The Harahan City Council voted 5-0 May 15 to request the mayor impose a temporary moratorium on the establishment, expansion or relocation of mechanic shops within city limits while planning and zoning studies zoning and regulatory options.

Councilman Jason Asbille explained the resolution is a companion to an ordinance the council plans to introduce that would direct planning and zoning to consider where mechanic shops should be permitted and what frontage or screening requirements to impose. “The purpose is so that planning and zoning can maybe look at the zoning regulations … and the regulations around them so that maybe we can have a better front looking to our city rather than storing a 100 cars in front of our property,” Asbille said.

Council members noted the city has enforcement challenges with vehicle storage and repair activity in public right-of-way and in unexpected locations. The resolution is temporary and intended to give the planning and zoning board time to craft more specific zoning or operational rules and a companion ordinance.

Action: Council approved the resolution encouraging a moratorium and directing planning and zoning to draft regulatory changes and recommendations; it passed 5-0. The council indicated a companion ordinance would be introduced at a future meeting with a specific time limit and regulatory text.

Ending: Council asked planning and zoning staff to prepare a study and draft ordinance language and for the administration to coordinate enforcement steps during the moratorium period.