Covington Board of Adjustment hears appeal alleging procedural errors in hospital parking-garage approvals; orders planner-appellant meeting

Neighbors and community appellants told the City of Covington Board of Adjustment on May 19 that administrative and procedural errors at earlier hearings left the record for a proposed multi-story hospital parking garage incomplete and improperly noticed.

Speakers including Candace Watkins and Carolyn Chasse asked the board to declare prior actions by planning staff and the zoning commission invalid, saying the February zoning-commission hearing and the subsequent city council consideration were based on incomplete application materials, inadequate notice and deficient traffic analyses. Watkins told the board the appeal cited administrative errors under sections 1.802, 1.804, 3.703, 3.705, 4.602, 4.605, 5.1003 and 5.1004 of the City of Covington code.

City planning consultant Alex Carter (working for Desire Line) and city staff told the board that the council had already reviewed the zoning commission’s conditional-use decision at its March 11 meeting, applying conditions including a right-turn lane at Tyler and 11th, signal modifications as needed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), and additional signage…