New Orleans City Planning Commission meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Planning, zoning and design boards meet in New Orleans; agendas published, but no decisions on record yet

Three New Orleans bodies that review zoning changes, building variances and design took up a combined slate of requests over the past two weeks, according to their published agendas. None of the three — the City Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Adjustments and the Design Advisory Committee — has published minutes for those meetings, so the available record does not show what was approved, denied, deferred or continued. The summaries below are drawn from the agendas themselves.

City Planning Commission, Oct. 13

The commission held a public hearing on 11 zoning items, according to the agenda. The list included rezoning requests, conditional use permits for bars, a car wash, bed and breakfasts and alcohol sales, and two text amendments to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Written comment was accepted through Oct. 5.

Among the items noticed:

• A zoning change from NA to M-MU for commercial short-term rentals and a cultural facility at 27501 Chef Menteur Highway.
• Rezoning to HU-MU for properties at 1431-1435 Prytania Street and 1513 Melpomene Street.
• A conditional use for a bar at 5010 Freret Street.
• A conditional use for a car wash at 3505-3509 South Carrollton Avenue.
• A text amendment to change the boundaries of the Magazine Street Overlay District.

Board of Zoning Adjustments, Oct. 19

The board's agenda listed eight variance requests and appeals — four carried over as unfinished business and four listed as new business — plus consideration of its 2027 meeting schedule. All items were subject to public comment.

The unfinished business items were variance requests at 906 Philip St, 1037 Mazant St, 5230 Pitt St and 906 Dante St. New business included variance requests at 1208 Webster St, 7301 Wayside Dr and 3322-24 Esplanade Ave, and an appeal of a Safety and Permits decision at 1616-18 Prytania St.

Design Advisory Committee, Oct. 21

The committee met to review four administrative design review cases and to consider approval of its Sept. 16, 2026 minutes. Under the process described in the agenda, the committee makes recommendations and the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission renders the final decision within 90 days of a complete application.

The cases:

• DR030-26: a new office building over 100 feet at 5401 Crowder Boulevard, in a CT Corridor Transformation Overlay.
• DR031-26: facade modifications to an existing commercial structure over 100 feet at 5400 Tchoupitoulas Street, in an EC Enhancement Corridor Design Overlay.
• DR032-26: expansion of a single-family, residentially zoned structure at 935 Adams Street, in the University Area Design Overlay.
• DR033-26: expansion of a single-family, residentially zoned structure at 704 Franklin Avenue, also in the University Area Design Overlay.

Coming up

The City Planning Commission holds a public hearing Oct. 27 at 1:30 p.m. on a proposal to rename Northline Street — the segment bounded by Cecil Street and Monticello Avenue — to Palmetto Street. Written comments are due by close of business on the Monday eight days before the hearing.

Residents can attend either in person or submit written comment; the agenda does not list any other meetings in the next two weeks.

Design Committee Approves Four Projects; City Planning to Consider Data Center Zoning

The Design Advisory Committee unanimously approved all four items on its Aug. 19 agenda, including a new business office and street furniture for the Bayou Road Beautification Project. Each vote was 7-0, according to official minutes.

Design Advisory Committee

The committee approved the following projects, each with a 7-0 vote:

• **New business office at 6800 Plaza Drive** – approved with comments.
• **Street furniture for the Bayou Road Beautification Project** – approved with comment.
• **Residential expansion at 10 Audubon Boulevard** – approved.
• **Residential expansion at 6304 S. Claiborne Avenue** – approved with comments.

The committee also approved the minutes from its June 17, 2026 meeting (7-0).

Other Recent Meetings

Two other meetings were held in the past two weeks, but their minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are available.

City Planning Commission (Aug. 11) – The commission held a public hearing to consider seven zoning and conditional use requests, including:

• Expansion of a multi-family dwelling at 1227-1229 Calhoun Street.
• Zoning change and retail alcohol sale request at 3315-3319 North Galvez Street.
• Conditional use for a hotel over 10,000 square feet at 1722-1732 Pauger Street.
• Expansion of Trinity School campus and nursery school construction at 1223 Josephine Street.
• Conditional use for a standard restaurant at 4001 Magazine Street and 910 Constantinople Street.

Board of Zoning Adjustments (Aug. 17)** – The board considered several zoning variances, including a court-remanded decision for a 75-unit multi-family dwelling at 1100 Sere Street. Other items included a Mardi Gras den variance at 201 De Armas Street, a swimming pool and cabana variance at 3322 Esplanade Avenue, an appeal regarding a permit for an 80,500-square-foot prison facility at 2900 Perdido Street, and an appeal about legal non-conforming use for a hotel at 717 Barracks Street.

Coming Up

The City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Aug. 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber to consider a text amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance that would define “data centers” and related uses. The amendment would determine where data centers are permitted or conditional, and could impose density, soundproofing, and safety requirements to protect nearby residents and businesses. Public comments may be submitted in person or in writing by Aug. 17.

New Orleans Planning Bodies Set for Busy Week; No Major Decisions in Past Two Weeks

The New Orleans City Planning Commission and its advisory bodies took no major decisions in the past two weeks, but a series of hearings and reviews are scheduled for the coming week. The only formal action was the Board of Zoning Adjustments' Rules Committee adjourning its July 29 meeting after reviewing its rules, policies and procedures.

Recent meetings

• **July 28 – City Planning Commission:** The commission met to consider two deferred zoning items: a planned development to convert a monastery at 720 Henry Clay Avenue into multi-family housing, and a text amendment to create an interim zoning district banning data centers. The commission also was scheduled to ratify subdivision applications approved administratively by staff. Minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are confirmed.

• **July 29 – Board of Zoning Adjustments Rules Committee:** The committee reviewed Sections I and II through C.5 of its Rules, Policies and Procedures. Staff and legal counsel discussed possible revisions. No formal actions or amendments were decided. The committee adjourned by a 3-0 vote.

• **August 5 – Planning Advisory Committee:** The meeting was cancelled because it had no items to consider. The committee advises the Executive Director on technical issues but does not approve projects, zoning changes, or property transactions.

Upcoming meetings

• **August 11 – City Planning Commission public hearing:** The commission will consider five items: expansion of a multi-family dwelling at 1227-1229 Calhoun Street; a zoning change and retail alcohol sale request at 3315-3319 North Galvez Street; a conditional use for a hotel over 10,000 square feet at 1722-1732 Pauger Street; expansion of Trinity School campus and nursery school construction at 1223 Josephine Street; and a conditional use for a standard restaurant at 4001 Magazine Street and 910 Constantinople Street.

• **August 17 – Board of Zoning Adjustments:** The board will consider several variances and appeals, including a court-remanded variance for a 75-unit multi-family dwelling at 1100 Sere Street regarding lot area and parking, a variance for a Mardi Gras den at 201 De Armas Street, a variance for a swimming pool, cabana, and parking pad at 3322 Esplanade Avenue, an appeal regarding a permit for an 80,500 square foot prison facility at 2900 Perdido Street, and an appeal regarding legal non-conforming use status for a hotel at 717 Barracks Street.

• **August 19 – Design Advisory Committee:** The committee will review four administrative design-review cases: a new business office at 6800 Plaza Drive, a right-of-way street-furniture installation along the 2500 block of Bayou Road, an expansion of a residential structure at 10 Audubon Boulevard, and an expansion of a residential structure at 6304 S. Claiborne Avenue.

Coming up

• **August 11:** City Planning Commission public hearing
• **August 17:** Board of Zoning Adjustments meeting
• **August 19:** Design Advisory Committee meeting

City Planning Commission set votes on monastery reuse and data center ban; BZA Rules Committee adjourns without action

The New Orleans City Planning Commission was scheduled July 28 to vote on converting a former monastery at 720 Henry Clay Avenue into multi-family housing and on a text amendment that would create an interim zoning district banning data center operations. Official minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so the outcomes are not yet available in the public record.

City Planning Commission — July 28 (agenda only)

The Commission's posted agenda listed three items:

• **Zoning Docket 073/26:** Adaptive reuse of the monastery at 720 Henry Clay Avenue into multi-family dwellings in the HU-RD2 District.
• **Zoning Docket 036/26:** Text amendment to create a Data Center Interim Zoning District, which would prohibit data center operations.
• **Ratification of subdivision applications** that staff have already approved administratively.

The Commission was also set to adopt minutes from its July 14 meeting. Because only the agenda is available, this roundup reports what was scheduled, not what was decided.

Board of Zoning Adjustments — July 20 public hearing (agenda only)

The Board of Zoning Adjustments posted 18 zoning variance and appeal cases for a public hearing. Listed items included:

• **BZA032-26:** Variance at 2022-24 Philip Street (Team Robot, LLC)
• **BZA050-26:** Variance at 6500 Vicksburg Street (Katie Beck Mitchell)
• **BZA053-26:** Variance at 3914 Prytania Street & 3915 Perrier Street (Rosalyn L'Amir)
• **BZA058-26:** Appeal at 4501 Toulouse Street (JNJ Amusement, LLC)
• **BZA060-26:** Appeal at 7600 Maple Street (MGZ, LLC)

Minutes have not been published, so no vote tallies or outcomes are available.

BZA Rules Committee — July 29 (decided)

The Board of Zoning Adjustments Rules Committee reviewed Section I and Section II through C.5 of its Rules, Policies and Procedures, with staff and legal counsel discussing possible revisions. No formal actions or amendments were adopted. The meeting adjourned on a 3-0 vote.

Coming up

• **Aug. 5 — Planning Advisory Committee:** Meeting cancelled because there are no items to consider. The PAC advises the Executive Director on technical issues and does not approve projects, zoning changes, or property transactions.
• **Aug. 11 — City Planning Commission:** Public hearing on seven zoning and conditional use requests, including a multi-family expansion at 1227-1229 Calhoun Street; a zoning change and retail alcohol sale request at 3315-3319 North Galvez Street; a conditional use for a hotel over 10,000 square feet at 1722-1732 Pauger Street; Trinity School campus expansion and nursery school construction at 1223 Josephine Street; and a conditional use for a standard restaurant at 4001 Magazine Street and 910 Constantinople Street.
• **Aug. 17 — Board of Zoning Adjustments:** Several variance and appeal cases, including a court-remanded request for a 75-unit multi-family dwelling at 1100 Sere Street (remanded by the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal); a Mardi Gras den variance at 201 De Armas Street; a front-yard swimming pool, cabana, and parking pad at 3322 Esplanade Avenue; an appeal regarding a permit for an 80,500 square foot prison facility at 2900 Perdido Street; and an appeal on legal non-conforming use status for a hotel at 717 Barracks Street.