Planning commission to notify owner and move public hearing after neighbors raise concerns about potential sober-living home
Loading...
Summary
After neighbors raised concerns about an apparent sober-living operation at 199 Julien Drive, the Natchitoches Parish Planning Commission voted to send the property owner a written notice to submit a formal application and moved consideration of the matter to a public hearing; the parish attorney said federal disability law may constrain local regulation and will research legal options.
Neighbors told the Natchitoches Parish Planning Commission that a property at 199 Julien Drive may be operating as a sober-living facility without having filed the required planning application. Miranda Mayrand, a visitor who addressed the commission, said the owner already operates other businesses, including an Airbnb and other residences, and that neighbors were concerned about operations and oversight.
The parish attorney told the commission that, to his knowledge, no formal application had been submitted and recommended that the commission send a written notice to the property owner asking them to make a planning application so the commission can evaluate what is being proposed and what standards apply. "My suggestion was that the commission write a letter to them and notify them that they have not made application, which is required," the parish attorney said on the record.
Commissioners discussed enforcement limits and the roles of other agencies, including the fire marshal and the health department. Staff noted that certain operational requirements (fire-safety systems, permits, business licensing) may apply depending on the number of residents and the nature of the operation. One commissioner and staff referenced case law and federal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), cautioning that those legal protections have affected similar disputes in other jurisdictions.
On a motion moved from the floor and seconded, the commission voted to ask staff to notify the property owner in writing and to place the matter on the agenda for a public hearing next month so the owner can present an application and the public can comment. The parish attorney said he will continue researching the legal framework and can provide an opinion if requested after the application is filed.
The commission did not take enforcement action at the meeting beyond authorizing the notice; staff will follow up with the fire marshal and other relevant agencies to determine whether separate inspections or citations are appropriate if required by local code.
