CBDHDLC Meeting

The New Orleans City Council's CBDHDLC Commission meeting on August 13, 2026, focused primarily on regulatory and procedural matters affecting historic district construction and public art. A key procurement-related discussion involved a new state law (Act 593) requiring certificates of appropriateness for government public construction projects. The mayor's office presented a waiver resolution to exempt local public construction projects from this additional review layer, aiming to streamline processes and avoid duplicative regulation. The commission unanimously approved this waiver to maintain efficiency in public infrastructure projects. Additionally, the commission reviewed and approved consent agenda items related to property applications and discussed a retroactive approval request for a mural painted without prior permit on a non-historic masonry wall. While staff recommended retention due to the mural's non-damaging materials and location, the commission ultimately did not approve the retroactive certificate, allowing the property owner 10 days to appeal to the city council. The meeting also included routine procedural votes such as election of officers and ratification of committee actions.