The Slidell City Council on Tuesday annexed two properties on Short Cut Highway into the city limits, including one that will be the site of a new RaceTrac gas station. RaceTrac asked the city to annex a piece of property between Nellie and Beth Streets and change the zoning from neighborhood institutional/single-family residential under the parish's zoning code to...
The Slidell City Council on Tuesday annexed two properties on Short Cut Highway into the city limits, including one that will be the site of a new RaceTrac gas station.
RaceTrac asked the city to annex a piece of property between Nellie and Beth Streets and change the zoning from neighborhood institutional/single-family residential under the parish's zoning code to "City C-1A, Fremaux Ave./Short Cut Highway District,'' a relatively new city zoning overlay area designed to better regulate development along the Fremaux Avenue/Short Cut Highway corridor, with its interchange at Interstate 10.
The zoning district is near the Fremaux Town Center retail development now under construction and requires businesses to meet certain appearance and design criteria. In adopting the special zoning classification earlier this year, council members and city officials said they wanted to regulate the commercial growth along this "gateway into the city,'' so that the mistakes that have created traffic snarls and a mish-mash of styles along other corridors such as Gause Boulevard are not repeated.
Paul Mayronne, representing RaceTrac, urged council members to adopt the annexation and rezoning, saying the company plans a 6,000-square-foot facility that will hire 25-30 employees. Mayronne said the gas station would not have entrances or exits on Fremaux, but rather on Beth and Nellie, and would abide by all the district's design criteria.
He said the annexation was a "logical choice,'' and that its on "a stretch of roadway better controlled by the city.''
The parish, under its sales tax agreement with the city, objected to the annexation. That could prohibit the city from collecting applicable sales taxes from the facility for two years, but City Council members appeared OK with that prospect.
"I welcome these folks building yet another RaceTrac,'' Councilman Sam Caruso said, noting that the two-year clock starts once the land is annexed. With a grin, he urged the company to take its time building the station.
Mayronne said construction could take 18 months.
The lone speaker from the audience, Slidell resident Gary Gammon, said he thinks the gas station will generate too much traffic for the area. He said the gas station flies in the face of the council's intent of the overlay district.
"You sat here and told us it won't be another Gause....'' Gammon angrily told the council.
Mayronne pointed out that gas stations are a permitted use in the district. He said the company's studies have shown gas stations "feed'' off existing traffic, rather than generate traffic, a contention Gammon didn't seem to entirely buy.
The council's vote was 7-0, with Councilman Bill Borchert absent and Councilman Joe Fraught abstaining. Fraught is in commercial real estate.
The parish earlier this year balked at another RaceTrac-related annexation, this one for a parcel of land near the U.S. 11 and Interstate 12 interchange, where the company wants to build a gas station at the site of a shuttered truck stop. The Slidell council postponed that annexation request.
The other annexation/rezoning coming before the council Tuesday generated considerably less discussion.
Daisy Gaines asked the council to annex land at 1570 Short Cut Highway and rezone it from its current professional office zoning classification under parish code to the city's Fremaux Ave./Short Cut Highway District, as well.
Michael Saucier of Gulf States Real Estate Services, representing Gaines, said one of the uses of the site would be for a doctor's office.
No one from the audience spoke on the annexation/rezoning. The council approved it with Borchert absent, and Fraught and Councilman Landon Cusimano abstaining.