Here’s a selection of items on the agendas for this week’s meetings of the city and parish councils. To see the full agendas, check out the links below:
City Council
Final Adoption
Changes to properties before the City Council:
| Property | Action | Details |
| 4000 block of Moss Street & 200-300 block of Maryview Farm Road | Rezone | From RS-1 to RS-2 |
| 507 Crestlawn Drive | Annex | To allow this property to get LUS water service |
$3.1 million for LUS Fiber expansion. Announced in late February, this LUS Fiber grant is from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Acadiana Fiber Optics Infrastructure Improvement Project. This project will extend LUS Fiber into a handful of business parks and public facilities headed near New Iberia and in Scott. It may lay the groundwork for additional residential expansion, but no specific plans have been announced. Construction is expected to take 18-24 months.
Introduction
Lease Dupuis Recreation Center to a charter high school. The Lafayette Charter Foundation is seeking to rent the classroom wing and lobby in this rec center for the next year.
Privatize Robicheaux Center pool. Continuing a push to privatize the operations of government facilities, the administration proposes contracting City of Lafayette Aquatics, or COLA, to run the public pool. COLA will be able to keep all the revenue the pool generates. Guillory’s administration projects this move will save the city more than $100,000 per year.
Parish Council
Final Adoption
There are no ordinances up for final adoption at this meeting.
Introduction
Re-appropriating the Parish Council’s $200,000 gesture. After the administration threatened to shut down four city rec centers last year, the Parish Council offered up $200,000 to help the city keep the rec centers open. After significant public outcry, Guillory kept the rec centers open. Given that the City Council never passed its own ordinance to accept the Parish Council’s support, this vote is a formality to restore the money to the parish’s budget.
Joint Items
Final Adoption
Homewood Drive detention pond. The City and Parish councils have approved four other public necessity declarations for detention ponds, but residents near land for a fifth site have opposed it. At a drainage town hall, they voiced concerns that this project would actually make flooding worse in this area. What’s still unclear is why this project is up for adoption by the City and Parish councils when the land in question exists outside of the city.
Introduction
Schools sidewalks. The Safe Routes to School Project would add or extend sidewalks around LJ Alleman Middle, Woodvale Elementary, Duson Elementary, Ossun Elementary and Ernest Gallet Elementary.
Lafayette may be getting new broadband. Conterra Ultra Broadband LLC, a North Carolina fiber optic network operator, wants to set up a franchise agreement with the city and parish of Lafayette. This franchise agreement would provide Conterra Ultra access to rights of way to build some form of broadband network. It’s not clear yet what services the company will offer.
News + Notes
City Council passes Guillory investigation to legislative auditor
The council’s contracted auditor turned over its findings, which will remain confidential until and unless the LLA decides to release them.
Registration requirements likely for Lafayette short-term rentals
Requiring short-term rentals to register with the city is a likely compromise, but operators and opponents remain divided on restrictions like conditional permitting.
Conversation: Is Lafayette affordable?
Studies suggest Lafayette isn’t so cheap. Is Lafayette an affordable place for you?