We Like Good Neighbors

Who We Are

The "We Like Good Neighbors" campaign was formed after five months of Freret neighborhood organizing and meetings related to the Josephine zoning expansion. We are neighbors represented by three neighborhood associations whose boundaries meet at Freret Street and Napoleon Avenue. Our goals are to support one another and demand accountability from developers, elected and appointed officials, and city staff involved in development decisions. We believe people who live in a neighborhood should have a meaningful voice in what happens to it.

Current Issues

Flawed and Deceptive Community Engagement Process
No on-site parking for attendees; off-site parking (56 spaces) is located four blocks away and not utilized
No designated vendor parking and unloading
No designated employee parking
No staging areas for rideshares
Chaotic traffic congestion
Documented neighborhood impacts, including impaired driving concerns, vehicle damage, blocked driveways, noise, trash, and post-event disturbances
Significant residential parking displacement due to event-related street congestion
No benefits to the local neighborhood

What The Zoning Change Means

Allows the venue to expand operations and book ticketed concerts and events.
This is beyond the current conditional use, which permits private parties, weddings, symphonies, operas, dance performances, and other nonprofit events, all with alcohol service and live music.

Community Proposal for a Path Forward

Deny the current application for an ordinance change until:

Existing issues are remedied
Establishing an enforceable Good Neighbor Agreement
The cumulative impacts on traffic, parking, noise, and neighborhood quality of life from Trader Joe's, The Josephine's existing operations, and nearby schools have been comprehensively evaluated

The Future

If this proposal moves forward without genuinely addressing these concerns, we believe it will exacerbate the existing issues and deepen mistrust between the neighborhood and the venue.