The City Council of Bastrop, Louisiana, heard an update on city code enforcement and environmental court activity, and city officials said they expect to have staff and court processes in place within about 30 days.
City attorney/administrator Jones told council members the administration has identified people to staff full-time code enforcement and is coordinating with the environmental court so that “August environmental court date would be the first court date to populate these things” and to begin abatement proceedings. Jones said the city has ‘‘an aggressive plan’’ to pursue nuisance-abatement work and that the administration hopes to begin sending notices and prosecuting cases starting in August.
The update followed multiple public comments naming specific blighted properties and asking the council to enforce standards. Council members pressed for a timeline and asked whether the city will have more than one enforcement staffer; Jones said the administration is working to fully staff the department but did not give a precise headcount, saying only that the office should be “filled and staffed ... within the next 30 days.”
Jones also said the city has a list compiled earlier by a previous code enforcement office—approximately 48–60 properties—that includes the most severe blight complaints and that the administration intends to use that list as a starting point. He noted the list is not exhaustive and that further properties will be added as complaints continue.
Mayor Warren Moore and council members discussed a ‘‘nuclear option’’ of withholding occupational licenses or revoking them for businesses owned by property owners who repeatedly create nuisance conditions; Jones said that change would require amending the occupational-license ordinance and would be brought to the council for a vote.
Council members and the administration emphasized stages of action: (1) recruiting and placing staff, (2) issuing required notices to property owners, (3) bringing cases to environmental court, and (4) pursuing abatement remedies. Hayden Downs was identified in the meeting transcript as the hearing officer who will preside over environmental court matters once the court is populated; Jones said Downs is ready to begin hearings.
Speakers raised collateral needs, such as coordination with neighboring jurisdictions where drainage or property issues cross municipal boundaries. Council members said they want clearer timelines for when enforcement officers will be working in the field and for proactive enforcement rather than relying solely on complaints.
The council did not vote on new code-enforcement legislation during the discussion; instead the administration indicated it will present staff and procedural changes and, when necessary, an ordinance amending the occupational-license rules will be scheduled for council action.