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Natchitoches planning commission tables two rezoning requests, accepts minutes
Summary
At its April 2025 meeting, the Natchitoches Planning & Zoning Commission approved minutes, discussed local business activity, and tabled two rezoning items because applicants were not present; procedural deadlines for appeals and lot reapportionment were restated.
The Natchitoches Planning & Zoning Commission approved its January 2025 minutes and tabled two rezoning requests at a meeting in April 2025, while staff reported steady permitting activity and several recent local business closures.
The commission voted to waive formal reading and accept the January 2025 minutes after a motion by Commissioner Michael Lewis and a second from Commissioner Du Bois. All members present voted in favor.
Why it matters: Rezoning decisions and lot-line reapportionments determine how properties may be used and can affect nearby residents and businesses. Commissioners also reiterated procedural deadlines for appeals and for finalization of reapportioned lot lines.
During the meeting the commission took no final action on two agenda items because applicants or representatives were not present. A request concerning Section 46, Township 9 North, Range 7 West (exhibit 1) was tabled after a motion by Du Bois and a second by Johnson. A second item, an application from Niagara's Picnic Company for a 0.253-acre parcel at 524 Front Street to change zoning to B3 with a BA designation to permit on-premises alcoholic beverage service, was likewise tabled on a motion by Du Bois and a second by Johnson. In both cases commissioners voted "aye" on the motions to table.
The commission recorded an application by Malcolm Biles concerning property on Second Street and noted that the City of Natchitoches had approved a related rezoning application; the transcript indicates details of the lot description and that a special exception to operate a short-term rental at 840 Second Street was associated with that matter. The record in the meeting did not show a new vote on that item at this session.
In the staff report portion of the meeting, a staff member said permitting work remained "nonstop" even as Planning & Zoning activity had been "pretty slow," and mentioned recent local business closures, citing SuperOne, Orbeez and McAllister's. The staff member told the commission that the closures were driven by management and sanitary issues in at least one case, not only by lack of customers, saying, "McAllister's closed because of sanitary reasons, poor management." The staff remarks were delivered during the commission's office activity update and were not formal findings by the commission.
Procedural reminders at the meeting included that reapportioned lot lines become final 11 days after the meeting and that anyone aggrieved by a decision has 10 days to file an application to appeal. The commission set its next meeting for May 2025.
Votes at a glance: the commission approved the January 2025 minutes (motion: Michael Lewis; second: Du Bois; outcome: approved), tabled the Section 46 (Township 9 North, Range 7 West) matter (motion: Du Bois; second: Johnson; outcome: tabled), and tabled the Niagara's Picnic Company rezoning at 524 Front Street (motion: Du Bois; second: Johnson; outcome: tabled). The commission recessed briefly during the meeting and later adjourned on a motion by Reverend Clayborn, second by Du Bois.
The commission welcomed interested parties to attend the April 14 meeting where applications for rezoning will be introduced and said final votes are scheduled for a later April session; the meeting record repeated that all interested parties are encouraged to attend future hearings if they wish to comment or appeal.
