One of the pillars of MaCCNO’s work is serving as an interface between the City and the community—making government feel more accessible and understandable, while also making sure that the voices of the cultural community can be heard by elected and appointed officials. At the end of last year, we published our “Intro to City Council,” outlining the basics about the legislative branch of City government. This month, we are going to begin our focus on the executive branch (which may also generally be known as “the Mayoral administration”) and particularly focus on how different departments, commissions, and offices can impact cultural activity. Over the years, MaCCNO has built relationships with various parts of the City government, and have found that it often requires work with multiple government entities to tackle issues in the cultural landscape.
The relationship between the Council and the mayor can vary over time and by issue, with the two main branches of government being sometimes aligned and sometimes at odds. There is often a lack of clarity for residents about which office or person is the right one to engage with. There are so many different City offices and departments that can impact cultural activities, such as: permits for vending or second lines, live music permits, street performers’ rights, how to handle conflict between a music venue and a neighbor, the most culturally sensitive ways to update the language to an out-of-date law, and so on.
Here is an overview of some of the areas of City government that can influence cultural activity in New Orleans:
The Department of Safety and Permits
This is the office that perhaps has the most influence over cultural activity day to day. They approve (or deny) things like second lines, live entertainment, and special event permits—you can’t have a festival or event without interacting with this office first. They also oversee short-term rentals, construction, and other issues which can impact cultural businesses and households.
nola.gov/next/safety-and-permits/home
City Planning Commission
Not elected, these nine members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, and deal largely with land use matters and zoning law, which is the written code that outlines what activities are allowed on what properties or sections across the city. The CPC “provides analysis and recommendations to the City Council on matters dealing with the present and future development of the City… This includes reviewing, approving, and/or recommending to the City Council requests for master plan amendments, map changes, text amendments to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO), appeals and subdivisions.” The CPC’s presentations to the Council often shape or guide new ordinances. It’s important to note that the City Planning Commission’s decisions are advisory only, and that they are distinct from the City Planning Department, which interfaces more directly with the public and provides the studies and reports that the appointed commission considers.
nola.gov/next/city-planning/home
Health Department
While much of their work focuses on areas like public health, contagious disease information and updates, disaster recovery, and recently, services for the unhoused, this department can also intersect with the cultural community. Examples include taking sound-level readings of street performers, or the passage of the smoke-free ordinance in 2015.
nola.gov/health-department
City Attorney’s Office
This office is a source of information and vetting on legal issues. They are generally not public-facing, but are often an important participant in discussions that impact the cultural community, and can provide legal rulings that influence cultural activity. For example, when MaCCNO questioned an ordinance in the City Code that bans playing musical instruments on the street after 8 p.m., it was the City attorney’s office who provided the reassurance that it would not be enforced because it is unconstitutional. However, these types of legal interpretations may change depending on the administration or lead City attorney.
nola.gov/next/city-attorney/home
Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy
This office is “dedicated to fostering economic growth and vitality within New Orleans’ diverse cultural sectors. Our mission is to create an environment where artists, creatives, and cultural producers can thrive,” and they oversee grants, programs, and opportunities for cultural practitioners. The film office is also under Cultural Economy’s purview. They are not generally involved in enforcement activities, and can be a source of information, funding, or advancement opportunities for creatives.
nola.gov/next/cultural-economy/home
Mayor’s Office of Nighttime Economy
A new entity in the last few years, they are “liaison to the nightlife industry, community, and city agencies… serving as the primary resource for all New Orleanians to learn more about the city’s twenty four hour economy… It is the duty of our staff to act as an advocate to the over 50,000 hospitality workers that live and work in the Crescent City.” This office is relevant to issues impacting the service industry as well as cultural community, as they attempt to craft solutions to various cultural and business issues. The director of this office is often referred to as the “Night Mayor.”
nola.gov/next/nighttime-economy/home
NOPD/Law Enforcement
There are many different law enforcement agencies operating in New Orleans. Most are not part of the City executive branch, except for NOPD which is. But all of them interact. Other agencies include the State Police, Levee District Police, Department of Homeland Security, and the Sheriff’s Office, all with different chains of command (by our count, there are at least nine agencies acting in the French Quarter alone). Street performers, music venues, and vendors often interact with law enforcement in various ways. MaCCNO includes an incident-report form (maccno.com/reportanissue) so that community members can document interactions and seek help with citations or conflicts.
nola.gov/nopd
With so many different aspects of City government—some working in unison, some independently, and occasionally in opposition to one another—MaCCNO has worked for the last 12 years to help the community understand which department or elected official to direct concerns and frustrations (or praise!) to, and where to ask for assistance. It can sometimes be complicated to sort through the overlapping jurisdictions to find the best contact person. MaCCNO wants to continue to make it easier for citizens to engage with the City, and make sure that the cultural community’s needs are centered in the City’s choices.
This space is provided to MaCCNO as a community service and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or editorial policies of ANTIGRAVITY.
