§2740.67. Baton Rouge North Economic Development District
A. Creation. The Baton Rouge North Economic Development District, referred to
in this Section as the "district", is hereby created in the parish of East Baton Rouge. The
district shall be a political subdivision of the state created for the purpose of developing the
area included within the district in order to provide for substantial economic activity and
employment opportunities.
B. Boundaries. The district shall include the area within the following boundaries:
beginning at the intersection of North 22nd Street and Florida Boulevard, east along Florida
Boulevard to its intersection with North Sherwood Forest Drive, then north along North
Sherwood Forest Drive to its intersection with Greenwell Springs Road, then southwest
along Greenwell Springs Road to its intersection with Joor Road, then north along Joor Road
to its intersection with Mickens Road, then west along Mickens Road to its intersection with
Hooper Road, then west along Hooper Road to its intersection with Harding Boulevard,
continuing west along Harding Boulevard to its intersection with Veterans Memorial
Boulevard, then north along Veterans Memorial Boulevard to its intersection with
Rosenwald Road, then west along Rosenwald Road to its intersection with Scenic Highway,
then south along Scenic Highway to its intersection with Shada Avenue, then west to the
Mississippi River levee, then south along the Mississippi River levee to Choctaw Drive, then
east along Choctaw Drive to its intersection with Scenic Highway, then south along Scenic
Highway to its intersection with Main Street, then east along Main Street to its intersection
with North 22nd Street, then south along North 22nd Street to the point of beginning.
C. Governance. (1) In order to provide for the orderly planning, development,
acquisition, construction, and effectuation of the services, improvements, and facilities to be
furnished by the district and to provide for the representation in the affairs of the district of
those persons and interests immediately concerned with and affected by the purposes and
development of the district, the district shall be managed by a nine-member board of
commissioners, referred to in this Section as the "board". The board shall be comprised of
members as follows:
(a) One member shall be appointed by the state representative for House District No.
29, who shall be a representative of the business community, on a rotating basis beginning
in 2022 and every other year thereafter.
(b) Two members shall be appointed by the state senator for Senate District No. 15.
(c) One member with a background in economic development shall be appointed by
the mayor-president of the parish of East Baton Rouge.
(d) One member shall be appointed with a community development background
located within the district to be selected by a subcommittee formed by the board.
(e) One member shall be appointed by the owner of the largest parcel of land located
within the district.
(f) One member shall be appointed by the state representative for House District No.
61, on a rotating basis beginning in 2022 and every other year thereafter.
(g) One member shall be appointed by the state representative for House District No.
63, on a rotating basis beginning in 2022 and every other year thereafter.
(h) One member shall be appointed by the state representative for House District No.
67, on a rotating basis beginning in 2023 and every other year thereafter.
(i) One member shall be appointed by the state representative for House District No.
101, on a rotating basis beginning in 2023 and every other year thereafter.
(j) One member shall be appointed by the state senator for Senate District No. 14.
(k) Repealed by Acts 2023, No. 389, §2, eff. June 14, 2023.
(l) Repealed by Acts 2022, No. 769, §2, eff. June 18, 2022.
(2) Members shall serve two-year terms.
(3) Board members shall be eligible for reappointment, but the cumulative term of
service shall not exceed four years.
(4) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of the term for which a member
of the board has been appointed shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the
same manner as the original appointment.
(5) The board shall elect from its members a chairman, a vice chairman, a secretary-treasurer, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. The duties of the officers shall
be fixed by the bylaws adopted by the board.
(6) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the secretary
of the board. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the official custody
of the board.
(7) The board shall adopt rules and regulations, including a procedure for the
removal of inactive board members, as it deems necessary or advisable for conducting its
business affairs. It shall hold regular meetings as shall be provided in the bylaws and may
hold special meetings at times and places within the district as may be prescribed in the
bylaws.
(8) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall make them
available through the secretary of the board.
(9) The members of the board shall serve without compensation. The board may
reimburse any member for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties
pursuant to this Section.
D. Powers and duties. (1) The district, through the board, shall have and exercise
all powers of a political subdivision necessary or convenient for the carrying out of its objects
and purposes, including but not limited to the following:
(a) To sue and to be sued.
(b) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
(c) To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
(d) To receive by gift, grant, donation, or otherwise any sum of money, property, aid,
or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision
thereof, or any person, firm, or corporation.
(e) To enter into contracts, agreements, or cooperative endeavors with the state and
its political subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or private association,
corporation, business entity, or individual.
(f) To appoint officers, agents, and employees, prescribe their duties, and fix their
compensation.
(g) To acquire by purchase, gift, grant, donation, lease, or otherwise such property
as may be necessary or desirable for carrying out the objectives and purposes of the board.
(2) The district shall not be deemed to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes
of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
E. District plan. (1) The board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a plan or plans,
referred to in this Section as the "plan", specifying the public improvements, facilities, and
services proposed to be furnished, constructed, or acquired for the district and shall conduct
public hearings, publish notice with respect thereto, and disseminate information as it, in the
exercise of its sound discretion, may deem to be appropriate or advisable and in the public
interest.
(2) Any plan may specify and encompass any public services, capital improvements,
and facilities which the parish of East Baton Rouge is authorized to undertake, furnish, or
provide under the constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, and such specified public
services, improvements, and facilities shall be special and in addition to all services,
improvements, and facilities which the parish of East Baton Rouge is then furnishing or
providing or may then or in the future be obligated to furnish or provide within the district.
(3) Any plan shall include an estimate of the annual and total cost of acquiring,
constructing, or providing the services, improvements, or facilities set forth therein.
(4) Any monies received by the district shall be used exclusively for the development
of the district plan.
(5) The board shall submit the plan to the governing authority of the parish of East
Baton Rouge. The parish governing authority shall review and consider the plan, but the
board need not receive approval of the parish governing authority prior to implementing such
plan.
F. Services and improvements. (1) All services to be furnished within the district
pursuant to any plan finally and conclusively adopted may be furnished, supplied, and
administered by the parish of East Baton Rouge through its regularly constituted
departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities. All capital
improvements and facilities to be acquired, constructed, or provided within the district may
likewise be so acquired, constructed, or provided by the parish of East Baton Rouge through
its regularly constituted departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and instrumentalities,
it being the intention of this Paragraph to avoid the duplication of administrative and
management efforts and expense in the implementation of any plan adopted for the benefit
of the district.
(2) In order to provide services or provide, construct, or acquire capital
improvements or facilities, the board may enter into intergovernmental local service contracts
with the parish of East Baton Rouge.
G. Hotel Occupancy Tax. (1) The governing authority of East Baton Rouge Parish
may levy and collect a tax upon the paid occupancy of hotel rooms located within the
boundaries of the district. The tax shall be two percent of the rent or fee charged for such
occupancy. The tax shall be paid by the person who exercises, or is entitled to, occupancy
of the hotel room and shall be paid at the time the rent or fee for occupancy is paid. The tax
shall be imposed by ordinance adopted by the governing authority of East Baton Rouge
Parish, and the ordinance may provide for necessary rules and regulations for imposition,
collection, and enforcement of the tax. Should the governing authority take action as
authorized in this Paragraph to collect the hotel occupancy tax, the collection shall begin no
earlier than September 1, 2016.
(2) The net proceeds of the tax after deduction of reasonable collection expenses
shall be made available to the district for any of the district's lawful purposes and as provided
by the ordinance dedicating the proceeds.
NOTE: See Acts 2015, No. 433, §2, regarding terms of board members.