Police Jury Meeting Notes: April 17, 2019

Developers and engineers who build and design new homes in an area designated as the Red River floodway in Bossier Parish now have a new set of standards to follow for streets in those subdivisions following Wednesday’s parish Police Jury meeting.

Jury members approved amendments to the parish code of ordinances governing subdivisions that will require a change in the type and depth of base for streets and changes in the amount of material used as street surface. 

Now, main thoroughfares and boulevards in subdivisions will be required to have a 10-inch base of crushed aggregate drainable material, either stone or concrete, plus a three and one-half inch layer of asphalt. Previously, a 10-12 inch base of soil cement and a two-inch asphalt topping was required.

Cul-de-sacs and intersections are now required to be concrete. Side streets will still be constructed with a soil cement base and two inches of asphalt since traffic is lighter than on main thoroughfares.

Parish Engineer Butch Ford said he had met with developers and engineers earlier this month and explained the proposed changes in how they design and construct their streets.

“We were realizing roadways in our river bottoms (Red River to Red Chute Bayou) are not lasting as long as they should,” Ford said. “We’re having to do maintenance a lot sooner than expected. Our soil cement bases we’ve used in the past are not holding up.”

In some areas in the southern end of the parish, Ford said, the soil cement base had simply disappeared after being submerged for days in the 2015 flood. He believes the changes in the subdivision ordinance “…will help us get the longevity from our roadways that we need.”

Jury member Wanda Bennett said the reason to be vigilant on this is that once the streets in subdivisions are dedicated into the police jury road maintenance system “…they are ours forever more. We are responsible for maintenance.”

Bennett said the she saw problems if the police jury did not adopt the ordinance amendments. Persons who purchase lots and build in subdivisions will appreciate the attention that’s being paid to their streets, she added.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, police jury members:

• Awarded bid for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Willow Chute Bayou Drainage Improvements Project, in accordance with bids received April 9.
• Approved plat of the proposed development of Pe-Bell Subdivision, Unit No. 1-A.
• Approved request from the town of Haughton for assistance with construction of a walking trail at the Joe Delaney Memorial Park.
• Adopted a resolution supporting A. W. Chesterson Company, 4500 Marlena Street, Bossier City, allowing them to receive the local benefits of the Quality Jobs Program.
• Reappointed David Brian and Darrell Braniff to the Bossier Parish EMS District board of directors for two-year terms each, and reappointed Ronald Jordan and Donald Hebert to the EMS board of directors for four-year terms each.
• Proclaimed the month of May Older Americans Month in Bossier Parish.
• Approved change order No. 1 for Bossier Parish Libraries re-roof project, East Highway 80 Branch.
• Ratified approval of a joint release with Roofing Solutions, LLC, in connection with the lawsuit entitled “Roofing Solutions, LLC, vs. Bossier Parish Police Jury, et al.” in the 26th Judicial District Court.
• Adopted a Citizen Participation Plan/Citizen Complaint Procedure, and approved the appointment of William Altimus as Citizen Complaint Officer in connection with the FY 2020-21 Louisiana Community Development Block Grant (LCDBG) Program.
• Authorized the chief elected official to proceed with development of LCDBG applications, taking into consideration citizen participation requirements and views of the governing body.
• Adopted a procurement policy for compliance with the FY 2020-21 LCDBG Program.
• Authorized the chief elected official to proceed with procurement and selection of professional services for the purpose of assisting in the development of the LCDBG applications and implementation of the project.
• Approved proposal of David W. Volentine, MAI, for appraisal services for the Palmetto Road Widening-Phase II (911 to Vance Road.
• Adopted resolution authorizing the Parish Administrator or President to execute any and all documents in connection with the Palmetto Road Widening-Phase II (911 to Vance Road) project.
• Adopted an ordinance authorizing the Parish of Bossier to enter into an amended local services agreement with the City of Bossier City for participation in several joint projects of both entities.
• Approved an amended local services agreement between the Parish of Bossier and the Bossier Parish School Board.
• Adopted a resolution authorizing the Parish Administrator or President to execute any and all documents in connection with the exchange of land with the Bossier Parish School Board at Fairburn Avenue and Kingston Road for in-kind services.
• Discussed the Swan Lake Road over Flat River Realignment (Northwest End) Project. 2019-112.
• Adjourned into executive session to discuss pending Fema appeal-arbitration. After returning to public session, no action was taken.