§ 33:9097.7 — Melrose East Crime Prevention District

Louisiana § 33:9097.7

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 33: Municipalities and Parishes

Text

§9097.7. Melrose East Crime Prevention District
A. Creation. There is hereby created within the parish of East Baton Rouge, as more
specifically provided in Subsection B of this Section, a body politic and corporate which
shall be known as the Melrose East Crime Prevention District, referred to in this Section as
the "district". The district shall be a political subdivision of the state as defined in the
Constitution of Louisiana.
B.(1) Boundaries. The district shall encompass the area included within the
following perimeter: Renoir Avenue, North Ardenwood Drive, North Lobdell Boulevard,
and Florida Boulevard.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the
boundaries of the district shall also encompass the area included on both sides of the
following streets: Renoir Avenue, North Ardenwood Drive, North Lobdell Boulevard, and
Florida Boulevard if the question of expansion and imposition of the parcel fee is approved
by a majority of the registered voters in the area included within the expanded boundaries
voting on a proposition at an election held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana
Election Code. No less than thirty days prior to any election held to approve such expansion
and parcel fee, the board shall mail notification of the upcoming election to each registered
voter of the expanded area and to each owner of a parcel in the expanded area who is not a
registered voter of the expanded area.
C.(1) Purpose. The purpose of the district shall be to aid in crime prevention and to
add to the security of district residents by providing for an increase in the presence of law
enforcement personnel in the district.
(2) In addition to the purposes provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the
district is also created for the purpose of adding to the overall betterment of the district by
providing for beautification and other improvements within the district if the question of the
additional purposes and the imposition of the parcel fee for such purposes is approved by a
majority of the registered voters in the district voting on a proposition at an election held for
that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. No less than thirty days prior
to any election held to approve such additional purposes and parcel fee, the board shall mail
notification of the upcoming election to each registered voter of the district and to each
owner of a parcel in the district who is not a registered voter of the expanded area.
D. Governance. (1) The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners,
referred to in this Section as the "board", consisting of seven members as follows:
(a) The president of Melrose East Community Association, Inc.
(b) The board of directors of Melrose East Community Association, Inc., or its
successor shall appoint one member.
(c) The member or members of the Louisiana House of Representatives who
represent the area that comprises the district shall appoint one member.
(d) The member or members of the Louisiana Senate who represent the area that
comprises the district shall appoint one member.
(e) The assessor for the parish of East Baton Rouge shall appoint one member.
(f) The mayor-president for the city of Baton Rouge, parish of East Baton Rouge,
shall appoint one member.
(g) The member or members of the governing authority of the city of Baton Rouge
and parish of East Baton Rouge who represent the area that comprises the district shall
appoint one member.
(2) All members of the board shall own immovable property within the district.
(3)(a) The terms of the members appointed pursuant to Subparagraphs (1)(c) through
(g) of this Subsection shall be concurrent with the respective appointing authority.
(b) The member serving pursuant to Subparagraph (1)(b) of this Subsection shall
serve a term of four years after an initial term of one year.
(c) The member serving pursuant to Subparagraph (1)(a) of this Subsection shall
serve during his term of office as president.
(4) Vacancies resulting from the expiration of a term or any other reason shall be
filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner of the original appointment.
Members shall be eligible for reappointment.
(5) The members of the board shall select from among themselves a president and
such other officers as they deem appropriate. The responsibilities of the officers shall be as
provided by the bylaws of the board.
(6) The members of the board shall serve without compensation and shall not receive
reimbursement for expenses.
E. Powers and duties. The district, acting through its board of commissioners, shall
have the following powers and duties:
(1) To sue and be sued.
(2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
(3) To receive and expend funds collected pursuant to Subsection F of this Section
and in accordance with a budget adopted as provided by Subsection G of this Section.
(4) To enter into contracts with individuals or entities, private or public, for the
provision of security patrols in the district.
(5) To purchase items and supplies which the board deems instrumental to achieving
the purpose of the district.
(6) To perform or have performed any other function or activity necessary for the
achievement of the purpose of the district.
F. Parcel fee. The governing authority of the district may impose and collect a parcel
fee within the district subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection:
(1) The amount of the fee shall be as requested by duly adopted resolution of the
board. The fee, however, shall not exceed two hundred dollars per parcel per year for lots
zoned for residential use and two thousand dollars per parcel per year for lots zoned for
commercial use.
(2)(a) The fee shall be imposed on each improved parcel located within the district.
(b) For purposes of this Section, "parcel" means a lot, a subdivided portion of
ground, or an individual tract and does not mean a "condominium parcel" as defined in R.S.
9:1121.103. Thus, with respect to condominiums, the fee collector shall impose the parcel
fee on each lot on which condominiums are situated and not on individual condominium
units.
(c) The owner of the parcel shall be responsible for payment of the fee.
(3)(a) The fee shall be imposed only after the question of its imposition has been
approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district voting on the proposition at an
election held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. At least thirty
days prior to any election held to approve imposition of a parcel fee, the board shall mail
notification of the upcoming election to each registered voter of the district and to each
owner of a parcel in the district who is not a registered voter of the district. No other election
shall be required except as provided by this Paragraph.
(b) The election on the question of the imposition of the fee shall be held at the same
time as a regularly scheduled election in the parish of East Baton Rouge.
(c) The fee shall expire at the end of the term provided for in the proposition
authorizing the fee, not to exceed ten years, but may be renewed as provided in Subparagraph
(a) of this Paragraph. If the fee is renewed, the term of the imposition of the fee shall be as
provided in the proposition authorizing such renewal.
(4) The fee shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ad valorem
taxes are collected by the parish.
(5) Any parcel fee which is unpaid shall be added to the tax rolls of the parish and
shall be enforced with the same authority and subject to the same penalties and procedures
as unpaid ad valorem taxes.
(6) The sheriff of East Baton Rouge Parish shall collect and remit to the district all
amounts collected not more than sixty days after collection; however, the sheriff may enter
into an agreement with the district to authorize the retention of an annual collection fee, not
to exceed one percent of the amount collected.
G. Budget. (1) The board of commissioners shall adopt an annual budget in
accordance with the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act, R.S. 39:1301 et seq. The
budget and all amendments shall be subject to the approval of the East Baton Rouge
Metropolitan Council.
(2) The district shall be subject to audit by the legislative auditor pursuant to R.S.
24:513.
H. Miscellaneous provisions. (1) It is the purpose and intent of this Section that the
additional law enforcement personnel and services provided by the district shall be
supplemental to and not in lieu of personnel and services provided in the district by the city
of Baton Rouge and parish of East Baton Rouge.
(2) If the district ceases to exist, any funds of the district shall be transmitted to the
governing authority of the city of Baton Rouge and parish of East Baton Rouge and shall be
used for law enforcement purposes in the area included within the district.

Legislative History

Acts 2009, No. 139, §1, eff. June 25, 2009; Acts 2024, No. 446, §1, eff. June 3, 2024.