Photograph: Wayne Ardoin speaks to other parish council members about subdivision assistance during a meeting Wednesday night. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Parish government assistance is potentially on the way for residents living inside Fleur Des Coteau and Royal Garden Subdivisions, while individuals on Rainbow Drive and Pebble Road near Evangeline Downs, are scheduled to have roadway barricades removed.
Parish Council members took action on all three items during a lengthy regular monthly meeting Wednesday night.
Fleur Des Coteau
Council Attorney Garrett Duplechain told the council members that he has uncovered legal documents which give parish government and drainage board right-of-way authority in order that lateral waterway improvements can be made in the subdivision area.
Parish Council member Wayne Ardoin had requested the legal research performed by Duplechain earlier this month in order to provide lateral cleaning assistance from the Prairie Basse Drainage District.
Ardoin said the next step in the process, which he said should help alleviate flooding possibilities in the Fleur Des Coteau area, will be to contact the drainage board in order to determine the amount of assistance that can be provided.
Fleur Des Coteau Road Ardoin said during a committee meeting last month, reminds him of a “third world country road,” off State Highway 31.
“These people living there bought their lots under the pretense that someone would take care of the road. Roads are not being taken care of because it is a private road,” said Ardoin.
Royal Gardens
Ardoin also requested possible parish government assistance, perhaps with state or federal grant revenues that would help eliminate water leaks on streets in Royal Gardens, located adjacent to State Highway 182 south of Opelousas.
The City of Opelousas Ardoin said, provides water for the subdivision, but there are several water leaks that continue spilling onto roadways.
Ardoin said he would like to possibly obtain funding through grant funding in order to assist the city with fixing the water leaks and then patching the roadways once the work is done.
“We (parish government) will assist in any way we can,” said parish president Jessie Bellard.
Rainbow Drive and Pebble Road
The Council approved an ordinance following a public hearing, which removes a barrier across Rainbow Drive and Pebble Road.
Council member Nancy Carriere, who sponsored the ordinance which passed through a Public Works Committee, said the barricade is no longer needed.
Carriere said during a September meeting that the barriers were placed on the roads originally due to traffic concerns and to limit trail riding activities through the neighborhood that borders Evangeline Downs.
Ardoin added that the barricades have also become a safety issue since fire and emergency vehicles are having difficulty turning around.
