[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6789601,"mediaKeyId","5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6","parentId",5565199,"title","Votes at a glance: Hammond council approves park alcohol rules, annexation, equipment purchases and several resolutions","audioSeconds",7427,"startMs",136925,"endMs",7564390,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6&start=136&end=7564","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6/thumbnail_136925.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6789601/Hammond/Tangipahoa-Parish/Louisiana/Votes-at-a-glance-Hammond-council-approves-park-alcohol-rules-annexation-equipment-purchases-and-several-resolutions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789601-b32ae892ba8bc4c1b799110940b09650/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485771&Signature=XhSKP2fz4gq1nmVI082kam46Ivq0NUyD~JgOyymBiu0qLcRm0Hh4dO0hZub-Y3V~d4dEB1LZ3L-myFTHtCTb7FatywoWVZuJWK0I6LXh3PXfbAX9g-szXMsUHg98rz2tQJSVPJp7AWX9ATiIkZpr4iyhyRFhLvU94KCnLY-bb0IuGySLvRv90-5wiBlOqP5~IyezK7nAjDTkAcf-BkCuSJO7Vdk65RzYNs~F0Jb7pKeu1wETE7C5Wh6VBBJiV8PLHRGW5iSYR5CeuauYFiC2PRnrsDyWlc83i7JLDAEnBRoymh2QGdBhS6vNauyclcJNKei52NfNrbj0RqY4-vGYRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hammond","date","2025-08-12T18:06:29Z","article","The Hamilton (Hammond) City Council completed a series of votes on Aug. 12. Below is a concise roundup of formal actions, recorded tallies and next steps.

Final adoption: Alcohol‑in‑parks ordinance
Motion/measure: Final adoption of an ordinance to amend the code of ordinances regarding alcoholic beverages in city parks (amended language clarifies it covers the sale of alcohol only). Vote: Recorded unanimous adoption (majority ayes). Outcome: Approved. Notes: Staff and downtown organizers said special events will continue to request an open‑container waiver through administration and, where required, the council.

Final adoption: UDC definitions cleanup
Motion/measure: Ordinance removing unused definitions from the Unified Development Code (staff said this removes roughly 18 pages of unused text). Vote: Recorded adoption by the council. Outcome: Approved.

Final adoption: Call special election for public works millage
Motion/measure: Ordinance to call a special election to renew the public works millage (revenue estimated at about $596,000 annually). Vote: 4 yes, 1 no (Councilman Quayles recorded dissent). Outcome: Approved; will appear on the November ballot; staff will run a voter information campaign.

Motion: Table group living UDC amendment
Motion/measure: Motion to table the ordinance establishing specific use standards for group living and care facilities. Vote: Motion to table passed (recorded ayes). Outcome: Tabled for further revision and public input.

Final adoption: Annexation of 35 acres (High Park Blvd)
Motion/measure: Ordinance annexing 35 acres (Lot 1‑D‑1B) on High Park Boulevard, zoned I‑L and located in District 3. Vote: Unanimous recorded approval. Outcome: Approved; applicant will tie development into city sewer and water infrastructure.

Resolutions and other votes (summary)
- Resolution accepting the annual municipal water pollution prevention report (LD EQ required): Approved by council vote.
- Resolution to table an alcohol permit for Yellow Store (310 E. University Ave.): Tabled (applicant not present).
- Reappointments to Hammond Housing Authority Board: Elliot Sanders and Gregory Vernon appointed; votes included multiple abstentions and several ayes (both approved). Notes: Jennifer Brunei (executive director) said five‑year staggered terms are standard per HUD practice; council asked for confirmation of statutory requirements.
- Bruce Arts Festival (Bruce Arts Festival) alcohol permit and open‑container waiver for Oct. 25, 2025: Both resolutions approved (one abstention on each vote); organizers said timely approval was needed for planning.
- Resolution to apply for a $24,000 Edward Byrne JAG grant for license‑plate readers: Approved.
- Resolution to purchase Kubota excavator (KX040‑5R3) for $68,945.60 (Star Equipment, state contract): Approved; council discussed GPS tracking of city equipment.
- Resolution to extend the moratorium on off‑premise signs and billboards for 90 days: Approved (divided vote).
- Resolution to purchase 70 Dell rugged laptops for Hammond PD for $84,316.40 (state contract): Approved (one abstention).

Actions recorded in the transcript are summarized above; council staff will provide follow‑up details and timelines for the millage informational campaign, permit timestamps for contested sign applications, and revised group‑living language following the tabling vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hammond, LA - City Council Meeting - August 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Hammond City Council completed a series of votes on Aug. 12, adopting park alcohol rules, calling a millage renewal election, approving annexation and several capital and operational resolutions while tabling a contentious group‑living zoning rewrite.","taxTitle","Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana","taxId",4559,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6789615,"Hammond council tables overhaul of group‑home rules after residents press for stronger safeguards",2733,874975,3608815,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6&start=874&end=3608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6/thumbnail_874975.jpg","/articles/6789615/Hammond/Tangipahoa-Parish/Louisiana/Hammond-council-tables-overhaul-of-grouphome-rules-after-residents-press-for-stronger-safeguards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789615-987e7a0f6bde8892bf655693676893c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485771&Signature=kos16WfGjSnNAOdu9Coo-dDcc6u0C9EJ9E5Dd9buX1Ztnuk4Yaw-f7~DWCrWen7FPxL-7tmP75MHXl8DJZ0B7HAblGnBQ2MEVWUnCh-ZdEBVKeBmbz9djtOSV6YvX-SkobI4Wy0B6UaqDuZyQCO99WpXelCy10Kek54Xv2zLykeiTVwn107CELw~6nXsz19FvhB2NzqGbwW6FKqnbPFjFZbUAKm1yDeHmZOyI30MUYJ8B1XnU-72CZxyb4MiYHtQ-X9j8DX5rC2VnvglsQWA0ubj0apvy7gqgGtrKWUm~bDdA44OqWWjesa9Vkj6TdwkL5ALWCxiGtEQIOX8dPCnuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Hammond planning staff and councilors on Aug. 12 paused a proposed rewrite of the city's zoning rules for group living and care facilities after extended public comment and concern from multiple council members.

Planner Frankie Legault told the council the draft is intended to \"clarify what type of group home\" the city would allow and to provide \"specific use standards\" aligned with Louisiana Revised Statutes and federal Fair Housing law. \"When we look at group homes in Louisiana, there are over 50 different types of group homes you can have,\" she said, noting the draft adds definitions and standards so staff and boards can apply appropriate conditions.

Residents and several council members said the proposal as drafted would open many single‑family neighborhoods to new group uses and asked for limits. One neighborhood speaker who said three group homes had \"snuck in\" without paperwork urged the council to prioritize enforcement and community notice. District 3 Councilman Sam (district reference in transcript) said his constituents \"need to have a good understanding and feel comfortable\" before the code changes take effect.

Councilors discussed several policy options raised during the hearing: keeping some group uses permitted in certain RS (single‑family) districts but making others conditional, adding nonconforming language and grandfathering rules for existing, lawfully permitted operations, and placing provisions about alcohol/drug users and certain criminal histories at the start of the standards so they are checked immediately. Planner Legault and administration staff said they would refine the language and examine whether some RS districts should be restricted or shifted to conditional status while avoiding unlawful discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

After the public discussion, the council voted to table the ordinance to allow more time for council input, clearer language on permitted versus conditional uses, and further outreach to affected neighborhoods. City administration said staff will work with council members to revise the draft and return it for additional hearings and review.

What happens next: The ordinance is paused; staff will revise the definitions and specific use standards, consider changes to conditional/ permitted status in RS districts, and bring a revised draft back for further planning commission review and public comment.","City of Hammond planning staff and councilors on Aug. 12 paused a proposed rewrite of the city's zoning rules for group living and care facilities after extended public comment and concern from multiple council members.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6789606,"Hammond extends billboard moratorium 90 days amid business concerns and call for clearer rules",1218,6226030,7444825,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6&start=6226&end=7444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6/thumbnail_6226030.jpg","/articles/6789606/Hammond/Tangipahoa-Parish/Louisiana/Hammond-extends-billboard-moratorium-90-days-amid-business-concerns-and-call-for-clearer-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789606-aa652cb63c892f891f956bcfd472f2d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485771&Signature=IYSzFAiAs1NWSA-GlimCfHFNAO9s7x0eXlBsM4IjbeNa4SR4JDgvvyPIx8Zig~PkOde5hDzNpKZk-cRSWASDwXuGKdY-eK4MjMLiy7ozN-rDvXbkKRkqwF89zSCwBYsZAZVTSL0xfCzcz-PY3jG5O2kFXrzu3k0x4dn71gatDWYfwZ3Q4NE9lzWXrhkofFR6HzFlP5THXc9MSOs8eZ9FICr0n0t91qkf0Z~6X9dwiaclXoahQRFZguzIwOPH1RPSaCblZq6p6HqTqHAbwhUNrdO3QqaLITNLPybMVtzMHnyODwneHBaUPD3ZxRoTUYnGxTf8pVmyI53kSPoQrwaOzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hammond City Council on Aug. 12 approved a 90‑day extension of a moratorium on acceptance of applications and permits for off‑premise signs and billboards to allow planning and zoning to finalize recommendations.

Paxton Morrow of Bayou Signs Outdoor told the council two permits were submitted weeks before the moratorium and requested they be processed. Administration said any application in process that could be fully approved before a moratorium takes effect would stand, but applications that were still under review when the moratorium is active would be affected. Staff also noted the draft ordinance includes a variance procedure for cases of undue hardship or where the public interest justifies an exception.

Council members expressed competing concerns: some said the city needs clearer rules because recent permit activity produced more billboards than expected, while others warned an extended moratorium could harm small businesses seeking lawful advertising. The council voted to extend the moratorium with several members supporting the additional time to allow planning and zoning to clarify its recommendation.

What happens next: Planning and zoning will revisit the draft, clarify the recommended language and the availability of variance procedures, and return a clarified recommendation to the council within the extension period.","Council votes to extend a 90‑day moratorium on off‑premise signs and billboards while planning and zoning refines recommendations; a local billboard company asked that permit applications submitted before the original moratorium be allowed to proceed, and council discussed variance procedures for hardship cases.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6789612,"NAACP and residents press Hammond council for police transparency, demand subpoena of chief",1858,8423980,10282300,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6&start=8423&end=10282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5565199-0306a7f42f520461f8ce4e1e986e72d6/thumbnail_8423980.jpg","/articles/6789612/Hammond/Tangipahoa-Parish/Louisiana/NAACP-and-residents-press-Hammond-council-for-police-transparency-demand-subpoena-of-chief","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6789612-2f94c5d3a122e70dab79110e4596cc39/orig.mp4?Expires=1770485771&Signature=h5g~qi8T6uMS6YSSuWXoDzuNryYPllb4vFMlLrg5MGNH7I8GAY78N68Yw5hQMtGj~OfXilbrjn5067ms0wbpU8WSGm9UXj4jlxHqXWBPppyqv5ydSZXmH~CXFbBBpxJVRve0pjypA8FQeM00uVl5KdYpqaMYEIK-FU~s1vcdtahegox-vLCw0ctk7hTH0sefUBRnhnZj5xHn-9mmAEhIfOZMgB7fWlZGgqsFqCGmWJeeFXNywGVmYDPSSUTeRk~pb-1CRBFC2IkBSrsWN4YBdj8JTFJLTxSfntcAWoraezg-9~kLVo7VnAK-Vmc6zUSfec0fN-4ygUPGlIMlkzewkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents and civic leaders at the Aug. 12 Hammond City Council meeting demanded answers and transparency over a police‑related investigation that has been pending for months.

Michael Showers, president of the Greater Tangipahoa Parish NAACP, urged the council to use its oversight authority, requesting a sworn appearance by the police chief and formation of a civilian complaint review board. \"We are asking that you subpoena the chief of police to come and testify as to where we are in this investigation,\" Showers said, and he told the council the NAACP will pursue public records and legal remedies if necessary.

Residents and former city staff—including long‑time district residents and former communications employees—also questioned whether body‑camera footage and audit trails are being preserved and whether the Hammond Police Department is following public‑records obligations. Kevin Hall, who said he has worked in local law enforcement, asked why some city vehicles are unmarked and whether vehicles and equipment are being tracked.

Administration representatives told the council they have sought outside review. Council members reported mixed information: one said the attorney general's office had not accepted a referral, while another said the matter had been forwarded to the FBI. Mayor Pete Panopinto and administration staff said they would follow up with the chief and with the attorney general's office to clarify the status and provide Council with a report. The council also asked for the police department's current policies and procedures document so members can review what is in effect.

What happens next: The chief agreed to follow up with council members; the NAACP said it will file public records requests and seeks a formal council vote to subpoena the chief and to consider establishing a complaint review board.","Civic leaders pressed the council for transparency on a months‑old police incident, requested camera footage and audit trails, and urged the creation of a civilian complaint review board and subpoena of the police chief; administration said files were forwarded to outside agencies and the chief will follow up with council members.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Hammond council approves park alcohol rules, annexation, equipment purchases and several resolutions

Hammond council tables overhaul of group‑home rules after residents press for stronger safeguards

Hammond extends billboard moratorium 90 days amid business concerns and call for clearer rules

NAACP and residents press Hammond council for police transparency, demand subpoena of chief