Police Jury Meeting Notes: December 16, 2020

Licensed drivers in one Bossier Parish neighborhood will be allowed to operate electric golf carts on designated streets in their subdivision following a Wednesday vote by the Bossier Parish Police Jury.

Forest Hills subdivision residents who qualify must adhere to state law that defines safety equipment requirements which include safe tires, headlamps, a rearview mirror, front and rear turn signals, tail lights and brake lights. Carts may not be designed to exceed a maximum of 25 miles per hour.

Golf carts operated on residential streets will be required to carry liability insurance with the same minimum limits as required by provisions of R.S. 32:900 (B), which defines the state’s liability policy.

Individuals will also be required to have their carts undergo a safety inspection and display a proof of inspection decal on the windshield. Inspections will be conducted by the police jury’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU).

Enforcement of rules governing operators and whether or not carts meet all safety requirements will be in the hands of the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office and CVEU officers.

During a road/subdivision committee meeting prior to Wednesday’s meeting, members learned that Bossier Parish deputies have answered complaints centering on operation of golf carts on streets and roads. Complaints centered on unlicensed youngsters and other individuals often driving carts recklessly on streets and roads.

Deputies have begun addressing complaints of carts on streets, whether operated by licensed or unlicensed individuals, with a warning on the first offense and tickets if a second offense is recorded.

Jury members agreed with committee chairman Glenn Benton that permission to operate carts on subdivision streets would be limited to Forest Hills since residents there had been polled by the Homeowners Association and agreed to the policy.

“This request came from Forest Hills and they agree that only individuals with a valid driver’s license should be allowed to operate properly equipped carts on streets,” Benton said. “They also agree that there should be a designated list of streets where carts are allowed and proper signage.”

Benton said he presented the request to the police jury because residents of Forest Hills, which is in his district, had asked him to do so. He also pointed out that a poll of residents showed an overwhelming majority agreed with the idea.

In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, police jury members:

• Awarded bids for annual supplies for the Bossier Parish Highway Department, in accordance with bids received on December 8, 2020.
• Approved the selection committee’s recommendation to award professional services for the following:

  a. Surveying Services (Disaster Relief) RFP No. 2020-114.
  b. Construction & Material Testing Services (Disaster Relief) RFP No. 2020-113.
  c. Resident Engineer Inspection Services (Disaster Relief) RFP No. 2020-112.
  d. Disaster Recovery & Emergency Planning Services RFP No. 2020-116.
  e. Architectural & Engineering Services (Disaster Relief) FRP No. 2020-115.

• Approved amendments to the 2020 Bossier Parish Police Jury Budget.
• Approved the application of the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission to consider an amendment to the Unified Development Code for new regulations pertaining to adjoining and abutting lots.
• Approved new sewer rates for the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 of the Parish of Bossier.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider approval of the site plan for Pull Up Packaged Liquor #3 located at 1170 Highway 80 East, Haughton.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider approval of the plat of the proposed development of Canal Place Estates Subdivision, Unit No. 1, being a gated subdivision, located in Section 33, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing on January 20, 2021, to consider approval of the  plat of the proposed development of Canal Place Subdivision, Unit No. 2, a Planned Unit Subdivision, located in Section 33, Township 19 North, Range 13 West, Bossier Parish.
• Scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 20, 2021 on plat approval for Smith Rd. Estates.
• Scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 20, 2021 on an application for zoning change on an eight-acre-plus plot located on Airline Dr.
• Scheduled a public hearing for Jan. 20, 2021 for plat approval and site plan on Airline Lagniappe Unit 1.
• Accepted report on meeting of the Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 Board of Appeals, approved two disconnections and two payment plans.
• Approved an addendum to the agreement by and between Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC, and Bossier Parish Police Jury.
• Approved applications for renewal of Bossier Parish beer/liquor licenses for 2021  (approved by the Sheriff and the health department).
• Denied approval of a 2021 Bossier Parish Beer/Liquor license application for Heroe’s Tavern.
• Reappointed Barbara Burns to the South Bossier Parish Fire District No. 2 Board of Commissioners for a two-year term, term to expire December 31, 2022.
• Appointed Dennis Faulk to the South Bossier Parish Fire District No. 2 Board of Commissioners for a two-year term, term to expire December 31, 2022.
• Reappointed Grady Lee, William Burris, and Gary Horton to the East Central Bossier Parish Fire District No. 1 Board of Commissioners for two-year terms each, terms to expire December 31, 2022. 
• Reappointed Donnie McDaniel to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission Zoning Board for a six-year term, term to expire December 1, 2026.
• Approved proposal from PriceMDs for prescription drugs for the Bossier Parish Police Jury Employees, as recommended by the Insurance Committee.
• Adopted the three-year road overlay program.
• Agreed to accept streets and drainage in Willow Creek at Benton Subdivision, Unit No. 2, into the parish road system for permanent maintenance.
• Approved change order No. 1 for Project No. 2019-126, Johnson Koran Road Bridge over Foxskin Bayou project.
• Approved a cooperative endeavor agreement by and among The Red River Waterway District and Bossier Parish for the extension of the Arthur Ray Teague Multi-Use Trail.
• Consider approval of the proposal of Civil Design Group, LLC, for professional engineering services for LA Highway 3 – Benton Road at I-220 interchange, capital improvements project (turn lanes).
• Approved Amendment No. 1 to the proposal of Coyle Engineering Co., Inc., for the study of White Oak Drive ditch in Dogwood subdivision.