Planning Commission Recommends Pearl Street Height Increase

The staff report is available on Ruston Reports.

After a very short public hearing tonight, the Ruston Planning Commission recommended two changes to Ruston's zoning code for the commercial zone on the east side of Pearl Street: 1) allow 2 stories and up to 35' for structures from Ruston's southern border to N. 50th and 2) allow 3 stories and 45' from N. 50th to 52nd. The rest of Pearl from N. 52nd to 54th is zoned residential.

The meeting began at 7 pm with Chair Kevin Moser reading the usual script for a public hearing. After the flag salute, the planning commission members and anyone in the audience wishing to testify raised their right hand and swore their testimony would be truthful. Commission members were given the opportunity to state any conflict of interest and the audience was given a chance to challenge any of them.

There were only two members of the public in attendance; both of us spoke in favor of the proposed amendment. After the public hearing was closed, the planning commission began their deliberations. Commissioner Dick Pederson was concerned that the discussion in the staff report did not draw a clear enough line between the two heights allowed in this area. But he agreed that the change to the wording in the code text was clear enough.

Commissioner Cherrie Anderson moved to recommend that the council approve the zoning code changes as written. After Bryan Ficiala seconded, the motion was approved by all 5 commissioners. The meeting adjourned about 7:20 pm. The issue will be considered by the Ruston town council sometime in July.