Council Handles Property Problem
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
How to proceed with demolishing properties classified by parish government as beyond salvageable continues to be examined by St. Landry Parish Council members.
The issue became relevant last week as the Council was presented with four blighted Opelousas-area addresses that are scheduled to be demolished due to their deteriorating conditions, according to parish code enforcement.
Council members agreed to provide at least 90 more days for a pair of property owners to make improvements, while the Council approved two houses on 311 Jolivette Road and another on La. 349 for scheduled demolition.
Parish officials pointed out that the Jolivette Road and La. 349 property owners had not responded to correspondence that their properties were designated as blighted.
Owners of the other properties said that extenuating circumstances have prevented them from performing rehabilitation on their houses.
Some council members questioned whether property owners are being correctly notified in order to rectify problematic properties, while others asked Council attorney Garrett Duplechain to explain blighted property procedures used by the parish.
Duplechain noted that ordinarily, owners, when either contacted by certified mail and regular mail service, are usually agreeable about making attempts to improve property conditions.
However Duplechain said the parish normally considers it best if owners appear before the Council and discuss the matter at an open meeting in order to request extensions or explain why their buildings are in such poor condition.
Parish president Jessie Bellard explained to the Council that in his opinion, the parish had taken all the proper steps in providing owners of the four properties in question last week, with sufficient notice that their properties are classified as blighted and scheduled for demolition.
“We have done our due diligence,” Bellard said.
Duplechain told the Council that the parish has already adopted an ordinance that addresses steps that need to be taken before properties designated as blighted are scheduled to undergo demolition.
Failure to comply or respond to parish blighted property notifications by mail or electronically, Duplechain said, should be treated by the Council as violating an ordinance.
Council member Mildred Thierry asked Duplechain whether he was sure all the ordinance-compliant communications were received by owners of the Jolivette Road and La. 349 addresses.
“I’m not sure whether they got (the notifications), but we always contact the assessor and cross check that information to make sure we have all the addresses correct,” Duplechain said.
Council member Wayne Ardoin said code enforcement officials should be allowed to perform their duties without excessive Council interference.
“Why do we have code enforcement if we do not allow them to do their jobs or follow the ordinance? Look, people in this parish want better neighborhoods. We need to let people who we pay to do their jobs,” Ardoin said.
Council member Nancy Carriere said the responsibility for handling blighted property situations should not always be placed entirely on the Council.
Blighted property owners should share most of that burden, said Carriere.
“It’s obvious the parish has been constantly trying to reach the individuals. If they don’t respond, well that’s their responsibility,” Carriere said.
