Parking ticket increase approved

Sep 15, 2011
Source: Daily World
Author: Tina Marie Macias

The city of Opelousas soon could use a new tactic to revitalize and redevelop downtown by rezoning the central business district to allow multi-family apartments in the area.

An ordinance was introduced Tuesday by the Opelousas Board of Aldermen that would do just that. It would amend areas classified as downtown and neighborhood mixed-use to include multi-family apartments of one- to three stories in height and up to a density of 24 units per acre. A minimum of one off-street parking space would be provided for each apartment unit.

“We can redevelop our central business district with bringing people back downtown,” architect Jack Tolson said. “The businesses and the services always follow the population concentration.”

Tolson was one of the citizens who asked the aldermen to consider the ordinance amendment. Nan Wier, an investor interested in downtown redevelopment, had considered turning one of her properties at the corner of South and Court Streets into loft apartments for retired people, but learned that zoning laws would not allow it, Tolson said.

“We found out that the zoning ordinance is anti-productive as far as bringing people back down to the central business district,” Tolson said, who added that Wier’s plan is just one that would “foster economic redevelopment” and the amendment is about more than one property. “The purpose of (the ordinance) is to solve an overall problem so we can redevelop our district.”

The aldermen unanimously introduced the ordnance at its monthly meeting Tuesday, with Alderman Blair Briggs touting it as a way to promote business by encouraging people to live in that area.

“If you look at cities — even Baton Rouge and Lafayette — they have lofts downtown,” Alderman Reggie Tatum said. “If they can get people to come downtown, I think it’s a good idea.”

A public hearing for the ordinance will be held next month at the aldermen’s next meeting, at which time they likely will vote on the issue.

Dr. Rosemary St. Clergy, head of the Historic District Commission, was enthusiastic about the amendment to the downtown mixed-use part of the ordinance, but said the commission must research the neighborhood mixed-use portion before forming an opinion.

“For the downtown area, I think that would be awesome, particularly if we use the existing buildings,” St. Clergy said. “We have several beautiful old buildings that aren’t being utilized or are under-utilized.”

In other business, the aldermen held a public hearing and then approved increasing parking ticket fines paid within 24 hours from to .

There has been no increase in parking violation fines since 1983, and from each fine will be given to the Opelousas Police Department, while the other will go to Opelousas City Court, the court’s judicial administrator Lavonya Malveaux said.

Despite the 500 percent increase, there was no objection from citizens.

“We have a deficit. It’s a revenue stream,” St. Clergy said from the audience

Other cities the size of Opelousas charge between and 5 for parking tickets, Malveaux said.

Police Chief Perry Gallow reminded everyone that there is an easy way to avoid being hit by the hike.

“If you’re not parked illegally, you can’t get a ticket,” he said.