Alderwoman Angered After Vote
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Opelousas alderwoman Chasity D. Warren angrily addressed her Board of Aldermen colleagues Tuesday night after a 3-2 vote by the Board blocked a proposed business operated by Warren from opening inside a residential neighborhood.
“This is not over. I will be back,” Warren told the Board before the meeting adjourned. Warren was not present in the meeting room when discussion and voting on the issue occurred.
Warren was visibly upset as she chastised the Board for denying her request for a zoning variance in order to operate a window tinting, inspection sticker, automobile sales and notary businesses at 671 Emmett Street.
If the Board had approved the request which was approved on Monday by the city Planning Commission, the business location would have been rezoned from residential-1 to a commercial 1 zone, according to the meeting agenda.
Warren was absent from the entire part of the business meeting conducted by the Board.
She was absent from the meeting Warren said, due to the onset of an anxiety attack.
Before the vote, City Attorney Travis Broussard read a state court decision which described the concept of spot zoning, which occurs when a small parcel of land is given special special zoning preference that is different from surrounding properties.
Broussard told the Board that it was not his responsibility to tell the Board how to vote on the rezoning request for Emmett Street.
Code Enforcement Director Lance Ned acknowledged that the Planning Commission had approved the zoning variance. Ned did not provide any letters of opposition to the rezoning and no one attending the meeting spoke in opposition.
Alderwoman Delita Rubin Broussard said during the meeting that property in any area should “conform to everything around it.”
Broussard said the Board has perhaps been guilty in the past for granting zoning variances even though Board members were aware that “it’s not right.”
Warren in recent years has been granted permission by the Board to open other businesses that include a child daycare facility and a store that sells alcoholic beverages.
During her speech following the meeting, Warren said that since 2007, the Board has at times voted “the wrong way on property.”
Warren added that it is “Broussard’s job” to guide the Board on zoning questions.
Alderman-at-Large Marvin Richard prior to the vote cited several instances in which the Board has altered existing residential zones in order for persons to open new businesses.
Richard said the city needs to provide opportunities to own businesses.
John Guilbeaux, another alderman, questioned the decision by the Planning Commission in approving the request for the Warren-operated business.
“I can’t understand this. Their (Planning Commission) job is making sure the zoning is correct,” said Guilbeaux.
Guilbeaux, Broussard and Charles Cummings voted to deny the request for the zoning variance.
Sherrell Roberts and Richard voted “yes.”
After the meeting Robert said she voted to approve the zoning variance because she wanted to uphold the Planning Commission decision.
