ST. MARTINVILLE — The St. Martin Parish Council will adjust its ordinance governing the opening and closing times for its parks because residents are breaking the law every day without even knowing it.
During its committee hearings Tuesday afternoon, the council decided it will put an item on its regular meeting agenda to amend an out-of-date regulation closing its parks with hours of summer daylight left to burn.
“We have an ordinance on the books that says you cannot use our parks from 6 p.m. until midnight, and midnight to 6 a.m.,” St. Martin Parish President Guy Cormier explained. “That ordinance was passed before we added walking tracks in those parks. We are going to have to adjust that.”
As summer days grow longer, the parks will be used far later into the evening, Cormier says, but there should still be a closing time established.
“I have passed by, 10, 11 o’clock at night, and seen cars at the Cade park,” Cormier said. “There is nothing you should be doing at the Cade park at 10 p.m.”
Although rarely enforced, the ordinance does have some teeth. Each violation comes with a fine of no less than $300 and no more than $500.
District 2 Councilwoman Lisa Nelson said the opening time could be an issue as well.
“I know a lot of people like to walk early in the morning, around 5 a.m.,” Nelson said.
Cormier agreed, but acknowledged he might have to change his habits.
“I like to walk the Cade park around 4:30 every morning,” Cormier said with a laugh, “but I think I can wait a few minutes so I am not breaking the law.”
During his president’s report, Cormier said the bulk of the parish’s road projects are complete, with only the blacktopping of Henderson Levee Road being held up while the contractor waits for the water level in the Atchafalaya River to go down.
He also said the parish has been working with the town of Broussard to develop an industrial park in the Broussard/Cade area, along Louisiana 182, with the St. Martin Economic Development Authority handling marketing strategies for the park. According to Cormier, the park will have 40 lots available for sale.
In other business, the council:
• Discussed an ordinance to rezone the property at 1031 Lasalle St. in St. Martinville to be used as a bed and breakfast.
• Discussed a resolution declaring May as Official Air Quality Awareness Month in St. Martin Parish.
• Heard from Cormier that an ordinance to establish speed zones for the Breaux Bridge High School zone, located at Doyle Melancon Road and BreauxBridge Senior High Road, would be forthcoming from the traffic engineer.
• Discussed a variance in the required side setback of a property, reducing it from 10 feet to 6 feet on the south side of the property and from 10 feet to 2 feet on the rear boundary at 3061 Louisiana 70, Lot 21B, in Stephensville.
The next regular council meeting will begin at 5 p.m. on May 3 in the Carroll J. Fuselier Meeting Room of the Parish Annex building, 301 Port St., in St. Martinville.