§291. Creation; territorial limits and jurisdiction
A. The Lafayette Economic Development Authority, hereinafter referred to as the
"authority" or the "district", is created as a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, and
its territorial limits and jurisdiction shall extend throughout the parish of Lafayette. Such
authority shall continue to constitute a political subdivision, a redevelopment authority
pursuant to R.S. 34:293.2, and a harbor and terminal district originally created under the
provisions of Article XIV, Section 30.1 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 and Article
XIV, Section 31 thereof, continued as a statute at R.S. 34:340.1 through 340.6.
B.
(1)The Lafayette Economic Development Authority is established for the purpose
of having a council composed of represent
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§291. Creation; territorial limits and jurisdiction
A. The Lafayette Economic Development Authority, hereinafter referred to as the
"authority" or the "district", is created as a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, and
its territorial limits and jurisdiction shall extend throughout the parish of Lafayette. Such
authority shall continue to constitute a political subdivision, a redevelopment authority
pursuant to R.S. 34:293.2, and a harbor and terminal district originally created under the
provisions of Article XIV, Section 30.1 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 and Article
XIV, Section 31 thereof, continued as a statute at R.S. 34:340.1 through 340.6.
B.(1) The Lafayette Economic Development Authority is established for the purpose
of having a council composed of representatives from the business community, parish and
city governments, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the South Louisiana
Community College to perform the functions of an economic and industrial development
agency. Such functions may include, without limitation:
(a) Public relations, advertising, marketing, and providing and disseminating
information.
(b) Government relations, ombudsman, and government liaison.
(c) Financial and financing assistance.
(d) Tax abatement.
(e) Planning and coordination for economic development and resource utilization,
including such functions as industrial and economic research and industrial programming and
solicitation.
(f) Industrial training, technical assistance, and technology transfer.
(g) The use of public and other legal powers to facilitate development.
(h) Promoting transfer mechanisms to take ideas from their point of origin or
development to commercially successful utilization by local enterprises.
(i) Fostering entrepreneurial activity in the parish and region.
(j) Promoting the development of new products, processes, or services or new uses
for existing products, processes, or services manufactured or marketed in the parish or
region.
(k) Supporting market research aimed at identifying new markets for local or
regional products and processes, including international markets; determining the
characteristics, needs and preferences of those markets; and developing new marketing
techniques to exploit those markets.
(l) Fostering and supporting economic and industrial development and education in
cooperation with private business enterprises, financial institutions, educational institutions,
non-profit institutions and organizations, state government and political subdivisions of the
state, the federal government, and other organizations or persons concerned with research,
development, education, commercial application, and economic or industrial development
in ways which increase the economic base of the parish and region.
(m) Leveraging economic and community development strategies to engage in and
foster redevelopment and revitalization activities within distressed areas with the parish.
(2) For the purposes enumerated in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the Lafayette
Economic Development Authority may engage in whatever activities and projects it deems
most appropriate to encourage and assist economic growth and development within its
territorial limits in accordance with and pursuant to provisions of this Part.
(3) No rule, regulation, or order shall be adopted by the Lafayette Economic
Development Authority which is inconsistent with or contrary to any law, ordinance, or
regulation now in force or hereinafter enacted by the United States of America, the state of
Louisiana, or the parish of Lafayette, and any such rule, regulation, or order shall be void,
except that no action by the Lafayette Parish Council shall abrogate any contract or
agreement duly executed by the authority that was valid and legal when executed.