The Bocage and Mid City cultural districts received the greenlight from the Metro Council on Wednesday evening to petition the state to expand their boundaries.
The unanimous votes were taken without discussion during a roughly three-hour meeting, during which the council also approved expending $40,000 on a contract for ADK Consulting to help facilitate the search for the city’s next airport director and voted to ease penalties for marijuana possession.
Mark Biletnikoff, who spearheads the Bocage Cultural Product District, has been seeking to grow the district—which encompasses the area along Jefferson Highway and Lobdell Avenue—for at least two years. The new boundaries, if granted, would include Jefferson Highway to Brentwood Drive near Interstate 12. The expansion would place more art galleries in the district and grow the neighborhood art scene, he says.
Additionally, the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance is readying an application to enlarge the Mid City Cultural Product District so it can attract more investment dollars to the area bound by Interstate 110, Foster Drive, Choctaw Drive and North Street. Heightened interest in developing structures within the area spurred the agency’s request. Both districts were created by state law in 2007.
Qualified businesses within a cultural district can receive a tax break on the sale of local, original artwork as well as income and corporate franchise tax credits for rehabbing historic buildings.
In other news, Councilwoman Barbara Freiberg won her fight to hire an outside firm to help with the search for Baton Rouge Metro Airport’s next permanent director. The council voted 8-3 to approve a $40,000 contract for ADK Consulting—a measure Frieberg and Councilwoman Chauna Banks reintroduced after similar measures failed in January. Councilmen Dwight Hudson, Buddy Amoroso and Scott Wilson voted against the measure. Councilwoman Tara Wicker abstained.
A formal contract and timeline for the search are being finalized, Freiberg says, and should be completed by the middle of next week. She adds that ADK—the company selected by the aviation director search committee—will likely create a website to advertise the position.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the council voted 8-4 to reduce the penalties for marijuana possession of 14 grams or less in Baton Rouge.
