Police Jury Meeting Notes: June 19

Same villain, different victim.

Roughly two months after local developers and engineers met with the Bossier Parish Police Jury engineering staff to discuss solutions to rising ground water levels and the impact on subdivision streets, the two groups will soon meet again to talk about yet other water-related problems.

Parish Engineer Butch Ford requested the police jury’s roads/subdivision committee meet prior to the July 3 regular meeting to talk about ground water impact on sewer lines and, possibly, on foundations of subdivision homes. The area of concern is the basin between Red Chute Bayou/Flat River and the Red River from Benton to Bossier City.

Area engineers who design subdivisions in the area will be invited to discuss and help develop strategies to design foundations that will not be impacted by the rising ground water levels. Talk will also include methods to lay sewer lines that will not fail if ground water continues to rise.

“This area we’re talking about is roughly 40 percent of the parish,” Ford told jury members.

Ford said one solution could be to require soil borings on every subdivision before a building permit is issued. Sample results of the borings would be attached to each plat submitted along with the engineer’s stamp.

“Families are purchasing homes without construction or engineering knowledge and homebuilders are building standard foundations that we know can potentially be undermined by these water table issues,” said Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson.

“It’s reasonable that we would require builders within this river basin to get us a soil sample and slab designs. This water table issue has developed very quickly,” he added.

Ford told jury members his office is currently not approving any subdivision plans, sewer lines or streets “…until we look at this and come up with plan. We have a responsibility to the public.”

During a lengthy agenda, police Jury members also:

• Heard Ginger Adam Corley report on the 2019 Legislative Session.
• Heard a presentation by Dave Smith, Biomedical Research Foundation of NW Louisiana.
• Acknowledged report from Ashley Busada, North Louisiana Economic Partnership.
• Watched State Sen. Barrow Peacock present juror Wanda Bennett a legislative proclamation for her service.
• Awarded bid for contract II – 10-inch raw water line for well no. 4 – phase I, to Budd’s Construction of Haughton, LLC.
• Award bid for demolition of homes located at 225 Shadow Ridge Drive, Bossier City, 633 Pine Cone Drive, Haughton, 631 Pine Cone Drive, Haughton, 301 Shadow Ridge Drive, Bossier City and 223 Shadow Ridge Drive, Bossier City to Strong’s Backhoe Service.
• Award bid for the demolition of homes located at 635 Pine Cone Drive, Haughton, 210 Whispering Pine Drive, Haughton and 3418 Gary Rex Circle, Haughton to 3 Gen Construction.
• Agreed to abandon streets and easements in Rosedale Park subdivision.
• Approved application of Travis Beaty, Beaty Land, LLC, to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change zoning classification of a tract of land containing 56.453 acres on the northeast corner of LA Highway 614 and Interstate 20 from R-A, Residence Agricultural District, to R-LD, Residential, Low Density District, for a residential subdivision.
• Approved the proposed development of Hickory Hills Subdivision, Unit No. 2 correction plat; the plat of the proposed development of Bay Hills Subdivision, Unit No. 2-A; the plat of the proposed development of Bay Hills North Subdivision, Unit No. 3-A, and the Weaver partition survey.
• Scheduled public hearings July 17 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Le Maison Court subdivision, Unit No. 5, a Planned Unit Development, being a resubdivision of Lots 5A – 7A of Le Maison Court subdivision, Unit No. 2; to consider approval of the Mcrae Place subdivision; to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Willow Chute Estates subdivision, Unit No. 1.
• Also, set public hearings for July 17 to consider adoption of an ordinance prohibiting the parking of vehicles on all street rights-of-way on Hackberry Drive, in Cypress Bend Subdivision; to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Quiet Acres subdivision, Unit No. 2, being a resubdivision of Lots 16 and 17, Quiet Acres Subdivision, Unit No. 1; to consider approval of the minor plat for East Central Bossier Parish Fire District No. 1; and to consider reducing the speed limit in The Crossing at Wemple subdivision from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour.
• Voted to condemn properties at 152 Finley Road, Benton; 720 Cindy Lane, Haughton; 208 Gumwood Drive, Haughton; and at 6902 Jennifer Lane, Princeton. 
• Approved request of Sportspectrum for a letter of no objection to the selling of beer at the annual Rivercities Triathlon on August 4 at the Cypress-Black Bayou Recreation Park.
• Reappointed Dennis Hays to the Bossier Parish Fire District No. 7 Board of Commissioners for a two year term, term to expire July 31, 2021.
• Accepted resignation of Jackie Byrd from the Bossier Parish Fire District No. 7 Board of Commissioners effective July 31.
• Ratified amending a resolution adopted on November 7, 2018, authorizing the Bossier Parish Section 8 Housing Authority to apply for housing vouchers through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s “Moving to Work Vouchers” to include additional information required by the State of Louisiana.
• Reviewed plans for a walking trail in Autumn Creek subdivision.
• Accepted plat of the proposed servitude dedication, located on a portion of Lots 1 and 2, Fairburn subdivision, Unit No. 3.
• Ratified approval of an agreement between the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and Bossier Parish for funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for the acquisition and demolition of homes, FEMA-4263-DR-LA, Project No. 007. and authorize the execution of documents.
• Approved change order No. 15 for State Project No. H.003854.6-R1 Bossier North/South Corridor Swan Lake Road (I-220 to Flat River).
• Accepted streets and drainage in Forest Hills subdivision, Unit No. 11 into the parish road system for permanent maintenance, and sewer main extension and improvements in Forest Hills subdivision, Unit No. 11, into the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1, Parish of Bossier for permanent maintenance. 
• Approved proposal of Goodwin Professional Services, LLC, for engineering and design services for Glendale Lane.