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Crowley council denies conditional‑use permit for Cliff's Towing at 715 East 1st Street
Summary
After more than an hour of public testimony, the Crowley City Council voted 7–2 to deny a conditional‑use permit that would have allowed Cliff's Towing to locate its office at 715 East 1st Street, citing incompatibility with R‑1 residential zoning and concerns about traffic, noise and neighborhood character.
The Crowley City Council voted to deny a conditional‑use permit request from Cliff's Towing owner Brandon Romero to operate an office at 715 East 1st Street, upholding the Crowley Planning Commission's unfavorable recommendation.
Romero told the council he is not asking for rezoning and that his plan is to move his office across the street from 718 East 1st Street, enclose the existing storage yard and provide parking to reduce trucks and congestion on city streets. "Cliff's Towing has proudly served the city of Crowley since 1978," Romero said, adding he was seeking only a conditional use to make the change legal and to improve safety and appearance.
Residents and members of the city's historic district urged the council to deny the request. Terry Trahan, a member of the historic district commission, said he observed a clear separation of residential and light industrial uses on 1st Street and argued the existing wreck‑vehicle yard is poorly maintained. "Permit would diminish the quality of life for nearby residents and undermine the very purpose of residential zoning," Trahan said. Other residents raised concerns about noise, traffic, the condition of stored vehicles and the precedent an exception could set for the historic district.
Council members questioned Romero about operations, permitting and inspections. Alderman Sandy Marks noted Romero's Louisiana Public Service Commission permit number and asked about inspection history; Romero said his operating permit is 6386A and described recent vehicle inspections by state troopers. The council also pressed whether Romero had written permission to use a railroad easement for storage; Romero said he owns buildings on the easement and had permission from the railroad but no perpetual written agreement.
The mayor explained the mechanics of the vote: a "yes" vote would deny the conditional use and uphold the planning and zoning commission. The roll call produced seven "yes" votes and two "no" votes; the motion to deny carried.
The council's action preserves the R‑1 single‑family residential designation for the block north of 1st Street and leaves in place the Planning & Zoning Commission and Zoning & Annexation Committee recommendation against the conditional use. The council did not adopt any alternative mitigation measures or conditions; the denial ends this application unless the applicant seeks further review through the available administrative or legal channels.
