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Resident urges council to address nightclub next to Candlewood Estates, citing shootings and noise
Summary
A property owner told the council that a business converted from a laundromat into a nightclub has generated crime, noise and tenant move-outs adjacent to a 42-unit affordable subdivision and asked the council to review zoning and licensing; council members requested staff follow-up on zoning maps and enforcement options.
Jimmy Lancaster (2560 Pelican Court) addressed the council during public comment on March 25, asking the parish to intervene after a laundromat on Martin Luther King Road was converted into "Ballers," which he said now operates as a nightclub with late-night hours and has had recurring incidents of trespassing, noise and at least one shooting.
"How would you feel if a nightclub opened next door to your house?" Lancaster asked, saying his tenants have reported being threatened, vehicles parked on yards and a decline in rental income. He told the council he has photos and videos documenting the activity and that the conversion has caused "tens of thousands of dollars" in losses to the Candlewood Estates subdivision.
Council members said the first step is to verify the property's current zoning and licensing history. Several members noted the jurisdictional split between city police and the parish sheriff and suggested the complainant also seek law-enforcement and nuisance remedies while the council checks zoning records. One council member said he would contact Sheriff Romero to discuss enforcement options.
The council did not vote or take immediate regulatory action on the complaint that night but instructed staff and members to review zoning maps, licensing status and enforcement avenues and to follow up with Lancaster.
The council also acknowledged the particular vulnerability of the subdivision, described in the comment as a 42-unit, affordable-housing development, and said they would look into both planning/zoning fixes and law-enforcement or nuisance remedies.
