The Neighborhood Guide to Winning at City Hall: Language, Tactics and Strategies to Motivate the Public and Persuade Politicians!

Guest Speaker: Nathan Chapman

Monday, May 12, 2008 6:30 p.m.
The Historic New Orleans Collection
533 Royal Street

Reception to follow

Now president of The Marketing Center in New Orleans, Nathan Chapman began volunteering for historic preservation as a young advertising copywriter, helping successfully lead citizens opposed to the Audubon Institute’s plans to locate the Insectarium on Esplanade Avenue at the river. He recently concluded five years as president of the Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents and Associates, Inc. (VCPORA). His marketing skills and experience in community organizing have made him one of the most successful preservationists of his generation. When the French Quarter’s “hotel moratorium” was threatened, Nathan mobilized the public to convince the Mayor to sign the only zoning veto in the city’s history.

Come learn how to become more persuasive in your volunteer work!

The 2008 Martha Robinson Lecture is sponsored by Mercedes Whitecloud.

Louisiana Landmarks Society
1440 Moss Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-0312

Anne Morse, President
J. Keith Hardie, Advocacy Committee Chairperson

www.louisianalandmarks.org

Susan Lloyd McClamroch, Pitot House Director
1440 Moss Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-482-0312
smcclamroch@louisianalandmarks.org

Download a copy of the proposed amendments [PDF]

THE STATE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW ORLEANS

Monday, April 28, 2008 at 5:30pm
Tulane University | Dixon Hall

• Scott Cowen, President, Tulane University | Opening Remarks
• Paul Pastorek, Superintendent of Education, State of Louisiana | Keynote Speaker
• Panel Discussion/ Q & A
  • Matt Candler, CEO, New Schools for New Orleans
  • Flozell Daniels, Chair, Urban League of New Orleans
  • Barbara MacPhee, Past Principal, New Orleans Science and Math High School
  • Tony Recasner, Principal, Green Charter School
  • Ruthie Frierson, Chair, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans
• Closing Remarks

Sponsored by:
* Tulane University’s Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives
* Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans
* Urban League of New Orleans
* Business Council of Greater New Orleans and the River Region

Ensuring that every child has access to a world-class education is the greatest challenge facing today’s generation of leaders…and the silver lining of Hurricane Katrina is that New Orleans has responded. Please join us for a community-wide, open forum to hear the story of how we got here, how we are breaking new ground, and how the community can serve as advocates for the children - the future - of our great city.

This event is free and open to the public.

Ruthie Frierson, Chairman
Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans
Home/Office: 504-866-8891
Fax: 504-861-3820
ruthiefrierson@yahoo.com
www.citizensfor1greaterneworleans.com

While street spam is obviously not one of the city’s biggest problems, it is one that’s easily solvable if enough people get involved. I’m trying to raise awareness of this issue and encourage residents to remove the signs in their neighborhoods. (Part of the problem is that people may not be aware that under the law, street spam is no different than any other form of litter and anyone can dispose of it.)

I’ve put together an overview of the legal issues and some ways to get to hard-to-reach signs here: http://twangster.livejournal.com/910.html. Please feel free to share this link with anyone who may be interested. Readers may also wish to check out the website of CAUSS (www.causs.org), a coalition of people across the U.S. working on this issue.

Steve

noblightinnola@gmail.com

NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WINS BRUNO’S DEFAMATION SUIT

A state appeals court has soundly rejected a defamation suit filed by the owners of Bruno’s Bar against a neighborhood group, and the group is continuing to demand that the City enforce the promises made by the owners of Bruno’s to convert the old bar to a restaurant.

In 2004, the owners of Bruno’s Bar were granted a conditional use to open a new bar across the street from their long-time location. However, after beginning construction on the new location, they had trouble locating the required parking. Councilman Batt introduced an amendment to allow two lots to satisfy the parking requirements. On January 24, 2006, the City Planning Commission met to consider that amendment. The staff recommended against the amendment, and it was opposed by many neighbors. Bruno’s failed to win approval, and the motion was withdrawn.

Two weeks after the failure of the administrative amendment, apparently still unable to produce sufficient parking to open the bar, the owners of Bruno’s filed a defamation suit against Maple Area Residents, Inc. (MARI), its president, Thomas Milliner, and one of its board members, David Keiffer.

The neighborhood group, noting the timing of the suit, filed a motion claiming the suit was intended to suppress neighborhood opposition. They asked the court to dismiss it under a state law intended to prevent SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), which are lawsuits filed by developers to intimidate local activists. MARI informed the court that many of the alleged statements had never been made, pointing to the transcripts for proof, that other statements were opinion, and that none of the statements were defamatory. The trial court dismissed the suit, and Bruno’s appealed.

In affirming the dismissal, the Court of Appeal found that the alleged statements were protected as “free speech regarding a public issue,” that the only support for the claims of defamation were the “uncorroborated assertions” of the owners of Bruno’s, and that Bruno’s owners failed to present “any evidence to show malice” on the part of the neighborhood group or its members.

On another front, the neighborhood group had asked to City Council to amend Bruno’s conditional use ordinance to enforce the promises made by the owners of Bruno’s. During the application process, the owners of the bar had written to the Planning Commission, promising to convert the existing bar into a restaurant if they were granted a conditional use permit for the new bar. Bruno’s owners and its attorneys repeated these promises at Planning Commission meetings and before the Council. See a video of the statements at www.maplearearesidents.net/bruno petition.php After opening the new bar, however, the old Bruno’s continued to operate as a bar and was never converted to a restaurant.

Last September, the Council passed a motion asking the Planning Commission to consider an amendment which would make those promises part of the permit authorizing the new Bruno’s. However, after the City Attorney questioned the amendment, the Council withdrew it. Attorneys for the neighborhood group believe the amendment was proper and that the Council should take up the motion again, not only to hold Bruno’s to the promises it made, but to insure the integrity of the process. They plan to ask that the motion be reintroduced or that other measures be considered.

For more information, contact Keith Hardie at 522-6222 or keithhardie@yahoo.com

Keith Hardie, Jr.

Thanks to all of you for your support in early June against the Riverview at Julia high-rise. Because of your letters and calls to Councilmember Head’s office, the developers withdrew their request for a zoning variance.

However, we are facing an even greater threat to the future of the Lafayette Square Historic District and we need your help.

During the UNOP-1 process, our district requested to be down-zoned from 125 feet to 60 feet in height, so that future growth would enhance the historic aspect of our neighborhood and pre-existing buildings. (A similar down-zoning was first proposed by the City Planning Commission in the late 1990s.) After discussion, Councilmember Head’s office has drafted a temporary moratorium on construction over 75 feet high in our historic district, the area generally bounded by Magazine to O’Keefe and Lafayette to St. Joseph.

Now, after all our hard work on the UNOP-1 plan, a few developers who want the right to build inappropriate high-rises in our historic neighborhood in the future are trying to kill the moratorium. To settle the question, Councilmember Stacy Head has called a town hall meeting on Monday, September 17 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at Gallier Hall.

Please attend the meeting and tell Ms. Head that you support the height moratorium in the Lafayette Square Historic District. Emails and phone calls won’t help at this point. We need you to attend and bring friends, neighbors and children to run up and down the aisles. All of us who care about whether our UNOP neighborhood plans will be respected by our government, and not derailed by developers, need to attend in person and make themselves heard!

To make the evening more pleasant, you are invited to attend a pre-town hall meeting cocktail party at the home of Patty Gay at 628 Julia Street, starting at 5:00 pm. This will be a great time to go over any additional questions. We will return to her home for a buffet dinner following the town hall meeting.

We have listed some talking points below. If you have any questions at all, please call me at (504) 553-9556 or page me at (504) 544-2643.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

Jack Stewart
Lafayette Square Association

Talking Points

1. The proposed CBD-7 moratorium in volume, or square footage, is almost identical to the City Planning Commission’s proposed changes in the late 1990’s. The Proposed Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance called for 80 ft in height versus 75 ft in the moratorium. However, there are less step-backs in the proposed moratorium – 1 floor versus 4, so the moratorium square-footage is actually greater.
2. Vacant tracts on O’Keefe Avenue (with planned projects) will be removed from the moratorium final text.
3. National Park Service approved “tax credit” projects for historic buildings will be exempt from the moratorium in the final text.
4. This moratorium is part of the UNOP-1 Plan which was completed over a 1 1⁄2 year period with everyone invited to participate.
5. Very few developers chose to participate in the planning process, and many are now predictably and characteristically complaining that they were excluded from the process.
6. Our consultant for the plan, Dave Dixon with Goody Clancy has constantly re-iterated that a four or five story building in the Lafayette Square District is more economically beneficial for the neighborhood, the CBD and the city, than a ten story building would be.
7. The UNOP-1 Plan concludes that the Lafayette Square District should be developed as a low-rise historic district in order to create the greatest economic benefit for the city.
8. To complement the Lafayette Square District, the UNOP-1 Plan projects a high-rise, mixed-income residential area in the South Rampart Street Corridor. Heights step up from the historic district boundary at or near O’Keefe to the greatest height at Loyola Avenue, with South Rampart Street seen as the main street of the area. This residential land-use plan would extend to Common Street/Tulane Avenue where it would continue out Tulane Avenue through the Medical District.
9. When the CBD Historic Districts were first proposed by the Growth Management Plan in the middle 1970s, the Picayune Place District was the only one given appropriate zoning. The other historic districts were thought of as tentative.
10. Now that the Lafayette Square District is a mature and vital historic district, let’s finish the planning. The appropriate zoning for our historic district has never been implemented. Now is the time!

We [Maple Area Residents] need your help, please take a moment to view the following and sign our petition please also help us get this message out - circulate this to your friends and family ask ask them to do the same.

Subject: Bruno’s Broken Promises: See the Video, Sign the Petition

Had it with the “Anything Goes” mentality?

Had it with the City’s laissez-faire attitude?

Had it with inadequate enforcement, blundering bureaucracy, and fat cat favoritism?

Want to help fix just one of the City’s festering injustices?

Want to tell the Mayor and Council “NO MORE ANYTHING GOES”?

Click this link, watch the movie, and sign the petition.

http://www.maplearearesidents.net/bruno_petition.php

Now. Feel a little better? Go out and get yourself a cup of au lait!

David Keiffer
Maple Area Residents

www.faceofthecorps.com

We are located in the CBD.

As you know, the public still has lots of questions about what is going on with FEMA/Army Corps of Engineers debris and demolition and we hope this will give them those answers, or at least let them know who to ask.

Our goal is to reduce the level of anxiety, stress and misinformation in the victim neighborhoods wherever we can, and help residents appreciate that the stage for recovery is being set every day.

This web site features updated debris mission statistics and detailed information, explanation of important USACE debris topics, downloadable forms, and the opportunity for citizens and our partners to ask questions and access our team. We even have a quiz on there that teachers can use.

Please share this link with anyone you believe will find this information useful. We look forward to any suggestions or recommendations you have to make the web site more useful to your audience or to enhance information flow to those trying to help the area recover.

All contacts on our web site come directly to my desk. I look forward to serving you.

Michael H. Logue
Public Affairs Mission Manager
Louisiana Recovery Field Office
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
504-681-2317 (office)
225-218-5907 (cell)
504-681-2414 (FAX)
michael.h.logue@usace.army.mil

525 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
www.faceofthecorps.com

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy art, and OPEN STUDIOS is a great way to meet the artists in their own spaces. Perfect for bicycling or walking, the OPEN STUDIOS event allows you to visit multiple artists on a lovely spring weekend, Saturday and Sunday April 21 and 22, from noon until 5pm.

Using our easy to follow map, you can enjoy meeting painters, photographers, mosaic artists, fiber artists, jewelers, sculptors, book artists, ceramicists and more in the Bywater, Marigny, lower French Quarter and Esplanade Ridge. More than 25 artists will have work available for appreciation and purchase.

“The Open Studios continue to attract fine artists who live and work in some of our oldest neighbor-hoods,” said Zé daLuz, participant and organizer. “It’s exciting to meet and talk with people about art on a one-to-one basis. This unique event allows an enjoyable exposure to artists in a casual setting.”

Admission is free and the public is welcome. Maps are available on our website as well as at neighborhood businesses on the weekend of the event.

PARTICIPANTS

• Sheila Phipps, Sheila’s Fine Art Studio, 1427 N Johnson , originals, prints, portraiture
• GNOAM (Greater New Orleans Artist Mansion), 1614 Esplanade, multiple artists:
  Kelly Mueller, painting, installation murals; Reverend Mu, costumes, puppetry;
  Greg Giegucz, printmaking, ceramics, drawing; Will Watkins, sculpture;
  Jay Chaffin, photography, new media; Rebecca Davidson, acrylic, watercolor, text;
  Joel Ross, architecture; Amanda Long, video and new media.
• Marcus Akinlana & Shakor, Royal Heritage Gallery, 832 Royal St, paintings
• Peter Boutte & Annie Watts, 1908 Burgundy, handcrafted folk art
  PLUS Bedonna Wakeman, 1908 Burgundy, acrylic on canvas paintings
• Renee Dodge, rue dauphine designs, 2010A Dauphine, Jewelry Pleasures & Treasures
• Jessica Radcliffe, High Bohemia, 1020 Mandeville, Spirit Dolls and Stick Faeries
• Craig Morse, culturesubculture photography, 2453 Dauphine, fine art documentary photography
• Nancy Gutkin O’Neil, Quaking Aspen Glass, 2453 Dauphine, mixed media glass
• Jose Torres Tama, ArteFuturo Productions, 2453 Dauphine, mixed media drawings
• serVando, Marigny House, 918 St Roch, Pastel, Reliefs, Chalk
• Christine Haupert-Wemmer, CH Wemmer Arts, 1001 St. Roch, art quilts, jewelry, button crafts
• Adam Farrington, Farrington Smith Gallery, 2514 St. Claude, photography, paintings, sculpture
• Zé daLuz, 3000 Burgundy, photographic art, hand-knitting, SAT ONLY
• Jessica Bizer, 3155 Burgundy, wire, glass, fiber
• Oliver’s Studio, 3161 Burgundy, hats and disaster fashion, SAT ONLY
• James Vella, Vella Vetro Art Glass, 3000 Royal, 2nd Floor, hand blown glass
• Dr. Bob, 3027 Chartres, sculpture & paintings
• Amy Jean Boebel, The Glass Garage, 3180 Chartres, wire, glass, fiber
• Keith Perelli, 605 Gallier, figurative painting, SAT ONLY
• Renee Boyer, 641 Gallier, assemblage oil painting
• Colette Froteau, 827 Congress, watercolor and collage
• Gila Rayberg, Gila Mosaics Studio, 905 Independence, mosaics, mixed media
• Pati D’Amico and William Warren, 904 Pauline, paintings
  PLUS. Waiting Room Gallery, 906 Pauline, hand-tinted photos & textiles by Bunny
• Deirdre Favreau, 916 Lesseps St., prints, photographs, paintings

In conjunction with Recycle for the Arts, Press Street presents its first annual twenty-four hour drawing marathon. In workshops led by local artists, both beginners and professionals can explore a variety of techniques and materials. The schedule includes morning activities for children, life drawing, large scale drawing, voluntary collaborations, music by Gina Phillips & the Wah Wah Ponies and a variety of art stunts, culminating in a celebratory breakfast and gallery show. Full 24 hour participation is encouraged but not necessary. Come for an hour, come for the day. Or night.

Free and open to the public. All materials will be provided. Plus free coffee & Hubigs Pies. Lunch by Vintage Cafe, gourmet cafe food served from a 1964 Yellowstone trailer, Catfish dinner by Camp Marigny, a non-profit which raises money to buy tools for gutting homes.

Please check www.press-street.com for schedule.

Contact: noladrawathon
Susan Gisleson 250-7975

Over 40 local artists and entrepreneurs, live music, hot food, Office of Homeland Serenity massage, Flattery booth, and Regifting station all 3 days from 12 noon to 4 pm.
December 3rd, 10th, 17th at 700 Magazine (corner of Girod). In case of rain, find us inside the attached garage.

Celebrity flatterers include The Big Easy Rollergirls, as well as a Flattery Slam with Ukelele-wielding Jon Pult and Phil Melancon.

For more information: www.marketumbrella.org or call 504-861-5898

WHEN: December 16 and 17, 2006 — noon until 5pm

WHERE: Bywater, Marigny, St. Roch, lower French Quarter, Treme

WHO: More than 25 New Orleans artists working in all media

Admission is free and open to the public. Detailed maps of participating artists will be published on our website at www.OpenStudioArtists.org and available at neighborhood coffeehouses.

Celebrating the artistic diversity of the New Orleans neighborhoods of Bywater, St. Roch, Marigny, Tremé and the lower French Quarter, OPEN STUDIO ARTISTS present the third annual December self-guided tour of artist spaces December 16 and 17th , 2006 from noon until 5pm.

The public is encouraged to enter and be entertained by the creative spaces of artists working in such media as painting, fiber art, photography, mosaics, neon sculpture, metal sculpture, porcelain, jewelry, book art and more.

“Get to know some of our best local artists by meeting them in their own homes and studios,” said Ze daLuz, one of the organizers of this event. “These neighborhoods have a high concentration of artists who are committed to New Orleans as their muse and inspiration. This event is ever-changing as we continue to have new artists participate each time, and of course returning artists produce new work.”

The Open Studio event was created in December 2004 and this year was held four times. Although some artists have not returned since Hurricane Katrina and others have moved due to the hardships here, other artists have embraced the area and continue to create innovative and challenging work. Open Studio continues to be an opportunity for artists to show work in the intimate spaces of their own homes and studios.

At press time the list of participants was not complete:

• Marcus Akinana & Shakor, Royal Heritage Gallery, 832 Royal St., Paintings & Drawings
• Dr. Bob, Well Hung Art, 3027 Chartres St., Sculpture & Paintings
• Amy Jean Boebel, The Glass Garage, 3180 Chartres St., Wire, Glass, Fiber
• Aria da Capo, Aria da Capo Studio, 2803 Dauphine St, mixed media sculpture
• Ze daLuz, Lightworld Photo Art, 3000 Burgundy St, photography, knitting
• Alejandro De Leon, 1119 Decatur St., Apt. # 3, Paintings & Drawings
• Renee Dodge, rue dauphine designs, 2010A Dauphine Street, Contemporary Classic Jewelry
• Angela Driscoll, 920 Saint Roch Avenue, book arts & mixed media
• Eric Ehlenberger, Venusian Gardens, 2601 Chartres St., neon sculpture
• Adam Farrington, Farrington Smith Gallery, 2514 St. Claude Ave., paintings, sculpture
• Otis Fennell, FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., Nudes
• Andrea Garland & Jeffrey Holmes, l’art Noir, 4108 St. Claude Ave, photography, mixed media, paintings
• Allison Gordin, Paintings, 1042 Mazant St.
• Christine Haupert-Wemmer, CH Wemmer Arts, 1001 St. Roch, art quilts, jewelry, button crafts
• Veronica Leandrez, VSL Art, 706 Desire Street, Acrylic on canvas
• Travis Linde, Rusty Pelican Art, 4031 St. Claude, Photography, Sculpture
• Cecilia Bolotte Marshall, Singing Frog Arts, 2200 Royal St., glass, oils, wood
• Gila Rayberg, Gila Mosaics Studio, 905 Independence St., Mosaics, mixed media
• serVando, Marigny House, 918 Saint Roch Ave, Pastel, Reliefs, Chalk
• Violet Skye, 1006 Piety St., painting and jewelry
• Sarah Grifin Thibodeaux, Studio Thibodeaux, 928 Port St., portraits in oil
• Eugenia Uhl, eugenia uhl photography, 840 Louisa St., framed photography
• Bedonna Wakeman, Bedonna’s New Orleans Art, 1908 Burgundy St., acrylic on canvas

For more information please contact Ze daLuz, 504-947-8884, or email info@openstudioartists.org

Participating artists will open their home studios or alternative spaces to the public. There is a $15 contribution which pays for printing a detailed map/invitation.

The deadline for artists to register is NOVEMBER 6, 2006. Please contact Zé daLuz at 504-947-8884, or e-mail info@openstudioartists.org. Artists may also register online at www.openstudioartists.org/register.html

“The December event marks the third anniversary of Open Studios,” according to Ms. daLuz. “This type of artist outreach strengthens and enhances our neighborhoods and benefits both artists and the public. “

Open Studio is a collaborative effort of artists in the Marigny/Bywater neighborhoods. More information is available at www.openstudioartists.org

Saturday, November 4th
11am to 6:30pm
Markey Park (Piety and Royal Streets in the Bywater).

• Music
• Food
• Arts & Crafts
• T-Shirts

More information available at: http://www.bywater.org/mirlitonfest.jpg

We commissioned 14 chapters on a wide range of topics (plus a Foreword by Mary Frances Berry, former Chair of the US Civil Rights Commission and Professor of History at the Univ. of Pennsylvania)—several by local activists (a few of whom have subsequently relocated): N. O. public health specialist Dr. Evangeline Franklin; oral historian/N. O. librarian Alan Stein; UNO Urban & Public Affairs Professor Robert K. Whelan; ACORN founder Wade Rathke and Beulah Laboistre. Other contributors are specialists in their fields—for example, writing on the schools’ impact is Michael Casserly of the Council on Great City Schools (who has done considerable consulting work on the N. O. school system); on the housing impact, by Sheila Crowley of the Natl. Low Income Housing Coalition and by Robert Zdenek and his colleagues at the Alliance for Healthy Homes (also deeply involved in salvage operations in N. O. and surroundings); on the disparate impact on women by Avis Jones-DeWeever and Heidi Hartmann of the Inst. for Women’s Policy Research; on the disparate impact on the elderly, by Margaret Gullette of Brandeis Univ. ; on urban planning, by Peter Marcuse of Columbia University; on economic development, by John Taylor/Josh Silver at the Natl. Community Reinvestment Coalition. Perhaps most disturbing is the analysis of structural/institutional racism by john powell and colleagues at Ohio State University’s Kirwan Inst. for the Study of Race & Ethnicity.

Royalties from sale of the book ($22. 95/copy from Routledge, 800/634-7064) are being donated to Emergency Communities, a local volunteer group assisting in all phases of Gulf reconstruction.

Chester Hartman/Gregory D. Squires

Co-Editors