Evangeline Parish sheriff urges compliance with nuisance property law
EVANGELINE PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- Evangeline Parish Sheriff Charles Guillory acknowledges that the "nuisance property ordinance" has been in effect in Evangeline Parish for some time. However, when it comes to recent property maintenance efforts, the situation is somewhat different.
"It was working out when the police jury would contact a landowner, and they would actually clean the property up. What's happening now is more words than anything else," Guillory stated.
The ordinance defines a nuisance property as property that has accumulated trash, junk, and abandoned materials. It also includes properties with excessive and unauthorized noise, such as loud animals, and properties that are uninhabitable and a public health hazard.
"They might have old cars and washing machines at the same time, and rats come in, mice, snakes, and things like that," Guillory said.
The sheriff said police jurors hired a person to focus solely on the ordinance.
"They are going to be contacting everybody first, hopefully in person; if not, they are going to do registered mail and then just a regular letter," Guillory added.
If compliance fails, fines will be levied not exceeding $500 for each offense, with an additional $50 for every day that non-compliance continues.
"As sheriff, I don't want to give a ticket to anybody. Just clean up your property, put the music down, and that's all that we ask for," the sheriff added.