“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
Update from (June 28th planning commission) public hearing: Valero
Energy did not make the expected presentation at yesterday's Planning Commission public hearing, although additional information was
available in the docket folder pertaining to location of easements and working with the parish if access from the building into the neighborhood needs to be barricaded.
If this building is being forced into a neighborhood, the least that could be done to protect residents is to prohibit, by barricade or removal of street, refinery traffic from entering a neighborhood. At a time when environmental justice works to increase the space between incompatible uses, Valero Energy seeks commercial incursion via an administration building and large parking lots.
There is no traffic study at this time, although a traffic study likely should be conducted during the heavier school traffic time and not the slower summer months.
There was no information presented on the size of the building or if it will replace the 5 story building on East Judge Perez or if the current building will be donated to Parish Government, nor any of the promised information which was not included in last months public hearing to change the land use map. One planning commissioner indicated he was just tired of this and just wanted to send this to the council. The planning commission is also waiting on the Office of Community Development to verify the location of Road Home Lot Next Door purchases in the area.
In
response to comments about the effect of commercial encroachment on the character of the neighborhood and the
declining property values from this zoning change, Valero commented they would purchase
houses above market value. The refinery manager cursed the planning commission
which is about par for how Valero treats residents of St Bernard Parish, and according to other Valero communities, about par for how Valero treats the human beings who reside on the other side of the fence.
The Council is expected to introduce the ordinance to change
the zoning for Valero at its Tuesday July 5 2016 7pm meeting, and expected to
conduct its public hearing on Tuesday July 19 2016 3pm meeting. Since residents cannot take off of work, they
are encouraged to contact the council.
There are at least three road home lot next door property(s) in the area of
the proposed building site. HUD and CBDG
grants were used to purchase road home properties and three in this area were redistributed
through the lot next door program. The HUD approved program was NOT intended to give unfair business advantages to corporations to come into our community and take advantage of vulnerable people. The HUD program was intended for people to revitalize their neighborhoods, and former Governor Blanco made clear that residents in the Murphy Oil spill area had the equal opportunity to participate. The Road Home program was not intended to run people out of their homes.
Using lot next door program properties sets a bad precedent either for continued preferential treatment of large
property owners or for other residents to construct on the lot next door
property. Maybe that’s the forward direction
this Council wants . Maybe the Council should instead represent its constituents and support neighborhoods and not corporations.
Local Housing Redevelopment Committee around the 6 minute mark:
http://sbpg.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=b7858681f49ebe4c286eaebe41418696
Transfer of HUD Road Home Properties through the Lot Next Door Program to Murphy Oil is not intended for commercial; it is for the green space.
Local Housing Redevelopment Committee around the 6 minute mark:
http://sbpg.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=b7858681f49ebe4c286eaebe41418696
Transfer of HUD Road Home Properties through the Lot Next Door Program to Murphy Oil is not intended for commercial; it is for the green space.
“Keep in mind it is not a commercial interest because it’s zoned residential and the [adjacent] Murphy lot… is also residential. …… don’t think it’s the same situation [as a previous case] because the Church wanted to use it for commercial purposes, Murphy is just obtaining it as part of their green space.”
above copy of proposed new flood maps showing flooding issues at refinery. when the refinery overflows, its rain water tends to flow into the neighborhood canal, exasperating the municipal storm water system
“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
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