P&Z recap: Short-term rentals = long meeting

for rentAlmost a full house at the June 28 Planning and Zoning meeting. Here are the votes and a few observations. All applications will go before the City Council on July 5 for approval.

MARC KARL – application for Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is asking to construct an 8’ in height wood fence to the rear yard of the property. If granted, the applicant will need a total variance to the fence height to the rear yard property line of 2’ in which the required fence height to the rear yard property line is 6’. The property in question is located at 254 Sycamore Street, Parcel #149M-2-30-069.000; described as215, 3rd Ward, Bay Saint Louis. The property is zoned R-2, two Family District. Approved 6-0. (Gary Knoblock absent.)

DALE C. BARKER – application for Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. Representing agent is Mr. Ed Wikoff. The applicant is intending to construct an addition to the east side yard of the residence. The addition will be constructed on an existing deck which would be staying within the current footprint. The applicant is asking for a 2 ½ foot setback to the side yard where an 8 foot setback is required. Therefore the applicant is asking for a 5 ½ foot variance to the side yard. The property is located at 404 St. John Street, Parcel #149E-0-29-365.000; described as Part 100-102, 2nd Ward, Bay Saint Louis. The property is zoned R-2, Two Family District. Approved 6-0.

DANIEL B KILLEEN – application for Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is intending to construct a single family residence on this parcel of land. The applicant is asking for a total variance to the front yard setback, on Oak Lane, of 17’ where the required front yard setback is 25’, and a total variance to the rear yard setback of 11’4” where the required rear yard setback is 20’. The property in question is located at 122 Bay View Court, Parcel #149F-0-21-029.000; described as 1st Ward, Part 253 B&C, Bay St. Louis. The property is zoned R-2, Two Family District. Denied 4 – 2 (Camille Tate and Kevin Jordan voted to approve.)

MELINDA MINEAR – application for Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is intending to attach the existing detached garage to the side of residence and to also add additional square footage to the garage. The applicant will need a total variance to the minimum side yard setback of 3’ in which the required minimum side yard is 8’. The property in question is located at 602 Esplanade Avenue, Parcel #137A-0-42-063.000; described as Lot 45, Royal Lots Subdivision, Bay St. Louis. The property is zoned R-1, Residential Single Family District. Approved 6-0.

MR. MERRITT M. ROBBINS (Gurley Properties, Inc) – application for Special Subdivision Plat approval and Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant would like to subdivide the parcel of land into three (3) new parcels of land with the intention to construct a single family residence on each newly created parcel. If granted the applicant will need to parcels A, B and C, a total lot variance of 50’ to the width of each lot, where the required lot width is 100’; the applicant will need a total variance of 7,000 square feet to the square footage to each parcel A, B, and C, where the required square footage is 12,000 sq ft; and for parcel B  and C each, a total variance to the east and west side yard setback of 2’, where the required setback to the side yard is 8’ . The property in question is located at 831 Deer Drive, Parcel #138A-0-46-021.000, described as Lots 6-8, Block 26, Shoreline Estates Unit 7. The property is zoned R-1, Single Family District.  Denied 6-0.

GERARD MALLON – application for a Special Exception to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is intending to manufacture hydroponics/aquaponics and including the manufacturing of soft shell crabs. According to the Chart of Uses, ‘Light or small-scale manufacturing operations not obnoxious, offensive, or detrimental to neighboring property by reason of dust, smoke, odor, vibrations, noise, or effluents” may be allowed by Special Exception in a I-2 District. The property is located at 609 Central Avenue, Parcel # 137R-0-44-068.000; described as 4th Ward, Part Lots 202 & 205A, Bay St. Louis and Parcel # 137R-0-44-069.000, described as Part 205 & 210, 4th Ward, Bay St. Louis. The property is presently zoned I-2, Planned Industrial District. Tabled.

PASTOR PAMELA TERRY – application for Special Exception to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is asking for the Special Exception with the intention of operating a child development center in the “Marketown Shopping Center”.  According to Section 621, CHART OF USES FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS, “Child Care Center” may be allowed in a C-3 District by special Exception with approval of City Council. The property in question is located at 295 Highway 90, Suite 10, known as “Marketown Shopping Center”, Parcel #149D-1-21-011.000; described as Part 233, 236 & 244, 1st Ward, Bay St Louis. The property is zoned C-3, Highway Commercial District. Approved 6-0.

LEO CHESTER LEBLANC – application for Variance to the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant is intending to construct a 4 story building, whereas a commercial use will be established on the ground floor and (9) condominiums will be constructed on the remaining (3) floors. The applicant is requesting a variance to the parking regulations for the (9) unit condominium dwellings. If granted the applicant will need a total variance of (6) parking spaces to allow for (14) parking spaces in place of the (20) spaces required. The property in question is located at 118 North Beach Boulevard, Parcel #149L-0-29-010.000; described as 505, 1st Ward, Bay St. Louis. The property is currently zoned C-1, Central Business District. Approved 5 – 0 (LeBlanc recused himself.)

Field notes: Plenty of friction last night involving the Robbins application to divided his Deer Drive property. Neighbors, both those who are permanent residents and those who are not, came out forcefully against plans for 50-foot lot parcels. So did Commissioner Joey Manieri. A rep said the applicant may come back with plans for two 75-foot parcels.

Chet LeBlanc’s four-story condo project will have retail space on the ground floor (A restaurant? Shops?) but there’s no requirement to have designated parking for that. So. There you go. Keep driving around the block.

The public hearing on the city’s vacation rental ordinance was highly contentious, with some residents returning to the podium several times to voice their strong feelings. Apparently the annexed area has lots of noisy partying in rental properties and some residents are fed up. That includes those who live here all the time and those who want to retire here.

Bottom line: Meeting ran until 10:15. P&Z members will make revisions to the proposed ordinance based on public comments and will present it again at next month’s meeting. The ordinance ultimately will go to the City Council for action.