Police Jury Meeting Notes: September 18, 2019

Repeat offenders to Bossier Parish’s property standards ordinances could find themselves a little lighter in the wallet after a proposal from the parish police jury’s Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee was unanimously approved Wednesday.

Jury members agreed to institute a series of fines for those who habitually fail to keep their property up to standard after an initial complaint has been filed and investigated. A $50 fine would be imposed for a second offense, third-time offenders would be subject to a $100 penalty and fines would increase by $50 for each additional offense.

Property standards violations are complaint driven and offenders are usually reported by neighbors, committee chairman Glenn Benton explained.

“We don’t drive the highways looking for property that violates the codes,” he said. “It’s not unusual for us to have to go back to the same places more than once and take steps to get property cleaned up. We need to let people know there are consequences if they continue to violate the standards.”

Jury member Jerome Darby suggested a follow up inspection be conducted within 60 to 90 days after a first offense had been resolved to be sure residents are keeping the property in good shape.

“Perhaps we should let offenders know we’ll be following up to be sure their property is meeting parish standards,” he said. “If we wait until another complaint is filed, the property might be in really bad shape again and we’d have to go through another condemnation process.”

In other business Wednesday, police jury members:

• Awarded bid for installation of new emergency standby generators for wells no. 4 and 5 for Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Denied four challenges to 2019 assessments as established by the Bossier Parish Assessor.
• Awarded bid for Glendale Lane street improvements.
• Approved plat of the proposed development of Padgett Place subdivision, unit no. 1.
• Approved plat of the proposed development of Morgan Farms subdivision, unit no. 1, being a correction plat of Morgan Farms subdivision, located in government lot 1.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 16 to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Cypress Dream subdivision, being a replat of Lots 1 and 2, Jones Cypress Gardens subdivision, Unit No. 2.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 16 to consider the application of Nixon Engineering to the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a tract of land being 8.448 acres, more or less, from B-2, Neighborhood Business District, to R-1, One-Family Residence District, for development of Jamestowne subdivision, unit no. 4.
• Scheduled a public hearing on October 16 to consider the application of Edwin and Christy Goebig to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a tract of land being 6.744 acres from R-T, Racetrack District, to R-A, Residence-Agricultural District, for a Bridewell family, LLC, property subdivision, unit no. 2, new single family home with small farm animals.
• Report on Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee meeting.
• Discussion of disposal of eviction items.
• Approved the application of Luciano Monzon for a 2019 Bossier Parish beer/ liquor license at Taqueria San Miguel II, 5000 Benton Road, Suite 10, Bossier City, subject to approval by the health department.
• Approved request for a variance of parish regulations to allow a home to be built below the road surface level at 142 Ryan Road, Benton.
• Approved request for a variance of parish regulations to allow a driveway to be constructed in a drainage easement located on lots 1 and 2, Forest Hills subdivision, unit no. 10, Haughton, with stipulations that (1) a notice is to be recorded in the deed records for this property that the driveway is located in a parish easement, and (2) an agreement is to be signed by the property owner stating that the Bossier Parish Police Jury will not be responsible for any damages caused by the parish to the driveway when accessing and maintaining the easement located on lots 1 and 2, Forest Hills subdivision, unit no. 10.
• Approved proposal of Denmon Engineering for engineering services for the Airline Drive overlay project.
• Approved proposal of Nixon Engineering Solution for engineering and surveying services to investigate drainage at the southeast corner of Wafer Road and David Drive.