY OR MYSELF OR MY FAMILY.
SO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT, THAT THAT'S PUT OUT THERE.
AS YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE HAVE A LOT OF YEARS OF SERVICE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DREW ME HERE.
UH, MY BOSS, UH, RETIRED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, 40 YEARS.
SEVERAL PEOPLE I WORKED WITH HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 35, 40 YEARS.
IF IT WAS UNSAFE, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD STAY THAT LONG.
IF IT WASN'T THAT GOOD OF A PLACE, PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE STAY THAT LONG.
PEOPLE LIKE ME WOULDN'T MOVE TO THE AREA, RAISE FAMILIES.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING TONIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE SAME TIME AT THE JOSEPH YIANI BUILDING AT 1221 ELMWOOD PARK BOULEVARD IN JEFFERSON.