Ouachita Parish Junk Penalty Fees Now Automatic
By: Nick Lawton
Updated: March 5, 2013
OUACHITA PARISH - On Monday, the Ouachita Parish Police Jury approved an ordinance at their regular meeting that will make junk penalty laws already in place hit much sooner.
Ordinance #9011 talking penalties for junk and dillapidated homes has already been in place.
The biggest difference this time around is how it's enforced.
Now if code enforcement officers see any home in the parish outside Monroe city limits that's broken down enough, has enough junk littered around it or has enough tall grass, they'll suffer that financial penalty immediately upon citation with no waiting period.
It's a $200 fine for having abandoned cars or other large junk around your home but repeat offenders on that will be charged up to $500.
Those fees apply to broken-down homes and too-tall grass as well.
Police jurors called this a move of support for their code enforcement officers.
"All we did is give Deputy Wayne Heckford and his staff the ability to become more effective, to not just be thought of as 'I'll get to it if I have the time.' We wanted them to know that, just like when I get a speeding ticket I don't want to get, it has a penalty assigned to it right away," said District D Juror, Dr. Ollibeth Reddix.
That ordinance goes into effect on April 1st.
Meanwhile, another ordinance that was introduced on Monday is Ordinance #9004, one that would require every residential rental unit, be they mobile homes, duplexes or apartments in the parish outside Monroe city limits, to enter into a contractual agreement with a provide to have their garbage picked up at least twice a month.
NBC 10 News was told that could bring an extra cost of $20 or less every month to every tenant.
The vote for that ordinance is coming up on March 18th.
Ordinance #9011 talking penalties for junk and dillapidated homes has already been in place.
The biggest difference this time around is how it's enforced.
Now if code enforcement officers see any home in the parish outside Monroe city limits that's broken down enough, has enough junk littered around it or has enough tall grass, they'll suffer that financial penalty immediately upon citation with no waiting period.
It's a $200 fine for having abandoned cars or other large junk around your home but repeat offenders on that will be charged up to $500.
Those fees apply to broken-down homes and too-tall grass as well.
Police jurors called this a move of support for their code enforcement officers.
"All we did is give Deputy Wayne Heckford and his staff the ability to become more effective, to not just be thought of as 'I'll get to it if I have the time.' We wanted them to know that, just like when I get a speeding ticket I don't want to get, it has a penalty assigned to it right away," said District D Juror, Dr. Ollibeth Reddix.
That ordinance goes into effect on April 1st.
Meanwhile, another ordinance that was introduced on Monday is Ordinance #9004, one that would require every residential rental unit, be they mobile homes, duplexes or apartments in the parish outside Monroe city limits, to enter into a contractual agreement with a provide to have their garbage picked up at least twice a month.
NBC 10 News was told that could bring an extra cost of $20 or less every month to every tenant.
The vote for that ordinance is coming up on March 18th.
