§ 33:9072 — The Lake Forest Estates Improvement District

A. Creation. The Lake Forest Estates Improvement special taxing district, hereinafter referred to as the "district", is hereby created in Orleans Parish, and the boundaries of the district shall be coterminous with boundaries of the Lake Forest Estates Subdivision.
B. Boundaries. The district is established for the primary object and purpose of promoting and encouraging the beautification, security, and overall betterment of the Lake Forest Estates Subdivision.
C. Governance. (1) In order for the orderly development and effectuation of the services 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 area, the affairs of the district shall be managed by the Lake Forest Association's Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the "board".
(2) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the board's secretary. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the official custody of the board.
(3) The duties of the officers shall be fixed by bylaws adopted by the board. The board shall adopt such rules and regulations 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 such times and places within the district as may be prescribed in the bylaws.
(4) 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 board's secretary to members of the district.
(5) The members of the board shall serve without compensation.
D. Taxing authority. (1)(a) The city council of the city of New Orleans is hereby authorized to levy and collect the special taxes or fees, as authorized by the Lake Forest Estates Improvement District, as hereinafter specifically provided for a term not to exceed eight years, in the same manner and at the same time as all other ad valorem taxes on property subject to taxation by the city are levied and collected, a special ad valorem tax not to exceed five mills or fees upon all taxable real property situated within the boundaries of the Lake Forest Estates Improvement District. A tax or fee herein authorized shall be levied and collected only after the question of its imposition has been submitted to and approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting on the question at a regularly scheduled primary or general election to be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Louisiana Election Code. No such tax or fee shall be levied until a plan requiring or requesting the levy of a tax or fee is finally and conclusively adopted in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this Section. Any unpaid tax or fee will be added to the tax rolls of the city and shall be enforced with the same authority and subject to the same penalties and procedures as are unpaid ad valorem taxes.
(b) The tax or fee may be renewed subject to the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.
(c) The proceeds of said tax or fee shall be used solely and exclusively for the purposes and benefit of the district. Said proceeds shall be paid over to the Board of Liquidation, City Debt, day by day as the same are collected and received by the appropriate officials of the city of New Orleans and maintained in a separate account. Said proceeds shall be paid out by the Board of Liquidation, City Debt, solely for the purposes herein provided upon warrants or drafts drawn on said Board of Liquidation, City Debt, by the appropriate officials of the city and the treasurer of the district. The city may retain one percent of the amount collected as a collection fee.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary, no tax or fee authorized herein shall be levied until the maximum amount of the tax has been approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting on the question at a regularly scheduled primary or general election to be conducted in accordance with provisions of the Louisiana Election Code.
E. Plan. (1) The board shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, a plan or plans, such plan or plans, and the plan provided for in Subsection D of this Section, being hereinafter referred to, collectively, as the "plan", specifying the public improvements, facilities, and services proposed to be furnished, constructed, or acquired for the district, and it shall conduct such hearings, publish such notice with respect thereto, and disseminate such 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 shall include:
(a) An estimate of the annual and aggregate cost of acquiring, constructing, or providing the services, improvements, or facilities set forth therein.
(b) An estimate of the aggregate number of mills or fees required to be levied in each year on the taxable real property within the district in order to provide the funds required for the implementation or effectuation of the plan for furnishing the services specified and for capital improvements or debt service, or both.
F. Miscellaneous provisions. The district shall have the power to acquire, to lease, to insure, and to sell real property within its boundaries in accordance with its plans.

Legislative History

Acts 1996, No. 44, §1, eff. July 1, 1996; Acts 1999, No. 1078, §2; Acts 1999, No. 1233, §2; Acts 2002, No. 34, §1; Acts 2002, No. 79, §1, eff. June 25, 2002; Acts 2003, No. 771, §1, eff. June 27, 2003.