By Blake Paterson • November 12, 2026

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Property taxes aren’t the only thing going up in New Orleans.

Last week, the City Council also approved increases to more than 100 permitting fees — hoping it’ll generate nearly $2 million in new revenue.

Want to install an elevator in a building with more than 10 floors? (Who among us?) That’ll cost you $154 — a 40% increase.

How about a range hood for your commercial stovetop? If it’s over 25 square feet, that’ll be $56 — a 60% hike.

Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration calculated the increases by looking at when each one was last amended and adjusting it for inflation.

The mayor also suggested several new fees, all of which the council approved, except one: a $50 charge on applications for any new alcohol licenses.

The council didn’t discuss the ordinance before voting Thursday and nobody from the public commented. But the Moreno administration did provide me with a PowerPoint presentation outlining its reasoning for the new fees.

I also uploaded a copy of the 49-page draft ordinance and administration presentation to Claude and got back this spreadsheet, showing which permits were affected and by how much. (As with all AI-generated content, take it with a grain of salt.)

Paired with the council’s approval last week of a $23 million hike in property taxes, the new fees mean fewer spending cuts in 2027. Still, to balance next year’s budget, City Hall needs to find around $40 million in savings.

Last week, Council President JP Morrell told The Times-Picayune that the council is in agreement with Moreno on all but around $2 million worth of cuts. The council is expected to vote on a finalized budget Nov. 19.

The public will get a detailed look at a $50 million proposal to redevelop the Esplanade Wharf at a meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Audubon Aquarium.

But the nonprofit that manages Audubon’s parks and museums provided a sneak peek of its proposal for Phase II of the Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park at an Audubon Commission meeting Wednesday.

A key component of that design, officials said, will be creating spaces that generate revenue to maintain the park, including new restaurants and bars and kiosks to rent bicycles or games. (Last month, Audubon announced a five-year licensing agreement with a New York-based firm to operate a restaurant and bar at the Governor Nicholls site.)

The plan also calls for additional parking, a promenade along the Mississippi River, and flexible lawn space for group activities like watch parties or exercise classes.

The Audubon Nature Institute developed its design for the 100,000 square-foot warehouse using market research from HR&A Advisors, as well as community input.

“The results of that is that we are New Orleanians through and through: we like to eat and drink and listen to music on the river,” Jackson Kerby, Audubon’s vice president of construction and exhibitry, said Wednesday.

Kerby said they also hope to conduct a public process to select an “iconic piece of artwork” — like “The Bean” in Chicago’s Millennium Park — that celebrates New Orleans’ culture.

The project is estimated to cost around $50 million, with funding from private donors, City Hall and, potentially, state capital outlays, officials said. (The first phase at Governor Nichols cost $30 million.)

On Wednesday, the Audubon Commission signed off on an additional $3.1 million design contract with EskewDumezRipple.

The commission — a 24-member body appointed to staggered, six-year terms by the mayor — also gave the Audubon Nature Institute the go-ahead to execute a Construction Manager at Risk, or CMAR, contract for the project.

After incorporating feedback from Monday’s meeting, officials said they plan to submit their plan to City Hall for preliminary review.

The Audubon Commission on Wednesday also approved a proposal to locate a new memorial for the victims of the Bourbon Street terror attack near the aquarium’s entrance.

Audubon Nature Institute CEO Michael Sawaya said they’re also finalizing an agreement to take over operations of Crescent City Park, using funding they’ll receive under the millage increase approved last week.

Every Sunday, Perdido Street publishes a calendar of public meetings and events across metro New Orleans for the coming week.

Here’s what’s on tap for today:

New Orleans

St. Tammany

Plaquemines

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If you have suggestions for improving Perdido Street, don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is [email protected]. I’m eager for feedback!