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Commission backs removal of resilience overlay for New Orleans Mission pantry, amid commission concerns about precedent

St. Tammany Parish Planning Commission · January 7, 2026

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Summary

The commission voted to recommend removal of a resilience (RES) overlay for a small parcel used by the New Orleans Mission pantry so the organization can replace a deteriorating building; commissioners debated precedent and asked that engineering criteria be confirmed before council action.

The commission recommended removing the RES resilience overlay from a 0.379-acre parcel used by the New Orleans Mission's Giving Hope Retreat Center so the nonprofit can replace a deteriorating pantry building. David Botner represented the owner and the mission's CEO told the commission the pantry serves about 40,000 people and operates without state or federal funding.

Commissioners expressed clear sympathy for the pantry but raised procedural concerns about precedent: a recent code amendment under consideration would allow the engineering department to grant administrative waivers to certain properties in overlay districts, and several commissioners said they preferred either postponement until the council acted on that amendment or at least an explicit engineering review. Staff said engineering had reviewed the property and determined it met criteria for removal and that the council would be notified; staff also said the proposed UDC amendment was scheduled for council introduction the following Thursday.

Commissioner Martino moved to recommend approval to the parish council, Commissioner Truxillo seconded, and the motion carried. Chair and staff reiterated that if the council later adopted administrative removal procedures, similar cases might not need to appear on the council agenda in the future.

Next steps: the commission's recommendation will go to parish council; staff said engineering reviewed the property and the council was scheduled to consider a related UDC amendment that could change administrative procedures for overlay removal.