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Commission approves Ace Commercial rezoning for introduction amid neighbor complaints about notice
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Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission approved a rezoning request from Ace Commercial Properties LLC for a 34.6‑acre site near Old River Road; the item will be introduced at city council March 9 after neighbors raised concerns about lack of mailed attachments and potential tax/traffic impacts.
The Natchitoches Planning & Zoning Commission on March 3 approved a rezoning request by Ace Commercial Properties LLC that will be introduced at the City Council on March 9.
Richard Armstrong, who said he is principal at Ace Commercial Properties, told commissioners he intends to consolidate local offices and build a single metal office building on the site and that he has already submitted an aeronautical study related to an avigation easement. “We wanna be good neighbors,” Armstrong said, adding he expects no heavy tractor‑trailer traffic and that most shipments will be drop‑shipped by the national distributor.
An adjacent resident, Marie Lacaz, told the commission she lives at 139 Old River Road next door to Lot 2 and said she did not receive the attached map mailed with the notice. “This is my home that y’all are discussing and people’s lives,” Lacaz said, arguing she would be directly affected and expressing concern about higher taxes and truck traffic.
The director reported notifications were sent to a list of property owners within the required 300‑foot radius and listed the parcels that received notice; staff said most inquiries were general and no formal opposition submissions were on file prior to the meeting. Commissioners discussed the mapping, an avigation/height servitude near the runway limiting building height in a red area to roughly 31–34 feet, and whether the low spot on the site was wetland. Armstrong said an aeronautical study is pending and that he has engaged an engineer; he also described the business as primarily consulting with four employees and modest vehicle use.
The commission voted to approve the application and forward it for city council introduction on March 9; chair encouraged neighbors to attend the council premeeting (5 p.m.) and the council meeting (5:30 p.m.).
