Calcasieu Parish jury orders multiple condemnations, grants staff deferrals on others

The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on June 5 voted to condemn multiple properties and granted 30-day deferrals on several other properties as staff works with owners and engineers to submit repair or demolition plans.

During a public hearing the jury heard staff reports and motions on individual properties. For 7479 Gulf Highway in Lake Charles, staff said the property owner had submitted a scope of work and permit submittals and requested another 30-day deferral; a motion to defer 30 days carried (motion by Landry, second by Lewis). “We think within 30 days, they should be able to get all this done,” staff said.

On other properties, the jury voted to condemn and require removal within 30 days. For 5352 Elliott Road in Lake Charles the jury approved a motion to condemn and require removal in 30 days (motion by Eason, second by Quinn). Several other addresses on the agenda received motions to condemn and were carried after motions and seconds were made on the record.

Code-enforcement staff told the jury they had been working with property owners; jurors occasionally pressed staff for basic cleanup. “Have they mowed the grass and picked up the trash? Because they don't need a big plan to do that,” one juror asked; staff replied that the owner had begun responding after the condemnation process started.

Where staff reported ongoing communications or pending engineering reports, the jury generally approved 30-day deferrals to allow submittals. For example, on 415 Prater Road staff requested a 30-day deferment while the owner's engineer prepared a report; the jury voted to defer (motion by Andrew Ponte, second by Quinn). Several other items were similarly deferred at staff request.

The jury’s actions were taken during the public-hearing portion of the agenda and were recorded with motions and seconds for each listed property; jurors gave no further public directives beyond the time-limited condemn or defer orders.