Police Jury Meeting Notes: December 2, 2020

Whether or not residents of a Bossier Parish subdivision will be allowed to legally operate golf carts on the streets of their neighborhood will be a topic for the Police Jury’s Road Subdivision Committee.

During Wednesday’s meeting, jury members were asked to consider the possibility of allowing individuals to take golf carts onto the streets of Forest Hills subdivision under certain conditions that would comply with Louisiana law.

“What is legal to be on a public street is something this police jury does not have the authority to regulate,” Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson told jury members. “It’s important because the kind of golf carts that would be allowed to operate on a public street would be required to meet some minimum standards as a motor vehicle.”

A representative of the Forest Hills subdivision Homeowners Association said Louisiana law has established what is and is not legal for golf carts on streets. Some requirements include brakes, lights, turn signals, mirrors, liability insurance and operation by a licensed driver.

“What we’re asking is that the police jury designate roads in the subdivision for golf cart usage according to state law,” Cliff Nix said. “If approved, the HOA would put up signs saying the neighborhood is approved.”

“The question is does the police jury want to create a system to govern the operation of golf carts on streets, to inspect for compliance and to follow up,” Jackson said.

Road Subdivision Committee chairman Glenn Benton called for a meeting of his panel prior to the police jury’s Dec. 16 meeting.

In other business Wednesday, jury members:

• Adopted the 2021 Bossier Parish Police Jury Budget.
• Approved the application of Anthony Lowrie to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a conditional use approval for the sale of high and low content alcohol for off-premise consumption at a proposed liquor store and daiquiri shop located at 2955 Highway 80.
• Agreed to reduce the speed limit on approximately .5 miles of Old Brownlee Road, south of Wemple Road to the Bossier City limits, from 40 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour.
• Approved the Minor Plat for Miguel Lopez, located in Section 33, Township 20 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish.
• Approved the application of the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission to consider regulations for abutting lots.
• Approved the amended plat for Dry Cypress North subdivision, Unit No. 1, being a re-plat of Dry Cypress North subdivision, Unit No. 1, located in Section 23, Township 20 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on December 16 to consider adoption of the Bossier Parish Police Jury 2020 amended budget.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider the application of Faith Land Company to the Haughton Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for a zoning amendment to change the zoning classification of a currently unzoned tract of land to R-E, Residential Estate District, to allow for further subdividing of the vacant land adjacent to Faith Plantation subdivision, Unit No. 1, located in Section 29, Township 19 North, Range 11 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Faith Land Plantation subdivision, Unit No. 2, located in Section 29, Township 19 North, Range 11 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider approval of the minor plat for April Segar, located in Section 20, Township 20 North, Range 12 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider adoption of an ordinance amending Chapter 94, Section 10 “Commercial Vehicle Enforcement,” Section 94-10(b)(9) “Annual Permits,” of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances, to add subsection (i) “High Volume Traffic Permit (HVT).”
• Accepted a report from the Recreation Fund Program Committee meeting.
• Accepted a report from the Insurance Committee meeting.
• Agreed to approve applications for renewal of Bossier Parish beer/liquor licenses for 2021 (approved by the Sheriff and the health department).
• Approved applications for renewal of Bossier Parish beer/liquor licenses for 2021, subject to approval by the health department. (Approved by the Sheriff Department.)
• Approved the professional services contract with Ginger Adam Corley for governmental relations for the year 2021.
• Approved the 2020 amended budget and the 2021 budget of the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory.
• Accepted recommendation of the Bossier Parish Industrial Tax Exemption Program Review Committee, in the matter of the ITEP application of A.W. Chesterton Company, 4500 Marlena Street, Bossier City.
• Accepted recommendation of the Bossier Parish Industrial Tax Exemption Program Review Committee, in the matter of the ITEP application of J&R Juneau, LLC, 4500 Marlena Street, Bossier City.
• Agreed to review use of golf carts on roadways in Bossier Parish subdivisions.
• Adopted ordinances previously approved on October 7 amending Chapter 110, Section 98(a) “Subdivisions” and Chapter 42 “Emergency Services” of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances, Bossier Parish, LA, to add “Electronic Access for Law Enforcement, Fire and Medical Responders” for gated communities and gated commercial premises.
• Approved change order No. 2 for Project No. 2019-114, Swan Lake Road bridge in South Bossier Parish.
• Ratified approval of the certificate of substantial completion for Project No. 2019-114, Swan Lake Road Bridge (South Bossier).
• Approved change order No. 1 for Project No. 2019-121, Haymeadow and Cypress Bend subdivision proposed force main for Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Approved a Hold Harmless and Indemnification Agreement between the Bossier Parish Police Jury and David Pitts for the right to clear overgrowth vegetation and debris from the existing road right-of-way of the Bossier Parish Police Jury’s west right-of-way of Eighty Acres Drive adjacent to property owned by Mr. Pitts located at 8177 Highway 80, Haughton.