The Natchitoches Planning & Zoning Commission on an undisclosed night voted unanimously to approve an application from Brian Briggs seeking a special exception to sell alcohol at a proposed tapas restaurant in the Mill District, the panel said. The commission’s recommendation will be introduced to the Natchitoches City Council Dec. 8 and is slated for final council action Jan. 12.

Briggs told the commission he seeks to open a tapas‑style small‑plates restaurant across from the Flying Hearts Brewery and that he has been discussing a lease with the city for about five months. "I'm trying to provide food choices for people that also gives them other choices of drinks, beverage, entertainment," Briggs said, describing plans for contained, indoor entertainment such as solo musicians, karaoke and spoken‑word nights.

Neighbors who spoke at the hearing urged caution. John Laborde, who said he lives directly across the Cane River from Mill Street, said recent riverbank clearing has increased lights and allowed noise from businesses and vehicles to travel across the water, and he listed concerns including louder nighttime music, increased traffic and loss of backyard privacy. "We are very concerned about the rezoning of this area for a business we have very little knowledge of and want to go on record in opposition to this rezoning of the alcohol permit," Laborde said.

Brenda Melder, a retired educator, said she was worried by Briggs’ stated marketing toward 18–35‑year‑olds and college students and asked how underage drinking would be prevented and how parking‑lot safety would be enforced. "How do we plan to mitigate that?" she asked.

Commissioners and the director framed the matter as a narrow request for a special exception to allow alcohol sales; the director noted the parcel is already zoned B‑3 and that P&Z’s approval would be limited to the alcohol allowance. Chair and staff also noted a separate but related requirement in the jurisdiction’s zoning rules that applications in the B business district be filed by the owner or a lessee. During the hearing the director and commissioners confirmed Briggs does not yet have a lease with the city, which owns the parcel, and said the lease and any council conditions will be matters for the city council to resolve.

The director said the Mill District had been established as an entertainment district and that earlier approvals — such as the brewery’s — were implemented via lease terms with the city. Commissioners pointed out that any business opening would still be subject to city codes on lighting and noise and to enforcement procedures; those regulations and the council’s lease terms were cited as the primary tools to protect neighboring residents.

After public comment and a limited rebuttal by Briggs — who emphasized he is still negotiating lease terms and that he expects to comply with regulations — Commissioner Anita DuBois moved to approve the application and Commissioner Bobby Claiborne seconded. The chair called the vote; commissioners answered "aye," and the chair recorded the motion as unanimously carried.

What happens next: the commission’s approval is a recommendation to city council. The director and chair told Briggs the item will be introduced to council on Dec. 8 and scheduled for final council action Jan. 12. If the council approves, any required lease agreement and conditions (for example, noise or lighting mitigation in the lease or operational conditions) will be handled in that later process.

Authorities and rules cited at the hearing included an Appendix B zoning provision requiring applications in the business district to be filed by the owner or lessee and city action that created the Mill District Entertainment District; the director also referenced previous lease arrangements used to allow alcohol service for other Mill District businesses.

The commission’s record shows the approval was limited to the special exception for alcohol; the restaurant must still comply with licensing, building and noise regulations and obtain any necessary lease and permits before operations begin.