Pressure from the uniting of Civic Association residents and environmentalists to Save West End Lake Shore Park has resulted in a meeting with Council Member Joseph Giarrusso and Rep Stephanie Hilferty at 5pm on December 5th at the at the New Orleans Yacht Club.
Numerous articles in The Hayride since April (see below) have brought community awareness to the CEA or Cooperative Endeavor Agreement drafted by Giarrusso, Hilferty, and Jefferson Parish Council Member Jennifer van Vranken which calls for re-zoning West End Lake Shore Park as Mixed-Use and putting retail, bars, and housing in a “best use” development.
Giarrusso, Hilferty, and van Vranken have been working for years to change zoning, sidestep the New Orleans’ master plan, and change Louisiana State Act 209 from 1906 to allow for retail, bars, and housing in 4.3 acres of West End Lake shore Park. Louisiana Act 209 of 1906 restricts use of the park to “a public park or amusement park.”
In January 2019, over objections, Giarrusso passed a motion to building up to 65 feet or 4-stories of livable space. The height increase includes Lakeshore drive.
The MYHMC Board Members were replaced in 2022 from previous members who felt their first concern was to the Marina residents to members who now favor Economic Development. Residents are concerned the Economic Development will eventually end up in failure and blight as happened to New Orleans Uptown Village and Lakeshore Landing. Residents have numerous questions, which they hope Giarrusso and Hilferty will answer.
The New Orleans Zoning Map show the land as a park until 2015, when it becomes zoned as “mixed-use.” The New Orleans Master Plan calls for retaining park lands and open space, especially along the river and lake.
Residents are concerned that a possible source of the funding is federal funding with its requirements. With New Orleans Police Force likely to remain short staffed for years to come, it does not make sense to open a new entertainment district in the city. Studies show that West End is “saturated” with restaurants. In April 2022, Senator Cassidy announced $10 million for five years is available for Lake Pontchartrain Environmental projects.
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Twenty-five Heritage Oaks and setbacks reduce the buildable space to 1.8 acres, which currently provide parking for the park. The Lake Pontchartrain Seawall in in Jefferson Parish and has not been repaired since Hurricane Katrina of 2005. For years a pelican colony has inhabited the pilings that once supported Jefferson Parish restaurants.
Jennifer van Vranken is reported in the press as a potential candidate for Lt. Governor in 2023. The Lt. Governor has responsibility for Louisiana Museums and Parks. Do her efforts to develop West End Lake Shore Park reflect on her agenda for Louisiana Parks if elected?
While New Orleans mainstream media has avoided covering the proposed development of West End Lake Shore Park. Fortunately, The Hayride has reported the developing information starting in April 2022 with six articles. Those articles are credited with providing the needed transparency, informing the public, and encouraging the politicians to host the meeting on December 5th at 5pm.
The 2017 Feasibility Study and its conceptual images have given to the mainstream news media. Those images misrepresent the project as only being single-story and approximately 35’ high as opposed to four-stories and 65’ high.
- April 13th, 2022 New Orleans Pols’ West End Plan Ignores Science, Math, And Wildlife: https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/04/marsala-new-orleans-pols-west-end-plan-ignores-science-math-and-wildlife/
- April 20th, 2022 New Orleans Lakefront Littered With More Than 10 Tons Of Easter Trash: https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/04/marsala-new-orleans-lakefront-littered-with-more-than-10-tons-of-easter-trash/
- June 16th, 2022 West End Projects: The Money Is Not Worth The Damage: https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/06/west-end-projects-the-money-is-not-worth-the-damage/
- August 1st, 2022 A Bait (Shop) and Switch (to Housing): https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/08/marsala-a-bait-shop-and-switch-to-housing/
- September 15th, 2022 We Can’t Keep Expanding New Orleans’ Disasters: https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/09/marsala-we-cant-keep-expanding-new-orleans-disasters/
- September 30th, 2022 New Orleans’ West End Is A Train Wreck in Slow Motion: https://hayride1.wpenginepowered.com/2022/09/marsala-new-orleans-west-end-is-a-train-wreck-in-slow-motion/
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